Googleshares soared 8% Friday after the search giant once again trounced Wall Street estimates.
Google shares gained more than $33 to close near $460, just $15 from the stock’s all-time high, after the company once again shone in a quarter when rival Yahoofailed to live up to Wall Street’s expectations.
Google’s big gains didn’t translate to the rest of the market, which ended mixed on a number of disappointing earnings reports, most notably Caterpillar, which shaved more than 70 points off the Dow with a 15% plunge.
The Nasdaq ended up slightly despite big earnings-related drops in shares of SanDisk, Rambusand Broadcom.
California Micro, Computer Programs and Systems, Informaticaand Stamps.comalso fell on their results.
Earnings gainers included Xilinx, Synapticsand SiRF.
Earnings season will continue next week, with a resurgent AT&T, Amazon, Lucent, Sunand Microsoftamong the names reporting. The Federal Reserve will also meet next week.
The Nasdaq added 1 to 2342, the S&P 500 tacked on 1 to 1361, and the Dow slipped 9 to 12,002. Volume declined to 2.58 billion shares on the NYSE, and 1.93 billion on the Nasdaq. Decliners led 17-14 on the NYSE, and 18-12 on the Nasdaq. Downside volume was 57% on the NYSE, and 47% on the Nasdaq. New highs-new lows were 197-10 on the NYSE, and 138-37 on the Nasdaq.