Mid-Morning Market Update: Markets Edge Higher; CalAmp Issues Downbeat Guidance

Top Headline Yesterday, CalAmp CAMP issued a downbeat outlook for the fourth quarter. CalAmp reported its Q3 earnings of $0.23 per share on revenue of $63.5 million. However, analysts projected earnings of $0.21 per share on revenue of $61.1 million.\ InterDigital IDCC shot up 5.95 percent to $30.43 as the company and Huawei reached a settlement pact. Shares of Tesla Motors TSLA got a boost, shooting up 5.25 percent to $151.08 after the NHTSA reaffirmed the Model S 5-star safety rating in 2014. Shares of CalAmp CAMP were down 9.60 percent to $24.92 after the company issued a downbeat outlook for the fourth quarter. Analysts at First Analysis downgraded the stock from Overweight to Equal-Weight. Trina Solar TSL was down, falling 1.59 percent to $12.99. Trina Solar received JIS Q 8901 Certification from TUV Rheinland. In commodity news, oil traded up 0.27 percent to $99.18, while gold traded up 0.40 percent to $1,201.80. Eurozone The MBA reported that its index of mortgage application activity dropped 6.30% in the week ended December 20. U.S. durable-goods orders climbed 3.5% in November, while core durable-goods orders rose 1.20%. However, economists were expecting durable-goods orders to rise 2%. The FHFA house price index rose 0.50% in October, versus economists' expectations for a 0.50% gain. The Richmond Fed manufacturing index came in at 13.00 in December, versus a prior reading of 13.00. However, economists were expecting a reading of 10.00.

CalAmp expected adjusted earnings of $0.19 to $0.23 per share on revenue of $60 million to $63 million. However, analysts were estimating earnings of $0.24 per share on revenue $63.2 million.

Equities Trading UP

Eagle Rock Energy Partners LP EROC was also up, gaining 3.55 percent to $6.13. Analysts at Wells Fargo upgraded the stock from Market Perform to Outperform.

Equities Trading DOWN

3D Systems DDD shares tumbled 4.06 percent to $87.25. Canaccord Genuity maintained 3D Systems with a Buy rating and lifted the price target from $85.00 to $95.00.

Commodities

Silver traded up 0.32 percent Tuesday to $19.48, while copper rose 0.63 percent to $3.33.

European shares were higher today. The Spanish Ibex Index gained 0.63 percent, while Italy's FTSE MIB Index climbed 0.71 percent. Meanwhile, the German DAX surged 0.94 percent and the French CAC 40 jumped 0.07 percent while U.K. shares gained 0.23 percent.

Economics

The ICSC-Goldman Sachs store sales index climbed 1.4% in the week ended Saturday versus the prior week.

The Johnson Redbook Retail Sales Index declined 1% in the first three weeks of December versus November.

U.S. new home sales fell 2.1% to an annual rate of 464,000 in November, versus a rate of 474,000 in October. However, economists were estimating a sales rate of 440,000 in the month.