NEW YORK (CNNMoney) -- U.S. stocks closed the day in mixed territory Wednesday, after investors sorted through a divergent batch of earnings reports, including solid results from Boeing, and a big miss from Apple.
The Dow Jones industrial average closed 59 points higher, or 0.5% snapping three days of losses.
The S&P 500 closed just below the breakeven line. The Nasdaq fell 9 points, or 0.3%, due largely to Apple's earnings miss.
Aside from earnings, investors were disappointed after a report showed that new home sales fell 8.4% in June from the two-year high reached in May.
Meanwhile, Europe continues to be a worry for investors. Spain's borrowing costs are skyrocketing, business confidence in Germany is weakening, and Greece's creditors are taking stock of that nation's progress.
Fears that Spain is moving closer to needing a full-blown bailout -- like those granted to Greece, Ireland and Portugal -- continued to build, with Spain's 10-year yield hitting a new record high of 7.751%.
Also adding to the nervousness, Germany's business confidence index declined for a third straight month in July, hitting the lowest level in more than two years amid Europe's escalating debt crisis.
Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner, testifying before the House Financial Services Committee Wednesday morning, also said that Europe is the biggest threat to the U.S. economy.
The dollar fell against the euro, but gained ground versus the British pound and Japanese yen.
Oil for September delivery rose 50 cents to $89.00 a barrel.
Gold futures for August delivery rose $27.40 to $1,603.60 an ounce.
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