Mid-Morning Market Update: Markets Mixed; Big Lots Earnings Beat Estimates

 


Following the market opening Friday, the Dow traded down 0.15 percent to 19,163.47 while the NASDAQ climbed 0.08 percent to 5,255.22. The S&P also rose, gaining 0.09 percent to 2,193.00.

Leading and Lagging Sectors

Friday morning, utilities shares gained by 1.07 percent. Meanwhile, top gainers in the sector included Exelon Corporation EXC, and Huaneng Power International Inc (ADR) HNP.

In trading on Friday, energy shares fell by 0.39 percent. Meanwhile, top losers in the sector included SM Energy Co SM, down 6 percent, and CGG SA (ADR) CGG, down 5 percent.

Top Headline

Big Lots, Inc. BIG reported upbeat earnings for its third quarter and raised its profit outlook for the year.

Big Lots posted quarterly earnings of $0.04 per share, on revenue of $1.105 billion. However, analysts were expecting a loss of $0.01 per share on revenue of $1.12 billion.

The company raised its full-year EPS to $3.55–$3.60 from $3.45–$3.55.

Equities Trading UP

Envision Healthcare Holdings Inc EVHC shares shot up 196 percent to $66.90. Envision Healthcare and Amsurg Corp AMSG reported the completion of their merger.

Shares of Ascena Retail Group Inc ASNA got a boost, shooting up 13 percent to $6.61 as the company reported downbeat earnings for its first quarter on Thursday.

Neovasc Inc (US) NVCN shares were also up, gaining 70 percent to $0.871 following announcement of an agreement with Boston Scientific Corporation BSX.


Equities Trading DOWN

Workday Inc WDAY shares dropped 17 percent to $67.98. Workday posted better-than-expected results for its third quarter on Thursday.

Shares of Smith & Wesson Holding Corp SWHC were down 10 percent to $21.72. Smith & Wesson reported upbeat results for its second quarter, but issued a weak outlook for its third quarter.

CEL-SCI Corporation CVM was down, falling around 35 percent to $0.116 after the company reported the pricing of $4.25 million public offering of common stock and warrants.


Commodities


In commodity news, oil traded up 0.06 percent to $51.09 while gold traded up 0.45 percent to $1,174.70.

Silver traded up 0.45 percent Friday to $16.58, while copper fell 1.46 percent to $2.60.

Eurozone

European shares were lower today. The eurozone’s STOXX 600 declined 0.72 percent, the Spanish Ibex Index fell 0.63 percent, while Italy’s FTSE MIB Index declined 0.81 percent. Meanwhile the German DAX dropped 0.54 percent, and the French CAC 40 slipped 1.02 percent while U.K. shares fell 0.77 percent.

Economics

The U.S. economy added 178,000 new jobs in November, while unemployment rate declined to 4.6 percent from 4.9 percent. However, economists were expecting a gain of 175,000 nonfarm jobs.

Federal Reserve Gov. Daniel Tarullo will speak in Washington, D.C. at 12:30 p.m. ET.

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

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Posted In: EarningsNewsGuidanceEurozoneCommoditiesM&AGlobalIntraday UpdateMarketsMoversMid-Morning Market Update
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