Mid-Morning Market Update: Markets Edge Lower; Wal-Mart Profit Beats Expectations

Following the market opening Tuesday, the Dow traded down 0.08 percent to 17,468.92 while the NASDAQ declined 0.04 percent to 4,982.87. The S&P also fell, dropping 0.08 percent to 2,051.51. Leading and Lagging Sectors In trading on Tuesday, healthcare shares rose by 0.48 percent. Top gainers in the sector included Enzo Biochem, Inc. ENZ, up 14 percent, and XenoPort, Inc. XNPT, up 8 percent. Energy shares dipped by 0.40 percent in Tuesday's trading. Meanwhile, top losers in the sector included Legacy Reserves LP LGCY, down 8 percent, and Chesapeake Granite Wash Trust CHKR, off 3 percent. Top Headline Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. WMT reported better-than-expected earnings for the third quarter on Tuesday. The Bentonville, Arkansas-based company posted quarterly net earnings of $3.3 billion, or $1.03 per share, compared to $3.71 billion, or $1.15 per share, in the year-ago period. The latest quarter earnings benefited by around $0.04 per share from an adjustment for certain leases. Its total revenue slipped to $117.41 billion from $119 billion. Excluding the impact of foreign currency movements, Wal-Mart's total revenue climbed 2.8 percent to $122.4 billion. However, analysts were expecting earnings of $0.98 per share on revenue of $117.79 billion. Equities Trading UP Eros International plc EROS shares shot up 21 percent to $9.04. Eros International reported Q2 earnings of $0.123 per share on revenue of $98.791 million. Shares of Nuance Communications Inc. NUAN got a boost, shooting up 14 percent to $19.44 after the company reported stronger-than-expected earnings for its fiscal fourth quarter. Cheetah Mobile Inc (ADR) CMCM shares were also up, gaining 6 percent to $18.22. Cheetah Mobile reported Q3 earnings of $0.16 per share on revenue of $161.4 million. Equities Trading DOWN Osiris Therapeutics, Inc. OSIR shares tumbled 18 percent to $11.43. Brean Capital downgraded Osiris Therapeutics from Hold to Sell, while establishing a price target of $8. Shares of Dicks Sporting Goods Inc DKS were down 17 percent to $33.93 after the company reported weaker-than-expected earnings for the third quarter and issued a weak forecast. Urban Outfitters, Inc. URBN was down, falling 14 percent to $19.48 after the company reported downbeat sales for the third quarter. However, the company reported in-line quarterly earnings. Commodities In commodity news, oil traded down 0.43 percent to $41.56, while gold traded down 0.51 percent to $1,078.10. Silver traded down 0.15 percent Tuesday to $14.20, while copper rose 0.28 percent to $2.13. Eurozone European shares were higher today. The eurozone's STOXX 600 rose 2.11 percent, the Spanish Ibex Index gained 2.13 percent, while Italy's FTSE MIB Index climbed 1.76 percent. Meanwhile, the German DAX gained 1.98 percent, and the French CAC 40 jumped 2.38 percent, while U.K. shares rose 1.86 percent. Economics The consumer price index increased 0.2 percent in October, versus economists' expectations for a 0.2 percent growth. US industrial production slipped 0.2 percent in October, versus economists' expectations for a 0.1 percent drop. The NAHB housing market index declined to a reading of 62 in November. However, economists were expecting a reading of 64 for the month.