Mid-Morning Market Update: Markets Mixed; Morgan Stanley Profit Misses Views

Following the market opening Monday, the Dow traded down 0.17 percent to 17,186.64 while the NASDAQ climbed 0.12 percent to 4,892.62. The S&P also fell, dropping 0.16 percent to 2,029.78. Leading and Lagging Sectors In trading on Monday, non-cyclical consumer goods & services shares jumped by 0.07 percent. Top gainers in the sector included Weight Watchers International, Inc. WTW, up 83 percent, and Synutra International, Inc. SYUT, up 4 percent. In trading on Monday, energy shares dipped by 1.35 percent. Meanwhile, top losers in the sector included Stone Energy Corporation SGY, down 8 percent, and PrimeEnergy Corporation PNRG, off 13 percent. Top Headline Morgan Stanley MS reported weaker-than-expected earnings for the third quarter. The New York-based bank posted a quarterly profit of $1.02 billion, or $0.48 per share, compared to $1.69 billion, or $0.83 per share, in the year-ago period. Excluding DVA and the net discrete tax benefit in the year-ago quarter, the bank's net income dropped to $740 million, or $0.34 per share, from $1.3 billion, or $0.64 per share in the year-earlier period. Its revenue declined 12.8 percent to $7.77 billion. Excluding accounting adjustments, revenue came in at $7.33 billion. However, analysts were expecting earnings of $0.63 per share on revenue of $8.54 billion. Equities Trading UP Weight Watchers International, Inc. WTW shares shot up 78 percent to $12.09. Oprah Winfrey will buy a 10 percent stake in Weight Watchers International, and will also join the company's board. Shares of Campus Crest Communities Inc CCG got a boost, shooting up 18 percent to $6.70 after the company agreed to be acquired by Harrison Street Real Estate Capital for $1.9 billion. PMC-Sierra Inc PMCS shares were also up, gaining 14 percent to $11.69 on a higher bid from Microsemi Corporation MSCC. Microsemi offered to acquire PMC-Sierra in a $2.4 billion deal. Equities Trading DOWN Genocea Biosciences Inc GNCA shares tumbled 25 percent to $5.44 following announcement of suspension of development of GEN-004. Shares of Great Lakes Dredge & Dock Corporation GLDD were down 21 percent to $4.23. Great Lakes reported that it has initiated a review of potential strategic alternatives. The company has withdrawn its FY15 EBITDA forecast and also reported the retirement of CEO Jonathan W. Berger. Morgan Stanley MS was down, falling 5 percent to $32.08 after the bank reported weaker-than-expected earnings for the third quarter. Commodities In commodity news, oil traded down 2.33 percent to $46.16, while gold traded down 0.63 percent to $1,175.60. Silver traded down 1.20 percent Monday to $15.92, while copper fell 1.56 percent to $2.37. Eurozone European shares were mixed today. The eurozone's STOXX 600 climbed 0.02 percent, the Spanish Ibex Index fell 0.58 percent, while Italy's FTSE MIB Index surged 0.13 percent. Meanwhile, the German DAX climbed 0.22 percent, and the French CAC 40 declined 0.34 percent, while U.K. shares fell 0.60 percent. Economics The NAHB housing market index climbed to 64.00 in October, versus a prior reading of 62.00. However, economists were expecting a reading of 62.00.