Mid-Morning Market Update: Markets Open Higher; Ctrip.Com To Acquire Skyscanner

Following the market opening Friday, the Dow traded up 0.28 percent to 19,136.15 while the NASDAQ climbed 0.12 percent to 5,387.11. The S&P also rose, gaining 0.21 percent to 2,209.42.

Leading and Lagging Sectors

Friday morning, non-cyclical consumer goods & services shares gained by 1.13 percent.

In trading on Friday, energy shares fell by 0.29 percent. Meanwhile, top losers in the sector included PrimeEnergy Corporation PNRG, down 8 percent, and Isramco, Inc. ISRL, down 5 percent.

Top Headline

On Wednesday, Ctrip.Com International Ltd (ADR) CTRP announced plans to buy Skyscanner Holdings Ltd in a deal valued at 1.4 billion pounds ($1.74 billion).

Ctrip.Com also reported better-than-expected Q3 results.

Equities Trading UP

Navidea Biopharmaceuticals Inc NAVB shares shot up 23 percent to $0.990 as the company reported an asset purchase agreement with Cardinal Health Inc CAH on Wednesday.

Shares of Ctrip.Com International Ltd (ADR) CTRP got a boost, shooting up 10 percent to $45.10 after the company announced plans to buy Skyscanner Holdings Ltd in a deal valued at 1.4 billion pounds ($1.74 billion). Ctrip.Com also reported better-than-expected Q3 results.

TransAlta Corporation (USA) TAC shares were also up, gaining 24 percent to $5.25 after the company reported an agreement with the Government of Alberta on transition payments.

Equities Trading DOWN

Airgain Inc AIRG shares dropped 12 percent to $23.60 after the company reported a proposed primary and secondary offering of $20 million.

Shares of Euroseas Ltd. ESEA were down 9 percent to $2.60. Euroseas shares have dropped 7.17 percent over the past 52 weeks, while the S&P 500 index has gained 5.55 percent in the same period.

Golden Ocean Group Ltd GOGL was down, falling around 9 percent to $3.87.

Commodities

In commodity news, oil traded down 1.50 percent to $47.23 while gold traded down 0.06 percent to $1,191.70.

Silver traded up 0.88 percent Friday to $16.63, while copper rose 1.72 percent to $2.66.

Eurozone

European shares were mixed today. The eurozone’s STOXX 600 gained 0.04 percent, the Spanish Ibex Index fell 0.11 percent, while Italy’s FTSE MIB Index rose 0.06 percent. Meanwhile the German DAX dropped 0.10 percent, and the French CAC 40 fell 0.05 percent while U.K. shares rose 0.28 percent.

Economics

U.S. wholesale inventories declined 0.40 percent, versus economists’ expectations for a 0.30 percent growth.

U.S. trade deficit increased to $61.99 billion in October, from $56.08 billion. Economists projected a deficit of $59.20 billion.

The Markit Services PMI declined to 54.7 in November, versus a reading of 54.8 in October.

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