Midday Report: Deere & Co. Tops Profit Estimates; Fed Speculation Continues

Stocks were mixed on more speculation over the Federal Reserve's rate hike timeline. Crude prices were also in flux, though likely to score a weekly gain of around 7%.  Deere & Co. (DE) - Get Report rose on better-than-expected profit in its recent quarter. Sales came in lower, though, with the company citing a global farm recession and tough conditions in construction equipment markets.  Restoration Hardware (RH) - Get Report was upgraded to BUY and added to the 'Conviction Buy' list at Goldman Sachs. The firm said current expectations are too low, making for great value.  Applied Materials (AMAT) - Get Report moved higher after new orders and backlog reached all-time highs over its recent quarter. The chipmaker expects fourth-quarter sequential net sales growth of at least 15%.