The markets traded mixed during the midday with the Dow slipping 10 points to 21,468. Nasdaq climbed 44 points to 6,155.
Volvo will no longer make conventional gasoline engines after 2019. All new models that the Sweden-based company introduces after 2019 will be hybrids or fully electric vehicles. Volvo is the first major automaker to transition to clean energy cars.
Approximately 173,000 DeVry students will receive refund checks as part of a $100 million settlement agreement. The Federal Trade Commission sued DeVry for deceptive adds that claimed that 90% of its graduates found jobs in their majors within six months of graduation. Students who enrolled between January 1, 2008 and October 1, 2015 and paid at least $5,000 may be eligible for a refund check.
Alibaba introduced its Tmall Genie X1 voice activated smart speaker that will be available to 1,000 customers for a one-month trial period. The devices are priced at $73, well below Apple's HomePod at $349 and Amazon's $180 Echo. Tmall Genie X1 will be able to stream music, provide news reports and order items.
In the broad market, declining issues outpaced advancers by a margin of nearly 2 to 1 on the NYSE and by more than 4 to 3 on Nasdaq. The broader S&P 500 added 3 points to 2,432. Bitcoin climbed $27 to $2566.
