Stocks Ended Mixed, Dow Hit Record High

U. S. stocks ended mixed on Wednesday, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average closing at a record, while the S&P 500 and the Nasdaq Composite slipped to lower levels, dragged down by declines in retail shares. The Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 45.30 points, or 0.20%, to 22,203.48. The S&P 500 fell 2.75points, or 0.11%, to 2,495.62. The Nasdaq Composite slipped 31.10 points, or 0.48%, to 6,429.08.

Oil ended higher Thursday for a fourth consecutive session, with the U.S. benchmark settling at a more-than-six-week high on expectations for stronger demand and efforts by major producers to maintain a cap on crude output. October West Texas Intermediate oil rose 59 cents, or 1.2%, to settle at $49.89 a barrel. November Brent crude rose 31 cents, or 0.6%, to $55.47 a barrel.

Oracle Corp. (ORCL) reported fiscal first-quarter that topped Wall Street estimates. The company reported net income of $2.21 billion, or 52 cents a share, compared to $1.83 billion, or 43 cents a share, in the year-ago period. Adjusted earnings were 62 cents a share. Revenue rose to $9.19 billion from $8.6 billion in the year-ago period.