Martin Stephenson

About Martin Stephenson

An avid market watcher, Martin enjoys the tech arena the most with the Nasdaq being his main area of focus. A finance major, Martin is working to the goal of one day ringing the bell at the NYSE.

Jobs Report Shows 171,000 New Jobs, Rate Slightly Higher at 7.9%

November 2, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Wall StreetThe stock market is set to open higher today on news that 171,000 jobs were added in October. The unemployment rate did rise slightly to 7.9% though. This increase in the unemployment rate can be attributed to more people coming back into the jobs market looking for jobs. Economists were only expecting about 125,000 new jobs after September’s 114,000 figure.

The services sector made up much of the jobs figure, accounting for 150,000. Government employment rolls saw a 13,000 decrease. according to the Labor Department. The improving economic reports across the board have investors and analysts optimistic about the upcoming holiday season, which usually sees a huge increase in seasonal hiring. [Read more...]

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Stocks Rally on New Home Sales Report, Stocks to Watch: SEH, FB, LL, RFMD, PLCM, MNST

October 24, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Wall StreetStocks are up this morning thanks to a better than expected home sales report and a few positive earnings reports. New home sales jumped 5.7% in September to a seasonally adjusted rate of 389,000. Economists were expecting a rate of 385,000 units.

Boeing shares are up today after posting earnings that beat expectations and revenue that met expectations. Boeing also announced an upbeat forecast for the full year. Facebook is one of the biggest gainers on the market today with shares up more than 20% after the company reported revenue jumped 32% thanks to gains it has made in the mobile arena.

In late morning trading, the Dow is up 47 points, the Nasdaq is up 6 points and the S&P 500 is up 3 points. [Read more...]

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6 NYSE Stocks Following Market Lower: MIG, VOC, AMD, CMG, NAV, MTG

October 19, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Traders at the NYSEMeadowbrook Insurance Group Inc. (NYSE:MIG) is down 20.41% today at $6.20. MIG has traded 800 thousand shares so far today, 4 times its daily average. MIG shares are tumbling today after announcing expected third quarter results. The company expects an increase in net loss and higher than usual third quarter storm losses The company has a market cap of 307.86 million.

VOC Energy Trust (NYSE:VOC) is down 16.10% this morning at $16.19. VOC is trading heavy volume today with 500 thousand shares traded. The company has a market cap of 274.04 million. [Read more...]

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Six NYSE Stocks Trading Against Market: OSG, RATE, CMRE, DBD, PNC, GWW

October 16, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Overseas Shipholding Group Inc. (NYSE:OSG) is down 25.73% in late morning trading at $3.83. OSG has traded 3.6 million shares so far today, well above its daily average of 760 thousand shares. OSG shares are down nearly 40% over the past five days. The company has a market cap of 115.91 million.

Bankrate, Inc. (NYSE:RATE) is down 24.34% today at $10.97. RATE has traded 6.4 million shares so far today, well above its daily average of 520 thousand shares. RATE shares tumbled to a new 52 week low today after lowering guidance. Bankrate cut its revenue outlook for the full year and expects third quarter results to be short of estimates. The company has a market cap of 1.08 billion. [Read more...]

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Gold Trading Lower on Positive US Data, Gold Stocks to Watch: KGC, ABX, AUY, GSS, AUQ, EGO, GG

October 15, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Gold prices are falling today as positive US data has some investors wondering about the scope of the latest stimulus from the Fed. A couple of pieces of data from the retail sector is what is causing investors to wonder about the latest round of QE. Retail sales jumped in September and comes on the heels of consumer confidence hitting a five year high.

Spot gold prices are currently trading down $19.10 at $1,735.20. Let’s take a look at how the biggest gold stocks are reacting to today’s gold price action. [Read more...]

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Nasdaq Stocks Heading South This Morning: AEZS, OCZ, TZOO, PURE, LQDT, CELGZ

October 12, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Aeterna Zentaris (NASDAQ:AEZS) is down 22.12% today at $2.43. AEZS has traded 3.39 million shares so far today, well above its daily average of 327 thousand shares. AEZS shares are down today after Aeterna priced a public offering of 6.6 million units at $2.50 per unit. The company has a market cap of 45.60 million.

OCZ Technology Group, Inc. (NASDAQ:OCZ) is down 12.90% today at $1.63. OCZ has traded 3.6 million shares so far today and trades 4.9 million shares a day on average. OCZ shares are down again today following Wednesday’s big decline on a delay in its earnings. The company has a market cap of 112.30 million. [Read more...]

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NYSE Stocks Struggling in Afternoon Trading: ACW, FOE, MTOR, PVA, YELP, TSO

October 10, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Accuride Corp. (NYSE:ACW) is down 32.24% today at $3.09. ACW has traded 3.3 million shares so far today, well above its daily average of 282 thousand shares. ACW shares are down today after warning that its fiscal year 2012 results will be below previous guidance. The company has a market cap of 144.52 million.

Ferro Corp. (NYSE:FOE) is down 22.87% today at $2.799. FOE ha traded 7.1 million shares so far today, 10 times its daily average. FOE shares are falling today on lower guidance. The company has a market cap of 241.96 million. [Read more...]

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After Hours Winners and Losers for October 9: SVU, YUM, ANF, PACB, DYN, CWH

October 9, 2012 By Leave a Comment

SuperValu Inc. (NYSE:SVU) is up 2.05% in after hours trading at $1.99. SVU closed at $1.95 with more than 9.4 million shares traded, 2 million shares more than its daily average. SVU shares have been trending lower the past few days and have lost $0.35 a share over the past week. The company has a market cap of 416.67 million.

Yum! Brands, Inc. (NYSE:YUM) is up 3.88% in after hours at $68.60. YUM traded 5.6 million shares today ahead of earnings. Yum Brands shares are rising in late afternoon trading after its third quarter profit rose 23%, beating estimates and sales from China met expectations. The company has a market cap of 30.10 billion. [Read more...]

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Stocks Slightly Lower as Investors Look for Direction, Hot Stocks to Watch: BSDM, BIOF, FOLD, SPB, EMXX, QCOR

October 9, 2012 By Leave a Comment

The Dow and S&P 500 are trending slightly lower this morning as investors take a wait and see approach ahead of Alcoa’s earnings. The Nasdaq is down nearly 1% as Apple drops 1.5% after Nomura initiated coverage with a neutral rating and a $710 price target. Investors are also on edge this week after the IMF lowered its global growth forecast to 3.3% for 2012, the slowest forecast since 2009. The IMF also warned politicians in the U.S. and Europe that failure to address their respective economic problems would extend slower growth even further.

The major stock averages are negative this morning with the Dow off 5 points, the Nasdaq down 23 points and the S&P 500 down 3 points. [Read more...]

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Gold Prices Down Slightly on Stronger Dollar, Gold Stocks to Watch: KGC, ABX, GFI, AUY, IAG, SAND, EGO, NEM

October 8, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Gold prices are trading slightly lower in midday trading as the U.S. dollar shows strength against the euro. Gold is currently trading about $5 lower at $1,755.70. Last week’s better than expected jobs report has sent the dollar higher which in turn is hurting gold prices. A continuation of good economic news from the U.S. coupled with the eurozone’s continuing struggles could cause gold to go even lower.

Gold stocks are trading mostly lower in midday trading. [Read more...]

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Nasdaq Stocks Heading Lower in Midday Trading: CTIC, ZNGA, MRCY, GERN, FSLR, AEZS

October 5, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Cell Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ:CTIC) is down 23.04% in midday trading at $1.57. CTIC has traded 19.5 million shares so far today, well above its daily average of 1.3 million shares. CTIC shares are getting hit hard today after pricing public offering at $1.40 per share. CTIC shares have dropped more than $1 a share over the past four days. The company has a market cap of 67.20 million.

Zynga, Inc. (NASDAQ:ZNGA) is down 17.23% today at $2.3350. ZNGA has traded 91.8 million shares at midday, 5 times its normal trading volume. ZNGA shares are plummeting today after Zynga lowered its 2012 outlook. The company has a market cap of 1.76 billion. [Read more...]

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Stocks Head Higher On Draghi Comments, Stocks to Watch: CLRX, VRNG, ARQL, NIHD, CUR, JRCC

October 4, 2012 By Leave a Comment

The major stock averages are up in midday trading thanks to encouraging comments from ECB President Mario Draghi. Draghi said today that the announcement of the ECB’s bond buying program has helped ease market tensions. He also said the central bank stands ready to buy bonds of any euro zone country that asks for it. This bodes well for the widely expected Spanish bailout that could come as early as this weekend.

Investors will be watching tomorrow very closely as new unemployment numbers are released. At midday, the Dow is up 67 points, the Nasdaq is up 2 points and the S&P 500 is up 7 points. [Read more...]

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