Stocks closed mostly higher, pushing the Dow and the S&P 500 closer to new all-time highs. Oil prices rose to four-month highs, lifting the energy sector and offsetting disappointing forecasts from technology and other companies. Home prices index climbed 5.5% in November from the year-earlier period, the largest year-over-year rise since 2006. Pfizer rose 3.2% on better-than-expected quarterly results. Ford reported higher fourth-quarter income and sales, boosted by strong results in North America, but slid 4.6% on worse-than-expected weakness from Europe. Tech sector closed in the red, dragged down by downbeat forecasts from Seagate Technology and BMC Software. Yahoo fell 3.0% a day after the co. reported upbeat fourth-quarter earnings and projected yearly revenue would rise, but issued outlooks for the current quarter and 2013 fell below expectations. Apple gained nearly 1.9%, after the co. announced a new iPad with more storage. In the evening trade Amazon jumped 9.5%, as analysts looked past the co.’s weaker quarterly revenue and soft outlook to buy on strength in operating income. Today investors will look for signals in the FOMC’s statement as to when the central bank will curb its easing moves. On the corporate front, Research in Motion plans to release a new Blackberry 10 and Facebook will release earnings after the bell Wednesday.
