Mid-Day Market Update: Sonic Rises On Q2 Results, AuRico Drops

Midway through trading Tuesday, the Dow traded up 0.64 percent to 14,540.06 while the NASDAQ gained 0.29 percent to 3,244.60. The S&P also rose, gaining 0.53 percent to 1,559.93.

Children's Place Retail Stores

issued a downbeat first-quarter view. Children's Place expects Q1 profit of $0.60 to $0.65 per share and full-year profit of $2.90 to $3.10 per share. However, analysts were expecting a profit of $1.20 per share for the first quarter and $3.52 per share for the year.

Just Energy Group

shot up 8.91 percent to $6.6328 after the company expected FY14 EBITDA of around $220 million ($1.57 per share). Shares of Sonic

got a boost, shooting up 7.42 percent to $12.60 after reported a rise in its fiscal second-quarter profit. RF Micro Devices

was also up, gaining 6.76 percent to $5.24 after analysts at Oppenheimer upgraded RF Micro Devices from “perform” to “outperform.”

Calumet Specialty Products Partners LP

shares tumbled 4.12 percent to $37.49 after the company priced common unit offering. AuRico Gold

was also down, falling 5.57 percent to $6.27 after the company reported Q4 results. Shares of Alpha Natural Resources

were down 3.01 percent to $8.08 after the company's affiliate Paramont Coal Company, Virginia, has been recognized for its environmental accomplishments.

In commodity news, oil traded up 0.72 percent to $95.49, while gold traded down 0.39 percent to $1,600.30. Silver traded down 0.43 percent Tuesday to $28.69, while copper rose 0.39 percent to $3.46.

European shares were mostly higher, reversing the strong weakness from Monday. The Spanish Ibex Index tumbled 1.28 percent and the Italian FTSE MIB Index dropped 0.66 percent. The STOXX Europe 600 Index gained 0.30 percent, London's FTSE 100 Index rose 0.37 percent, French CAC 40 Index surged 0.79 percent and German DAX 30 index climbed 0.25 percent.

Orders for durable goods rose 5.7% in February. However, economists were expecting orders to rise 4.6%. The ICSC-Goldman Sachs Retail Chain Store Sales Index dropped 1.7% in the recent week ended Saturday versus the week before. The Johnson Redbook Retail Sales Index for the first three weeks of March rose 2.8% year-over-year. The S&P/Case-Shiller 20-city composite index for January rose to 8.1% year-over-year. Consumer confidence declined to a reading of 59.7 in March, versus 68.0 in February. However, economists were expecting a reading of 66.5. Sales of new homes dropped 4.6% to an annual rate of 411,000 in February, versus a revised 431,000 in January. Economists had projected new home sales to fall to 417,000. The Richmond Fed Manufacturing Index dropped to a reading of 3.00 in March, versus a prior reading of 6.00. Economists were expecting a reading of 6.00. The Treasury is set to auction 2-year notes.