US equity markets modestly weaker as investors digested another slew of quarterly corporate earnings releases - Dow down -222-points or -0.80% . The broader S&P500 -0.30% to 3,390.68, logging its first close below 3,400 since 6 October. Industrials (down -2.18%) and Financials (-1.91%) led eight of the eleven primary sectors lower. The technology-centric Nasdaq outperformed with a +0.64% gain. The chief executives of Alphabet Inc’s (up +0.87%) Google, Facebook Inc (+2.23%) and Twitter Inc (+4.68%) testify in front of a U.S. Senate Commerce subcommittee hearing titled, “Does Section 230’s Sweeping Immunity Enable Big Tech Bad Behaviour?” tonight AEST. The focus will be on how tech’s largest companies decide what content users can post on their platforms. In merger and acquisition (M&A) news, Advanced Micro Devices Inc (down -4.07%) announced an agreement to acquire Xilinx Inc (up +8.56%) in an all-stock deal valued at US$35B. Xilinx shareholders Will receive 1.7234 share of AMD for each share owned, equal to $US143 in cash.