Major indices close higher. NASDAQ up for the 2nd consecutive day.S&P snaps five-day slide

The major US stock indices are all closing higher. The gains are led by the NASDAQ index which is up around 1%. The NASDAQ index has risen for 2 consecutive days. The S&P index snapped a 5-day skid. The Dow industrial average broke its 4-day slide.

A snapshot of final numbers shows:

• Dow industrial average rose 204.71 points or 0.62% at 33141.13
• S&P index rose 30.64 points or 0.73% at 4247.67
• NASDAQ index rose 121.54 points or 0.93% at 13139.86

Shortly, Microsoft and Alphabet will announce earnings. Microsoft is closing the day up $1.47 or 0.45% at $330.79. Alphabet is closing up $2.42 or 1.77% at $138.92.

For the quarter ending in September, Microsoft is expected to report

• EPS of $2.52 per share
• Revenue of $51.72 billion

EARLY RELEASE: EPS $2.99. Revenues $56.5 billion. Microsoft shares are trading up at $345.57 up 4.51%.

Alphabet, the parent company of Google, is set to release its third-quarter earnings. Analysts expect

• EPS of $1.45 per share
• Revenue of $75.97 billion.

EARLY RELEASE: EPS $1.55 on Revenues of $76.693 billion. Google shares are trading down -$7.57 at $131.41.

Visa and Texas Instruments are also scheduled to announce earnings after the close.

Tomorrow - and through the end of week - there will be other large cap stocks scheduled to announce earnings. Below is the schedule of some of the major releases (* denotes before the open).