Stocks are mostly higher in choppy trading on Wall Street

Stock indexes are mostly higher on Wall Street in choppy trading Wednesday afternoon as investors size up a mix of company earnings reports and another flare-up in tensions between Washington and Beijing. The S&P 500 was up 0.4%. The U.S. ordered China to close its consulate in Houston, saying it was necessary to protect American intellectual property, and China said it would retaliate. United Airlines sank after its revenue plunged 87% as the coronavirus throttled air travel. Pfizer rose af