Stock Market Update

[BRIEFING.COM] The major averages continue to trade modestly lower entering the final half hour of the session.

Steel Dynamics (STLD 209.94, +9.62, +4.80%) remains one of the best-performing S&P 500 companies ahead of its earnings report after the close.

While this afternoon's batch of reports is on the lighter side, earnings will ramp considerably tomorrow with a few notable names in the mix, including GE Aerospace (GE 303.92, -0.21, -0.07%) and the Dow components 3M (MMM 152.31, -2.24, -1.45%) and UnitedHealth (UNH 323.56, -1.08, -0.33%).

Separately, crude oil futures settled today's session $5.18 higher (+6.2%) at $89.40 per barrel.