Midday Report: UnitedHealth Tops Third Quarter; Netflix Drives Nasdaq Higher

U.S. stocks held higher as a series of positive earnings reports filtered in on Tuesday. Netflix boosted the Nasdaq, while Goldman Sachs pushed the Dow Jones Industrial Average higher.

Author:: Keris Alison Lahiff
Publish date:: Oct 18, 2016 12:04 PM EDT

U.S. stocks held higher as a series of positive earnings reports filtered in. Netflix (NFLX) - Get Report boosted the Nasdaq, while Goldman Sachs (GS) - Get Report pushed the Dow Jones Industrial Average higher. A measure on homebuilder sentiment eased in October after hitting its highest in a decade a month earlier. A robust labor market and low interest rates have recently driven housing demand. UnitedHealth (UNH) - Get Report jumped after topping third-quarter estimates and boosting its full-year earnings forecast. The health insurer reported a 12% jump in quarterly sales thanks to growth in employer-sponsored group insurance plans. Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) - Get Report fell despite topping analysts' earnings and sales estimates in its recent quarter. Pharmaceutical and medical device sales boosted growth to offset weakness in its personal care segment. TheStreet's Keris Lahiff has details from Wall Street.