Mid-Morning Market Update: Markets Edge Higher; HTG Molecular Diagnostics Shares Climb Following News Of Expanded Collaboration With Merck KGaA

Following the market opening Wednesday, the Dow traded up 0.02 percent to 24,750.97 while the NASDAQ climbed 0.18 percent to 6,948.77. The S&P also rose, gaining 0.09 percent to 2,682.98.

Leading and Lagging Sectors

Wednesday morning, the non-cyclical consumer goods & services sector proved to be a source of strength for the market.

In trading on Wednesday, cyclical consumer goods & services shares fell 0.04 percent. Meanwhile, top losers in the sector included Callaway Golf Co ELY, down 5 percent, and Beasley Broadcast Group Inc BBGI down 3 percent.

Top Headline

HTG Molecular Diagnostics Inc HTGM shares are up 13 percent after the company reported an expansion of collaboration with Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany related to Assay development and the manufacturing of kits supporting research programs.

The master collaboration includes a statement of work with EMD Serono, the biopharmaceutical division of Merck.

Equities Trading UP

Energous Corp WATT shares shot up 80 percent to $15.95 after the company reported that it has received FCC certification for over-the-air, power-at-a-distance wireless charging.

Shares of Lightbridge Corp LTBR got a boost, shooting up 75 percent to $2.00.

HTG Molecular Diagnostics Inc HTGM shares were also up, gaining 13 percent to $2.19 after the company reported an expansion of collaboration with Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany related to Assay development and the manufacturing of kits supporting research programs.

Equities Trading DOWN

Future Fintech Group Inc FTFT shares dropped 18 percent to $5.12 after jumping 43.45 percent on Tuesday.

Shares of Aptose Biosciences Inc APTO were down 10 percent to $2.09. Aptose Biosciences shares gained 29.78 percent Tuesday after the company disclosed that the FDA has granted orphan drug designation to CG'806.

Callaway Golf Co ELY was down, falling around 5 percent to $14.34. Compass Point downgraded Callaway Golf from Neutral to Sell.

Commodities

In commodity news, oil traded down 0.73 percent to $59.53 while gold traded up 0.09 percent to $1,288.60.

Silver traded up 0.55 percent Wednesday to $16.695, while copper fell 0.37 percent to $3.2685.

Eurozone

European shares were mostly lower today. The eurozone’s STOXX 600 slipped 0.07 percent, the Spanish Ibex Index fell 0.27 percent, while Italy’s FTSE MIB Index fell 0.30 percent. Meanwhile the German DAX slipped 0.11 percent, and the French CAC 40 dropped 0.02 percent while U.K. shares rose 0.26 percent.

Economics

The Johnson Redbook Retail Sales Index rose 0.1 percent during the first four weeks of December versus November.

The Conference Board consumer confidence index declined to 122.10 in December, versus prior reading of 129.50. Economists expected a reading of 128.10.

The pending home sales index rose 0.2 percent for November, versus economists’ expectations for a 0.4 percent drop.

The Treasury is set to auction 5-year notes at 1:00 p.m. ET.