Mid-Day Market Update: Juno Therapeutics Surges On Acquisition News; Sanmina Shares Plummet

Midway through trading Monday, the Dow traded up 0.07 percent to 26,091.19 while the NASDAQ gained 0.43 percent to 7,367.78. The S&P also rose, gaining 0.30 percent to 2,818.84.

Leading and Lagging Sectors

On Monday, the energy sector proved to be a source of strength for the market. Leading the sector was strength from BP Prudhoe Bay Royalty Trust BPT and San Juan Basin Royalty Trust SJT.

In trading on Monday, industrial shares fell 0.40 percent. Meanwhile, top losers in the sector included Key Technology, Inc. KTEC, down 8 percent, and Rogers Corporation ROG down 5 percent.

Top Headline

Halliburton Company HAL posted stronger-than-expected results for its fourth quarter.

Halliburton posted adjusted earnings of $0.53 per share in the quarter on revenue of $5.94 billion which exceeded Wall Street's expectations for $0.46 per share and $5.63 billion.

Equities Trading UP

Bioverativ Inc BIVV shares shot up 61 percent to $103.51. Sanofi SA (ADR) SNY announced plans to acquire Bioverativ for $11.6 billion, or $105 per share in cash.

Shares of Validus Holdings, Ltd. VR got a boost, shooting up 45 percent to $67.49 after American International Group Inc AIG announced plans to acquire Validus for $68 per share in cash.

Juno Therapeutics Inc JUNO shares were also up, gaining 27 percent to $85.86 as the company agreed to be acquired for $87 per share in cash by Celgene Corporation CELG.

Equities Trading DOWN

Sanmina Corp SANM shares dropped 24 percent to $26.98 after the company lowered its forecast for the first quarter and also issued a weak outlook for the second quarter.

Shares of Recon Technology, Ltd. RCON were down 24 percent to $1.98. Recon Technology priced its 3.96 million share registered direct offering at $1.66 per share.

Idera Pharmaceuticals Inc IDRA was down, falling around 24 percent to $1.93. BioCryst Pharma and Idera Pharma announced plans to merge.

Commodities

In commodity news, oil traded up 0.90 percent to $63.94 while gold traded up 0.02 percent to $1,333.40.

Silver traded down 0.09 percent Monday to $17.02, while copper rose 0.30 percent to $3.197.

Eurozone

European shares were higher today. The eurozone’s STOXX 600 rose 0.23 percent, the Spanish Ibex Index climbed 0.92 percent, while Italy’s FTSE MIB Index gained 0.59 percent. Meanwhile the German DAX gained 0.22 percent, and the French CAC 40 rose 0.28 percent while U.K. shares fell 0.20 percent.

Economics

USA Chicago Fed National Activity Index rose to 0.27 for December, versus prior reading of 0.15. However, economists were expecting a reading of 0.44.