(MENAFN- ProactiveInvestors)US markets were mixed in the first hour of trading with most stocks turning lower after a modestly firmer start. The Dow Jones was off 15 at 17717 and the S&P 500 was down a couple of points at 2100 but the Nasdaq Composite was up nine at 5156. Nasdaq's performance is shored up by Amazon which is sharply higher after it surprised analysts by reporting a profit after the bell last night. Second quarter earnings per share of 19 cents contrasted with a loss per share of 27 cents in the same quarter of last year. A 15% surge in the share price has seen Amazon's market cap cruise past Wal-Mart making it the world's biggest retailer in terms of stock market value. American Airlines also beat the Street's estimates with its second quarter earnings but the shares have lost altitude. Coffee shops operator Starbucks bucks the trend rising after its fiscal third quarter earnings per share of 41 cents cheered the market; last year in the same quarter the company posted earnings per share of 34 cents. Also on the up was telecoms equipment outfit Juniper Networks. It not only topped analysts' expectations with its profits but also issued an upbeat outlook statement. Credit card giant Visa's fiscal third quarter post-tax profit rose to US$1.7bn from US$1.36bn the year before. Biotech company Biogen was decidedly poorly after softer-than-expected second quarter numbers that prompted a cut in profits guidance from the company. Also taking a tumble was TripAdvisor the online travel destinations review and booking site. Second quarter sales and profits failed to match Wall Street's expectations.
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