Mid-Morning Market Update: Markets Open Higher; BC Partners Group To Acquire PetSmart For $83/Share

Following the market opening Monday, the Dow traded up 0.25 percent to 17,323.44 while the NASDAQ gained 0.32 percent to 4,668.47. The S&P also rose, gaining 0.47 percent to 2,011.69.

Leading and Lagging Sectors

Energy shares gained 0.82 percent in Monday’s trading. Meanwhile, top gainers in the sector included Talisman Energy TLM, up 21 percent, and Frontline FRO, up 16 percent.

In trading on Monday, basic materials shares dropped by 0.16 percent. Meanwhile, top losers in the sector included Endeavour Silver EXK, down 7.5 percent, and Seabridge Gold SA, off 3.1 percent.

Top Headline

PetSmart PETM agreed to be acquired for about $8.7 billion, or $83 per share, by a group led by BC Partners.

The transaction is expected to close in the first half of 2015.

Equities Trading UP

Riverbed Technology RVBD shares shot up 9.18 percent to $20.46 after the company agreed to be acquired by Thoma Bravo for $21 per share in cash.

Shares of Regal Beloit RBC got a boost, shooting up 6.32 percent to $72.70 following the power transmission purchase from Emerson Electric.

PetSmart PETM shares were also up, gaining 4.69 percent to $81.31 after the company agreed to be acquired by BC Partners for $83.00 per share in cash.

Equities Trading DOWN

CGG CGG shares tumbled 28.99 percent to $6.0499 as Technip decided not to bid for the company.

Shares of American Realty Capital Properties ARCP were down 6.01 percent to $8.45 after the company’s Executive Chairman Nick Schorsch announced that he will step down.

Ultragenyx Pharmaceutical RARE was down, falling 1.13 percent to $41.01 after the company announced the initiation of Phase 3 study of recombinant human beta-glucuronidase.

Commodities

In commodity news, oil traded up 0.35 percent to $58.01, while gold traded down 0.94 percent to $1,211.00.

Silver traded down 0.95 percent Monday to $16.90, while copper fell 0.19 percent to $2.93.

Eurozone

European shares were mostly lower today. The eurozone’s STOXX 600 fell 0.27 percent, the Spanish Ibex Index gained 0.43 percent, while Italy’s FTSE MIB Index rose 0.02 percent. Meanwhile, the German DAX dipped 0.05 percent and the French CAC 40 dropped 0.03 percent while UK shares declined 0.45 percent.

Economics

The Empire State manufacturing index declined to negative 3.6 in December, versus 10.2 in November. However, economists were projecting a reading of 12.0.

USA industrial production rose 1.30% in November, versus economists’ expectations for a 0.70% growth.

The NAHB housing market index dropped to 57.00 in December, versus a prior reading of 58.00. However, economists were expecting a reading of 59.00.

The Treasury is set to auction 3-and 6-month bills.

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Posted In: EarningsNewsGuidanceEurozoneFuturesCommoditiesFDAM&AGlobalEcon #sIntraday UpdateMarkets
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