On Friday, October 13, the U.S. stock markets closed mixed as declining consumer confidence and Middle East tensions overshadowed positive earnings from major U.S. banks. Major Wall Street banks kicked off the third quarter earnings season. In the S&P500 11 key sectors, energy topped the gains with a 2.3% increase due to rising oil prices. Utilities rose by 1% and consumer staples gained 0.8%, also emerging as leading sectors. The Dow Jones Industrial Average increased by 0.12% to 33,670.29, the