U.S. stocks ended Thursday modestly higher, buoyed by gains in blue-chip and small-cap shares despite mixed earnings from the consumer staples sector and a steep decline in crude oil prices. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 192.40 points, or 0.43%, to 44,650.70, while the S&P 500 added 17.14 points, or 0.27%, closing at 6,280.40. The Nasdaq Composite gained 19.33 points, or 0.09%, to finish at 20,630.70.

Markets were broadly resilient amid a mixed earnings picture and weakening energy prices. Crude oil futures for August delivery (CL=F) fell sharply by $1.33, or 1.99%, to $65.64 a barrel, as of late afternoon trading. The drop came amid concerns over softening global demand and a mid-session selloff that briefly pushed prices below $66 before a modest rebound.

Gold futures (GC=F) moved higher, climbing $11.30, or 0.34%, to $3,332.30 per ounce. The rise in the precious metal underscored a modest risk-off tone in some pockets of the market, as investors weighed mixed corporate earnings and renewed inflationary pressures from tariffs.

Conagra Brands was among the day’s biggest decliners, falling over 5% after reporting disappointing fourth-quarter earnings and issuing weak guidance for fiscal 2026. The company missed Wall Street expectations on both the top and bottom lines and forecast earnings of $1.70–$1.85 per share for the upcoming year, far short of the $2.19 consensus. Revenue also disappointed, with organic net sales declining 3.5% amid volume and price/mix weakness across key segments including Refrigerated & Frozen and Grocery & Snacks.

CEO Sean Connolly pointed to "inflation, supply constraints, and foreign exchange headwinds" as major challenges, while also warning that new U.S. tariffs could increase the company’s cost of goods sold by roughly 3% annually. The forward guidance spooked investors already wary of the consumer staples sector, which has lagged broader market indices in 2025 due to concerns about pricing power and margin sustainability.

Meanwhile, anticipation is building for Wells Fargo’s (WFC) second-quarter earnings report next Tuesday. Analysts are eager to assess whether the bank can accelerate growth following the Fed’s recent decision to lift its long-standing $1.95 trillion asset cap. While CFRA's Alexander Yokum tempered near-term expectations—"Actual growth in the second quarter will probably be quite weak"—investors are eyeing longer-term potential in credit cards and investment banking.

Despite rising equity markets, the energy sector lagged as oil prices remained under pressure. The crude market's softness was echoed by a pronounced intraday dip just before 4:00 p.m. Eastern, suggesting algorithmic or stop-loss driven selling rather than fundamental news.

Breadth was strong, with 63.2% of NYSE stocks advancing and over 78% of listed issues trading above their 50-day moving average. Still, the modest gains and defensive posturing in gold and utilities hint at a cautious market mood heading into Friday’s session.