US STOCKS-Dow cuts losses after Fed speaker comments

(Updates to show the Dow paring losses, S&P turns up)

NEW YORK, May 13 (Reuters) - The Dow industrials pared losses and the S&P 500 turned up on Tuesday as investors took comments from Federal Reserve officials on inflation as signaling the economy is firmer than previously thought.

The Dow Jones industrial average .DJI was down 35.82 points, or 0.28 percent, at 12,840.49. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index .SPX was up 0.26 points, or 0.02 percent, at 1,403.84. The Nasdaq Composite Index .IXIC was up 6.58 points, or 0.26 percent, at 2,495.07. (Reporting by Caroline Valetkevitch; Editing by Leslie Adler)