NEW YORK – The latest on developments in financial markets (All times local):

4:00 p.m.

Stocks are closing slightly lower following some rare earnings disappointments.

Small-company stocks fell more than the rest of the market Wednesday. Consumer-focused companies and banks were among the biggest decliners.

Investors kept a wary eye on escalating tensions between the U.S. and North Korea. Gold prices rose.

Disney dropped 3.9 per cent after reporting a weak quarter and saying it would pull its movies from Netflix and start its own video streaming services. Watch maker Fossil Group plunged 25 per cent after reporting a weak quarter.

The Standard & Poor’s 500 index fell less than a point to 2,474, making up much of the ground it lost earlier.

The Dow Jones industrial average fell 36 points, or 0.2 per cent, to 22,048. The Nasdaq composite lost 18 points, or 0.3 per cent, to 6,352.

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11:45 a.m.

Stocks are lower at midday as investors weighed the growing tensions between the U.S. and North Korea.

Disappointing earnings also helped pull the market lower Wednesday. Consumer-focused companies and technology stocks slumped.

Markets were also lower in Europe and Asia. Prices for bonds and gold headed higher.

Priceline Group dropped 8 per cent after issuing a profit forecast that was weaker than analysts were expecting.

Disney dropped 4.5 per cent after reporting a weak quarter and saying it would pull its movies from Netflix and start its own video streaming services.

The Standard & Poor’s 500 index fell 7 points, or 0.3 per cent, to 2,467.

The Dow Jones industrial average lost 71 points, or 0.3 per cent, to 22,013. The Nasdaq composite fell 35 points, or 0.5 per cent, to 6,336.

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9:35 a.m.

Stocks are opening slightly lower on Wall Street after several companies reported disappointing results.

Overseas markets were also lower Wednesday.

Priceline Group slumped 6.5 per cent after issuing a profit forecast that was weaker than analysts were expecting.

Disney dropped 4.5 per cent after reporting a weak quarter and saying it would pull its movies from Netflix and start two of its own video streaming services. Netflix fell 3.2 per cent.

The Standard & Poor’s 500 index fell 7 points, or 0.3 per cent, to 2,467.

The Dow Jones industrial average lost 50 points, or 0.2 per cent, to 22,032. The Nasdaq composite fell 45 points, or 0.7 per cent, to 6,324.