Tag - MWIV

RadiSys Corp. (Nasdaq:RSYS), Eagle Bulk Shipping Inc. (Nasdaq:EGLE) and Travelzoo Inc. (Nasdaq:TZOO) are among the biggest percentage gainers in Wednesday's trading among companies with market capitalizations under $1 billion.

Also included among the results: MWI Veterinary Supply Inc. (Nasdaq:MWIV), Excel Maritime Carriers Ltd. (Nasdaq:EXM), Genco Shipping & Trading Ltd. (Nasdaq:GNK), Middleburg Financial Corp. (Nasdaq:MBRG), Thomas & Betts Corp. (Nasdaq:TNB) and TBS International Ltd. (Nasdaq:TBSI).

Gibraltar Industries Inc. (Nasdaq:ROCK), MWI Veterinary Supply Inc. (Nasdaq:MWIV) and Integral System Inc..(Nasdaq:ISYS) are among the biggest percentage losers in Wednesday's trading among companies with market capitalizations under $1 billion.

Also included among the results: General Maritime Corp. (Nasdaq:GMR), Knot Inc. (Nasdaq:KNOT), Capital Bank Corp. (Nasdaq:CBKN), Ducommun Inc. (Nasdaq:DCO), Perry Ellis International Inc. (Nasdaq:PERY) and Badger Meter Inc. (Nasdaq:BMI).

Small-cap stocks edged into positive ground into midday trading on support from commodity names, but in general the market appeared to be in a “breather” mood after Tuesday’s manic upside push when Federal Reserve policy makers surprised the market with aggressive interest rate cuts. Some of today’s small-cap gainers are Satyam (NYSE:SAY), Safe Bulkers Inc. (NYSE:SB) and VeriFone Inc. (NYSE:PAY).

Other Market Watch highlights today included:

• Price action so far today in small caps has been pretty tame, with volume light and trading ranges tight.  
• Top performers today are health care facilities, coal stocks, commercial printers, railroads, mining and metal stocks and steel companies.  
• Crude oil prices held relatively steady despite a hefty 2.2 million barrel a day output cut pushed through by OPEC members.
• Real estate investment trusts (REITS) were among the poorest performers so far today, as were houseware and home furnishing stocks. 

Small Cap Gainers:

• Satyam on Tuesday said it would spend $1.6 billion to purchase family-owned infrastructure companies; shareholders revolted, stock plunged 55%. Satyam's chairman backed away from the deal overnight, stock is now up 41%. See (NYSE:SAY).  
• Safe Bulkers Inc. jumped 25% and is now up 165% from the November lows. See (NYSE:SB).  
• VeriFone Inc. rose 24% as the electronic payment technology firm reported earnings in line with expectations and forecast profits above the projection. See (NYSE:PAY).  
• Energy Conversion Devices is climbing above 10% despite a maintained "sell" rating by Citi. See (Nasdaq:ENER).  

Small Cap Losers:

• MWI Veterinary Supply Inc. tumbled 19% as the distributor of animal health products erased a huge chunk of a recent rally in one fail swoop. See (Nasdaq:MWIV).  
• Leggett & Platt down 10% after it cuts Q4 guidance. See (NYSE:LEG). 
• MarineMax secures amendment of credit agreement; shares topple 8%. See (NYSE:HZO).  
• Northstar Realty Finance Corp. down 8% on lower-than-average volume. See (NYSE:NRF).  

Small-cap stocks edged into positive ground into midday trading on support from commodity names, but in general the market appeared to be in a “breather” mood after Tuesday’s manic upside push when Federal Reserve policy makers surprised the market with aggressive interest rate cuts. At 12:20 p.m. ET, the Russell 2000 (NYSE:IWM) was up 0.03, or 0.01%, at 482.87.

In addition to the natural pause in bullish enthusiasm after such a memorable rally Tuesday, today’s profit reports were lackluster at best and pretty much anything tied to homes, homebuilders, home furnishings or real estate was struggling. Real estate investment trusts (REITS) were among the poorest performers so far today, as were houseware and home furnishing stocks. Companies such as Newell Rubbermaid Inc. (NYSE:NWL) and Leggett & Platt Inc. (NYSE:LEG) were taking a hit, down 28% and 10%, respectively.

Financial stocks were a drag on the market today, with the Financial Select Sector SPDR Fund off about 1.7%. Citigroup Inc. (NYSE:C) was down some 4.7% and Bank of America Corp. (NYSE:BAC) was off about 2.9%.

Crude oil prices held relatively steady despite a hefty 2.2 million barrel a day output cut pushed through by OPEC members. Skepticism about OPEC’s ability to hold the line on production might account for some of the lack of rally response in energy markets, as well as concerns that slumping global demand remains on the radar screen for some time to come. Energy stocks were slightly higher even though crude oil prices were calm; commodity markets in general likely found underlying support from yet another dramatic slide in the U.S. dollar, which was down 2.2% against the euro and off 1.3% against the yen, setting 13-year lows against the latter currency.

Looking at individual S&P sectors, the top performers included health care facilities, coal stocks, commercial printers, railroads, mining and metal stocks and steel companies. Interestingly, the saga of a bailout package to automakers seems to have simmered down a tad amid all the FOMC hoopla, but Tuesday afternoon Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson said that automakers would get funds as quickly . . .