Company: Mosaic Company

Fertilizer maker Mosaic Co. said Wednesday that it expects demand for potash and phosphates to be strong this spring thanks to warm weather that has hastened farmers' planting schedules. The comments sent its stock up almost 5 percent.

Stocks finished mixed Thursday, recovering from a 1 percent decline across the board earlier in the session, but gains were limited as investors remained on edge amid ongoing weakness overseas.

Corporations hold large amounts of cash for a variety of reasons, including speculation on the price of assets, corporate acquisitions, future investments or even as a precaution against market uncertainty.

Stocks rebounded from earlier losses to finish narrowly mixed Thursday, with the S&P adding small gains to the New Year rally, ahead of a key government employment report. Stocks had been under pressure earlier in the session amid ongoing jitters over the European debt crisis and a decline in the euro to its lowest level since September 2010.

The Dow and S&P clawed back into positive territory at the close Wednesday, adding to the sharp rally from the previous session, but gains were limited over renewed fears over the euro zone debt crisis.

Stocks climbed steadily to finish near their best levels Thursday as the euro erased its drop versus the greenback and after a handful of better-than-expected economic data.

But volume remained thin in the final week of trading for the year.