Mid-Morning Market Update: Markets Rise; Aerie Pharmaceuticals Reports Positive Roclatan Phase 3 Topline Efficacy Results

Following the market opening Thursday, the Dow traded up 0.19 percent to 18,068.67 while the NASDAQ gained 0.41 percent to 5,194.94. The S&P also rose, gaining 0.19 percent to 2,129.90.

Leading and Lagging Sectors

Thursday morning, technology shares gained 0.39 percent. Meanwhile, top gainers in the sector included Sigma Designs Inc SIGM, and Extreme Networks, Inc EXTR.

In trading on Thursday, basic materials shares tumbled 0.29 percent. Meanwhile, top losers in the sector included Endeavour Silver Corp EXK, down 4 percent, and Gold Fields Limited (ADR) GFI, down 4 percent.

Top Headline

Aerie Pharmaceuticals Inc AERI disclosed that its Phase 3 study of Roclatan met its primary efficacy endpoint.

According to a press release, Roclatan managed to prove statistically superior to each of its components, including the company’s Rhopressa (netarsudil ophthalmic solution) 0.02 percent and the market leading prostaglandin analogue (PGA) latanoprost, in the treatment of patients with maximum baseline intraocular pressures (IOPs) ranging from over 20 to under 36 mmHg (millimeters of mercury).

Equities Trading UP

Lakeland Industries, Inc. LAKE shares shot up 16 percent to $10.90. Lakeland Industries reported Q2 earnings of $0.20 per share on revenue of $22.26 million.

Shares of Aerie Pharmaceuticals Inc AERI got a boost, shooting up 56 percent to $33.00 on news that its Phase 3 study of Roclatan met its primary efficacy endpoint.

AcelRx Pharmaceuticals Inc ACRX shares were also up, gaining 10 percent to $3.62 after the company disclosed that its investigational product candidate ARX-04 provided solid tolerance level in an open-label Phase three trial for post operative acute pain treatment.

Equities Trading DOWN

Energy Fuels Inc Ordinary Shares (Canada) UUUU shares dropped 22 percent to $1.76 after announcing a $10 million bought-deal offering of units.

Shares of Misonix, Inc. MSON were down 14 percent to $5.25 as the company filed for extension of time for its Annual Report on Form 10-K. The company named Joseph Dwyer as interim CFO.

Sequans Communications SA ADR SQNS was down, falling around 12 percent to $1.68. Sequans priced its offering of 15.152 million shares at $1.65 per ADS.
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Commodities

In commodity news, oil traded up 0.54 percent to $44.39 while gold traded down 0.41 percent to $1,320.70.

Silver traded down 0.16 percent Thursday to $19.04, while copper rose 0.02 percent to $2.16.

Eurozone

European shares were lower today. The eurozone’s STOXX 600 declined 0.10 percent, the Spanish Ibex Index fell 0.35 percent, while Italy’s FTSE MIB Index declined 0.78 percent. Meanwhile the German DAX declined 0.36 percent, and the French CAC 40 slipped 0.59 percent while U.K. shares rose 0.20 percent.

Economics

U.S. initial jobless claims rose 1,000 from the previous week to reach 260,000 in the latest week. However, economists were expecting claims to reach 265,000 in the week.

U.S. wholesale prices came flat for August, versus economists’ expectations for a 0.1 percent growth.

U.S. retail sales dropped 0.3 percent in August, versus economists’ expectations for a 0.1 percent decline.

The Philadelphia Fed manufacturing index dropped to a reading of 12.8 in September, from 2 in August. Economists expected a reading of 0.8.

The Empire State manufacturing index rose to negative 2 in September, compared to negative 4.2 in August. However, economists were projecting a reading of negative 0.5.

The U.S. current-account deficit dropped 9.1 percent to $119.9 billion in the second quarter.

Industrial production declined 0.4 percent, versus a revised 0.6 percent growth in the previous month. Economists were projecting a 0.2 percent drop.

U.S. business inventories were flat for July, versus economists’ expectations for a 0.10 percent gain.

The Energy Information Administration’s weekly report on natural gas stocks is schedule for release at 10:30 a.m. ET.

Data on money supply for the latest week will be released at 4:30 p.m. ET.