A mixed bag of trading updates from the blue-chip quarter reflects the indecisive opening of the major benchmarks.
Initially, the main stock market indexes opened modestly firmer but are now stuck in no-man's land.
The Dow Jones average (INDEXDJX:.DJI) was down 21 at 17,735 while the S&P 500 and the Nasdaq Composite were both four points lower, with the former at 2,084 and the latter 5,069.
First Solar (NASDAQ:FSLR) was a bright spot after the solar panel maker topped expectations with earnings announced after the bell last night.
The shares rose US$4.88 to US$55.87.
Travel web site operator Expedia (NASDAQ:EXPE) was also surging, up 8.7% to US$138.02 after its trading update last night. Sector peer Priceline (NASDAQ:PCLN) advanced 2% to US$1,454.37 in sympathy.
As for companies reporting this morning, AbbVie (NYSE:ABBV) was the pick of the bunch, up US$5.50 to US$59.59 as it upped full-year guidance after a strong third quarter.
Overpriced coffee peddler Starbucks edged up 59 cents to US$63.08 in active trading despite indicating the final quarter of the year might be none too frothy.
Starbucks projected per-share earnings of $0.44 to $0.45, adjusted for one-time effects, according to a statement from the Seattle, Washington-based company released on Thursday.
Analysts polled by Capital IQ expected $0.47.
Exxon Mobil (NYSE:XOM) laid to rest some fears about its dividend, as it hiked its quarterly pay-out despite third quarter profits plunging. The shares were up 0.2% at US$82.43.
Investors logged into social network operator LinkedIn (NYSE:LNKD) after it reported its active membership rose 20% year-on-year to 396mln.
The net loss widened to $40.5mln, or $0.31 per share, in the quarter ended September 30 as costs surged 46%, but the company raised its full-year profit and revenue forecasts.