Investing.com - U.S. stocks opened mildly higher on Friday, as concerns over tensions in Ukraine slightly eased, while the U.S. announced an airstrike on Iraq.
During early U.S. trade, the Dow 30 rose 0.21%, the S&P 500 gained 0.22%, while the NASDAQ Composite added 0.23%.
Market sentiment found some support after news reports signaled that Russia might be looking to de-escalate the Ukraine conflict.
The news came one day after Moscow banned imports of most food from the West in retaliation against sanctions against it over Ukraine.
Separately, the U.S. military conducted an airstrike on Islamic insurgents in Iraq. Via Twitter, the Pentagon's press secretary said that US military aircraft had struck rebel artillery that was being used against Kurdish forces defending a position near American personnel.
In earnings news, CBS Corp (NYSE:CBSa) reported second-quarter profit that exceeded analysts' estimates, helped by share repurchases, sending shares up 3.50%. The company also doubled its buyback and raised the dividend.
On the downside, Zynga Inc (NASDAQ:ZNGA) plummeted 2.40% after the online game company posted quarterly results at the low end of its forecast and cut its full-year outlook following the decision to delay new games.
News Corp (NASDAQ:NWSA) saw shares dive 4.76% after reporting quarterly earnings below analysts' predictions for the first time, due to difficulties in transitioning from print to digital.
Elsewhere, Lululemon Athletica (NASDAQ:LULU) gained 2.40% after founder Chip Wilson agreed to sell half of his stake in the yogawear retailer to Advent International Corp. for $845 million and forgo pursuing a buyout for at least year, ending a fight with the board.
Among energy stocks, Exxon Mobil (NYSE:XOM) advanced 0.64% as it and its Russian partner OAO Rosneft were reportedly planning to start exploration drilling in Russia’s Kara Sea, ignoring diplomatic tensions between the U.S. and Russia.
Across the Atlantic, European stock markets were lower. The DJ Euro Stoxx 50 edged down 0.10%, France’s CAC 40 dipped 0.05%, Germany's DAX fell 0.29%, while Britain's FTSE 100 declined 0.45%.
During the Asian trading session, Hong Kong's Hang Seng fell 0.23%, while Japan’s Nikkei 225 plunged 2.98%.