4:23 PM ET
Stocks today ended mostly lower after searching for direction through much of the session. The Nasdaq pared its shrinking gains into the close to finish flat.And earlier:
The Nasdaq composite fared best with a break-even close, after giving up a 1.7% advance. The S&P 500 slid 0.2%, while the Dow Jones industrial average, weighed down by sliding oil stocks, fell 0.4%. Small caps fared slightly better than their big-cap peers: the Russell 2000 gave up around 0.2%.
Volume was higher on both the NYSE and Nasdaq vs. Monday, according to preliminary data.
Oil stocks led the downside sector losers in the stock market today. Meat processors and nonalcoholic beverage makers also underperformed. Crude prices sank after President Trump's tweet that Saudi Arabia and OPEC should not curtail oil production to boost prices. West Texas intermediate oil dropped more than 8% to just under $55 a barrel.
Chevron (CVX) and Exxon Mobil (XOM), down about 2% each, were among the Dow's biggest decliners. Boeing (BA) also lost 2% to close below its 200-day moving average, which it had regained Oct. 30.
Stocks Today: Chip Stocks Outperform
But transportation, building-related and chip stocks scored gains. Intel (INTC), the biggest blue chip gainer, rose 1.6%. The stock has held above its 50-day line the past two weeks, though it's still below the 200-day line. It may be shaping a base but at 17% off its high, has plenty of work left to do....MORE
3:40 PM ET
Oil Bulls Trampled, Stocks Wobble; This Chip Stock Strengthens Its Chart
Big seesawing action by Apple (AAPL) pretty much defined the movement in U.S. stocks today. At one point, the Nasdaq composite gave back all of a 1.7% early advance. Crude oil plunged more than 8% to reach a session low of $54.91 a barrel and hit its lowest levels since December of last year....MOREAlso on blogroll at right for later posts and I am outa here.
