Stocks Ended Lower on Mixed Earnings

U.S. stocks closed lower on Thursday, as investors sifted through mixed earnings results and deal news. The Dow Jones Industrial Average declined 29.65 points, or 0.16%, to 18,169.68. The S&P 500 fell 6.39 points, or 0.30%, to 2,133.04. The Nasdaq Composite was down 34.29 points, or 0.65%, to 5,215.97.

Amazon.com Inc. posted a smaller-than-expected increase in third-quarter profit as shipping and other expenses continued surging. Its earnings rose to $252 million, or 52 cents a share, from $79 million, or 17 cents a share, a year earlier. Sales of $32.7 billion, up from $25.36 billion.

Google parent Alphabet Inc. reported rising third-quarter profit that topped analysts’ estimates. Revenue, excluding payments to partner sites, rose to $18.3 billion, the company said in a statement Thursday. Profit before certain items climbed to $9.06 a share.

LinkedIn Corp. reported profit that beat analysts’ estimates, as the company works to close a $26.2 billion sale to Microsoft Corp. LinkedIn said third-quarter revenue was $959.8 million, up 23 percent from a year earlier. Profit excluding some items was $1.18 per share.

CenturyLink Inc. is in advanced talks to merge with Level 3 Communications Inc., a deal that would give the telecommunications companies greater heft in a brutally competitive industry.

Oil futures finished higher Thursday as renewed hopes for a crude output deal among major producers and an unexpected weekly decline in U.S crude inventories fueled a rebound in prices. December West Texas Intermediate crude climbed by 54 cents, or 1.1%, to settle at $49.72 a barrel. December Brent crude tacked on 49 cents, or 1%, to $50.47 a barrel.