US stocks end mostly higher

By Tuba Sahin

ANKARA (AA) - US stocks closed mostly higher Wednesday as traders braced for more earnings reports from major companies.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average was up 61.7 points, or 0.19%, to close at 33,301.

The S&P 500 gained 8.7 points, or 0.21%, to 4,183.

The tech-heavy Nasdaq was flat at 12,488 points.

The yield on 10-year US Treasury notes rose 1.67% to 2.818%, while the dollar index climbed 0.64% to 102.975.

The VIX volatility index, known as the fear index, was down 5.73% at 31.60.

Precious metals were down, with gold falling 0.95% to $1,886 and silver losing 1% to $23.31.

Oil prices rose Wednesday on supply concerns after Russia announced that its energy firm Gazprom had halted gas supplies to Poland and Bulgaria over their refusal to pay in rubles for gas imports.

Global benchmark Brent crude was trading at $104.91 a barrel, up 0.29%, while US benchmark West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude was at $102.06, gaining 0.35%.