Stocks Snap Win Streak on Greek Protests

U.S. stocks slipped into the red and ended lower on Wednesday, snapping a recent streak of gains, following reports of violent protests in Greece. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was down 3.41 points, or 0.02%, to 18,050.17. The S&P 500 declined 1.55 points, or 0.07%, to 2,107.40. The Nasdaq Composite shed 5.95 points, or 0.12%, to c5,098.94.

Greece’s prime minister was fighting to keep his government intact in the face of outrage over an austerity bill that parliament must pass Wednesday night if the country is to start negotiations on a new bailout and avoid financial collapse.

A key report about the U.S. economy released Wednesday offered an optimistic take on the U.S. economy, further lending credence to speculation that the Federal Reserve will raise interest rates later this year.

Netflix Inc. said its Internet TV service grew to 65.6 million subscribers in the second quarter. Subscribers jumped 2.37 million to 23.3 million. That beat the 1.94 million average of five analysts’ estimates compiled by Bloomberg News.

Bank of America Corp (BAC) Chief Executive Brian Moynihan has been hiring more sales staff, in areas ranging from commercial lending to wealth management, in his latest effort to boost revenue that has barely budged for years.