US Markets
Equities Higher Intraday Amid Strong Earnings Reports; Oil Rises
US benchmark equity indexes were higher intraday following a batch of upbeat corporate results, while oil prices rose after Iran seized two container ships in the Strait of Hormuz.The Nasdaq Composite was up 1.3% at 24,577.8 after midday Wednesday, while the S&P 500 rose 0.8% to 7,121.3. The Dow Jones Industrial Average climbed 0.6% to 49,444. Among sectors, tech paced the gainers with a 2.1% advance, while real estate saw the steepest decline.Boeing's (BA) first-quarter loss unexpectedly narrowed as commercial aircraft deliveries rose, while the plane maker reported a smaller cash burn year over year. The stock was up 5.4% intraday, the best performer on the Dow.Boston Scientific (BSX) shares were advancing by 8.9%, the third-biggest gain on the S&P 500. The medical device supplier's first-quarter results exceeded Wall Street's estimates, but it lowered its full-year guidance.Philip Morris International (PM) reported first-quarter results above market estimates, while lowering its full-year earnings outlook. The cigarette and vape maker's shares rose 6.9%.A number of major tech stocks were advancing intraday, with Micron (MU) up 7.7%, among the best performers on the S&P 500. Apple (AAPL) rose 2.6%, the second-biggest gain on the Dow. Microsoft (MSFT) and Salesforce (CRM) were also higher.Tesla (TSLA), International Business Machines (IBM), and Texas Instruments (TXN) are scheduled to report results after the closing bell Wednesday. IBM shares were down 1.9% intraday, the steepest decline on the Dow.West Texas Intermediate crude rose 3.7% to $92.94 per barrel, while Brent jumped 3.3% to $101.76.Iran said it seized two container ships attempting to cross the Strait of Hormuz, a key oil chokepoint. US President Donald Trump extended a ceasefire with Tehran late Tuesday, though he said the naval blockade of Iranian ports would continue.The status of a second round of peace talks between the US and Iran remained unclear."Oil prices continue to whipsaw as traders respond to a confusing and often contradictory flow of headlines, underscoring the deep mistrust between Tehran and Washington," Saxo Bank Head of Commodity Strategy Ole Hansen said in a report on Wednesday.US Treasury yields were mixed intraday, with the 10-year rate little changed at 4.31% and the two-year rate up 2.5 basis points at 3.80%.Gold was up 0.7% at $4,753 per troy ounce, while silver gained 1.8% to $77.90 per ounce.
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