Mid-Day Market Update: J. C. Penney Declines After Q4 Loss, Universal Display Surges

Midway through trading Thursday, the Dow traded up 0.08 percent to 14,086.55 while the NASDAQ rose 0.28 percent to 3,171.13. The S&P also rose, gaining 0.19 percent to 1,518.83.

The S&P looks ready to regain its 20 EMA today with overhead resistance at 1,531, while the 1,515-1,518 area could act as support. The Dow is poised to break out to new highs today over its 14,058.27 resistance. The Russel shows that it may regain its 20 EMA, with 918-920 resistance overhead. Finally, the NASDAQ looks poised to regain its 20 EMA as well, while finding resistance in the 3,175-3,185 area.

Yesterday, Groupon

reported a Q4 loss and issued downbeat Q1 revenue forecast. Groupon's quarterly loss widened to $81.1 million, or $0.12 per share, versus a year-earlier loss of $65.4 million, or $0.12 per share. Its revenue climbed to $638.3 million from $492 million. However, analysts had projected earnings of $0.03 per share on revenue of around $640 million. Analysts at Wells Fargo and Raymond James also downgraded the stock following the news.

Chart Industries

shot up 9.35 percent to $71.66 after the company reported upbeat fourth-quarter results. Shares of Universal Display

got a boost, shooting up 12.72 percent to $31.45 after the company's Q4 revenue surpassed analysts' estimates. FARO Technologies

was also up, gaining 13.21 percent to $40.76 after the company reported strong Q4 earnings.

BroadSoft

shares tumbled 27.76 percent to $22.33 after the company issued downbeat forecast. Groupon

was also down, falling 20.52 percent to $4.76 after the company reported a Q4 loss. Shares of J. C. Penney Company

were down 15.26 percent to $17.93, after the company posted a wider fourth-quarter loss.

In commodity news, oil traded down 0.32 percent to $92.46, while gold traded down 1.27 percent to $1,575.40. Silver traded down 1.62 percent Thursday to $28.52, while copper dropped 0.51 percent to $3.55.

European shares were higher today. The Spanish Ibex Index rose 1.15 percent and the Italian FTSE MIB Index rose 0.60 percent. The STOXX Europe 600 Index surged 0.96 percent, London's FTSE 100 Index gained 0.55 percent, French CAC 40 Index climbed 0.85 percent and German DAX 30 index rose 0.86 percent.

Initial jobless claims declined by 22,000 to 344,000 in the week ended February 23. However, economists were expecting initial jobless claims level of 362,000. Continuing claims fell by 91,000 to 3.07 million in the week ended February 16. The US economy grew 0.1% in the last three months of 2012, versus 3.1% growth in the third quarter, missing economists' expectations for a 0.5% growth. The Chicago PMI climbed to 56.8 in February versus 55.6 in January, surpassing economists' estimates of 54.0. US natural gas supplies declined 171 billion cubic feet for the week ended February 22, according to the EIA. However, analysts were expecting a fall between 166 billion and 170 billion cubic feet. The Bloomberg Consumer Comfort Index rose to -32.8 in the period ended Feb. 24, versus -33.4 last week. The Kansas City Fed's manufacturing composite index fell to -10 in February, versus -2 in January. In addition, the Fed's Sarah Bloom Raskin, Richard Fisher, and Charles Evans are set to speak.