Investors were likely on pins and needles heading into Thursday's session after markets sold off sharply Wednesday. A slow start turned into a mixed finish, with blue chip stocks outperforming thanks to a positive earnings reaction for International Business Machines (IBM).
The first reading on second-quarter gross domestic product (GDP) showed the U.S. economy grew at an annual rate of 2.8%, far exceeding Q1's 1.8% rate and economists' expectations for 2% growth.
