Dow stocks at 52 week highs were DIS, JNJ, MRK and WMT. There are no Dow stock 52 week lows.

The Market

Wednesday the Dow closed down -43.16 (-0.29%) at 14,676.30

This morning the Dow was indicated to open up +52 points.

Yesterday, General Electric (GE) finance subsidiary GE Capital decided to nix lending programs for gun purchases in the wake of last year’s Newtown massacre.

Exxon Mobil (XOM) announced that its first-quarter profit was up 1% to $9.5 billion.

European markets are mostly higher and Asian markets ended mostly higher.

The national average price of gasoline is down four-tenths of a cent to $3.512 per gallon.

Earnings Reports

3M (MMM) posted first-quarter profit of $1.13 billion, or $1.61 per share, compared with $1.13 billion, or $1.59 per share, in the year-earlier period. Revenue rose 2 percent to $7.63 billion. Expectations were for $1.65 EPS on revenue of $7.81 billion.

Exxon Mobil Corp (XOM) reported earnings of $9.5 billion in the quarter, or $2.12 per share, on revenue of $108.8 billion. In the year-ago period, Exxon earned $9.45 billion, or $2 per share, on revenue of $124.1 billion. Expectations were for $2.05 per share.

CVX reports earnings on 4/26/13 before the market open.

DIS reports earnings on 5/7/13 after the close.

MRK will report earnings on 5/1/13 before the market open.

PFE will report earnings on 4/30/13 before the market open.

Chevron Corporation (CVX).

Financial Calendar

0830 ET Weekly initial unemployment claims expected -2,000 to 250,000, previous +4,000 to 352,000. Weekly continuing claims expected -8,000 to 3.060 million, previous -35,000 to 3.068 mln.

0830 ET USDA weekly Export Sales.

1100 ET April Kansas City Fed manufacturing activity index expected -1, March -5.

1300 ET Treasury auction of $29 billion of 7-year T-notes.