U.S. stocks drifted mostly lower in early trading Thursday as investors reviewed the latest batch of corporate earnings news. Utilities stocks were among the biggest decliners.
KEEPING SCORE: The Dow Jones industrial average fell 47 points, or 0.3 percent, to 17,803 as of 10:02 a.m. Eastern Time. The Standard & Poor’s 500 index slipped one point, or 0.1 percent, to 2,112. The Nasdaq composite gained seven points, or 0.1 percent, to 5,179.
CRUISE CONTROL: Shares in General Motors surged 5.5 percent after the automaker’s second-quarter earnings handily beat financial analysts’ forecasts. The stock rose $1.67 to $31.