US STOCKS-S&P 500 ends higher as investors eye stimulus

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* Apple approaches $2 trillion market capitalization
* Top Senate Democrat says relief talks progressing
* AIG, Ralph Lauren slide after results disappoint

(Updates to close)
By Noel Randewich and Gertrude Chavez-Dreyfuss
Aug 4 (Reuters) - The S&P 500 ended higher after a choppy
session on Tuesday, lifted by energy stocks but limited by
declines in AIG and Microsoft while investors awaited more U.S.
government stimulus to fight economic fallout from the COVID-19
pandemic.
The S&P 500 energy index .SPNY jumped and was the
strongest performer among 11 sectors, while healthcare declined
.SPXHC .
Ralph Lauren Corp RL.N dropped to its lowest since May
after quarterly revenue plunged due to coronavirus-related store
closures and a slowdown in global demand for luxury goods.
American International Group Inc AIG.N tumbled after its
quarterly adjusted profit slumped. Notwithstanding those two reports, about 83% of the 352
companies in the S&P 500 that have reported quarterly results so
far have beaten estimates for earnings, according to IBES
Refinitiv data.
"Investors are still comfortable that the trajectory of
earnings is on the right path and the 2021 outlook has remained
intact. All that helps support the market at these levels," said
Lindsey Bell, chief investment strategist at Ally Invest.
"But there is an underlying level of uncertainty leading to
a bit of caution," Bell added.
Investors are awaiting a major new coronavirus-aid bill,
with Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer saying talks with
the White House were moving in the "right direction."
A rally in tech-related stocks and trillions of dollars in
monetary and fiscal stimulus have lifted the S&P 500 to within
about 3% of February's record high.
Microsoft Corp MSFT.O , which is looking to buy short-video
app TikTok's U.S. operations, fell, weighing on the Nasdaq.
White House officials could not say how the U.S. government
would receive a portion of the proceeds from any sale of
TikTok's U.S. operations, one day after President Donald Trump
called for a cut of the money. Unofficially, the Dow Jones Industrial Average .DJI rose
166.47 points, or 0.62%, to 26,830.87, the S&P 500 .SPX gained
12.14 points, or 0.37%, to 3,306.75 and the Nasdaq Composite
.IXIC added 38.37 points, or 0.35%, to 10,941.17.
Evergy Inc EVRG.N slumped after two sources said the board
of the Midwest utility planed to remain independent as bids
solicited from prospective merger partners did not offer
sufficient value. Take-Two Interactive Software Inc TTWO.O rose after it
raised its annual adjusted sales forecast on demand for its
videogame franchises "Grand Theft Auto" and "NBA 2K".
Rival Activision Blizzard Inc ATVI.O gained ahead of its
results due after the closing bell.
Walt Disney Co DIS.N , Fox Corp FOXA.O and Wynn Resorts
Ltd WYNN.O are also expected to report quarterly results later
in the day.