Facebook Leads S-and-P 500 to Record High, Stocks Mostly Flat
U.S. stocks closed mostly unchanged but Facebook (FB) helped to push the S&P 500 to end on another record high. Mixed economic data on the jobs and housing fronts came on one of the heaviest days of the earnings season. The benchmark 10-year note yield ended the day up about 2.5% as investors favored stocks. Both gold futures and crude oil prices were also down about 1%. Facebook was really “LIKED†by investors. The social media stock added to gains after reporting results that far exceeded Wall Street’s expectations. But shares of Caterpillar (CAT)tumbled after the company disappointed sales expectations. Similar story for Dunkin Brands (DNKN). The chain lowered its full-year earnings target. AT&T (T) also lost more than 1 percent after its second-quarter earnings fell. On tap to report earnings Friday include Xerox (XRX), Black and Decker (SWK)and Tyco (TYC).