US equities exhibited a divergent performance on Thursday, as a surge in oil prices spurred renewed inflation anxieties, offsetting weakness in the semiconductor sector following recent advances. The Dow Jones Industrial Average registered a gain of 0.1%, whereas the S&P 500 index retreated 0.5%. The Nasdaq Composite declined 1.3%, retreating further from peak levels. Long-term treasury yields experienced a slight decrease, and prevailing investor sentiment remained guarded in anticipation of the third quarter earnings season.