Crude oil prices advanced to lift the Dow during the midday with the blue chip index gaining 30 points to 18,020. Nasdaq tumbled 41 points to 4,846.
On the upside
Barracuda Networks (NYSE: CUDA) swung to a better than expected profit for the fourth quarter as revenue climbed.
Boston Scientific (NYSE: BSX) reversed year ago losses to post a greater than expected profit for the first quarter and forecast full year results ahead of estimates.
Energy Transfer Equity (Nasdaq: ETE) will pay a quarterly cash distribution of $0.285 per common unit on May 19, 2016 to unitholders of record May 6, 2016.
On the downside
Robert Half International (NYSE: RHI) reported higher first quarter earnings and revenue but margins fell prompting a downgrade.
First quarter earnings and revenue rose for Buffalo Wild Wings (Nasdaq: BWLD) but the results fell short of expectations.
The Food and Drug Administration will take more time to complete its review of the Biologics License Application for HEPLISAV-B that was submitted by Dynavax Technologies (Nasdaq: DVAX) prompting a downgrade.
In the broad market, advancing issues outpaced decliners by a margin of more than 7 to 5 on the NYSE while decliners edged out advancers by 9 to 7 on Nasdaq. The broader S&P 500 slipped a point to 2,090. Bitcoin tumbled $9 to $453.