Citigroup's earnings jumped 30 percent from strength overseas and a gain on the sale of its asset-management unit. However, its profit before one-time items was slightly weaker than forecast, sending shares down US$2.25 to US$45.69.
Motorola fell US$1.86 to US$22.49. Chipmaker Xilinx Inc also dropped US$2.40 to US$27.39 after its profit grew 26 percent but missed analysts' bullish estimates. Xilinx was the biggest loser on the Philadelphia Semiconductor Sector index, which plunged 4.15 percent.
Oilfield services firm Schlumberger Ltd said its earnings doubled last quarter as revenue climbed 31 percent. Schlumberger jumped US$7.38 to US$122.25.
Declining issues led advancers by almost 3 to 1 on the New York Stock Exchange, where preliminary consolidated volume of 2.92 billion shares beat the 1.79 billion shares that changed hands on Thursday.
The Russell 2000 index of smaller companies fell 10.34, or 1.45 percent, to 704.60.
RSS