Dow, S&P 500 end up with Merck, IBM; Nasdaq slips with Apple

IBM shares rose 1.9 percent to $173.92, giving the Dow its biggest boost. "There continues to be the bull-bear push, even with the good numbers you saw from Merck," and other companies, said Michael James, managing director of equity trading at Wedbush Securities in Los Angeles. "Apple's numbers were phenomenal, but yet the stock is down," he added.