Stocks rise on big tech earnings; Nasdaq composite adds to record
Stock indexes edged higher Friday, helped by gains in big technology companies including Google, Amazon and Microsoft.
KEEPING SCORE: The Dow Jones industrial average inched up a point to 18,061 as of 10 a.m. Eastern. The Standard & Poor's 500 index rose two points, or 0.1 percent, to 2,115 and the Nasdaq composite added 32.05 points, or 0.6 percent, to 5,088.
BIG GAINS IN BIG TECH: Microsoft, Amazon and Google all rose sharply after the companies reported earnings that came in above analysts' expectations. Amazon jumped $56.61, or 14 percent, to $447. Amazon shares typically are volatile after its results come out. Microsoft rose $2.66, or 6 percent, to $46.01 and Google rose $19.68, or 4 percent, to $567.
GREECE: A meeting between Greece and its creditors ended without a deal. A top official said "significant" progress is still needed. Pressure is growing on Greece, whose finance minister faced critical remarks from European officials, according to Jeroen Dijsselbloem, the head of the finance meetings. The lack of a deal keeps uncertainty over Greece, which is forecast to have enough money only for another few weeks.
WALK AWAY: Time Warner Cable and Comcast rose after the companies called off their $45 billion merger following pressure from regulators. Comcast rose 8 cents to $59.29 and Time Warner Cable rose $3.97, or 3 percent, to $152.84.
NASDAQ RECORD: On Thursday the Nasdaq composite rose to 5,056.06 points, beating the record of 5,048.62 it set on March 10, 2000 at the height of the dot-com boom.
ENERGY: Benchmark U.S. crude oil fell $1.04 to $56.71 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange.
CURRENCIES, BONDS: The dollar declined to 119.22 yen from 119.62 yen. The euro was little changed at $1.0817. U.S. government bond prices rose. The yield on the 10-year Treasury note fell to 1.92 percent from 1.96 percent late Thursday.