Stock Market Watch

Stocks Headed for a Mixed Finish

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Stocks are headed for a mixed finish in trading today as worries about the euro zone debt crisis have outweighed a better than expected jobs report released earlier today.

According to the figures released by the Labor Department, the U.S. economy added 200,000 jobs in the month of December, well above economists’ forecast of a gain of 150,000 jobs. The unemployment rate in the U.S. also dropped unexpectedly to 8.5% from 8.6% in November.


The stronger than expected jobs report, however, has failed to lift investors’ sentiment, which has been weighed down by worries about the euro zone debt crisis and the region’s banks.

At last check, the Dow Jones was trading 0.38% lower at 12,368.78, the S&P 500 was trading 0.14% lower at 1,279.26, and the Nasdaq was trading 0.32% higher at 2,678.24.

Consumer Non-Cyclical stocks are leading the losses in the S&P 500 in late trading. At last check, Consumer Non-Cyclical stocks were trading 0.95% lower. Utilities are also down sharply in late trading. At last check, Utilities were trading 0.68% lower. Basic Materials stocks are currently trading 0.45% lower, while Energy stocks are currently trading 0.50% lower. Technology stocks have been the best performers in the S&P 500 in trading today. At last check, Technology stocks were trading 0.25% higher.

Among the major gainers and losers in late trading today are Dendreon Corporation (NASDAQ: DNDN), which is currently trading 12.81% higher at $11.98, RF Micro Devices Inc. (NASDSQ: RFMD), which is currently trading 19.33% lower at $4.55, and Netflix Inc. (NASDAQ: NFLX), which is currently trading 7.97% higher at $85.62.

European markets ended on a mixed note in trading today as investors remained cautious ahead of the crucial Spanish and Italian bond auctions next week. The FTSE 100 Index in London ended the day 0.45% higher, while the CAC 40 Index in Paris ended the day 0.24% lower.

 

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edliston
Post Written By: Ed Liston

Ed Liston is a senior contributing editor at TheStockMarketWatch.com. An active market watcher and investor, Ed guides an independent team of experienced analysts and writes for multiple stock trader publications. He is widely quoted in various financial publications on the Internet. When Ed is not writing about stocks, investing in stocks, talking about stocks, or otherwise doing something stock related, he likes to go sailing and fishing in his yacht.


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Ed Liston

Ed Liston is a senior contributing editor at TheStockMarketWatch.com. An active market watcher and investor, Ed guides an independent team of experienced analysts and writes for multiple stock trader publications. He is widely quoted in various financial publications on the Internet. When Ed is not writing about stocks, investing in stocks, talking about stocks, or otherwise doing something stock related, he likes to go sailing and fishing.

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