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Another positive earnings report from a home improvement retailer. Lowe's

The Federal Reserve turned unexpectedly hawkish during its April meeting to Wall Street's shock. The minutes from the central bank's recent meeting suggested most members would be comfortable raising rates as soon as next month. The possibility of higher rates was a positive for banking stocks, boosting the financials sector to lead Wall Street. Major banks Citigroup , JPMorgan , Bank of America and Wells Fargo were in rally mode. Hormel Foods suffered its worst decline in eight years after quarterly profit margins in its refrigerated foods segment weakened. The division accounts for nearly half of sales. Southwest has approved a new $2 billion share repurchase authorization.

Stocks were in flux as investors awaited further clues from the Federal Reserve as to the next rate hike. Markets got a shock on Tuesday after comments from two Fed officials suggested the June meeting was still in play. Crude was also trading erratically after an unexpected increase in domestic inventories. The Energy Information Administration reported a 1.3 million-barrel increase in crude stocks in the past week, which conflicted with a separate API survey a day earlier. Staples reported a 30% decline in net income, though lowered expectations made for a better-than-expected first quarter. The stationery chain took a $66 million hit tied to its now-defunct takeover of Office Depot .

U.S. stocks slipped on Wednesday, as investors anxiously awaited the minutes of the Federal Reserve's April meeting, which may give more clarity on the possibility of a June rate hike. Plus, Target posted disappointing first quarter results: sales fell 5.4 percent to $16.2 billion, falling short of the $16.3 billion analysts were looking for. The company also expects second quarter earnings between $1 and $1.20 a share, missing analysts' estimates of $1.36. Meanwhile, Japan's economy grew 1.7 percent during the first quarter, reversing the 1.7 percent contraction seen during the fourth quarter of 2015. The better than expected growth came on the heels of an increase in household spending. TheStreet's Scott Gamm reports from Wall Street.

Home Depot

A June rate hike is still on the table, the Atlanta and San Francisco Federal Reserve Presidents said at an event on Tuesday. The possibility of another interest rate so soon after initial liftoff in December spooked markets, pushing benchmark indexes 1% lower. Apple was under pressure after Canaccord analysts warned that iPhone sales will likely remain soft through the full fiscal year. The firm expects iPhone's U.S. market share to fall below 50% during the June quarter. Hertz Global advanced after key executives including its CEO and chief financial officer purchased shares. The car rental company enjoyed its best one-day gain since mid-2009.

Stocks were modestly lower, pulling back from Monday's rally and trading on inflation data. Consumer prices in April rose at their fastest pace in more than three years, though still remain far from the Federal Reserve's 2% target. Industrial production rose 0.7% in April, its biggest gain since the end of 2014 and the first increase in three months. Lending Club tumbled after disclosing it had received a federal subpoena only days after the forced resignation of its CEO. The subpoena concerned non-conforming sales tied to millions in improper loans sold in March and April. Pandora jumped after activist investor Corvex Management urged a sale. The investment firm said the music-streaming service has been unable to turn a great product into a great business.

U.S. stocks opened lower on Tuesday, following an uptick in consumer prices in April. The consumer price index rose 0.4 percent during the month, beating expectations of a 0.3 percent increase. Core CPI gained 2.1 percent year-over-year. Home Depot reported better than expected first quarter results that eclipsed estimates on both the top and bottom lines. Comparable store sales rose 6.5 percent and the company also raised its outlook for the year. Finally, hedge fund manager David Einhorn, founder of Greenlight Capital, upped his holdings in Apple by 1.9 million shares during first quarter, raising the fund's total stake to 8.2 million shares. TheStreet's Scott Gamm reports from Wall Street.

Stocks ended near session highs thanks to a big boost from Apple . The tech giant enjoyed its best one-day gain in around four months after Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway disclosed a stake. Oil closed at its highest level since November 3 as Goldman Sachs analysts grew bullish on the supply-demand dynamic. Goldman had previously been very bearish on oil's prospects. The firm expects West Texas Intermediate to return to $50 a barrel in the back half of the year. ConocoPhillips spiked on an analyst recommendation. Deutsche Bank maintained a BUY rating, arguing that the oil company was underappreciated and an attractive way to benefit from the oil recovery.

Stocks held near session highs as Apple did heavy lifting for the Dow Jones Industrial Average and Nasdaq. The tech giant was up around 3% after Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway disclosed a nearly $900 million stake. Homebuilder sentiment held steady in May, unchanged for the fourth month in a row as housing sector growth continued. The reading above 50 indicated improvement in the builder confidence. Tribune Publishing surged after Gannett increased its offer to $15 a share, 22% higher than an initial bid. Tribune's board had rejected the previous offer. J.C.Penney climbed after Baird upgraded the stock to OUTPERFORM from NEUTRAL. Analysts said a recent 30% pullback from March levels made for an attractive valuation.