Mid-Morning Market Update: Markets Mostly Flat; Priceline To Acquire OpenTable For $103/Share

Following the market opening Friday, the Dow traded down 0.02 percent to 16,730.98 while the NASDAQ gained 0.03 percent to 4,299.01. The S&P also fell, dropping 0.01 percent to 1,929.96.

Leading and Lagging Sectors

In trading on Friday, technology shares were relative leaders, up on the day by about 0.63 percent. Meanwhile, top gainers in the sector included OpenTable OPEN, up 47 percent, and China Digital TV Holding Co STV, up 9 percent.

Utilities shares fell around 0.30 percent in trading on Friday. Top losers in the sector included Pampa Energia SA PAM, down 3.9 percent, and Korea Electric Power KEP, off 2.7 percent.

Top Headline

Priceline Group PCLN announced its plans to buy OpenTable OPEN for $2.6 billion in cash.

The offer price of $103 per share represents a 46% premium over OpenTable's closing price on Thursday. The transaction is likely to close in the third quarter.

Equities Trading UP

Express EXPR shares shot up 19.56 percent to $16.20 on Sycamore stake and potential acquisition. Sycamore Partners said Thursday that it is interested in acquiring Express. Sycamore has already acquired a 9.9% stake in Express, according to a regulatory filing.

Shares of OpenTable OPEN got a boost, shooting up 47.07 percent to $103.58 after Priceline announced its plans to buy OpenTable for $103 per share.

Yelp YELP shares were also up, gaining 13.90 percent to $74.99 following the report of OpenTable OPEN bid by Priceline PCLN.

Equities Trading DOWN

Shares of Finisar FNSR were 22.79 percent to $19.50 after the company reported downbeat earnings for the fourth quarter and issued a weak profit forecast for the current quarter.

OncoMed Pharmaceuticals OMED shares tumbled 18.71 percent to $20.24 after the company voluntarily stopped enrollment for Phase 1 Vantictumab.

Achillion Pharmaceuticals ACHN was down, falling 3.29 percent to $6.61 after dropping 6.32% on Thursday.

Commodities

In commodity news, oil traded up 0.08 percent to $106.61, while gold traded down 0.09 percent to $1,272.90.

Silver traded down 0.04 percent Friday to $19.53, while copper rose 0.41 percent to $3.03.

Eurozone

European shares were lower today.

The eurozone’s STOXX 600 tumbled 0.48 percent, the Spanish Ibex Index dropped 0.03 percent, while Italy’s FTSE MIB Index fell 0.16 percent.

Meanwhile, the German DAX dropped 0.61 percent and the French CAC 40 fell 0.41 percent while UK shares dropped 1.11 percent.

Economics

US wholesale prices declined 0.2% in May. However, economists were projecting a 0.1% gain in the PPI.

The preliminary reading of Reuter's/University of Michigan's consumer sentiment index fell to 81.20 in June, versus a prior reading of 81.90. However, economists were expecting a reading of 83.00.