Stock indexes drifted to a mixed finish on Wall Street Thursday, as some heavyweight technology and communications sector stocks offset gains elsewhere in the market. The S&P 500 fell less than 0.1% after spending the day wavering between small gains and losses.

Businesses and governments are generating more data than ever, and software companies like Palantir (PLTR 2.09%) and Oracle (ORCL 1.34%) can help them make the most of it. But eff

Darden Restaurants, the company behind Olive Garden and other chains, helped lift the market after leaping 15.5%. It delivered profit for the latest quarter that edged past analysts’ expectations. The operator of LongHorn Steakhouses also gave a forecast for revenue for this fiscal year that topped analysts’.