Mid-Day Market Update: Crude Oil Up Over 1%; Black Box Shares Spike Higher

Midway through trading Friday, the Dow traded up 0.60 percent to 24,501.60 while the NASDAQ climbed 1.22 percent to 7,678.80. The S&P also rose, gaining 0.92 percent to 2,761.85.

Leading and Lagging Sectors

On Friday, the health care shares climbed 1.35 percent. Meanwhile, top gainers in the sector included AC Immune SA ACIU up 35 percent, and MediciNova, Inc. MNOV up 18 percent.

In trading on Friday, telecommunication services shares rose by just 0.3 percent.


Top Headline

The U.S. economy added 213,000 new jobs for June, while the unemployment increased to 4 percent from 3.8 percent. Economists were expecting an addition of 200,000 nonfarm jobs

 

Equities Trading UP

Black Box Corporation BBOX shares shot up 92 percent to $1.82 after the nano-cap company said it will partner with an un-named but "renowned and prominent" social media organization for its global data center expansion program. The five- to 10-year strategic relationship could expand from $10 million today to $300 million or more for Black Box.

Shares of Biogen Inc. BIIB got a boost, shooting up 15 percent to $344.95 in reaction to encouraging results from a clinical study. The company and its Japan-based partner Eisai Co said its Alzheimer's drug BAN2401 was able to slow down the progression of the disease among patients who were given the highest dose after an 18 month treatment.

Xenetic Biosciences, Inc. XBIO shares were also up, gaining 31 percent to $5.68.


Equities Trading DOWN

Regulus Therapeutics Inc. RGLS shares dropped 51 percent to $0.360 after announcing strategic update. The company disclosed that it has paused recruitment activities for its RG-012 program In Alport syndrome. The company will also reduce workforce by 60 percent.

Shares of China Lending Corporation CLDC were down 30 percent to $2.27. China Lending reported a $2 million registered direct placement of stock and warrants with two institutional investors at a price of $2.60 per share.

LSC Communications, Inc. LKSD was down, falling around 14 percent to $13.94. JP Morgan downgraded LSC Communications from Neutral to Underweight.


Commodities


In commodity news, oil traded up 1.26 percent to $73.86 while gold traded down 0.31 percent to $1,254.90.

Silver traded down 0.42 percent Friday to $16.03, while copper fell 0.73 to $2.8055.



Eurozone

European shares were mostly lower today. The eurozone’s STOXX 600 gained 0.20 percent, the Spanish Ibex Index rose 0.39 percent, while Italy’s FTSE MIB Index rose 0.05 percent. Meanwhile the German DAX gained 0.26 percent, and the French CAC 40 climbed 0.18 percent while U.K. shares rose 0.19 percent.

Economics

The U.S. economy added 213,000 new jobs for June, while the unemployment increased to 4 percent from 3.8 percent. Economists were expecting an addition of 200,000 nonfarm jobs

The U.S. trade deficit declined 6.6 percent to $43.1 billion in May, versus a revised $46.1 billion gap in April. Economists projected a deficit of $43.6 billion for May.

Domestic supplies of natural gas increased 78 billion cubic feet for the week ended June 29, the U.S. Energy Information Administration reported. Analysts projected a gain of 76 billion cubic feet.

The Baker Hughes North American rig count report is schedule for release at 1:00 p.m. ET.

Posted In: NewsEurozoneCommoditiesGlobalIntraday UpdateMarketsMid-Day Market Update
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