Mid-Day Market Update: NASDAQ Down 1%; Tonix Pharmaceuticals Shares Spike Higher

Midway through trading Thursday, the Dow traded down 0.56 percent to 25,223.61 while the NASDAQ declined 1.01 percent to 7,218.05. The S&P also fell, dropping 0.71 percent to 2,724.43.


Leading and Lagging Sectors

On Thursday, the energy shares climbed 0.5 percent. Meanwhile, top gainers in the sector included Frontline Ltd FRO up 7 percent, and Smart Sand Inc SND up 4 percent.

In trading on Thursday, utilities shares fell 0.9 percent.


Top Headline

Dollar Tree, Inc. DLTR reported better-than-expected earnings for its third quarter, while sales missed estimates. The company also issued weak forecast for the fourth quarter.

Dollar Tree posted quarterly earnings of $1.18 per share on revenues of $5.54 billion. However, analysts were expecting a profit of $1.14 per share on revenue of $5.55 billion.

Dollar Tree now expects Q4 earnings of $1.86 to $1.95 per share, on sales of $6.1 billion to $6.21 billion. Analysts project earnings of $2 per share on sales of $6.23 billion.

Dollar Tree lowered its FY18 sales guidance from $22.75 billion to $22.97 billion, to $22.72 billion to $22.83 billion. The company now expects adjusted earnings of $4.86 to $4.95 per share, versus prior forecast of $4.85 to $5.05 per share.

 


Equities Trading UP

Tonix Pharmaceuticals Holding Corp. TNXP shares got a boost, shooting up 133 percent to $8.84. The biopharma company announced Thursday ahead of the market open that the FDA has formally communicated through the minutes of an Oct. 29 Breakthrough Therapy Type B Clinical guidance meeting that it has accepted the study design of the new Phase 3 RECOVERY trial evaluating the company's TNX-102 SL as a bedtime treatment option for post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD.

Shares of Realm Therapeutics Plc RLM shot up 41 percent to $3.66 following earlier press release highlighting updates on strategic review. Realm said it is considering separate sale of its HOCl-related assets, including Vashe royalty stream.

Adial Pharmaceuticals Inc ADIL shares were also up, gaining 171 percent to $3.80 after the company reported that it has established a Scientific Advisory Board and named Dr. Giovanni Addolorato as its first member and Chairperson.


Equities Trading DOWN


ShiftPixy Inc PIXY shares dropped 26 percent to $3.25 after reporting fourth-quarter results.

Shares of Tilly's, Inc. TLYS were down 20 percent to $12.25. Tilly’s reported upbeat earnings for its third quarter, while sales missed estimates. The company issued weak fourth-quarter earnings guidance.

Express, Inc. EXPR was down, falling around 16 percent to $6.05. Express reported upbeat Q3 results, but issued weak forecast for the current quarter.

 

Commodities

In commodity news, oil traded up 1.89 percent to $51.24 while gold traded up 0.23 percent to $1,232.60.


Silver traded down 0.21 percent Thursday to $14.425, while copper fell 0.75 percent to $2.7925.

 

Eurozone

European shares were higher today. The eurozone’s STOXX 600 gained 0.51 percent, the Spanish Ibex Index rose 0.33 percent, while Italy’s FTSE MIB Index climbed 0.44 percent. Meanwhile the German DAX climbed 0.24 percent, and the French CAC 40 climbed 0.88 percent while U.K. shares rose 0.67 percent.

Economics

Initial jobless claims increased 10,000 to 234,000 for the latest week. However, economists projected a 220,000 reading.

U.S. consumer spending rose 0.6 percent for October, versus economists’ expectations for a 0.4 percent increase.

The pending home sales index fell 2.6 percent to a reading of 102.10 for October.

Domestic supplies of natural gas dropped 59 billion cubic feet for the week ended November 23, the U.S. Energy Information Administration reported. However, analysts expected a fall of 77 billion cubic feet.

Cleveland Federal Reserve Bank President Loretta Mester is set to speak in Boston, MA at 2:00 p.m. ET.

Chicago Federal Reserve Bank President Charles Evans will speak in Boston, MA at 2:00 p.m. ET.

The Federal Open Market Committee will issue minutes of its latest meeting at 2:00 p.m. ET.

Dallas Federal Reserve Bank President Robert Kaplan is set to speak in Boston, Massachusetts at 3:00 p.m. ET.

Data on farm prices for October will be released at 3:00 p.m. ET.

Data on money supply for the recent week will be released at 4:30 p.m. ET.

Posted In: NewsEurozoneCommoditiesGlobalIntraday UpdateMarketsMid-Day Market Update
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