Modestly higher close as crude oil edges up

The markets closed modestly higher with the Dow rising 20 points to 18,232 as crude oil prices edged up. Nasdaq slipped 2 points to 5,048.

On the upside

Harvest Natural Resources (NYSE: HNR) will release first quarter earnings on Tuesday, May 19.

NantPharm will purchase Sorrento Therapeutics (Nasdaq: SRNE) subsidiary Igdrasol, which has been developing the cancer treatment Cynviloq.

First quarter earnings and revenue surged for SkyPeople Fruit Juice (Nasdaq: SPU).

On the downside

RMG Networks (Nasdaq: RMGN) will issue nearly 25 million shares of common stock.

hhgregg (NYSE: HGG) widened losses more than expected as revenue slipped to fall short of estimates.

MakeMyTrip (Nasdaq: MMYT) reported a wider than expected loss for the fourth quarter.

In the broad market, advancing issues outpaced decliners by a margin of more than 7 to 5 on the NYSE and by nearly 10 to 9 on Nasdaq. The broader S&P 500 added a point to 2122. Bitcoin added $1 to $238.