Mid-Day Market Update: Senomyx Climbs Following Acquisition News; Government Properties Income Trust Shares Fall

Midway through trading Monday, the Dow traded down 0.11 percent to 26,125.22 while the NASDAQ declined 0.95 percent to 7,933.75. The S&P also fell, dropping 0.34 percent to 2,895.10.

Leading and Lagging Sectors

On Monday, the materials shares rose 0.82 percent. Meanwhile, top gainers in the sector included FutureFuel Corp. FF up 10 percent, and Hecla Mining Company HL up 7 percent.

In trading on Monday, consumer discretionary shares fell 1 percent.

Top Headline

Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd (ADR) ADR TEVA — has struggled amid sagging sales of its blockbuster multiple sclerosis treatment Capaxone due to a generic launch in 2017 and its debt burden following the purchase of Allergan plc AGN's generic unit — has received some relief from the FDA.

The Israeli drugmaker's migraine drug was approved late Friday. Teva said the FDA approved Ajovy, chemically a fremanezumab-vfrm injection, for the preventive treatment of migraine in adults.

Equities Trading UP

Cool Holdings, Inc. AWSM shares shot up 34 percent to $6.94 following a press release highlighting the company's new OneClick Apple Premium Reseller store in the Dominican Republic.

Shares of Senomyx, Inc. SNMX got a boost, shooting up 40 percent to $1.475 after Firmenich announced plans to acquire Senomyx for $1.50 per share in cash.

Select Income REIT SIR shares were also up, gaining 12 percent to $22.44. Government Properties Income Trust and Select Income REIT agreed to merge to create a real estate investment trust.

Equities Trading DOWN

Government Properties Income Trust GOV shares dropped 21 percent to $13.3801. Government Properties Income Trust and Select Income REIT agreed to merge to create a real estate investment trust.

Shares of Qutoutiao Inc. QTT were down 28 percent to $11.50 after climbing 128.14 percent on Friday.

MAM Software Group, Inc. MAMS was down, falling around 12 percent to $7.25. MAM Software Group reported Q4 earnings of $0.08 per share on sales of $9.53 million. The company expects FY19 sales growth of 10 percent and adjusted EBITDA of $6.2 million to $6.7 million.

Commodities

In commodity news, oil traded up 0.25 percent to $69.16 while gold traded up 0.71 percent to $1,209.60.

Silver traded up 0.94 percent Monday to $14.275, while copper rose 0.23 to $2.652.

Eurozone

European shares were mixed today. The eurozone’s STOXX 600 rose 0.09 percent, the Spanish Ibex Index rose 0.56 percent, while Italy’s FTSE MIB Index climbed 1.14 percent. Meanwhile the German DAX declined 0.29 percent, and the French CAC 40 fell 0.03 percent while U.K. shares fell 0.18 percent.

Economics

The Empire State manufacturing index declined to 19 points for September, compared to 25.6 in August. However, economists were projecting a reading of 23.