Stocks Gain on Earnings, Netflix Earnings Top Targets

U.S. stocks climbed on Monday, as investors awaited quarterly earnings from the technology sector. The Dow  Jones Industrial Average climbed 19.66 points, or 0.14%, to 14,567.17. The S&P 500 index added 7.25 points,  or 0.47%, to 1,562.50. The Nasdaq Composite advanced 27.49 points, or 0.86%, to 3,233.55.

Netflix Inc’s profit rose in the first quarter. For January through March, Netflix recorded $3 million in net  income and earnings per share of 5 cents. A year earlier, the company reported a $5 million loss as it  increased spending to launch its service in international markets.

Texas Instruments reported a jump in first-quarter earnings due in large part to a tax benefit, while  revenue for the period came roughly in line with Wall Street’s estimates. For the period ended March 31, It reported net income of $362 million, or 32 cents a share, compared with earnings of $265 million, or 2 cents per share, for the same period last year. Revenue slipped 8% to $2.89 billion. Analysts were  expecting adjusted earnings of 31 cents per share on revenue of $2.85 billion.

Home resales edged downward in March, pointing to some slowdown in the housing market recovery pace as  overall economic activity cools. The National Association of Realtors said on Monday existing home sales  slipped 0.6 percent last month to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.92 million units.

A German privacy regulator has fined Google for illegally recording signals from Wifi networks while it was  taking photographs for its Street View service.