Mid-Morning Market Update: Markets Open Higher; Cal-Maine Misses Q1 Views

Following the market opening Monday, the Dow traded up 0.97 percent to 26,713.54 while the NASDAQ climbed 0.72 percent to 8,104.27. The S&P also rose, gaining 0.75 percent to 2,935.75.

Leading and Lagging Sectors

Monday morning, the materials shares rose 1.39 percent. Meanwhile, top gainers in the sector included Valhi, Inc. VHI up 5 percent, and MAG Silver Corp. MAG up 5 percent.

In trading on Monday, utilities shares fell 0.53 percent.

Top Headline

Cal-Maine Foods Inc CALM reported weaker-than-expected results for its first quarter.

Cal-Maine posted quarterly adjusted earnings of $0.26 per share on sales of $340.6 million. However, analysts were expecting earnings of $0.49 per share on sales of $350.5 million.

Equities Trading UP

Tesla, Inc. TSLA shares shot up 17 percent to $308.4391. Independent Research upgraded Tesla from Sell to Hold.

Shares of General Electric Company GE got a boost, shooting up 13 percent to $12.72 after the company announced a CEO replacement plan.

Tilray, Inc. TLRY shares were also up, gaining 11 percent to $159.425 after the company disclosed that its High Park Farms subsidiary received sales license from Health Canada to sell cannabis under the access to cannabis for medical purposes regulations.

Equities Trading DOWN

Akorn, Inc. AKRX shares dropped 55 percent to $5.79. Delaware Court upheld Fresenius' termination of merger agreement with Akorn.

Shares of AVROBIO, Inc. AVRO were down 38 percent to $32.35. AVROBIO received no objection to clinical trial application from Health Canada for AVR-RD-02 gene therapy for gaucher disease.

Infinera Corporation INFN was down, falling around 15 percent to $6.26. MKM Partners downgraded Infinera from Neutral to Sell and lowered the price target from $10 to $5.50.

Commodities

In commodity news, oil traded up 0.16 percent to $73.37 while gold traded down 0.51 percent to $1,190.10.

Silver traded down 0.97 percent Monday to $14.57, while copper fell 1.41 to $2.7655.

Eurozone

European shares were higher today. The eurozone’s STOXX 600 gained 0.20 percent, the Spanish Ibex Index rose 0.58 percent, while Italy’s FTSE MIB Index climbed 0.94 percent. Meanwhile the German DAX climbed 0.44 percent, and the French CAC 40 rose 0.20 percent while U.K. shares rose 0.10 percent.

Economics

The Markit manufacturing PMI came in at 55.60 for September, versus economists’ estimates for a reading of 55.60.

The ISM manufacturing index declined to 59.80 for September, versus prior reading of 61.30. However, economists were expecting a reading of 60.10.

U.S. construction spending rose 0.1 percent for August, versus economists’ expectations for a 0.4 percent increase.

Minneapolis Federal Reserve Bank President Neel Kashkari will speak in Minnetonka, Minnesota at 11:00 a.m. ET.

The Treasury is set to auction 3-and 6-month bills at 11:30 a.m. ET.

Boston Federal Reserve Bank President Eric Rosengren is set to speak in Boston at 12:15 p.m. ET.