03:59 PM EST, 11/20/2024 (MT Newswires) -- US benchmark equity indexes ended mixed Wednesday as investors parsed the latest corporate earnings and awaited Nvidia's (NVDA) results.

* Chip-making giant Nvidia is scheduled to report its fiscal Q3 results after Wednesday's closing bell, along with companies such as Palo Alto Networks (PANW) and Snowflake (SNOW).

* The Federal Reserve will likely continue its monetary policy easing cycle, though the magnitude and timing of potential rate cuts will depend on incoming data and other factors, Governor Lisa Cook said. "I do not view policy as being on a preset course, and I am ready to respond to a changing outlook."

* Separately, Fed Governor Michelle Bowman said policymakers should take a cautious approach with rate cuts.

* The Mortgage Bankers Association reported a 1.7% increase in mortgage applications in the week ended Nov. 15 after a 0.5% gain in the previous week. Refinancing activity and new home applications both advanced despite a fourth-straight gain in mortgage rates to the highest point since July.

* December West Texas Intermediate crude oil closed down $0.52 to settle at $68.87 per barrel, while January Brent crude, the global benchmark, was last seen down $0.54 to $72.77 as geopolitical tensions were outweighed by continuing weak demand and high supply.

* Keysight Technologies ( KEYS ) shares were up 8.5%. Late Tuesday, the electronics test and measurement equipment manufacturer issued an upbeat fiscal Q1 outlook and reported better-than-expected results for the preceding three-month period.

* Target ( TGT ) slashed its full-year earnings outlook amid soft consumer discretionary spending trends, while the retailer's fiscal Q3 results came in below market estimates. The company's shares slumped 22%.