US market close: Dow Jones, S&P 500 close within 2% of all-time high as Fed leaves rates unchanged

US stocks closed with mixed results on Wednesday 27 April as the tech sector dipped and the Federal Reserve left interest rates unchanged. The Dow Jones and S&P 500 closed within 2% of their all-time highs of May 2015, while the Nasdaq Composite closed 7% below its 52-week intraday high and erased gains for April.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average surged 51.23 points, or 0.28%, settling at 18,041.55. The blue-chips gauge earlier traded at a 70-point deficit. Boeing contributed the most to gains, while Apple weighed heavily, CNBC reported. Following Apple's announcement on 26 April that profits dropped to $1.90 (£1.30; €1.68) a share in its fiscal second quarter, the iPhone producer fell 6.3%. The company's quarterly revenue fell for the first time in 13 years, declining 13% to $50.55bn.

The S&P 500 jumped 3.45 points, or 0.16%, to settle at 2,095.15, with technology shares dropping 0.8%. Telecommunications, however, led seven of the index's 10 sectors higher. Earlier in the session, the index at was down over 9 points but investors continued to buy shares in utilities (up 1.4%) and telecoms (1.9%), noted MarketWatch. Energy was also up by 1.7% thanks to higher oil prices.

Oil futures closed up $1.29 (£0.89; €1.14), or 2.93%, at $45.33 (£31.18; €40.02) a barrel—a five-month high.

The Nasdaq Composite posted its first five-day losing streak since 11 January. The tech-heavy index dropped 25.14 points, or 0.5%, to close at 4,863.14. Earlier in the session, the Nasdaq traded down by as much as 62 points, MarketWatch reported.

The Federal Reserve kept rates unchanged following its two-day meeting on 26 and 27 April. The Fed said it continues to expect "only gradual increases" in the Fed fund rate. "Nothing takes June off the table here," Art Hogan, chief market strategist at Wunderlich Securities, told CNBC. "At the end of the day we want June on the table. We want economic data to be improving."

However, Joe Saluzzi, co-head of Equity Trading at Themis Trading, claimed the market "is not expecting in a rate hike in June, judging by the Fed-funds rating pricing in a 21% probability." The Fed will be focused on external issues, including the 23 June Brexit referendum.

Gold futures for June delivery rose $7.00 (£4.82; €6.18), or 0.6%, at $1,250.40 (£860.15; €1,103.91) an ounce, MarketWatch noted. Meanwhile, the US dollar index struggled following the Fed statement. The euro was near $1.13 and the yen was at 111.5 yen against the greenback. Treasury yields settled lower after edging off session lows after the Fed statement.

Overseas, European stocks closed up, while Asian markets traded lower as investors remained cautious ahead of the Fed statement and Bank of Japan decision, which will be announced on 28 April. Both the Nikkei 225 and Shanghai Composite closed nearly 0.4% lower.