By Rita Nazareth April 23 (Bloomberg) -- U.S. stocks fell as earnings reports gave mixed signals about the outlook for profits, while growth in durable goods orders excluding transportation triggered speculation that the Federal Reserve will consider lifting interest rates. Amazon.com retreated 4.2 percent after its earnings report showed online buying by consumers is less robust than analysts’ estimates. American Express Co. and Xerox Corp. rose at least 3 percent on better-than-estimated earnings. Johnson Controls Inc., the world’s largest maker of automotive seats, gained after raising its profit forecast. The Standard & Poor’s 500 Index fell 0.1 percent to 1,207.48 at 9:54 a.m. in New York. The gauge is still up for the week, which would make it the seventh advance in the past eight weeks. The Dow Jones Industrial Average declined 0.2 percent to 11,116.23. Durable goods orders excluding transportation increased 2.8 percent in March, four times the median increase estimated in a Bloomberg survey of economists. “It might be possible that some are concerned about the FOMC changing it stance next week,” said Peter Jankovskis, who helps manage about $1.8 billion as co-chief investment officer at Oakbrook Investments in Lisle, Illinois. “I personally doubt it. The Fed is set to keep rates low for a while. Amazon and Microsoft’s earnings are also holding investors back.” U.S. stocks advanced yesterday, erasing the biggest drop since Goldman Sachs Group Inc. was sued by the government, as investors speculated the bank will prevail and concern about financial regulation eased. Earlier losses in stocks yesterday were triggered by disappointing forecasts from health-care and technology companies and speculation that widening European government deficits will derail the economic recovery. The Group of 20 industrial and developing nations meets today and is expected to discuss Greece amid concern the nation will be forced to restructure its debt. Greek Finance Minister George Papaconstantinou today sent a letter formally requesting the activation of a financial lifeline from the European Union of as much as 45 billion euros ($60 billion). To contact the reporters on this story: Rita Nazareth in New York at rnazareth@bloomberg.net.

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