Active broad-market exchange-traded funds at mid-day:
SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust ( SPY ): +0.3%
iShares MSCI Emerging Markets Index ( EEM ): -0.2%
iShares MSCI Japan Index ( EWJ ): -0.5%
PowerShares QQQ Trust, Series 1 ( QQQ ): -0.2%
iShares Russell 2000 Index ( IWM ): +0.6%, hit a new year high
Broad Market Indicators
Broad-market exchange-traded funds, including SPY, IWM, IVV and others, are mixed to higher. Actively traded PowerShares QQQ ( QQQ ) is down 0.2%.
U.S. stocks are ticking back up, after seeing earlier weakness, as investors take as positive most of the economic data released today. Earlier, the Labor Department reported that the U.S. economy created 155,000 jobs in December, above forecasts, while the unemployment rate remained more or less steady at 7.8%. November factory orders were flat, below expectations, but growth in the ISM services sector for the month of December accelerated at 56.1%, beating forecasts.
Winners and Losers
Financial -
Select Financial Sector SPDRs (XLF) is up 0.7%, touching a new year high. Direxion Daily Financial Bull 3X shares (FAS) is up 2.2%, also hitting a new year high. Its bearish counterpart, FAZ, is down 2.2%, with a new year low.
Among financial stocks, Epoch Holding Corp. (EPHC) is up 0.1% and has reached a new year high of $28.01 after its subsidiary, Epoch Investment Partners Inc., reported that assets under management were approximately $24.5 billion as of December 31, 2012, an increase of 1% from $24.2 billion as of September 30, 2012.
Energy -
Dow Jones U.S. Energy Fund (IYE) is up 0.8% and Energy Select Sector SPDR (XLE) is up 1%.
In sector news, Harvest Natural Resources, Inc. (HNR) is now up more than 13% at $10.44, just off the fresh new 52-week high of $10.83, after it said earlier that it has encountered oil in the wildcat well Dussafu Tortue Marin-1 drilled in the Dussafu Marin PSC, in the offshore waters of Gabon, West Africa. Harvest operates the Dussafu PSC, holding a 66.667% interest. The company said additional technical evaluation will be required to appraise this discovery.
Commodities -
Natural gas was up 1.46%, ticking higher following a larger-than-expected inventory draw, according to the latest inventory data. United States Natural Gas Fund (UNG) is up 3.2%. Crude, on the other hand, continued to slip lower, and was down 0.62%. But United States Oil Fund (USO) has turned positive and is now up 0.3%.
Gold weakened following hints that Federal Reserve would slow or stop its bond purchases before December 2013. The Fed's quantitative easing is considered one of the biggest boosts to gold. Gold was down 1.83%. Silver, likewise, was down 3.19%. Among rare metal funds, SPDR Gold Trust (GLD) is down 0.9%; iShares Silver Trust (SLV) is down 0.7%.
Healthcare -
Healthcare ETFs are in positive territory: Health Care SPDR (XLV), up 0.4%; Vanguard Health Care ETF (VHT), up 0.4%; and iShares Dow Jones US Healthcare (IYH), up 0.4%. Meanwhile, Biotech ETF iShares NASDAQ Biotechnology Index (IBB) is up 0.7%.
In corporate news, ccuray (ARAY) is now down 18% at near $5.50 but above a day low %5 after the company said late Thursday that it expects Q2 revenue in the range of $72 mln to $75 mln, below the analyst consensus of $93.7 mln on Capital IQ. For FY 2013, the company expects revenue in the range of $320 mln to $330 mln and a loss of $0.87 to $0.95 per share. The Street is at $407 mln in revenue and a loss of $0.57 per share. Shares this Friday morning were downgraded to Underweight from Neutral at JPMorgan.
Consumer -
Consumer ETFs are firmer: Consumer Staples Select Sector SPDR (XLP), up 0.14%; iShares Dow Jones US Consumer Goods (IYK), up 0.42% to new year highs; and Vanguard Consumer Staples ETF (VDC), up 0.3%.
Retail ETFs are higher in mid-day action: SPDR S&P Retail (XRT), up 0.5%; PowerShares Dynamic Retail (PMR), up 0.28%; and Market Vectors Retail ETF (RTH), up 0.14% and reached a new year high of $44.54.
In sector news, Finish Line (FINL) is down 8% and near its 52-week low. The company reported Q3 net of breakeven, versus the Capital IQ consensus of $0.10. Revenues were $296.6 mln, versus the analyst estimate of $296.57 mln. The company expects Q4 EPS to be $0.74 - $0.78, versus the analyst estimate of $0.82. This guidance assumes Q4 comparable store sales increase in the low single digit range. For FY13, the company now expects earnings per share to be between $1.47 and $1.51. Analysts are looking for EPS of $1.66. Separately, FINL's Board of directors authorized a 5 mln share increase to its current repurchase program.
Power Play -
Technology -
Among Tech ETFs: Technology Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLK), down 0.5%; iShares Dow Jones US Technology ETF (IYW), down 0.55%; iShares S&P North American Technology ETF (IGM), flat; and iShares S&P North American Technology-Software Index (IGV), up 0.5%.
Among semiconductor ETFs, SPDR S&P Semiconductor (XSD) is down 0.2% and Semiconductor Sector Index Fund (SOXX) is little changed. SPDR S&P International Technology Sector ETF (IPK) is down 1.20% but near its year high.
In sector news, SolarCity Corp. (SCTY) is still ticking higher, now up 13% to $14.74 having earlier reached a fresh new year high of $15.20. In Thursday's after hours session, the company announced its FY12 Update, stating that for the year period, the company deployed 156 MW, against a plan of 146 MW deployed. The company expects FY13 deployments to be 250 MW.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.
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The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.
