Stocks gain...Durable goods orders plunge...Pending home sales inch up

NEW YORK (AP) — Stocks are rising in early trading on Wall Street, led by gains in technology stocks after Apple posted solid quarterly earnings. Investors are awaiting a decision on interest rates from the Federal Reserve, which wraps up a two-day policy meeting later today.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Orders to U.S. factories for long-lasting manufactured goods have fallen by the largest amount in nearly two years. The Commerce Department says demand for durable goods dropped 4 percent in June, the biggest setback since an 18.4 percent drop in August 2014. June's result was led by a 58.8 percent plunge in orders for commercial aircraft. Outside of transportation, orders were down 0.5 percent. A key category that tracks business investment managed a small gain.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The number of Americans who signed contracts to buy homes crept up in June. The National Association of Realtors says its seasonally adjusted pending home sales index rose 0.2 percent last month to 111, regaining some ground after a dip in May. The index of upcoming sales improved 1 percent from a year ago, as buyer demand remains strong even though there are fewer properties being listed for sale.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Target will leave IndyCar at the end of this season after 27 years with Chip Ganassi Racing. Target's relationship with Ganassi is one of the longest in any racing series, and the retail giant was a key player in helping Ganassi build his organization. The exit comes as Target examines all of its marketing platforms under new chairman Brian Cornell. Target is also the primary sponsor of Kyle Larson in NASCAR's top Sprint Cup Series and will return to his car in 2017.

CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP) — Forty-seven entries from seven countries have been submitted for a $20 million competition to capture and use greenhouse emissions from power plants. Proposals include turning carbon dioxide into products as common as cooking oil or as exotic as graphene, a substance much stronger than steel. The NRG COSIA Carbon XPRIZE announced the entrants today. The winner will demonstrate the most profitable way to make products from CO2 to defray the cost of keeping the gas out of the atmosphere.

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