02:21 PM EST, 11/18/2024 (MT Newswires) -- US benchmark equity indexes were mixed after midday Monday as markets awaited major corporate earnings due later in the week.

The Nasdaq Composite was up 0.7% at 18,800.1 intraday, while the S&P 500 rose 0.4% to 5,895. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 0.1% to 43,399.3. Barring industrials, all sectors were in the green, led by energy.

Chip-making giant Nvidia ( NVDA ) is scheduled to report latest quarterly financial results later this week, along with other major names such as Walmart ( WMT ) , Lowe's (LOW), Intuit (INTU), TJX (TJX), Medtronic ( MDT ) , Palo Alto Networks ( PANW ) , Target ( TGT ) and Snowflake (SNOW).

Some 92% of S&P 500 companies have reported results so far in the latest earnings cycle, with profits up 6.8% year over year on 5% revenue growth, Oppenheimer Asset Management said in a Monday note to clients. "At this stage of the cycle, about 75% of firms that have reported (third-quarter) earnings have beaten analyst estimates," the firm wrote.

Artificial intelligence server maker Super Micro Computer's ( SMCI ) shares were up nearly 24% intraday, the top gainer on the S&P 500 and the Nasdaq.

Tesla (TSLA) shares rose 4.5%, among the best performers on the S&P 500 and the Nasdaq, amid reports that the incoming Trump administration may be considering a federal framework for autonomous vehicles in a move that RBC Capital Markets said could benefit the electric vehicle maker's robotaxi plan.

Nike ( NKE ) shares fell 2.5%, the steepest decline on the Dow, as TD Cowen adjusted its price target on the sportswear giant's stock to $73 from $78 while maintaining its hold rating.

Spirit Airlines ( SAVE ) filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection with support from a supermajority of its bond holders, as the budget airline seeks to reduce its debt, attain increased financial flexibility and invest in passenger services. The company's shares were down 18%.

The US 10- and two-year yields fell one basis point each to 4.42% and 4.29%, respectively.

West Texas Intermediate crude oil rose 2.9% to $68.99 a barrel intraday. Equinor ( EQNR ) said it had halted crude production from its Johan Sverdrup oilfield in Norway amid an onshore power outage, Reuters reported.

In economic news, US homebuilder confidence increased for the third consecutive month in November as election uncertainty subsided, with builders forecasting market conditions to continue to improve following Donald Trump's return to the White House, according to National Association of Home Builders and Wells Fargo data.

Gold was up 1.7% at $2,612.90 per troy ounce, while silver jumped 2.3% to $31.32 per ounce.