Mid-Day Market Update: Markets Turn Down, Mankind Posts a Rally

Midway through trading Wednesday, the Dow traded down 0.25 percent to 13,106.18 while the NASDAQ fell 0.68 percent to 2,992.14. The S&P also fell, decreasing 0.51 percent to 1,419.02.

Redbook sales were reported this morning, and came in well above the previous report. Following the news, J.C. Penney

gained as much at 1.6 percent, while most other retailers fell.

Research in Motion

posted a strong gain in early trading Wednesday, rising 9.80 percent to $11.65 after the company received some attention in a few Seeking Alpha articles. Shares of Mankind

rallied midway through trading, rising 6.82 percent to $2.35 after the CEO purchased 40 million shares of the company. Herbalife

traded up as well, gaining 8.26 percent to $28.21 after the company announced it had hired an adviser to fight its recent stock plunge.

ServiceNow

took a hit in early trading, opening down 6.19 percent at $39.70, continuing the stock's plunge from Monday. Michael Kors

dropped as well, falling 7.08 percent to $49.78, possibly falling on technicals. Shares of Coach

were also down, dropping 5.79 percent to $54.19 as reports that holiday sales may have been poor emerged from Fox Business this morning.

In commodity news, oil traded up 2.34 percent to $90.68, while gold traded up 0.09 percent to $1,661.90. Silver traded up 0.04 percent Wednesday to $29.94.

European markets were closed today in observance of boxing day.

In economic news Wednesday morning, Redbook sales came in at 2.4 percent, well above the prior reading of -0.2 percent, while the S&P/CS home price index was reported at 4.31 percent, above the anticipated 4 percent and the previous figure of 3.0 percent. The Richmond fed manufacturing index was also out, coming in at 5.0, well below the anticipated 8.0 and the prior release of 9.0.