NEW YORK A sluggish September continued for U.S. stocks as investors assessed the outlook for interest rates, the latest sanctions against Russia and volatile energy prices. <\/p>\n
Stocks ended the day mixed after gains for dividend-rich utilities stocks largely offset a slump in health care companies. Lululemon, the high-end yoga apparel maker, surged after reporting earnings that surpassed analyst's forecasts. <\/p>\n
The stock market has had a slow start to the month, and the Standard & Poor's is on track to end the week with a loss for the first time in six weeks. Investors are struggling to find an impetus to push prices higher with the market close to all-time highs. <\/p>\n
\"The market might just be pausing here to digest and see what we have to propel it one way or the other,\" said Jeff Morris, head of U.S. equities at Standard Life Investments. <\/p>\n
The Standard & Poor's 500 index rose 1.76 points, or 0.1 percent, to 1,997.45. The Dow Jones industrial average dropped 19.71 points, or 0.1 percent, to 17,049. The Nasdaq composite rose 5.28 points, or 0.1 percent, to 4,591.81. <\/p>\n
Stocks started the day lower, led by a big decline for energy stocks as the price of oil extended its declines from a day earlier. Oil futures turned higher throughout the morning as traders judged that new sanctions against Russia over its involvement in Ukraine might crimp supplies. As oil prices rebounded, so did energy stocks. <\/p>\n
The price of oil rose $1.16 to close at $92.83 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange, after dropping close to $90 a barrel in early trading. <\/p>\n
The stock market gains were led by utilities, which climbed 0.9 percent. <\/p>\n
Health care stocks fell the most, declining 0.3 percent. <\/p>\n
The industry has been the best-performing sector this year, climbing 15.5 percent, compared to a gain of 8.1 percent for the broader index. <\/p>\n
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Stocks end mixed; health care stocks slump<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" NEW YORK A sluggish September continued for U.S. stocks as investors assessed the outlook for interest rates, the latest sanctions against Russia and volatile energy prices. Stocks ended the day mixed after gains for dividend-rich utilities stocks largely offset a slump in health care companies Continue reading