Mid-Morning Market Update: Markets Open Higher; Delta Air Lines Earnings Beat Estimates

Following the market opening Thursday, the Dow traded up 0.65 percent to 24,860.60 while the NASDAQ climbed 0.77 percent to 7,775.65. The S&P also rose, gaining 0.51 percent to 2,788.24.

Leading and Lagging Sectors

Thursday morning, the information technology shares climbed 1.05 percent. Meanwhile, top gainers in the sector included CA, Inc. CA up 18 percent, and Baozun Inc. BZUN up 6 percent.

In trading on Thursday, utilities shares fell 0.23 percent.

Top Headline

Delta Air Lines, Inc. DAL reported upbeat earnings for its second quarter on Thursday.

Delta posted Q2 profit of $1.77 per share on revenue of $11.78 billion. However, analysts expected earnings of $1.72 per share on revenue of $11.61 billion. The company raised its quarterly dividend from $0.305 per share to $0.35 per share.

Delta expects Q3 earnings of $1.65 to $1.85 per share and FY18 earnings of $5.35 to $5.70 per share.

 

Equities Trading UP

Zogenix, Inc. ZGNX shares shot up 18 percent to $54.575 after the company disclosed top-line results from second Pivotal Phase 3 trial of ZX008 in dravet syndrome. The company reported that the trial met primary endpoint.

Shares of CA, Inc. CA got a boost, shooting up 18 percent to $43.97 after Broadcom Inc. AVGO announced plans to buy CA at $44.50 per share in cash.

IZEA, Inc. IZEA shares were also up, gaining 80 percent to $1.6884 after the company reported a deal to buy TapInfluence for $7.08 million in cash and stock.

Equities Trading DOWN

SELLAS Life Sciences Group, Inc. SLS shares dropped 27 percent to $1.70 after the company reported pricing of its upsized $24.2 million public offering.

Shares of Broadcom Inc. AVGO were down 16 percent to $204.90 after the company announced plans to buy CA at $44.50 per share in cash.

AcelRx Pharmaceuticals, Inc. ACRX was down, falling around 13 percent to $2.975. AcelRx Pharmaceuticals disclosed commencement of a common stock offering.

Commodities

In commodity news, oil traded up 0.95 percent to $71.05 while gold traded up 0.10 percent to $1,245.70.

Silver traded up 0.62 percent Thursday to $15.915, while copper rose 0.95 to $2.7695.

Eurozone

European shares were higher today. The eurozone’s STOXX 600 climbed 0.75 percent, the Spanish Ibex Index rose 0.29 percent, while Italy’s FTSE MIB Index rose 0.40 percent. Meanwhile the German DAX gained 0.49 percent, and the French CAC 40 climbed 0.83 percent while U.K. shares rose 0.81 percent.

Economics

The Consumer Price Index rose 0.1 percent for June, versus economists’ expectations for a 0.2 percent increase.

U.S. initial jobless claims dropped 18,000 to 214,000 in the latest week. However, economists projected a 226,000 reading.

The Energy Information Administration’s weekly report on natural gas stocks in underground storage is schedule for release at 10:30 a.m. ET.

Philadelphia Federal Reserve Bank President Patrick Harker is set to speak in Victor, Idaho at 12:15 p.m. ET.

The Treasury is set to auction 30-year bonds at 1:00 p.m. ET.

The U.S. Treasury budget report for June will be released at 2:00 p.m. ET.

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

Minneapolis Federal Reserve Bank President Neel Kashkari will speak at 8:00 p.m. ET.