Active broad-market exchange-traded funds at mid-day:
SPDR S&P 500 (
SPY
): -0.1%
Financial Select Sector SPDR (
XLF
): last early gains, now flat
iShares MSCI Emerging Markets Index (
EEM
): +0.24%
PowerShares QQQ Trust, Series 1 (
QQQ
): +0.12%
iShares Russell 2000 Index (
IWM
): -0.21%
Broad Market Indicators
Broad-market exchange-traded funds, including SPY, IWM, IVV and
others, are mixed. Actively traded PowerShares QQQ (
QQQ
) is up 0.12%.
U.S. stocks have slipped lower following a report that the ISM
Manufacturing Index fell to 49.5% in November, its lowest level
since July 2009, with the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy still
impacting the economies of the northeast. The contraction undercut
a more upbeat report on construction spending, which rose 1.4% in
October, above expectations. Earlier, upbeat data out of China and
Europe lifted stocks, provided some respite from concerns over the
ongoing but slowed pace fiscal negotiations.
Winners and Losers
Financial -
Select Financial Sector SPDRs (
XLF
) has lost earlier gains and is now flat to slightly higher.
Direxion Daily Financial Bull 3X shares (FAS) was up 0.93%, but is
now up 0.15%. But its bearish counterpart, FAZ, is now up 0.06%,
having been down 0.64%.
Among financial stocks, Equifax Inc. (EFX) is up more than 4%
and reached a new year high after the company announced that its
subsidiary, Equifax Information Services LLC, will purchase $1.0
billion of certain credit services business assets and operations
of CSC Credit Services Inc., a subsidiary of Computer Sciences
Corp. (CSC). Per the agreement, EFX expects to realize tax benefits
from a step-up in the tax basis of the acquired assets having an
estimated net present value of approximately $200 million over a
15-year amortization period. The deal is expected to close by
year-end. CSC shares are up 3.4% and also touched a new year high
of $40.34.
Technology -
Tech
ETFs
are losing ground: Technology Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLK), now up
just 0.1%; iShares Dow Jones US Technology ETF (IYW), now up just
0.2%; iShares S&P North American Technology ETF (IGM), has
turned negative; and iShares S&P North American
Technology-Software Index (IGV), now down 0.7%.
Semiconductor ETFs, SPDR S&P Semiconductor (XSD), has turned
slightly negative; and Semiconductor Sector Index Fund (SOXX) has
lost earlier gains and it is now down 0.16%.
SPDR S&P International Technology Sector ETF (IPK) is up
1%.
In sector news, Sequans Communications S.A. (SQNS) ADRs are up
more than 30%, but off the day's high of $2.17, after the company
announced that its chips are powering a significant portion of the
LTE devices to be used in the next phase of China Mobile's (CHL)
large-scale trial of TD-LTE technology in China. CHL shares are
down 1.8%.
Energy -
Dow Jones U.S. Energy Fund (IYE) is down 0.4%; Energy Select
Sector SPDR (XLE) is down 0.38%.
In sector news, Longwei Petroleum Investment (LPH) is now up
12.5% and touched fresh new year high of $2.79, after announcing
that about 10.65 million warrants outstanding associated with its
Oct. 29, 2009 financing have expired.
Commodities -
Crude was up 0.34%; likewise, natural gas was up 1.68%. United
States Oil Fund (USO) is up 0.25%. United States Natural Gas Fund
(UNG) is up 0.5%.
Gold was up 0.25%; silver was up 1.52%. Among rare metal funds,
SPDR Gold Trust (GLD) is up 0.25%; iShares Silver Trust (SLV) is up
0.8%.
Healthcare -
Healthcare ETFs are lower: Health Care SPDR (XLV), down 0.1%;
Vanguard Health Care ETF (VHT), down 0.2%; and iShares Dow Jones US
Healthcare (IYH), down 0.2%. Biotech ETF iShares NASDAQ
Biotechnology Index (IBB) is down 0.2%.
In corporate news, Sabra Health Care REIT Inc. (SBRA) is up 0.9%
and nearer the stock's 52-week high after announcing the
acquisition of a portfolio of three skilled nursing facilities and
one assisted living facility in Texas, as well as a skilled nursing
facility in Minnesota. The transactions were funded with available
cash and proceeds from the company's secured revolving credit
facility.
Power Play -
Consumer -
Consumer ETFs are mixed: Consumer Staples Select Sector SPDR
(XLP), down 0.1%; iShares Dow Jones US Consumer Goods (IYK), down
0.16% after earlier touching a new year high of $76.71; and
Vanguard Consumer Staples ETF (VDC), has turned slightly
negative.
Retail ETFs have turned lower: SPDR S&P Retail (XRT), down
0.33%; PowerShares Dynamic Retail (PMR), down 0.3% from near year
highs; and Market Vectors Retail ETF (RTH), down 0.18% having
earlier hit a new year high of $45.59.
In sector news, Ford (F) shares are up 0.5% following the
company's report that November U.S. sales were up 6.5% to 177,673
vehicles, driven higher primarily by an increase in small car
sales. F's November small car sales posted their best monthly
performance since 2000.