New York  - US stocks posted mixed results Wednesday as Wall Street braced for the start of the third-quarter earnings season in the United States.

Financial firms posted gains, but telecommunications companies were down on a light trading day in New York.

The release of third-quarter earnings began after markets closed, with aluminium giant Alcoa Inc posting a surprising profit after three straight quarters of losses.

The blue-chip Dow Jones Industrial Average edged lower by 5.67 points, or 0.06 per cent, to 9,725.58. The broader Standard & Poor's 500 Index was up 2.86 points, or 0.27 per cent, to 1,057.58. The technology-heavy Nasdaq Composite Index gained 6.76 points, or 0.32 per cent, to 2,110.33.

The US currency inched up to 68.09 euro cents from 67.96 euro cents on Tuesday. The dollar fell against the Japanese currency to 88.60 yen from 88.82 yen. (dpa)