U.S. stocks rose, lifting the S&P 500 Index within striking distance of an all-time high, amid a mix of corporate results as investors await data Friday on the strength of the American economy. Stimulus bets influenced currency markets ahead of the Bank of Japan’s policy meeting.
The S&P 500 staged an afternoon comeback to end five points below its record after falling as much as 0.4 percent. Earnings from Ford Motor Co. to Facebook Inc. tugged indexes in opposite directions. Google parent Alphabet Inc. surged almost 5 percent at 4:10 p.m. after its profit topped estimates. Amazon.com Inc. slipped 1 percent in late trading.
The dollar weakened on the Federal Reserve’s assurance that it will raise rates gradually, while the yen erased gains before the BOJ stimulus decision. The pound slid on bets the Bank of England will lower rates next week. Oil slipped toward $41 a barrel, approaching a bear market.
While the prospects for additional central-bank support bolstered equities, better-than-forecast economic data and corporate earnings that broadly beat projections have also helped lift the S&P 500 this month. The gauge posted seven records in 10 days in a midmonth stretch, and it’s rebounded 18 percent since its low in February. It’s up 6 percent this year — one of the best gains in developed-world equities.
Ford sank 8.2 percent after earnings missed estimates. General Motors Co. dropped 3.3 percent. Whole Foods Markets Inc. sank 9.5 percent on poor results. Facebook climbed to a record on sales that topped forecasts. MasterCard Inc., the second-largest U.S. payments network, advanced after saying profit rose 6.7 percent as customer card spending increased.
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