Stocks Ended Mixed, Oil Rose

U.S. stocks ended mixed on Thurday, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose moderately while the S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite closed in the red, as investors sized up the latest company earnings news. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 32.40 points, or 0.16%, to 20,100.91. The S&P 500 was down 1.69 points, or 0.07%, to 2,296.68. The Nasdaq Composite was off 1.16 points, or 0.02%, to 5,655.18.

Oil futures on Thursday closed at their highest finish in almost three weeks, as traders showed growing confidence that major oil producers have been cutting back output as promised. March West Texas Intermediate crude rose $1.03, or 2%, to settle at $53.78 a barrel. Brent crude for March delivery added $1.16, or 2.1%, to $56.24 a barrel.

Intel Corp. (INTC) reported fourth-quarter earnings and sales above expectations. Intel said it earned $3.6 billion, or 73 cents a share, in the quarter, compared with $3.6 billion, or 74 cents a share, in the year-ago period. Revenue reached $16.4 billion in the quarter, up from $14.9 billion a year ago.

Microsoft Corp. (MSFT)’s quarterly results topped Wall Street estimates. The company reported adjusted fiscal second-quarter earnings of 83 cents a share on adjusted revenue of $26.07 billion.

Starbucks Corp. reported first-quarter same-store sales globally and in the Americas that missed estimates. Net income was $751.8 million, or 51 cents per share, up from $687.6 million, or 46 cents per share, in the same period last year. Sales for the quarter were $5.73 billion, up from $5.37 billion last year.