Mid-Afternoon Market Update: Markets Head Downward As Commodities Continue To Show Strength

Midway through trading Wednesday, the Dow traded down 0.57 percent to 16,620.60 while the NASDAQ declined 0.62 percent to 4,104.21. The S&P also fell, dropping 0.46 percent to 1,888.71.

Leading and Lagging Sectors
Utilities shares gained around 0.89 percent in trading on Wednesday. Meanwhile, top gainers in the sector included Companhia Paranaense de Energia ELP, up 3.9 percent, and Companhia Energética de Minas Gerais CIG, up 3 percent. In trading on Wednesday, cyclical consumer goods & services shares were relative laggards, down on the day by about 0.61 percent.

Top decliners in the sector included Fossil Group FOSL, down 8.8 percent, and Accuride ACW, off 7.7 percent.

Top Headline
Macy's M reported a rise in its first-quarter earnings. Macy's reaffirmed its outlook for the full year. It also increased its share-buyback plan by $1.5 billion and lifted its dividend by 25% to 31.25 cents per share. Macy's posted a quarterly profit of $224 million, or $0.60 per share, versus a year-ago profit of $217 million, or $0.55 per share. Its revenue slipped 1.7% to $6.28 billion. However, analysts were expecting earnings of $0.59 per share on revenue of $6.46 billion. Its revenue at stores open at least a year dropped 0.8%.

Equities Trading UP
SunOpta STKL shares shot up 11.64 percent to $12.56 after the company reported upbeat Q1 earnings.

Shares of Celledex Therapeutics CLDX were up as well, gaining a staggering 27.34 percent to $15.79 after the company cut a deal with Bristol Myers on its immuno oncology trial.

The Rubicon Project RUBI shares were also up, gaining 9.32 percent to $12.55 after the company reported upbeat Q1 results and issued a strong outlook.

Equities Trading DOWN
Shares of Fossil Group FOSL were down 9.04 percent to $101.37 after the company issued a downbeat guidance. The company projected Q2 earnings of $0.90 to $0.97 per share, versus analysts' estimates of $1.16 per share.

Plug Power PLUG was down as well, dropping 7.33 percent to $3.79 after the company's first quarter results and earnings call disappointed the street.

Take-Two Interactive Software TTWO was down, falling 7.42 percent to $19.10 after the company issued a weak outlook. For the first quarter, the company expected an adjusted loss of $0.35 to $0.25 per share on revenue of $120 million to $125 million. However, analysts expected a loss of $0.12 per share on revenue of $209.6 million.

Commodities
In commodity news, oil traded up 0.48 percent to $102.19, while gold traded up 0.85 percent to $1,305.10.

Silver traded up 1.21 percent Wednesday to $19.78, while copper rose 0.65 percent to $3.15.

Eurozone
European shares were mixed today.

The eurozone's STOXX 600 declined 0.09 percent, the Spanish Ibex Index rose 0.23 percent, while Italy's FTSE MIB Index dropped 0.34 percent.

Meanwhile, the German DAX gained 0.03 percent and the French CAC 40 tumbled 0.09 percent while UK shares rose 0.09 percent.

Economics
The MBA reported that its index of mortgage application activity rose 3.60% in the week ended May 9.

U.S. wholesale prices increased 0.6% in April, versus a revised 0.5% rise in March. However, economists were expecting a 0.2% gain in the PPI.

Crude stockpiles increased 900,000 barrels for the week ended May 9, the US Energy Information Administration reported. However, analysts were expecting a drop of 1.5 million barrels.

Gasoline supplies slipped 800,000 barrels, while distillate stockpiles fell 1.1 million barrels.