Tag - OMGI

Transcept Pharmaceuticals Inc. (Nasdaq:TSPT), ARCA biopharma Inc. (Nasdaq:ABIO) and Willis Lease Finance Corp. (Nasdaq:WLFC) are among the new 52-week highs in Monday's trading among companies with market capitalizations under $1 billion.

Also included among the results: Gander Mountain Co. (Nasdaq:GMTN), RehabCare Group, Inc. (Nasdaq:RHB), Orion Marine Group Inc. (Nasdaq:OMGI), BWAY Holding Co. (Nasdaq:BWY), Tree.com Inc. (Nasdaq:TREE) and Vanda Pharmaceuticals Inc. (Nasdaq:VNDA).

VNUS Medical Technologies Inc. (Nasdaq:VNUS), Virtus Investment Partners Inc. (Nasdaq:VRTS) and Gander Mountain Co. (Nasdaq:GMTN) are among the new 52-week highs in Friday's trading among companies with market capitalizations under $1 billion.

Also included among the results: BioDelivery Sciences International Inc. (Nasdaq:BDSI), Cubic Corp. (Nasdaq:CUB), Seneca Foods Corp. (Nasdaq:SENEA), Orion Marine Group Inc. (Nasdaq:OMGI), Walter Investment Management Corp. (Nasdaq:WAC) and Ocwen Financial Corp. (Nasdaq:OCN).

Cornerstone Therapeutics Inc. (Nasdaq:CRTX), Caribou Coffee Co Inc. (Nasdaq:CBOU) and Big 5 Sporting Goods Corp. (Nasdaq:BGFV) are among the new 52-week highs in Monday's trading among companies with market capitalizations under $1 billion.

Also included among the results: Anaren Inc. (Nasdaq:ANEN), Lancaster Colony Corp (Nasdaq:LANC), Isle of Capri Casinos Inc. (Nasdaq:ISLE), Great Southern Bancorp Inc. (Nasdaq:GSBC), Diedrich Coffee Inc. (Nasdaq:DDRX) and Orion Marine Group Inc. (Nasdaq:OMGI).

Children's Place Retail Stores Inc. (Nasdaq:PLCE), Orion Marine Group Inc. (Nasdaq:OMGI) and Ciena Corp. (Nasdaq:CIEN) are among the biggest percentage gainers in Thursday's trading among companies with market capitalizations under $1 billion.

Also included among the results: SXC Health Solutions Corp. (Nasdaq:SXCI), DrdGold ADR (Nasdaq:DROOY), Fred's Inc. (Nasdaq:FRED), Sterling Construction Co Inc. (Nasdaq:STRL), Seabridge Gold Inc. (Nasdaq:SA) and Genesco Inc. (Nasdaq:GCO).

Small-cap stocks pushed modestly higher on the opening, and were still holding in positive territory after a dreadful manufacturing report slashed away gains in large-cap index products. Today’s small-cap gainers are Ultrapetrol Limited (Nasdaq:ULTR), Seneca Foods Corp. (Nasdaq:SENEA) and Orion Marine Group Inc. (NYSE:OMGI).

Other Market Watch highlights today included:

• Now that ISM is out of the way, focus will return to debate about the U.S. elections. Since 1900, the stock market has averaged a gain of nearly 10% in the 12 months following a Democrat transition into the White House.  
• The ISM Manufacturing Survey came in at 38.9%, which was below the forecast of 42% and marked the lowest manufacturing activity index in 26 years.  
• Small-cap stocks pushed modestly higher on the opening, and were still holding in positive territory after a dreadful manufacturing report slashed away gains in large-cap index products.
• The ISM figure is expected to come in at 42%, well below the 50% line that indicates contraction.  
• Heavy week for economic data risk: things kick off at 10:00 a.m. ET today with the ISM Manufacturing Survey and finish with a flourish Friday morning with the big employment report.  

Small Cap Gainers:

• Ultrapetrol Limited is up almost 50% in pre-market ahead of its Q3 earnings release next week. See (Nasdaq:ULTR).
• Seneca Foods Corp. is up 25%, gapping higher on light volume. See (Nasdaq:SENEA).  
• Orion Marine Group Inc. jumped 24.9%. See (Nasdaq:OMGI).  
• Safe Bulkers Inc. is up 12.8%, climbing above the 20-day moving average for the first time since early September. See (NYSE:SB).  
• SourceForge gaining 8.5% in pre-market, guides in line, sets stock buyback. See (Nasdaq:LNUX).


Small Cap Losers:

• AtriCure Inc. is tumbling 43% on news that the firm is under investigation by the Department of Justice for potential false claims on the company’s surgical devices. See (Nasdaq:ATRC).  
• Ness Technologies profit rises 121%; shares down 5% in pre-market. See (Nasdaq:NSTC).  
• Phoenix Companies down 12% as it slips to a loss in Q3. See (NYSE:PNX).  
• GMAC's bonds tumble after plan to exchange debt, shares dive over 10%. See (NYSE:GMA).  

Small-cap stocks pushed modestly higher on the opening, and were still holding in positive territory after a dreadful manufacturing report slashed away gains in large-cap index products. At 10:03 a.m. ET, the Russell 2000 (NYSE:IWM) was up 4.05, or 0.75%, at 541.57.

The ISM Manufacturing Survey came in at 38.9%, which was below the forecast of 42% and marked the lowest manufacturing activity index in 26 years.

Now that ISM is out of the way, focus will return to debate about the U.S. elections. The general perception right now is that Barack Obama will win the presidential election, which means market watchers will be looking to see whether or not Democrats win power in the Senate and House. Since 1900, the stock market has averaged a gain of nearly 10% in the 12 months following a Democrat transition into the White House. In addition, vehicle sales were slated to roll in today and could have an impact on automaker shares. The rate for vehicle sales is pegged at 12 million units.

Libor, or inter-bank lending rates, continue to decline and are now at the lowest point since the Lehman Brothers bankruptcy. The steady pullback in Libor rates is seen as a sign that frozen credit lines are thawing and that banks are more trusting on the lending front.

In company news this morning, Wal-Mart Stores Inc. (NYSE:WMT) was upgraded by analysts at JP Morgan and the world’s largest retailer was up 1.1% shortly after the open. Also on the analyst front, Merrill Lynch downgraded rival Goldman Sachs Group Inc. (NYSE:GS) and the investment bank was off 1.3%. Goodyear Tire and Rubber Co. (NYSE:GT) topped the earnings forecast and rallied 14.5%.

Individual small-caps of note were highlighted by Seneca Foods Corp. (Nasdaq:SENEA) was up 25%, gapping higher on light volume. Safe Bulkers Inc. (NYSE:SB) was up 12.8%, climbing above the 20-day moving average for the . . .

Aladdin Knowledge Systems Ltd (Nasdaq:ALDN), Quest Resource Corp (Nasdaq:QRCP) and Allscripts Healthcare Solutions Inc (Nasdaq:MDRX) are among the most actively traded companies in Wednesday's trading among companies with market capitalizations under $1 billion.

Also included among the results: Superior Bancorp (Nasdaq:SUPR), PrivateBancorp Inc (Nasdaq:PVTB), Triangle Capital Corp (Nasdaq:TCAP), Halozyme Therapeutics Inc (Nasdaq:HALO), Pacific Sunwear of California Inc (Nasdaq:PSUN) and Orion Marine Group Inc (Nasdaq:OMGI).

Here are the most actively traded companies among small caps:

The wind in the stock market’s sails may be dying down as of late, but a perfect storm of opportunity has formed to buoy Orion Marine Group (Nasdaq:OMGI), a specialty marine contractor, through choppy waters.

On Aug. 1, 2007, an eight-lane steel bridge collapsed over the Mississippi river in Minneapolis, triggering nation-wide concern over the safety of the nation's highway infrastructure.  On Aug. 29, 2005, Hurricane Katrina's storm surge caused 53 different levee breaches, which submerged 80% of New Orleans. In May 2008, gasoline topped $4 a gallon at the pump, causing exploration firms (and voters) to cast their gaze longingly at available reserves on the outer continental shelf and the eastern Gulf of Mexico. In June, levees broke along the Mississippi River, flooding towns and neighboring fields.

Where there is crisis there is often opportunity, and the Houston, Texas-based Orion Marine is ideally positioned to benefit from America's increased attention to sealing the cracks in its infrastructure foundation.

Need a channel dredged or a bridge built? Then Orion Marine is ready to answer your call. The company also keeps its feet wet with transportation facility construction, marine pipeline construction, wetland reclamation and reconstruction, salvage, demolition, diving and underwater inspection, and excavation, among other things.

There are more than 1,000 harbor channels and 25,000 miles of inland, intracoastal and coastal waterways in the United States. In 2005, the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) reported that nearly 50% of the U.S. Navigable Waterway System is functionally obsolete and estimated further that 80% will be obsolete by . . .

The Russell 2000 (NYSE: IWM) and the other major U.S. indices rallied and ended the day in the green on news that the Fed may move to lower interest rates. The small-cap index added 8.09 points, or 1.14%, to 720.21, its second consecutive rise. The Dow Jones Industrial Average (INDU) advanced 117.78 points, or 0.92%, to 12,853.09.

On a year-to-date basis, the Russell 2000 has retreated 5.98%, while the Dow is down 3.10% and the S&P 500 has shed 3.27%.

Stocks small and large began the day in negative territory but rallied in the second half of the session and closed with solid gains.

“In light of recent changes in the outlook for and the risks to growth, additional policy easing may well be necessary,” U.S. Federal Reserve chairman Ben Bernanke told an audience at the Women in Housing and Finance and Exchequer Club this afternoon.

Those words sparked speculation that the Fed is preparing to lower the federal funds rate at its two-day meeting starting Jan. 29. The bulls took charge of the session and pushed stocks higher.

The federal funds rate, the rate at which commercial banks make overnight loans to each other, currently stands at 4.25%.