Stocks Opened Mixed, GE’s Profit Rose 16%

U.S. stocks opened mixed on Friday with Dow dragged by IBM, following disappointing results from General
Electric Co , McDonald’s Corp and IBM. The Dow Jones industrial average lately was down 58.21 points, or 0.40
percent, at 14,478.93. The Standard & Poor’s 500 Index was up 1.80 points, or 0.12 percent, at 1,543.41. The
Nasdaq Composite Index was up 9.29 points, or 0.29 percent, at 3,175.65.

General Electric delivered a solid gain in first-quarter earnings on Friday despite economic uncertainty in
many markets that is holding back demand for industrial equipment. GE eported net income of $3.5 billion, or
34 cents a share, a 16 percent increase from the year-earlier quarter, when earnings were $3 billion, or 29
cents a share.

Dell Inc. DELL -3.35% shares fell sharply Friday morning, after Blackstone said it is no longer interested
in buying the technology company because of Dell’s “rapidly eroding financial profile.”