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.

The New York equities markets were lower at midday on Thurdsay. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 0.5 percent to 12,678.89, while the Nasdaq Composite fell 0.1 percent to 2,515.35 and the S&P 500 was 0.3 percent lower to 1,454.03.

Retailers declined on bad news. Abercrombie & Fitch (NYSE: ANF) dropped 2.1 percent to $80.29 after it said that the rising cost of paying its employees would likely diminish results for the first half of the year. Meanwhile, JC Penney (NYSE: JCP) fell 3.6 percent to $83.21 on a less than positive guidance.

Homebuilders were lower as well, after Toll Brothers (NYSE: TOL) said that profits were down sharply and that while it has seen an upturn in demand in some regions, it doesn’t expect the housing market to strengthen significantly through spring. The builder’s 67 percent decline in profits wasn’t as steep as some had expected, but the company’s stock still dropped 1.5 percent to $32.38. Elsewhere in the sector, DR Horton (NYSE: DRH) fell 2.1 percent to $27.50.

In the computer sector, Hewlett Packard (NYSE: HPQ) dropped 1.7 percent to $40.42.

In the supermarkets sector, Whole Foods (NASDAQ: WFMI) added 11.8 percent to $51.10 after it said last night that it will acquire Wild Oats Markets (NASDAQ: OATS) for $565 million. Wild Oats added 17.3 percent to $18.44 on the news.

Equities markets in New York were lower at midday on Tuesday as newly released data on personal consumption and manufacturing re-ignited fears that the Federal Reserve will issue another interest rate hike when it meets next week. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was 0.6 percent lower at mid-session, to 11,114.12. The S&P 500 had also dropped 0.6 percent, to 1,268.92, while the Nasdaq Composite was down by 1.3 percent to 2,063.52.

Some of the declines in individuals stocks were substantial. Shipper Expeditors International fell 12.6 percent to $39.75 even though second quarter profits were up 53 percent. The increase in profits was lower than had been predicted by analysts. Eastman Kodak dropped 11.3 percent to $19.74 on its seventh losing quarterly report in a row. Kodak’s revenues were down by 9 percent on slow sales of photographic film. Whole Foods declined by 11.1 percent to $51.11 even though the natural foods retailer saw its third quarter profits grow by 33 percent, well ahead of expectations.

With its quarterly report due out later in the day, Starbucks dropped 4.5 percent to $32.68, its lowest share price in six months. Molson Coors also declined even though its results in the quarter were better than had been expected. The brewer lost 6.1 percent to $67.06.

In the telecommunications sector, on the other hand, Qwest reported that it achieved profits in its second quarter after losing $164 million in the second quarter last year. Qwest added 5.8 percent to $8.24.

In New York on Thursday, equities markets were up mid-way through the trading day as several retailers issued good quarterly earnings reports. These reports overcame worries over new data releases that tended to increase the likelihood of further interest rate hikes to offset pressures toward inflation.

At midday the Dow Jones Industrial Average had gained 0.4 percent to 11,450.71, the Nasdaq Composite was up 0.8 percent to 2322.16, and the S&P 500 had added 0.4 percent to 1,312.85.

Earnings reports from the retail sector were led by Whole Foods, a supermarket chain that specializes in organic foods, which saw a 27 percent hike in profits in the quarter, ahead of predictions, and an increased sales outlook for the year. Shares in Whole Foods were up by 11.7 percent to $69.42. Other retailers with good reports included Talbots, which added 8.37 percent to $25.50, and Abercrombie and Fitch, up 2.3 percent to $61.75.

In the transport sector, Expeditors International gained 18.4 percent to $104.18 after it raised its divident by over 40 percent and said that its earnings per share were 20 percent above what had been forecast. Federal Express also saw a gain, adding 2.6 percent to $117.13. These helped the Dow Jones Transportation index, which was up 3.4 percent so far during the session and has added 17 percent so far this year.

Apple Computer has now gained back half of the 31 percent in share price that it lost in the first quarter of the year and was up 1.4 percent so far in the session to $72.15.

Among the days losers, Archer Daniels Midland dropped 5.3 percent to $41.01 on a downgrade to “neutral” on sustainability concerns. Before the loss the company, which makes ethanol among other activities, had added 21 percent since last week and 77 on the year so far.