12:27 PM EDT, 10/16/2024 (MT Newswires) -- US equity indexes were mixed in midday trading Wednesday as quarterly earnings flowed in and crude oil futures extended declines.

The Nasdaq Composite slipped less than 0.1% to 18,305.2. The S&P 500 rose 0.1% to 5,822.1, and the Dow Jones Industrial Average climbed 0.4% to 42,924.5. Communication services, energy, and technology led the decliners intraday.

Shares of Netherlands-based ASML ( ASML ), a bellwether maker of equipment used in chip production, dropped 5.7% intraday, the worst on the S&P 500. The technology giant is extending declines from Tuesday when fiscal Q3 results accidently published a day ahead of schedule showed its full-year 2025 outlook lagged estimates. The firm's guidance proved detrimental for the technology peer group on Tuesday, and it continues to weigh on the sector on Wednesday afternoon.

Further, in company news, United Airlines (UAL) reported Q3 adjusted earnings late Tuesday that beat market expectations as sales increased from a year ago. The carrier also unveiled a repurchase program of up to $1.5 billion. Shares jumped past 11% intraday, the top gainer on the S&P 500.

Morgan Stanley ( MS ) shares were up 7.5% intraday, among the top gainers on the S&P 500, after the company reported higher Q3 earnings and net revenue.

West Texas Intermediate crude oil retreated 0.14% to $70.48 a barrel.

Israel's plan to respond to this month's Iranian attack is ready, CNN reported, citing a source familiar with the matter. Israeli officials, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, have assured the US that the counterstrike would be limited to military targets rather than oil or nuclear facilities, according to a source, the news report said.

In US economic news, the New York Federal Reserve's services index fell to minus 2.2 in October from 0.5 in September. The print is among the first for the services sector this month and signals contraction in the sector.

US import prices fell 0.4% in September, versus the 0.3% decrease expected in a survey compiled by Bloomberg and a 0.2% drop in August. Export prices dropped 0.7% in September, compared with expectations for a 0.4% drop and a 0.9% decline in August.

Almost all US Treasury yields fell intraday, with the 10-year yield down 4.1 points to 3.99% and the two-year rate 3.3 basis points lower at 3.92%.