Dow ends four-day losing streak on listless day

U.S. stock indexes closed mostly higher Monday, snapping a four-day losing streak for the Dow Jones industrial average on a day of largely listless trading.

Utilities led the gainers as falling bond yields made high-dividend companies more attractive to income-seeking investors. Phone companies and real estate investment trusts, which also tend to offer high yields, notched gains. Financial stocks also did well. Technology companies declined the most, giving up gains from an early rally.

“It’s a pretty low volatility day and a continuation of the trend we saw last week, which is equity markets largely treading water,” said Bill Northey, chief investment officer at the private client group at U.S. Bank Wealth Management.

The Standard & Poor’s 500 index added 0.77 points, or 0.03 percent, to 2,439.07. The Dow gained 14.79 points, or 0.1 percent, to 21,409.55. The Nasdaq composite slid 18.10 points, or 0.3 percent, to 6,247.15. The Russell 2000 index of small-company stocks picked up 1.86 points, or 0.1 percent, to 1,416.64.

Store Capital jumped 11.3 percent on news that Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway is buying a 9.8 percent stake in the real estate investment trust. The stock gained $2.34 to $23.11.

Technology sector companies were down the most, reversing course after an early rally. Qorvo slid $3.53, or 5.1 percent, to $66.41. Skyworks Solutions fell $3.04, or 2.9 percent, to $101.32.

Crude oil prices recovered after wavering in early trading. Benchmark U.S. crude rose 37 cents, or 0.9 percent, to settle at $43.38 a barrel in New York. Brent, the international standard, gained 29 cents, or 0.6 percent, to close at $45.83 a barrel in London. Oil prices last week hit their lowest point since August and about 15 percent below where they were a year ago on expectations supplies exceed demand.