Mid-Day Market Update: Steelcase Boosts, Greenbrier Drops

Midway through trading Thursday, the Dow traded up 0.12 percent to 13,267.20 while the NASDAQ fell 0.06 percent to 3,042.86. The S&P also rose, increasing 0.18 percent to 1,438.25.

It was announced this morning that the Intercontinental Exchange would acquire the New York Stock Exchange

for $8.2 billion in cash, or $33.12 per share. This sent shares of of the NYSE up over 34 percent in early trading and provided increased interest in other publicly traded exchanges.

Rite Aid

traded up 10.59 percent to $1.15 after posting a solid earnings report Thursday morning. Shares of Steelcase

rose 10.93 percent to $12.79 after posted better than expected guidance after the close Wednesday. Illumina

was also up, gaining 7.96 percent to $56.32 after a report of a higher bid from Roche reached the street this morning.

Allscripts Healthcare

was among the top stocks falling this morning, trading down 14.37 percent to $9.15 after the company fired its CEO and announced it would not pursue a sale. The Greenbrier Companies

was also down, falling 12.47 percent to $18.04 following a series of downgrades this morning. Shares of Bed Bath & Beyond

were down as well, dropping 7.67 percent to $55.65 following some poor guidance after the close Thursday and a downgrade at Bank of America.

In commodity news, oil traded down 0.10 percent to $89.42, while gold traded down 1.57 percent to $1,640.40. Silver traded down 1.90 percent Thursday to $29.69.

European markets fell earlier this morning, pushed down by continuing fears over the US fiscal cliff, lead down by the Spanish Ibex and Italian MIB index.

In economic news Thursday morning, initial jobless claims were reported at 361 thousand, slightly above the anticipated 361 thousand and well above the prior report of 343 thousand. Continuing claims were also reported, coming in at 3.225 million, above the expected 3.205 million, and the prior release of 3.198 million. GDP price index came in at 2.7 percent, in line with expectations and the last report, while GDP quarter over quarter came in at 3.1 percent, above the expected 2.8 percent and the last report of 2.7 percent. Existing home sales came in at 5.9 percent, well above the anticipated 2.3 percent and the prior report of 1.5 percent. Personal consumption was out as well, coming in at 1.6 percent, beating the projected and prior figure of 1.4 percent.