Jim Chesko reporting for WWL First Business News...
It was a mixed day for U.S. stocks, with blue chips managing a very modest gain but the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite finishing in the red. The Dow Industrials ended 49 points higher, but the Nasdaq fell 28 points and the S&P 500 slipped 1.
A couple of big gainers in the retail world, both of which reported better-than-expected earnings: BJ’s Wholesale Club shares surged 17% and Nordstrom rallied 16%.
Oil and gas companies today made $159.4 million in high bids for federal leases in the Gulf of Mexico, down from sales in March and a year ago.
The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management says 29 companies bid on 144 tracts. That’s only about 1% of the tracts offered.
Oil futures finished slightly lower today. October crude dipped 33 cents to settle at $55.35 a barrel.
