Stocks end lower after recouping some of an afternoon swoon; Yelp and Harman sink

Stocks are closing lower after recouping some of an afternoon swoon.

Several companies fell Thursday after releasing weak results. Harman International, Varian Medical Systems and Yelp all sank.

The Dow Jones industrial average lost 195 points, or 1.1 percent, to 17,840. It was down as much as 260.

The Standard & Poor's 500 index declined 21 points, or 1 percent, to 2,085. The Nasdaq fell 82 points, or 1.6 percent, to 4,941.

Technology and health care companies fell the most.

Oil rose nearly 2 percent and finished April with a gain of 20 percent. U.S. oil gained $1.05 to $59.63 a barrel.

Bond prices didn't move much. The yield on the 10-year Treasury note held steady at 2.04 percent.