U.S. stocks closed varied, with the Dow off 200 points

U.S. stocks closed varied, with the Dow off 200 points, as investors pored over data showing a collapse in private-sector employment in April and weighed the easing of lockdowns imposed by the coronavirus pandemic.

Investors also parsed corporate quarterly updates from some of the nation’s largest companies, with Walt Disney Co.’s profit diving more than 90% in the second quarter due to the pandemic’s hit on the entertainment giant.

How did stock benchmarks fare?

The Dow Jones Industrial Average DJIA, -1.58% fell 218.45 points, or 0.9%, to finish at 23,664.64. The S&P 500 SPX, -1.04% shed 20.02 points, or 0.7%, to end at 2,848.42. The Nasdaq Composite COMP, -0.53% ascended 45.27 points, or 0.5%, to end at 8,854.39, only 1.3% off for the year to date.

On Tuesday, the Dow DJIA, -1.58% obtained 133.33 points, or 0.6%, to finish at 24,883.09, the S&P 500 index SPX, -1.04% gained 25.70 points to end at 2,868.44, a gain of 0.9%, while the Nasdaq Composite Index COMP, -0.53% added 98.41 points, or 1.1%, to close at 8,809.12.

Dow drops nearly 150 points on losses for shares of Dow Inc., Travelers

Shares of Dow Inc. and Travelers are seeing declines Wednesday afternoon, sending the Dow Jones Industrial Average into negative territory. Shares of Dow Inc. DOW, -2.99% and Travelers TRV, -2.13% have contributed to the blue-chip gauge’s intraday decline, as the Dow DJIA, -1.58% was most recently trading 143 points (0.6%) lower. Dow Inc.’s shares have dropped $1.41 (4.2%) while those of Travelers have declined $3.05 (3.1%), connecting roughly 31-point drag on the Dow. Also devoting significantly to the decline are Boeing BA, -3.69%, American Express AXP, -1.30%, and Walgreens Boots WBA, -1.56%. A $1 move in any of the index’s 30 components results in a 6.86-point swing.

Dow drops 70 points on losses for Dow Inc., Boeing shares.

Shares of Dow Inc. and Boeing are posting losses Wednesday afternoon, sending the Dow Jones Industrial Average into negative territory. The Dow DJIA, -1.58% was most recently trading 70 points lower (-0.3%), as shares of Dow Inc. DOW, -2.99% and Boeing BA, -3.69% have contributed to the blue-chip gauge’s intraday decline. Dow Inc.’s shares are down $1.31 (3.9%) while Boeing is down $3.91 (3.1%), combining for an approximately 36-point drag on the Dow. Chevron CVX, -3.16%, American Express AXP, -1.30%, and Travelers TRV, -2.13% is also contributing significantly to the decline. A $1 move in any of the benchmark’s 30 components results in a 6.86-point swing.