Mumbai, July 23 -- The tech-heavy Nasdaq fell 81.49 points (0.4%) to 20,892.69, the S&P 500 inched up 4.02 points (0.1%) to 6,309.62 and the Dow climbed 179.37 points (0.4%) to 44,502.44.

General Motors (GM) plunged by 8.1% after the automaker reported second quarter earnings that exceeded analyst estimates but were down sharply year-over-year. Lockheed Martin (LMT) also tumbled by 10.8% after reporting weaker than expected second quarter revenues. Overall trading activity was somewhat subdued, however, with a lack of major U.S. economic data keeping some traders on the sidelines.

Housing stocks substantially moved upside, driving the Philadelphia Housing Sector Index up by 6.7% to its best closing level in over five months. D.R. Horton...