Midday Report: U.S. Diners Stay Away From McDonald's; Volatility Spikes

Uncertainty over policies from a Donald Trump administration contributed to volatile trading. Stocks held lower through the morning session, while the Volatility IndexI:VIX spiked 6%. Halliburton (HAL) - Get Report moved lower after falling short of quarterly estimates and reporting a 21% slump in total revenue. Overseas activity showed continued weakness, while its North American business returned to profit. McDonald's (MCD) - Get Report was one of the biggest losers on the Dow as investors fretted over domestic weakness. The world's largest burger chain reported a 1.3% drop in same-store sales in the U.S. over its recent quarter.  Qualcomm (QCOM) - Get Report was downgraded to neutral from buy at Nomura. Analysts said the company faces increased legal scrutiny, which could affect its pending NXP Semiconductors (NXPI) - Get Report deal.