Trading was volatile on Wall Street during the session on Wednesday.

At just past midday, the Dow Jones Industrial Average, the Nasdaq Composite and the S&P 500 were all slightly higher, but by just before 2 p.m. New York time the Nasdaq Composite was down 0.32 percent to 2,538.06 and the S&P 500 had dropped 0.18 percent to 1,452.71.

The Dow remained slightly higher, up 0.14 percent to 13,229.95.

At one point, home builder Beazer Homes (NYSE: BZH) had dropped over 40 percent to $8.24 on reports that it had or would shortly file for bankruptcy.

Even though Beazer denied the rumors, it remained 16.37 percent lower to $11.65 in early afternoon trade.

The reports hurt other homebuilders as well and at one point WCI Communities (NYSE: WCI) had dropped 14 percent to $7.59 and Hovnanian Enterprises (NYSE: HOV) was 16 percent lower to $11.12.

In the automobile manufacturing sector, Ford Motor (NYSE: F) was 1.3 percent lower to $8.39 after it said that sales in the US dropped in July.

Even though it reported higher profits in the most recent quarter, Kraft Foods (NYSE: KFT) fell 0.9 percent to $32.45.

On the other hand, quarterly results that were better than expected when they were announced after trade closed on Tuesday sent Whole Foods (NAS: WFMI) 7.4 percent higher to $39.77.

On Wall Street on Tuesday markets were higher ahead of the Independence Day holiday. At mid-session, the Dow Jones Industrial Average had added 0.27 percent to 13,571.45, while the Nasdaq Composite gained 0.35 percent to 2,641.41 and the S&P 500 was 0.26 percent higher to 1,523.43.

New data from the Commerce Department showed that factory orders were down only 0.5 percent in May, less than the 1 percent drop that had been expected by most analysts.

Carmakers were lower, however, after Ford Motor (NSYE: F) said that sales had dropped in June on less demand for cars. Sales were down for cars, while light truck sales were up slightly. Ford was down 23 cents to $9.41. General Motors (NYSE: GM) was also lower, falling 22 cents to $37.80.

In a related sector, Caterpillar (NYSE: CAT), which makes heavy equipment for construction and agriculture, was down $2.60 to $77.85 on a broker downgrade.

Elsewhere, food processor Kraft Foods (NYSE: KFT) dropped 85 cents to $34.68 after it said that it had offered for part of French food group Groupe Danone.

Computer makers were mixed. Apple (NAS: APPL; LSE: ACP; FWB: APC) added $5.26 to $126.52, while Dell (NAS: DELL; SEHK: 4331) dropped 28 cents to $28.65.

The New York equities markets were mixed in early afternoon trade on Tuesday. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was 0.02 percent higher to 12,118.91, while the Nasdaq Composite had dropped 0.4 percent to 2,342.22 and the S&P 500 was 0.1 percent lower to 1,375.57. The activity was a result of several factors, including a lack of new economic data, earnings reports that were not up to par, and unwillingness to commit ahead of the Federal Reserve’s newest interest rate decision, due Wednesday.

Texas Instruments dropped 2.9 percent to $30.97 on a quarterly report that did not meet expectations and on a disappointing prediction for fourth quarter results. Kraft Foods likewise issued a quarterly report that did not satisfy, and was in consequence 3.8 percent lower to $34.91. Even though Whirlpool’s earnings were a bit better than had been anticipated, it cut its prediction for unit shipment growth in North America. The appliance maker saw shares fall 3.9 percent to $85.86.

Not all the quarterly reports were disappointing. DuPont produced a good quarterly report and added 1.8 percent to $46.28. Lucent, which is being purchased by French telecommunications equipment maker Alcatel, added 7.7 percent to $2.52 on better than expected earnings.

Qualcomm was 3.1 percent lower to $36.91 on rumors that the patent case it filed against Nokia could be in for another look by the courts. Meanwhile, Intel added 1.1 percent to $21.69.

Amazon.com added 1.8 percent to $33.46 ahead of its quarterly report, due after the close of trade.