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Stocks ended the session mixed after Nordstrom and J.C. Penney became the latest retail names to report on a weak quarter. Macy's and Kohl's reported quarterly disappointments earlier in the week. The Dow Jones Industrial Average closed lower for the fourth time this week. Crude oil ended roughly flat even after another rise in the number of active oil rigs in the past week. The number of active rigs drilling for crude rose by 9 to 7.12. AstraZeneca climbed following positive findings for its treatment for patients with locally-advanced non-small cell lung cancer. A clinical study indicated the treatment reduced the risk of progression or death in patients. GlobalStar surged on reports the company is contemplating a possible sale. Earlier this week, fellow telecom Straight Path Communications got a big boost from a bidding war between Verizon and AT&T .

Stocks moved mostly lower as a rebound in U.S. retail sales put a June rate hike on the markets' radar. The Dow is on track to close with its fourth straight session of losses. Consumer sentiment ticked even higher in May, according to a preliminary reading of the University of Michigan's index. A healthy labor market, slow but steady growth in the U.S. economy, and a booming stock market have created optimism among consumers. J.C. Penney tumbled after falling short of sales estimates, just the latest retailer to report on a disappointing quarter. Same-store sales declined by 3.5%, five times steeper than expected. Dick's Sporting Goods moved sharply lower after lowering its previously reported fourth-quarter and fiscal 2017 EBITDA by just over $23 million. The retailer blamed a "computational error."

Nordstrom beat sales and earnings expectations but the stock is still down as the overall trend is for Americans to buy less clothing. Nordstrom did say its discount chain Rack and online sales increased. Macy's and Kohl's both reported slow sales and their stocks were crushed. The United States has a new trade deal with China. It opens the Chinese market to U.S. credit rating agencies and credit card companies. In return, Chinese cooked chicken will be allowed into the United States market and Chinese banks can enter the U.S. market. The new trade deal also allows beef and natural gas exports into China. A federal judge in Delaware has rejected Anthem request to prevent smaller rival health insurer Cigna from pulling out of its proposed $54 billion merger. Several courts have ruled against the merger, agreeing with the Department of Justice's argument that it would decrease competition and raise major antitrust concerns.

Stocks held losses as a selloff in Snap pulled the rest of the tech sector lower. Snap had posted a far wider quarterly loss than anticipated. The tech-heavy Nasdaq snapped a four-day record-making streak. Macy's and Kohl's triggered a selloff among department store stocks following a weak quarterly performance. Nordstrom will report earnings this afternoon, while J.C. Penney is scheduled for Friday morning. Yelp clawed its way back from massive losses seen earlier in the week following a disappointing quarterly report. Citi analyst Mark May said the selloff looked overdone. Merck rose after receiving approval for Keytruda in combination with chemotherapy as a treatment for lung cancer. JPMorgan said the development put the drugmaker in a leadership position in a multi-billion dollar industry.

Stocks held lower through the morning session as a disappointing quarter from Macy's sparked a selloff in the retail sector. Kohl's also issued a weak report with a steeper decline in same-store sales than expected. The Nasdaq's four-day record-breaking streak looked to end on Thursday. Symantec tumbled after swinging to a loss over its fiscal fourth quarter. The California-based security software developer anticipates first-quarter sales no higher than $1.16 billion, below consensus. Delta Air Lines raised its dividend by 50% and approved a new share buyback program. A fresh $5 billion repurchase plan will go into effect once the existing program has been exhausted. 21st Century Fox beat analysts' estimates on the bottom line but missed on the top. Revenue in its cable network programming and TV units rose, though filmed entertainment fell.

Snap , parent of Snapchat messaging company lost more than $2 billion in its first few months as a publicly traded company. It's revenue was lower than expected too. Data from brokerage firms like RobinHood and TD Ameritrade suggest that millennials bought shares of Snap more than any other group. Verizon has reportedly won the bidding war for StraightPath . The Wall Street Journal says Verizon will pay $3 billion for the company that holds valuable spectrum licenses that will play an important role in laying the groundwork for 5G services. Straightpath's technology is said to support businesses like virtual reality and augmented reality, telemedicine, autonomous cars, smart cities and more. Whole Foods is shaking up its board-replacing 5 of the company's directors and naming a new chairwoman. Whole Foods has been slow to adapt to drastic changes in the grocery sector in recent years.

Snap , parent company of Snapchat is down about 20% from its peak. Investors will watch the tech company as it reports earnings after the closing bell today. This is the first earnings report as a public company. Some investors are worrying that its best growth has already happened and its technology is easily duplicated. Yelp could have a brutal day today. Shares plummeted as it missed earnings guidance. Yelp says many advertisers left and they had trouble getting new ones. Disney turned in a mixed earnings report. The theme parks are strong and could get stronger as Disney is getting ready to unveil some new experiences, like Pandora Land. Beauty and the Beast helped Disney's film studio reach profit up 21% from a year ago. However, ESPN continues to lose subscribers.

Wall Street ended mixed with the Nasdaq at a new record and the Dow Jones Industrial Average lower after the shock firing of FBI Director Comey. Energy drove the bulk of gains on markets after crude oil enjoyed its best one-day gain since December. Whole Foods Market was active this afternoon on reports of a board shakeup. The supermarket chain will reportedly name a new chairman and replace more than half of its board, a possible move to appease activist investor Jana Partners. Abercrombie & Fitch rebounded from its worst levels in 17 years on reports the retailer is mulling takeover interest. Abercrombie has reportedly hired investment bank Perella Weinberg to help evaluate offers. Electronic Arts rallied after reporting a double-digit increase in quarterly revenue and approving a fresh $1.2 billion share repurchase plan. Quarterly sales rose nearly 17%

Stocks were narrowly mixed as markets digested the shock firing of FBI Director James Comey. The worry is that this latest controversy could distract the White House from pushing forward with its tax cut plans. Crude oil prices rose after a weekly reading on U.S. stockpiles showed a large decline. The Energy Information Administration reported inventories declined by 5.2 million barrels in the past week. Gasoline and distillates stockpiles also dropped. Fossil tumbled by more than 20% after reporting a net loss more than three times deeper than anticipated. The fashion accessories brand also issued an outlook below expectations. Time plummeted after its executive chairman unexpectedly resigned and the publisher slashed its quarterly dividend. Time has stumbled after making the decision to not explore a sale several weeks ago.

Stocks fluctuated around the flatline as the low-volatility trading environment remained stable on Wall Street. The S&P 500 and Nasdaq reached fresh intraday records earlier in the session. Home goods and decor company Wayfair surged after a narrower loss and higher sales than expected over its first quarter. The company also increased its market share in North America and Europe, though average order sizes dropped. Allergan rose as sales of Botox helped push quarterly earnings and sales above Wall Street estimates. The drugmaker's full-year adjusted earnings also met analysts' expectations. Apple traded in record territory a day after reaching a market cap of above $800 billion for the first time ever. The world's largest company rallied yesterday after Drexel Hamilton upped its price target on high hopes for the iPhone 8. Top news on TheStreet today: Carly Fiorina: 'Pre-Existing Conditions Have to Be Covered' in Health Care Reform Verizon CEO Lowell McAdam: M&A Talk Is Overblown Valeant Shows Signs Its Turnaround Efforts Are Bearing Fruit; Jim Cramer Weighs In Alibaba Launches AliPay in U.S. to Challenge WeChat, Apple Pay Walgreens Gives FTC Deadline on Rite Aid Ruling Here's the Simplest Reason Ever Why Apple Won't Spend More Than $50 Billion to Buy Tesla Amazon Just Released a New Echo Device With a Touchscreen