YAHOO [BRIEFING.COM]: The major averages ended on a mixed note as the S&P 500 rose 0.2% while the Dow Jones Industrial Average shed five points.

With no economic news of note and two major foreign markets closed (Japan and the United Kingdom), investors reacted to quarterly earnings.

The now-familiar pattern of anemic top-line growth remained in effect as quarterly results from Sysco (SYY 34.33, -0.33) and Tyson Foods (TSN 24.10, -0.83) missed their marks. The results weighed on the third-best performing sector of the year as the SPDR Consumer Staples Select Sector ETF (XLP 40.93, -0.30) ended lower by 0.7%.

Likewise, other defensive sectors also finished in the red with the utilities space as the weakest performer. The SPDR Utilities Select Sector ETF (XLU 40.32, -0.57) settled lower by 1.4%.

On the flip side, six cyclical sectors registered gains as financials, industrials, and technology led the broader market higher.

The financial sector displayed notable strength throughout the day as the SPDR Financial Select Sector ETF (XLF 19.05, +0.20) rose 1.1%. MBIA (MBI 14.29, +4.46) surged 45.4% after the insurer reached a $1.7 billion settlement with Bank of America (BAC 12.88, +0.64). In addition, Bank of America disclosed a 5.0% stake in MBIA.

Elsewhere, the industrial sector received support from transportation-related stocks as 18 of 20 components of the Dow Jones Transportation Average settled with gains. For its part, the bellwether complex added 1.3% to end at a fresh all-time high.

Technology stocks paced the bulk of last week's gains, and the outperformance continued today. Apple (AAPL 460.71, +10.73) climbed 2.4% after Barclays hiked its price target for the stock to $525 from $465. Chipmakers also displayed strength as the PHLX Semiconductor Index added 0.6%.

Although most tech components ended in positive territory, the underperformance of IBM (IBM 202.78, -1.73) weighed on the Dow Jones Industrial Average.

In the Treasury market, the 10-yr note saw some intraday selling as its yield rose two basis points to 1.765%.

Today's volume was well-below average as only 620 million shares changed hands on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange.

Tomorrow's economic data will be limited to the 15:00 ET release of March consumer credit. Among earnings of note, Fossil (FOSL 98.96, +0.70) and OfficeMax (OMX 11.74, +0.15) will report their results ahead of the opening bell.

The U.S. Treasury will auction $32 billion in 3-yr notes.DJ30 -5.07 NASDAQ +14.34 SP500 +3.08 NASDAQ Adv/Vol/Dec 1471/1.47 bln/988 NYSE Adv/Vol/Dec 1812/619.5 mln/1175

3:30 pm :

• June crude oil began pit trade in negative territory, trading as low as $94.85 per barrel. However, the energy component gained strength on reports of Israeli air strikes on Syria over the weekend and climbed into the black. It eventually settled 0.5% higher at $96.12 per barrel, just below its session high of $96.24 per barrel.
• June natural gas broke into positive territory in morning pit trade and advanced to a session high of $4.06 per MMBtu. The move was short lived, however, as prices retreated back into the red and touched a session low of $3.98 per MMBtu. Despite inching upwards in afternoon action, natural gas settled with a 0.7% loss at $4.01 per MMBtu.
• June gold retreated to the unchanged line in early afternoon floor trade after trading as high as $1473.90 per ounce in morning action. However, buyers stepped in ahead of the close and managed to push prices slightly higher. Despite a stronger dollar index, gold booked a 0.3% gain as it settled at $1468.20 per ounce.
• July silver pulled back from its session high of $24.18 per ounce set moments after floor trade opened and fell into negative territory. Unable to erase much of the loss, it settled 0.3% lower at $23.95 per ounce. o July corn traded lower ahead of the Weekly Crop Progress Report that will be released later today at 4:00pm ET. Prices slid to a session low of $6.33 per bushel before settling with a 3.8% loss at $6.36 per bushel.