2018.04.2521:15:00UTC+00Wall Street Closed Mostly Higher as Boeing Lifts Dow

U.S. stocks advanced on Wednesday as the Dow Jones industrial average ended higher for the first time in six sessions, rebounding from sharp losses seen earlier in the day, as Boeing jumped on solid earnings.

Boeing climbed 4.2 percent after posting quarterly results that easily surpassed analyst expectations. The stock's rise helped the Dow rebound from a 201.05-point deficit and snap a five-day losing streak. The Dow closed at 24,083.83, up 59.70 points.

The S&P 500 also pared earlier losses, closing 0.2 percent higher at 2,639.40. The Nasdaq composite fell 0.1 percent to 7,003.74.

All three major U.S. indexes fluctuated in choppy trading and the Dow flirted with its sixth consecutive decline during much of the session, which would continue its longest losing streak since an 8-day slide in March 2017.

Twitter posted stronger-than-forecast earnings on Wednesday, but the stock dropped 2.4 percent. Comcast, NBCUniversal's parent company, also released better-than-expected earnings Wednesday.

Facebook was up slightly ahead of its earnings, expected after the bell. The social media company has recently come under fire over its use of consumer data.

Comcast was up 2.1 percent after the largest U.S.cable company confirmed its $31 billion bid for Sky on the heels of its better-than-expected earnings report.

So far, 31 percent of S&P 500 companies have posted earnings, 81.2 percent of which came in above consensus estimates. Analysts now expect first-quarter earnings growth of 22 percent, according to Thomson Reuters data.

Of the 11 major S&P 500 sector indexes, 7 were in negative territory, led by Real Estate, Technology and Financials.

The CBOE Volatility index .VIX , an indicator of short-term stock market volatility, jumped to 18.67 points, its highest level in more than a week.