The three major U.S. stock indexes in New York were mixed on the 6th. Chip stocks opened lower as earnings outlooks fell short of investor expectations. Health care stocks were rising on Moderna's strength.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average was down 0.1% at 54,297.03. The Nasdaq composite was up 0.2% at 26,414.95, and the S&P 500 was up 0.12% at 7,732.53.
SanDisk, a semiconductor stock, was down more than 5%. SanDisk guided first-quarter revenue at $10.3 billion to $10.8 billion. It was seen as falling short of investor expectations, dampening sentiment. Micron was also down more than 1%.
Moderna was up more than 1% after news that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the world's first messenger RNA (mRNA) flu vaccine. Moderna plans to supply the vaccine so inoculations can begin for adults 50 and older starting this fall. Elsewhere, the liquor corporations Diageo rose more than 3% after announcing an expense-cut plan.
Investors were waiting for the outcome of an agreement between the United States and Iran. The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) said Iran and Oman were finalizing a draft of a 60-day provisional agreement on the day. It is to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, which has been closed since the war between the United States and Iran broke out in Feb. Further details need additional discussion.
European stocks and international oil prices were mostly higher. The Euro Stoxx 50 was up 0.64%. France's CAC 40 and Germany's DAX rose 0.7% and 0.12%, respectively. However, the U.K.'s FTSE 100 was down 0.05%. The price of West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude for September delivery, the front-month contract, was up 1.22% at $76.14 a barrel.