Active broad-market exchange-traded funds at mid-day:
SPDR S&P 500 (
SPY
): +1.94%, hit new year highs.
iPath S&P 500 VIX Short Term Futures TM (
VXX
): -7.1%, tumbles to new year low.
PowerShares QQQ Trust, Series 1 (
QQQ
): +2.1%, reaching a new year high.
iShares MSCI Emerging Markets Index (
EEM
): +2.19%
iShares Russell 2000 Index (
IWM
): +2.12%
Broad Market Indicators
Broad-market exchange-traded funds, including SPY, IWM, IVV and
others, are firmer. Actively traded PowerShares QQQ (
QQQ
) is up 2.1% and has hit a new year high. ETFs in healthcare and
retail are also logging new 52-week highs.
U.S. stocks continue to rally, cheered by ECB President Mario
Draghi's announcement that the ECB will buy government bonds in
unlimited quantities, as part of its "outright monetary
transaction" plan to combat the distortions in financial markets
created by fears of a possible EU breakup. Sentiment was further
bolstered by upbeat data from the Labor Department, which reported
that last week jobless claims declined the most in a month, and
from ADP, which reported August private sector payrolls rose by
201,000.
Winners and Losers
Financial -
Select Financial Sector SPDRs (XLF) is up 2.3%. Direxion Daily
Financial Bull 3X shares (FAS) is up 6%. Its bearish counterpart,
FAZ, is down 6%, sinking to a new year low.
Among financial news, Realty Income Corporation (O) and American
Realty Capital Trust (ARCT) have signed a definitive agreement
under which Realty Income will acquire all of the outstanding
shares of ARCT in a transaction valued at approximately $2.95
billion. The transaction is expected to close during the fourth
quarter of 2012 or early in the first quarter of 2013.
ARCT has reached a new year high; O has turned negative after
earlier hitting a new 52-week high of $44.22.
Technology -
Tech ETFs are firmer: Technology Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLK),
up 2%, touching a new year high of $31.09; iShares Dow Jones US
Technology ETF (IYW), up 2.18%; iShares S&P North American
Technology ETF (IGM), up 2.26%, and iShares S&P North American
Technology-Software Index (IGV), up 3%.
Among Semiconductor ETFs, SPDR S&P Semiconductor (XSD) is up
4.63% while and Semiconductor Sector Index Fund (SOXX) is up
3.3%.
SPDR S&P International Technology Sector ETF (IPK) is
slightly higher.
In sector news, OCZ Technology Group (OCZ) is down 20%, sinking
to a new year low of 3.90, after it announced late Wednesday that
it expects preliminary revenue for the second fiscal quarter of
2013 to be approximately $110 - $120 million, compared to the
previously guided revenue range of $130 - $140 million. The Capital
IQ analyst consensus estimate anticipated revenue of $134.35
million for the period.
Energy -
Dow Jones U.S. Energy Fund (IYE) is up 2.7%; Energy Select
Sector SPDR (XLE) is up 2.7%.
In sector news, BreitBurn Energy Partners (BBEP) is down 4%
after the company said it has priced its public offering of 10
million common units representing limited partner interests at a
price to the public of $18.51 per unit.
Commodities -
Crude was up 1.44%; natural gas was up 1.19%. United States Oil
Fund (USO) is up 1.2%. United States Natural Gas Fund (UNG) is also
up 1.2%.
Gold and silver for December delivery were higher, up 0.7% and
0.93% respectively. Among rare metal funds, SPDR Gold Trust (GLD)
is up 0.55% while iShares Silver Trust (SLV) is up 1.25%.
Healthcare -
Healthcare ETFs are firmer in mid-day action, breaking into new
year high territory: Health Care SPDR (XLV), up 1.5%, touching new
year high of $39.56; Vanguard Health Care ETF (VHT), up 1.5% with a
new year high of $71.95; and iShares Dow Jones US Healthcare (IYH),
up 1.6% and a new year high of $83.35. Biotech ETF iShares NASDAQ
Biotechnology Index (IBB) is also higher, up 2.1% and touched a new
52-week range of $141.08.
In corporate news, Warner Chilcott (WCRX) is down 10% and hit a
new 52-week low of $12.62 after it announced today the pricing of
an underwritten public secondary offering of 42,864,843 of its
ordinary shares by certain selling shareholders.
Power Play -
Consumer -
Consumer ETFs Consumer Staples Select Sector SPDR (XLP), up 1%
but off the new year high of $36.02; iShares Dow Jones US Consumer
Goods (IYK), up 1.5% after hitting a new 52-week high of $75.25;
and Vanguard Consumer Staples ETF (VDC), up 1.1% after reaching a
new 52-week high of $91.42.
Retail ETFs are higher: SPDR S&P Retail (XRT), up 2%,
touching a new year high of $63.22; PowerShares Dynamic Retail
(PMR), up 1.5%; and Market Vectors Retail ETF (RTH), up 1.3% and
hit new year highs.
In sector news, Men's Wearhouse (MW) is up 14% after the company
late yesterday reported Q2 EPS of $1.15, vs. the analyst consensus
of $1.12 per share on Capital IQ. Sales were $662.3 mln, vs.
expectations of $662.7 mln. For Q3, the company expects GAAP EPS of
$0.95 to $0.98 per share. The Street view is $0.97 per share. For
Q4, GAAP EPS is seen in the range of $0.12 to $0.15 per share. The
Street is at $0.10 per share.