YAHOO [BRIEFING.COM]: Action was generally lackluster in the broader market this session, but there were a few pockets of strength as participants digested the latest round of earnings results.

Choppy trade took the S&P 500 from a modest gain in the early going down below the psychologically significant 1200 line, but the broad market measure was able to recover into the close to settle with a slight loss.

Industrials were a steady source of strength this session. The sector finished 0.9% higher amid strength in Dow components United Technologies (UTX 76.93, +2.73) and Boeing (BA 74.21, +2.80), along with Lockheed Martin (LMT 86.25, +1.28). Each posted a positive earnings surprise for the latest quarter.

Huntington Bancshares (HBAN 6.59, +0.76) led regional banks 1.7% higher, even as Wells Fargo (WFC 33.01, -0.68) faltered amid disappointment over the lender's top line results.

In a similar vein, Morgan Stanley (MS 31.68, +1.23) moved investment banks markedly higher with its earnings, but Goldman Sachs (GS 158.93, -1.05) failed to follow. Shares of GS were grounded despite a CNBC report that the SEC has a testimony that appears to contradict the fraud charges aimed against Goldman Sachs.

Financials finished with a 0.5% loss, but had been down in excess of 1% at their session low.

Health care stocks were the weakest overall with a 1.8% loss. That slide came even though Stryker (SYK 57.93, -0.52) and St Jude Medical (STJ 41.75, +0.75) posted positive reports. Abbott Labs (ABT 51.78, -1.28) also beat expectations, but led pharmaceutical plays lower. Gilead Sciences (GILD 40.76, -4.31) bested earnings expectations, too, but was hit with an analyst downgrade that imbued the broader biotech space.

Weakness among biotechs undermined the Nasdaq Composite, such that it was unable to finish with more than a modest gain despite a record high for Apple (AAPL 259.22, +14.63). Apple boasted blowout numbers in its latest quarterly report.

Though the Nasdaq Composite was hampered a bit, the Nasdaq 100 was able to outperform with a 0.5% gain. Amazon.com (AMZN 146.43, +2.23) was an additional source of support ahead of its earnings announcement Thursday night.

The S&P 400 Mid-Cap Index managed a 0.4% gain, thanks to help from Tupperware Brand (TUP 53.92, +5.56), which not only posted upside earnings results, but also issued an upside forecast.

Small-caps in the Russell 2000 settled 0.6% higher amid leadership from Cybersource (CYBS 25.72, +6.28), which will be acquired by Visa (V 93.13, -0.92) for $26 per share -- a premium of nearly 34% above its prior session close.

Commodities closed with a collective gain of 0.4%, as measured by the CRB Commodity Index. Its strength was primarily underpinned by gold's 0.8% gain to $1148.80 per ounce and silver's 1.4% climb to $18.08 per ounce in the face of the dollar's 0.2% increase against a basket of foreign currencies.

The CRB Commodity Index put together a 0.4% gain for this session. Its strength was primarily underpinned by higher precious metals prices, which advanced in the face of the dollar's 0.2% increase against a basket of foreign currencies.

More specifically, gold prices closed pit trade with a 0.8% gain at $1148.80 per ounce. Silver prices settled with a 1.4% gain at $18.08 per ounce.

Energy prices succumbed to the efforts of sellers, though. Oil prices had dropped below $83 per barrel in response to a surprise build in weekly oil inventories, but then rebounded to a modest gain only to settle with a 0.2% loss at $83.68 per barrel.

Natural gas gave up a handsome gain. Prices for the commodity had been up more than 1%, but it retreated to a loss of 0.5% at $3.96 per MMBtu.

Oil prices failed to sustain a rebound that followed a selloff induced by a surprise build in weekly oil inventories. It settled with a 0.2% loss at $83.68 per barrel. Natural gas gave up a gain of more than 1% to close 0.5% lower at $3.96 per MMBtu.

Treasuries garnered strong support this session. In turn, the benchmark 10-year Note made its way 15 ticks higher, which took its yield down to 3.75%.

Advancing Sectors: Industrials (+0.9%), Consumer Discretionary (+0.6%), Tech (+0.4%), Utilities (+0.2%), Consumer Staples (+0.1%)
Declining Sectors: Health Care (-1.8%), Telecom (-0.9%), Financial (-0.5%), Energy (-0.2%), Materials (-0.1%) DJ30 +7.86 NASDAQ +4.30 SP500 -1.23 NASDAQ Adv/Vol/Dec 1418/2.63 bln/1265 NYSE Adv/Vol/Dec 1741/1.21 bln/1300