Tag - APSA

First M&F Corp. (Nasdaq:FMFC), Alto Palermo SA (Nasdaq:APSA) and General Cable Corp. (Nasdaq:BGC) are among the biggest percentage gainers in Wednesday morning's trading among companies with market capitalizations under $2 billion.

Alto Palermo SA (Nasdaq:APSA), Oceanaut Units (Nasdaq:OKN.U) and Imergent Inc. (Nasdaq:IIG) are among the biggest percentage gainers in Thursday's trading among companies with market capitalizations under $1 billion.

Also included among the results: Oceanaut Inc. (Nasdaq:OKN), StealthGas Inc. (Nasdaq:GASS), Maxcom Telecom ADR Rep 7  (Nasdaq:MXT), Lindsay Corp. (Nasdaq:LNN), Sadia ADR Rep. (Nasdaq:SDA) and Bovie Medical Corp. (Nasdaq:BVX).

Here are the biggest percentage gainers among small caps:

GFI Group Inc. (Nasdaq:GFIG), Federal Agricultural Mortgage Corp. (Nasdaq:AGM) and Media General Inc.(Nasdaq:MEG) are among the new 52-week lows in Monday's trading among companies with market capitalizations under $1 billion.

Also included among the results: Alto Palermo S.A. (Nasdaq:APSA), Flaherty & Crumrine Preferred Inc. Oppty Fund Inc (Nasdaq:PFO), Metalico Inc. (Nasdaq:MEA), GigaMedia Ltd. (Nasdaq:GIGM), Patni Computer Systems ADR (Nasdaq:PTI) and Maguire Properties Inc. (Nasdaq:MPG).

Here are the new 52-week lows among small caps:

PMFG Inc. (Nasdaq:PMFG), North American Galvanizing & Coatings Inc. (Nasdaq:NGA) and Yucheng Technologies Ltd. (Nasdaq:YTEC) are among the biggest percentage losers in Monday's trading among companies with market capitalizations under $1 billion.      

Also included among the results: Alto Palermo (Nasdaq:APSA), LECG Corp.(Nasdaq:XPRT), Salix Pharm (Nasdaq:SLXP), Encore Bancshares Inc (Nasdaq:EBTX), Berkshire Bancorp Inc. (Nasdaq:BERK) and TeleCommunication Systems Inc. (Nasdaq:TSYS).         

Here are the biggest percentage losers among small caps:    

Orion Energy Systems Inc (Nasdaq:OESX), Alto Palermo SA (Nasdaq:APSA) and eResearch Technology Inc (Nasdaq:ERES) are among the biggest percentage losers in Wednesday's trading among companies with market capitalizations under $1 billion.

Also included among the results: Chimera Investment Corp (Nasdaq:CIM), Nymagic Inc (Nasdaq:NYM), Approach Resources Inc (Nasdaq:AREX), USANA Health Sciences Inc (Nasdaq:USNA), Heritage Financial Group (Nasdaq:HBOS) and Navigators Group Inc (Nasdaq:NAVG).

Here are the biggest percentage losers among small caps:

Despite increasing crude oil prices, small-cap stocks are on a timid rise in afternoon trading after being pummeled during last week’s trading. A better-than-expected Chicago Purchasing survey on manufacturing provided encouragement to bullish investors. At 1:48 p.m. ET, the Russell 2000 (NYSE:IWM) was down 1.79, or 0.26%, at 696.35.

The Chicago Purchasing Manager’s Survey, which tracks economic conditions in Michigan, Indiana and Illinois, clocked in at 49.6, which topped the forecast for a figure of 48. Despite the bullish surprise on the report, it still marked a fifth consecutive month below 50, which indicates contraction in the Midwest business sector.

Crude oil prices gushed to $141.11 a barrel in afternoon trading. The U.S. dollar was up against both the yen and euro.

Small caps on the rise Monday afternoon include Alto Palermo S.A. (Nasdaq:APSA), which is up 23% despite no fresh news. Aceto Corp. (NYSE:ACET), which was up 13.55%, reversing a steep slide from last week amid oversold conditions. Rediff.com India Ltd. (Nasdaq:REDF) is up 16% despite no announcements from the India-based online company.

Small caps attracting sellers this afternoon include Security Bank Corp. (Nasdaq:SBKC) is down 23% despite no announcements from the Macon, Ga.-based firm. MGIC Investment Corp. (NYSE:MTG) is falling some 21% after shareholders on Friday gave the mortgage insurer approval to increase its share base to raise capital. Life Partners Holdings, Inc. (Nasdaq:LPHI) is down 13% despite an announcement that the firm was added to the Russell 3000 Index. Investors on Internet message boards speculated that Life Partner was recommended as a stock to sell . . .

Alto Palermo SA (Nasdaq:APSA), NDS GROUP PLC (Nasdaq:NNDS) and Red Lion Hotels Corp (Nasdaq:RLH) are among the biggest percentage gainers in Monday's trading among companies with market capitalizations under $1 billion.

Also included among the results: PowerSecure International Inc (Nasdaq:POWR), Rediff.com India Ltd (Nasdaq:REDF), Aceto Corp (Nasdaq:ACET), Stratus Properties Inc (Nasdaq:STRS), GTSI Corp (Nasdaq:GTSI) and E Com Ventures Inc (Nasdaq:ECMV).

Here are the biggest percentage gainers among small caps:

You wouldn’t guess it from looking at the country’s average of over 8% in annual GDP growth in the past few years, but economic conditions in Argentina are about as gripping and imbalanced as a glass of over-oaked Malbec wine.      

Rising inflation, high export taxes, and a lack of (or perhaps wariness toward) credit and controversial government fiscal policies have taken a bit of the shine off the relatively wealthy South American country’s recent rebound from its 2001 to 2002 economic implosion.

Amazingly, however, these factors have done nothing to slow the boom in building houses, condos, shopping malls, hotels and office buildings that the crisis set in motion. In fact, the real estate sector grew by an estimated 8.3% in 2007, and the best part of it is that it’s all being driven by private investment from individuals with soaring incomes rather than through mortgage lending (unlike certain other recent housing bubbles). 

One company that has diversified broadly in this capital-driven building bonanza is the profitable emerging markets fund darling Buenos Aires-based IRSA Investments and Representations (NYSE:IRS) — a dual citizen of the U.S. and Argentine stock markets and parent of shopping mall and credit card operator Alto Palermo S.A. (Nasdaq:APSA).

The $825-million market cap company has a range of real estate businesses and subsidiaries that buy, sell, develop and renovate retail, commercial, office and residential properties in high-growth and upscale areas of the country. It boasts occupancy rates over 98% in its shopping center and office holdings and has building projects in affluent neighborhoods too numerous to detail here. Suffice it to say, business is booming.

On the top line, at least, IRSA’s results for the nine months ended March 31, 2008, do indeed reflect impressive demand. Revenues for the development and sales segment were up 338% to $55.8 million compared with the same period in 2007, while . . .

Here are the day’s biggest percentage gainers and losers, along with top volume leaders, among companies with a market cap between $100 million and $750 million:


• Fuqi International, Inc. (Nasdaq:FUQI), up 19% to $7.25 on news of an improved first-quarter and full-year 2008 guidance.
• Aspect Medical Systems, Inc. (Nasdaq:ASPM), up 19% to $6.52 on news it expects second-quarter earnings above Wall Street’s projections.
• Metalico Inc. (AMEX:MEA), up 18% to $14.15.


• AMCORE Financial, Inc. (Nasdaq:AMFI), down 30% to $13.71 on news of a first-quarter loss.
• Epicor Software Corp. (Nasdaq:EPIC), down 27% to $7.85 on news it projects first-quarter earnings below analysts’ consensus.
• Alto Palermo S.A. (Nasdaq:APSA), down 15% to $14.25.

Amcore Financial, Inc. (Nasdaq:AMFI), Epicor Software Corp. (Nasdaq:EPIC) and Alto Palermo S.A. (Nasdaq:APSA) are among the biggest percentage losers in Thursday's trading among companies with market capitalizations under $750 million.

Cheniere Energy Partners, L.P. (AMEX:CQP), SureWest Communications (Nasdaq:SURW) and Carolina Trust Bank (Nasdaq:CART) are also among the top small-cap percentage losers.

Here are Thursday's biggest percentage losers among small caps:

The Russell 2000 (NYSE: IWM) is gaining ground after opening little changed this morning as Veterans Day leaves investors with little news to analyze.

At 10:02 a.m. ET, the small-cap index had added 1.93 points, or 0.25%, to 774.31. The Dow Jones Industrial Average (INDU) was up 22.60 points, or 0.17%, to 13,065.34.

Corporate deal-making is coming into focus this morning, following an announcement by International Business Machines Corp. (NYSE: IBM) that it will buy Cognos Inc. (TSE: CSN), a Canadian maker of business intelligence software, for $5 billion.

The offer was expected, as Armonk, N.Y.-based IBM’s rivals had previously also made purchases of intelligence software companies.

Meanwhile, online broker E*Trade Financial Corp. (Nasdaq: ETFC) was downgraded by Citigroup Inc. (NYSE: C) and the possibility of bankruptcy was raised.

Here are the current biggest percentage gainers and losers among companies with a market cap between $100 million and $750 million:

Biggest percentage gainers:

• Globecomm Systems Inc. (GCOM), up 15% on news of a contract with the U.S. Army.
• Dice Holdings Inc. (DHX), up 11%.
• ChemGenex Pharmaceuticals Ltd. (CXSP), up 10%.

Biggest percentage losers:

• Alto Palermo S.A. (APSA), down 24%.
• Basin Water Inc. (BWTR), down 13%.
• ExlService Holdings Inc. (EXLS) down 9%.

China Techfaith Wireless Comm. Tech. Ltd. (Nasdaq: CNTF), Sequenom, Inc. (Nasdaq: SQNM) and Alto Palermo S.A. (Nasdaq: APSA) are among the biggest percentage gainers in Wednesday's trading among companies with market capitalizations under $750 million.

Here are today's biggest percentage gainers:

The Russell 2000 (NYSE: IWM) has erased its morning gains after news of a fresh spike in the price of oil. At 1:32 p.m. ET, the small-cap index was down 3.53 points, or 0.43%, to 819.82. The Dow Jones Industrial Average (INDU) had shed 74.14 points, or 0.53%, to 13,838.80.

The price of oil continues to set record highs, up $0.54 to $88.15 a barrel on news that the Turkish parliament overwhelmingly approved a military attack into northern Iraq in order to fight Kurdish rebels.

Military conflict could disrupt supplies from Iraq, the world’s third largest exporter.

Stocks started falling soon after 12 p.m. ET, the early gains made after major tech players reported better-than-expected earnings quickly disappearing.

Meanwhile, U.S. President George Bush said today that homeowners need help in order to avoid foreclosures, but spoke out against a bailout of lenders whose loose lending practices contributed to the current housing recession.

Speaking of the housing recession, before the opening the U.S. Census Bureau announced that housing starts for the month of September fell to an annualized pace of 1.191 million, the lowest in 14 years. Economists were expecting a rate of 1.285 million units following August’s upwardly revised level of 1.327 million privately owned housing units.

Local.com Corp. (Nasdaq: LOCM) reported that it was granted a patent for cell phone-enabled local search. The patent also covers several advertising models associated with the search format.

The founder of Israel-based intimate apparel and socks maker Delta Galil Industries (Nasdaq: DELT) announced he is selling his shares and transferring control of the company to the vice chairman of the board. CEO and Founder Dov Lautman is selling 2.5 million shares to GMM Capital LLC, which is controlled by Delta Galil’s vice chairman Isaac Dabah.

Telecommunications company North Pittsburgh Systems (Nasdaq: NPSI) is being acquired by Consolidated Communications Holdings Inc. (Nasdaq: CNSL) for $375 million in a cash and stock deal.

These are the biggest percentage gainers in Monday's trading among companies with market capitalizations under $500 million:

Investors reacted negatively to LivePerson, Inc.’s (Nasdaq: LPSN) announcement after Monday’s closing bell that it is buying online chat company Kasamba, Inc. for approximately $40 million in cash and stock.

IXYS Corp. (Nasdaq: IXYS) shares are taking a dive after the Santa Clara, Calif.-based semiconductor company cut its second-quarter revenue outlook to $70 million, from the previous $74 million.

These are the biggest percentage losers in Tuesday’s trading among companies with market capitalizations under $500 million: