Here's where markets stand at mid-day:
-NYSE down 59.11 (-0.85%) to 6,915.80
-DJIA down 36.48 (-0.33%) to 11,117.50
-S&P 500 down 8.39 (-0.72%) to 1,152.42
-Nasdaq down 18.23 (-0.73%) to 2,462.63
GLOBAL SENTIMENT
Nikkei flat.
Hang Seng down 2.3%.
Shanghai Composite down 0.3%.
FTSE-100 down 1.4%.
DAX-30 down 2.5%.
MID-DAY NYSE INDEX WATCH
NYSE Energy down 0.87% at 10,797.10
NYSE Financial down 1.81% at 3,876.35
NYSE Health Care up 0.1% at 6,573.77
NYSE Arca Tech 100 down 0.61% at 1,017.81
UPSIDE MOVERS
(+) XRTX (+9.4%) continues evening drop that followed weaker Q3
results.
DOWNSIDE MOVERS
(-) YGE (-3.7%) announces buyback.
(-) ARRY (-1.0%) gains after Selumetinib results.
(-) SDRL (-3.2%) downgraded.
(-) IR (--13.1%) cuts EPS guidance.
(-) AZN (-0.3%) settles Seroquel patent litigation.
(-) CZZ (-2.4%) downgraded.
MARKET DIRECTION
Stocks are trading lower amid disappointing economic data
released before the opening bell this morning. Also, new indicators
show China's manufacturing sector contracted for the third month in
a row. Still, sentiment among U.S. consumers logged modest gains,
providing some support.
In the latest economic data, the Commerce Department reported
that personal income fell 0.1% in August, the largest decrease
since October 2009. Consumer spending rose 0.2% in August after a
0.7% gain in July. Real consumer spending, adjusted for inflation,
was flat. Wall Street economists had expected a flat reading for
incomes and a 0.1% gain in spending.
The Fed's favorite measure of inflation, the personal
consumption expenditure price index, rose 0.2% in August compared
with July and is up 2.9% in the past year. The core PCE rate rose
0.1% in August, weaker than the 0.2% gain forecast. The core PCE
index is up 1.6% year-on-year.
Overseas, a Chinese manufacturing measure showed contraction for
a third straight month. The HSBC purchasing managers' index (
PMI
), which previews business conditions in a range of industries
before official output data, was at 49.9 in September, unchanged
from August. Readings below 50 indicate contracting business. The
final PMI, released on Friday, was stronger than the flash reading
published last week.
In company news:
Shares of McGraw-Hill Cos. (
MHP
) are down after the company is said to be in advanced talks to
combine its S&P Indices business with CME Group Inc.'s (
CME
) Dow Jones Indexes, The Wall Street Journal reported on its online
edition late Thursday. CME owns 90% of the Dow Jones Indexes
through a joint venture with Dow Jones & Co. CME would have a
minority stake of about 25%, while Dow Jones could have a minimal
stake under the deal.
ADRs of Statol (
STO
) are higher after the company said significant upside potential
exists in the Avaldsnes discovery in the North Sea, confirming an
announcement from Avaldsnes operator Lundin Norway AS and giving
another lift to the Norwegian North Sea.
UBS' (
UBS
) US-traded shares are down after lawmakers in Bern, Switzerland,
backed proposals to limit risk-taking after the largest Swiss bank
said this month it may be unprofitable in Q3 after a $2.3 billion
loss from unauthorized trading at its investment bank, Bloomberg
reports.
Shares of Pfizer (PFE) are down after the company said that two
if its anti-fungal drugs did not meet the key goal in a late-stage
trial when used together. Pfizer tested Vfend in combination with
Eraxis in patients with the life-threatening fungal infection
invasive aspergillosis.
Micron Technology (MU) is down sharply after it reported a Q4
loss of $0.14 compared to income of $0.32 a year earlier and below
the Thomson Reuters mean analyst estimate for profit of $0.01.
Sales of $2.14 billion is down from $2.49 billion a year earlier.
The Street looked for $2.1 billion.
Commodities are mixed. December gold contracts are up 0.43% to
$1,625 an ounce while November crude oil contacts are down 1.9% to
$80.58 a barrel.
In energy ETFs, the United States Oil Fund (USO) is down 2.25%
to $31.24 and the United States Natural Gas fund (UNG) is down
1.41%, to $9.11.
In precious metal ETFs, the SPDR Gold Trust (GLD) is up 0.18% to
$157.98. Market Vectors Gold Miners (GDX) is up 1.84% to $56.04.
iShares Silver Trust (SLV) is down 1.4% to $29.54.