NEW YORK, April 24 (Xinhua) -- U.S. stocks opened mixed on Wednesday, as Wall Street looked through the latest earnings report from Boeing and Caterpillar, both regarded as key influencers for the industrial sector of U.S. stock markets.
Shortly after the opening bell, the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 21.06 points, or 0.08 percent, to 26,635.33. The S&P 500 was down 1.17 points, or 0.04 percent, to 2,932.51. The Nasdaq Composite Index increased 8.37 points, or 0.10 percent, to 8,129.19.
Shares of Boeing rose nearly 1.2 percent, after its quarterly profits were shown to match market estimates, while its revenue came slightly below forecast.
However, the U.S. aerospace giant suspended its full-year guidance and stock buyback program amid volatility, as regulators continued grounding its 737 Max fleet after two fatal crashes.
Shares of U.S. industrial manufacturer Caterpillar fell over 3.5 percent, despite its better-than-expected first-quarter earnings.
The trade-sensitive equipment maker braced a four-percent fall in construction revenue in Asia-Pacific. The company's sales in China have been undermined by price competition, Caterpillar CFO Andrew Bonfield was quoted by Bloomberg.
Six of the 11 primary S&P 500 sectors traded lower around Wednesday's opening, with the materials sector down over 0.4 percent, leading the losers.
Investors are also paying close attention to another batch of tech giants' first-quarter earnings scheduled to be issued later on Wednesday, including Facebook and Microsoft. Enditem
