Stocks Hold Near Records Amid Uncertainty Over Iran Deal

Stocks on Wall Street closed in a mixed finish on Wednesday, remaining near record highs. The S&P 500 index fell 12.97 points to close at 7,723.55, while the Dow Jones industrial Average rose 263.24 points to reach another record of 54,349.12.

The market has been generally rising as companies head into the closing stretch of their latest round of earnings reports with sharp overall gains. Three-quarters of the companies within the S&P 500 have reported results so far, and Wall Street expects profit growth of 50% when they are all finished.

Oil prices held steady after President Donald Trump said a deal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz could come as early as Wednesday, which would stabilize global oil supply. The price of Brent crude fell 0.1% to $79.45 a barrel.