Mixed day for major indices

QUARTERLY results and analysts' so-so reaction to them left US investors confused and the major indices mixed at midday yesterday.

At about 11:45am US Eastern Time, the Nasdaq composite index fell 11.61 to 1,385.64. The Dow Jones industrial average gained 37.79 to 8,580.27. The Standard & Poor’s 500 index dropped 3.93 to 902.11.

“There’s diversity of economic news, earnings news and technical factors pushing and pulling at this market, so none of us down here are taking any trend for granted,” Stephen Porpora, managing floor broker at William O’Neil & Co, said.