Active broad-market exchange-traded funds at mid-day:
SPDR S&P 500 (
SPY
): has turned negative, -0.06%
iShares Russell 2000 Index (
IWM
): +0.30%
Financial Select Sector SPDR (
XLF
): -0.19%
iShares MSCI Emerging Markets Index (
EEM
): -0.3%
PowerShares QQQ Trust, Series 1(
QQQ
): +0.15%
Broad Market Indicators
Broad-market exchange-traded funds, including SPY, IWM, IVV and
others, are mixed. Actively traded PowerShares QQQ (
QQQ
) is up 0.15%.
U.S. stocks are struggling to find a firm foothold in either
positive or negative territory. The impending fiscal cliff
continues to preoccupy investors, as the Organization for Economic
Cooperation and Development warned that the global economy could
slip back into recession should the U.S. fail to solve the fiscal
cliff issue, according to Market Watch. Upbeat reports on housing
and consumer confidence, as well as an agreement by European
finance ministers, the ECB and the IMF on a $57 bln aid for Greece
were unable to lift market sentiment.
Winners and Losers
Financial -
Select Financial Sector SPDRs (
XLF
) is down 0.25%. Direxion Daily Financial Bull 3X shares (FAS) is
down 0.4%. Its bearish counterpart, FAZ, is up 0.6%.
Among financial stocks, Zions Bancorp (ZION) is down more than
3% after the release of presentation materials for an investor
conference set for later today, according to The Wall Street
Journal. As a result, Sandler O'Neill lowered its Q4 earnings
estimate for the company, the Journal report stated.
Technology -
Tech
ETFs
are slightly higher: Technology Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLK), has
turned slightly positive; iShares Dow Jones US Technology ETF
(IYW), was up 0.2%; and iShares S&P North American Technology
ETF (IGM), up 0.3%. But iShares S&P North American
Technology-Software Index (IGV) is slightly lower.
Among semiconductor ETFs, SPDR S&P Semiconductor (XSD) is up
0.7%; Semiconductor Sector Index Fund (SOXX) is up 0.5%.
SPDR S&P International Technology Sector ETF (IPK) is
flat.
In sector news, Immersion (IMMR) is up more than 30% after it
signed a settlement and license agreement with Google (GOOG) and
Motorola Mobility LLC, resolving the patent infringement litigation
brought by the company against Motorola. The agreement does not
extend to other manufacturers' handsets that use the Android
operating system. As a result of the settlement, IMMR will dismiss
all pending litigation it has filed against Motorola. GOOG shares
are up 1.39%.
Energy -
Dow Jones U.S. Energy Fund (IYE) is down 0.6% and Energy Select
Sector SPDR (XLE) is down 0.6%.
In sector news, Rowan Companies plc (RDC) is down 3.6% after
issuing its monthly report of drilling rig status and contract
information as of November 27, 2012.
Commodities -
Crude was up 0.03%; natural gas was up 0.41%. United States Oil
Fund (USO) is down 0.25%. United States Natural Gas Fund (UNG) has
turned slightly up.
Gold was down 0.19%; silver was down 0.10%. Among rare metal
funds, SPDR Gold Trust (GLD) is down 0.3%; iShares Silver Trust
(SLV) is down 0.3%.
Consumer -
Consumer ETFs are modestly firmer: Consumer Staples Select
Sector SPDR (XLP), up 0.3%; iShares Dow Jones US Consumer Goods
(IYK), up 0.5%; and Vanguard Consumer Staples ETF (VDC), up
0.5%.
In sector news, Thor Industries (THO) is down 10% after the
recreation vehicles and small and mid-size buses manufacturer
reported late Monday Q1 sales of $875.6 million, up 30% from $673
million in Q1 2013. Diluted EPS for the period weighed in at $0.58
per share, compared to $0.41 for the comparable period in 2012. The
analyst consensus had revenue pegged at $876.8 mln and EPS of
$0.62.
Power Play
Healthcare -
Healthcare ETFs are mostly higher: Health Care SPDR (XLV), now
down 0.1%; Vanguard Health Care ETF (VHT), now down 0.01%. But
iShares Dow Jones US Healthcare (IYH) has turned slightly positive
and Biotech ETF iShares NASDAQ Biotechnology Index (IBB) is up
0.03%.
In corporate news, ACADIA Pharmaceuticals (ACAD) is now up more
than 140% after touching a new year high of $6.53. The company
earlier reported successful top-line results from its pivotal Phase
III trial evaluating the efficacy, tolerability and safety of
pimavanserin in patients with Parkinson's disease psychosis (PDP).
Pimavanserin met the primary endpoint in the Phase III trial by
demonstrating highly significant antipsychotic efficacy as measured
using the 9-item SAPS-PD scale.