Stocks Shrugged Off Midday Selloff to End Higher

U.S. stocks ended higher on Wednesday, shrugging off a midday selloff, as investors weighed a round of solid corporate earnings. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 171.14 points, or 0.70%, to 24,575.62. The S&P 500 advanced 5.80 points, or 0.22%, to 2,638.70. The Nasdaq Composite gained 5.41 points, or 0.08%, to 7,025.77.

Oil futures fell on Wednesday, as traders looked to the possibility of U.S. sanctions on Venezuelan oil, which could lead to a tighter market. West Texas Intermediate crude for March delivery fell by 39 cents, or 0.7%, to settle at $52.62 a barrel. March Brent lost 36 cents, or 0.6%, to $61.14 a barrel.