El Pollo Loco Slides on Guidance; Stocks Struggle for Gains

El Pollo Loco (LOCO) plummeted despite a better-than-expected quarter. The Mexican food chain was under pressure after guiding for full-year earnings on the soft side. Stocks were struggling to regain record levels after industrial production in April pointed to a slower economic recovery after a harsh winter. The Dow was around 50 points shy of its intra-day record. Dillard's (DDS) fell after reporting a slight drop in first-quarter profit. The department store chain's bottom line was squeezed as merchandise sales fell while inventories rose. Hertz (HTZ) was higher after announcing it will close around 200 locations in the U.S.