NYMEX

U.S. stocks ended a strong 2014 with moderate declines Wednesday.

Stocks wavered between small gains and losses on Thursday to close little changed as traders weighed generally strong earnings reports against the falling fortunes of energy companies.

Solid quarterly results from a range of big companies helped send the stock market slightly higher Thursday. The standout was Visa, whose 10 percent jump helped tug the Dow Jones industrial average up nearly 200 points.

The U.S. stock market marched higher Tuesday, giving the Standard & Poor’s 500 index its best day of the year.