Midday Report: United Flies on Investor Day; Crude Boosts Energy Sector

The S&P 500 shook off recent pressure to move higher as rising crude oil gave the energy sector a big boost. A rebound rally in crude put it on track for its best daily percentage gain since late September. United Continental (UAL) - Get Report  shares rose as it kicked off its Investor Day in Chicago, outlining a number of new strategies to pump up profits. The airline expects to generate $4.8 billion in additional earnings a year by 2020.  Vodafone (VOD) - Get Report was slightly lower after taking a 5 billion euro write down on its India business tied to increasing competition in the region. The telecom still expects to meet its full year goals thanks to a strong performance in Europe. JD.com (JD) - Get Report , China's second-largest e-commerce company, surged after posting 38% growth in sales over its third quarter. JD also guided for a solid fourth quarter.