Advertisement

Stocks post modest gains as earnings roll in

NEW YORK (AP) — Stocks are closing higher as more U.S. companies report first-quarter earnings.

Investors were also encouraged by an increase in an index designed to predict future economic growth.

Halliburton rose 3 percent after the oil exploration company posted a profit for the first quarter, bouncing back from a loss in the same period a year ago. Toy maker Hasbro rose 2 percent after its earnings came in higher than analysts were expecting.

The Standard & Poor's 500 index rose seven points, or 0.4 percent, to close at 1,871 Monday.

The Dow Jones industrial average rose 40 points, or 0.3 percent, to 16,449. The Nasdaq composite rose 26 points, or 0.6 percent, to 4,121.

Bond prices rose. The yield on the 10-year Treasury note fell to 2.72 percent.