Tag - VNUS

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).

Small caps are up nearly 3% this afternoon after the government reported this morning that fewer jobs were lost in April than expected.

At 2:06 pm ET, the Russell 2000 (NYSE:IWM) is up 2.81% at 506.81, while the Dow is up 1.56% and the S&P 500 is up 1.85%.

Employers cut 539,000 jobs last month. That is a big improvement from a revised 699,000 job losses in March and less than the loss of 610,000 jobs analysts had been expecting. Also, the federal government reported that 10 of the 19 largest U.S. banks must raise about $75 billion in new capital, which is less than some had feared.

Small caps on the rise today include MedQuist Inc. (Nasdaq:MEDQ), up 64% after announcing first-quarter 2009 results, and Huntington Bancshares Inc. (Nasdaq:HBAN), 36% higher after completing a $120 million stock issue. Fuel Systems Solutions (Nasdaq:FSYS) is also up 40% today after posting a Q1 net profit, while VNUS Medical Technologies (Nasdaq:VNUS) has popped 35% after news broke that Covidien Ltd. will be acquiring the small cap.

*****The headline reads “Bank Stress Tests Lifts Clouds of Uncertainty.” And bank stocks are rallying. Regional bank Fifth Third Bancorp (Nasdaq:FITB) is up 40% in the early going on the news that it needs to raise $1.1 billion.

In total, the government’s stress tests recommended that banks raise $75 billion to withstand further potential losses. I’m not sure how to reconcile the stress tests results with the IMF report on bank losses that was released in April.

In that report, the IMF said that total losses for banks and financial institutions would hit $4 trillion. The U.S. share of that is $1.6 trillion, of which $510 billion has already been written off. That leaves another $550 billion in write-offs . . .

Geokinetics Inc. (Nasdaq:GOK), Fuel Systems Solutions Inc. (Nasdaq:FSYS) and VNUS Medical Technologies Inc. (Nasdaq:VNUS) are among the biggest percentage gainers in Friday's trading among companies with market capitalizations under $1 billion.

Also included among the results: MGIC Investment Corp. (Nasdaq:MTG), LMI Aerospace Inc. (Nasdaq:LMIA), Rosetta Resources  Inc. (Nasdaq:ROSE), Graham Corp. (Nasdaq:GHM), Central Pacific Financial Corp. (Nasdaq:CPF) and American Reprographics Co. (Nasdaq:ARP).

Small-cap stocks remained higher into mid-session, supported by gains in gold stocks, banks and homebuilders but the rise was taking place on fairly light volume and in the shadow of Tuesday’s big collapse. At 12:27 p.m. ET, the Russell 2000 (NYSE:IWM) was up 3.29, or 0.74 at 449.06.

Investors continue to sit on their hands waiting for news out of Washington, as hearings on the first tranche of TARP spending take place. In addition, lawmakers still have to piece together the House and Senate versions of the stimulus bill to present to President Obama for signing. And of course, the biggie is to see whether or not the Administration can mount some type of spin control off the disastrous market response to the Treasury Department’s rollout of the bank bail out plan Tuesday.

The big question facing market watchers so far today is whether or not the rise is simply a dead cat bounce from hot money shorts booking profits from Tuesday’s swoon, or if there are legitimate buyers coming in to find bargains and beaten down shares. Light volume and limited ranges tilt the answer toward the dead cat side of the ledger, but it is comforting to see that the Russell held above the late January lows despite a breach from the Dow.

As for sector activity, gold bugs were a happy lot today; gold futures were up over 3% to four-month highs, the Gold and Silver Index was up 7.5% at midday, small-cap gold stock Golden Star Resources Ltd. (AMEX:GSS) built on morning gains to climb 12.5% and big-cap group leader Newmont Mining Corp. (NYSE:NEM) rose 8.4%.

Real estate services shares, homebuilders, insurance brokers and photo product companies were also doing well so far today, sharing the spotlight with diverse financial services firms, regional banks and asset management specialists.

That’s not to say that everything was peaches and cream today; constructional material firms, paper products companies, industrial real estate investment trusts, footwear companies, gas utilities and oil exploration firms were all on the losing side of the ledger. Energy stocks gave back morning gains to slip into the red as crude oil prices slipped off the highs following weekly inventory data that showed a . . .

Polypore International Inc. (Nasdaq:PPO), Iris International Inc. (Nasdaq:IRIS) and Sauer Danfoss Inc. (Nasdaq:SHS) are among the biggest percentage losers in Thursday's trading among companies with market capitalizations under $1 billion.

Also included among the results: OSI Systems Inc. (Nasdaq:OSIS), Natus Medical Inc. (Nasdaq:BABY), RGC Resources Inc. (Nasdaq:RGCO), VNUS Medical Technologies Inc. (Nasdaq:VNUS), Littelfuse Inc. (Nasdaq:LFUS) and Protective Life Corp. (Nasdaq:PL).

Here are the biggest percentage losers among small caps:

TeleCommunication Systems Inc (Nasdaq:TSYS), VNUS Medical Technologies Inc (Nasdaq:VNUS) and NPS Pharmaceuticals Inc (Nasdaq:NPSP) are among the new 52-week highs in Tuesday's trading among companies with market capitalizations under $1 billion.     

Also included among the results: Brooklyn Federal Bancorp Inc (Nasdaq:BFSB), Chyron Corp (Nasdaq:CGS), Transact Technologies Inc (Nasdaq:TACT), Optimer Pharmaceuticals Inc (Nasdaq:OPTR), Farmers Capital Bank Corp (Nasdaq:FFKT) and CombiMatrix Corp (Nasdaq:CBMX).         

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

Excel Technology Inc (Nasdaq:XLTC), CAI International Inc (Nasdaq:CAP) and PC-Tel Inc (Nasdaq:PCTI) are among the new 52-week highs in Thursday's trading among companies with market capitalizations under $1 billion.

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

Small-cap stocks closed lower in a topsy-turvy session that saw a morning rally snuffed out in favor of a steep midday slide, then an abrupt afternoon recovery move that must have left day traders dizzy from the volatility. In the end, the market was unable to recapture the morning bid as financial stocks were beat down by renewed fears on the credit crunch front and by safe haven money flow from stocks to bonds. The Russell 2000 (NYSE:IWM) dipped 2.01, or 0.27%, to 739.00.

For the second day in a row, the spotlight moved back to banking, brokerage and the financial sector. The poster child for today’s action was Lehman Bros. (NYSE:LEH), whose stock was hammered some 14% at one point, sinking to the lowest point since March 17 on reports that the firm might seek to raise capital. The company said it did not access the Fed’s discount window today, which helped lift the stock off the lows in the afternoon. Although there was some debate about whether or not Lehman indeed would seek to bolster their balance sheet by raising capital, some investors appeared to adopt a “sell now, ask questions later” approach to the news, remembering the fallout from the Bear Stearns collapse.

Despite lingering concerns about debt write downs tied to the credit crisis, the market actually started out on a strong note today, with the Russell climbing nearly 0.75% to the highs before stalling. At first blush, there appeared to be plenty of bullish fodder to fuel a recovery move after Monday’s big decline, as investors embraced comments from Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke, crude oil prices took a nosedive and the dollar strengthened. However, the market could not shake the credit crunch jitters that triggered the selling push both Monday and again today, and before long all the green prints in equity products had turned to a sea of red.

Bernanke addressed the dollar in a much greater scope than what the market tends to see from the head of the Federal Reserve, which got the attention of foreign exchange traders and sparked a big rally in the greenback. The dollar was trading lower against the euro ahead of the Bernanke comments, but tumbled some 200 basis points from high to low, which in turn triggered a slide in crude oil and a host of other commodity markets. This was the first public policy appearance by Bernanke in weeks, and he also said that until the housing market stabilizes that growth risk was to the downside. The rare Fed attention on the dollar left an impression with market watchers that Bernanke was focused on inflation and that rate cuts are on . . .

After briefly surging in morning trading, small-cap stocks sagged in afternoon trading. A drop in crude oil prices, positive factory orders data and comments by Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke encouraged buyers, but bearish comments by hedge fund investor George Soros gave investors pause. At 2:23 p.m. ET, the Russell 2000 (NYSE:IWM) was down 7.10, or 0.96%, at 733.92.

Bernanke indicated that the Fed will not increase interest rates again until the housing market stabilizes. The chairman also said financial markets have improved but are still strained.

"We are attentive to the implications of changes in the value of the dollar for inflation and inflation expectations and will continue to formulate policy to guard against risks to both parts of our dual mandate," Bernanke said.

Bernanke’s comments sparked a reversal in the American dollar’s value against the euro. In recent trading, the U.S. dollar rose against the euro to $1.5454 from Monday’s close of $1.5539. The greenback was also up against the yen. The U.S. Dollar Index, which measures the dollar against six foreign currencies, was up 0.6% in Tuesday afternoon trading.

The factory orders report came out at 10:00 a.m. ET, with the headline figure at plus 1.1%, beating the median forecast for a dip of 0.1%.

Crude oil futures were down to $125.60 a barrel.

Broad market sectors experiencing a sell-off include motion picture services, aerospace and defense capital goods, metal mining materials, home improvement service retailers and railroad transportation. On the upside, computer storage device, airlines, footwear, and audio and video equipment companies were attracting . . .

Agria Corp (Nasdaq:GRO), Royale Energy Inc (Nasdaq:ROYL) and Vascular Solutions Inc (Nasdaq:VASC) are among the biggest percentage gainers in Tuesday's trading among companies with market capitalizations under $1 billion.

OMNI Energy Services Corp (Nasdaq:OMNI), VNUS Medical Technologies Inc (Nasdaq:VNUS) and Cheniere Energy Inc (Nasdaq:LNG) are also among the biggest percentage gainers.

Here are the biggest percentage gainers among small caps:

Small-cap stocks pushed higher on the opening, supported by a modest dip in crude oil prices, ideas that Monday’s slide was overdone, solid factory orders data and comments from Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke. At 10:03 a.m. ET, the Russell 2000 (NYSE:IWM) was up 4.28, or 0.58%, at 745.30.

Bernanke said that monetary policy was well positioned to promote growth and price stability, but that until the housing market stabilizes, growth risks remain on the downside. In addition, Bernanke said that financial market conditions have improved, but are still strained. Bernanke made a rare comment about the dollar, which sparked a dramatic reversal in the dollar’s value against the euro, sending the greenback to a gain of about 0.6% versus the euro after being lower before the U.S. stock market opening. This was Bernanke’s first public policy statements in about a month, and the market appeared to embrace his comments, with stock futures edging up a couple of handles from the overnight price, in addition to the dollar rally.

The factory orders report came out at 10:00 a.m. ET, with the headline figure at plus 1.1%, well above the median forecast for a dip of 0.1%. Stock index futures markets pushed higher immediately after the release of the numbers.

Crude oil prices tumbled more than $2 dollars per barrel in response to the rise in the U.S. dollar. Billionaire investor George Soros said today that the rise in oil prices and other commodities resembles some bubble moves. He also said that a crash in oil prices is not imminent and that commodity index trading is inflating the speculative bubble in physical markets.

There is a perception among some traders that if the energy market starts to sink, we could see a massive unwinding of a short dollar/long crude oil trade that would stand to benefit the greenback and equities as traders shift funds away from energy and back into stocks. However, that theory is just speculation at this stage. There is also a firestorm of jawboning from regulators and elected officials about market oversight and speculative commodity buying as everyone scrambles for a scapegoat . . .

Small-cap stocks opened flat, rose higher in morning trading, and have settled down in midday action. Investors were encouraged by easing crude oil and NRG Energy’s (NYSE:NRG) $11.3 billion offer to buy power generation company Calpine Corp. (NYSE:CPN). At 12:21 p.m. ET, the Russell 2000 (NYSE:IWM) was up 6.71, or 0.92%, at 733.82.

News that NRG Energy tendered a bid to buy Calpine Corp. for a stock deal worth $11 billion injected some enthusiasm back into the M&A picture, and played a supportive role in market psychology. Calpine shares were up 7.07% in midday trading.

Large caps in the news early today include Pfizer Inc. (NYSE:PFE), which tumbled 1.36% on news that its anti-smoking drug had serious side effects. Also, NetApp Inc. (Nasdaq:NTAP) tumbled about 6% as the company’s forward projections disappointed.
Among broad market sectors, apparel retailers, fabricated plastics and rubbers, catalog and mail order retailers and trucking companies were on the upside. Sectors attracting sellers include water transportation, oil well services and equipment, . . .

Small-cap shares opened flat and then edged higher, underpinned by news of a big-cap energy acquisition, a firm tone in the dollar, and ideas that Wednesday’s post-FOMC minutes slide was overdone. At 9:52 a.m. ET, the Russell 2000 (NYSE:IWM) was up 2.46, or 0.34%, at 729.56.

News that NRG Energy (NYSE:NRG) tendered a bid to buy Calpine Corp. (NYSE:CPN) for a stock deal worth $11 billion injected some enthusiasm back into the M&A picture this morning, and played a supportive role in market psychology. Calpine shares were up 7.1% shortly after the opening on the news. If there are large-cap merger deals to be done, then there are certainly bargains to be had within small caps.

There are several apparel retailers coming out with earnings today, which could ripple through the markets. Children’s Place Retail Stores (Nasdaq:PLCE), which is right on the upper end of small-cap market capitalization, reported solid quarterly results this morning and the stock was up 6.2% right after the open.

Large caps in the news early today include Pfizer Inc. (NYSE:PFE), which tumbled 1% on the opening on news that its anti-smoking drug had serious side effects. Also, NetApp Inc. (Nasdaq:NTAP) tumbled 5.7% as the company’s forward projections disappointed.

Crude oil prices shot above $135 dollars a barrel overnight, and continue to be a drag on the both the consumer pocketbook and the cost structure for corporations (just ask the battered airline industry). Goldman Sachs technical analyst Kevin Edgeley said in a research report overnight that crude oil momentum and trend strength are pointing higher, and that there is a long-term channel extension target for crude at $142.90. If crude oil were to close lower today, and well off that $135 record overnight peak, it could generate a topping reversal on charts, and is worth . . .

Stocks are continuing to crumble midday after crude oil and the greenback hit records. Lackluster outlooks from juggernauts Texas Instruments (NYSE:TXN) and DuPont (NYSE:DD) also weighed down the market.

At 1:28 p.m. ET, the Russell 2000 (NYSE:IWM) toppled 17.6 points, or 2.45%, to 700.04, while the Dow sunk 137.11 points, or 1.07%, to a level of 12,687.91.

Crude oil climbed to an intraday record of $120 a barrel, as the dollar hit a new low against the euro. The greenback climbed to $1.60 per euro for the first time after the European Central Bank signaled it will not slash interest rates due to inflation concerns Oil also spiked on a Nigerian supply disruption.

“Over the last 24 hours, four ECB speakers state that they’re concerned about inflation — one going as far as to say that they’re considering raising rates every month going forward,” Andy Busch, BMO Capital Markets global ethics strategist said. “This is part of why the U.S. dollar has come under so much pressure from the euro.”

In economic news, the National Association of Realtors said this morning that existing-home sales slid 2% in the month of March to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.93 million from a level of 5.03 million in February. The sales number was . . .

Omnicell, Inc. (Nasdaq:OMCL), Protherics PLC (Nasdaq:PTIL) and The Talbots, Inc. (NYSE:TLB) are among the biggest percentage losers in Tuesday's trading among companies with market capitalizations under $750 million.

VNUS Medical Technologies, Inc. (Nasdaq:VNUS), Phoenix Technologies Ltd. (Nasdaq:PTEC) and AMCORE Financial, Inc. (Nasdaq:AMFI) are also among the top small-cap percentage losers.

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

Small-cap stocks opened lower, and at 10:01 a.m. ET the Russell 2000 (NYSE:IWM) was down 9.43, or 1.31%, at 708.57. Small-cap issues paced the early slump in U.S. equities, as the Dow was only off about 0.6%.

The 10:00 a.m. ET release of Existing Home Sales data was on target with analyst forecasts and had very little immediate impact on the market.

The home sales was the first economic release so far this week, and given a dearth of economic data, the market has been focused on the never-ending run of quarterly earnings releases. From afar, the numbers haven’t really looked that great, but soft returns were expected, and so far the market is higher into the initial earnings push.

The latest batch of big-name earnings releases into today’s action served up a mixed bag, with Texas Instruments (NYSE:TXN) missing the forecast, while DuPont (NYSE:DD) beat the estimate. Texas Instruments was under selling pressure this morning, last down 4% after the chipmaker said the soft economy and sluggish demand for cell phones would hurt second-quarter results. DuPont’s strong earnings were fueled by agriculture products and overseas demand.

Commodity markets appear to be on a modest roll today, which could provide a boost to commodity-linked stocks if the trend remains in play throughout the session. Crude oil made new highs overnight and remains on a bid, lifted by civil unrest in producing state Nigeria, a refinery strike in Scotland and a Japanese tanker hit by rocket fire off the coast of Yemen. Gold and grains are also expected to hit the ground running in U.S. trading action this morning.

Financial shares in Europe were hit hard overnight, with the Royal Bank of Scotland and Barclays down in the 4% range as those banks navigate through . . .

Varicose veins are not only an unsightly situation that many women fret about as they age, they can also create a painful medical problem. The recent strides in treating them, though, have led to downright ugly legal battles.

Vascular Solutions, Inc. (Nasdaq:VASC), which makes an array of products used in vascular medicine, is one of the players helping to revolutionize treatment of varicose veins using laser technology. The potential market for this small cap is large: more than 60 million Americans have cardiovascular disease, now the leading cause of death in the United States

Vascular Solutions’ lineup falls in five categories: vein products, to treat conditions such as varicose veins; hemostasis products, to halt bleeding; extraction catheters, to remove blood clots primarily after a heart attack; specialty catheters; and access products, to manage puncture sites.

Though the Minneapolis, Minn.-based company is caught up in a slew of patent-infringement battles, it appears to be progressing toward routinely turning a profit.

Since Vascular Solutions introduced its first device in 2000, yearly revenue has climbed to $52.9 million last year from $6.2 million, and its product list now exceeds 40.

In 2007, a 22% revenue rise was matched by a 22% decline in its stock price, reflecting not only the overall stock market retrenchment but also the uncertainty from Vascular Solutions’ legal woes.

Innovation in vascular medicine is on a fast track: laser therapy has reduced varicose vein treatment to a simple outpatient procedure from surgery with a hospital stay, but the risk associated with this progress includes a legal one for device makers. It is a chicken-or-egg situation, to determine who . . .

The stock market may have lost its legs, but VNUS Medical Technologies Inc. (Nasdaq: VNUS) is just getting started. With a minimally invasive technology that reroutes deoxygenated blood to the heart for a refill, the company is putting a new twist on varicose vein treatment.

What’s got VNUS charged up is its primary product line, the VNUS Closure system for varicose veins. The system, which includes the fast-selling ClosureFAST radiofrequency catheter, treats venous reflux disease — a progressive condition caused by malfunctioning vein valves that block the blood’s paths from legs to heart.

By definition, Closure closes the diseased veins, usually in outpatient procedures that require only local anesthesia, and re-channels blood to healthy veins so it can travel on to the heart. This beats vein stripping (ouch!), the standard way to treat varicose veins, which rivals strip mining as a maximally invasive practice.

VNUS claims that 25 million Americans have venous insufficiency, and that 72% of women and 42% of men in the United States will experience varicose veins by the time they hit 60. That doesn’t take into account the international market, which VNUS is starting to minimally — but resolutely — invade. VNUS also makes medical devices for other peripheral vascular diseases, including devices for use in peripheral arterial bypass and arteriovenous graft procedures.

Investors may not like surprises, but make an exception for VNUS: its surprises have been a delight. Revenues in the fourth quarter ended Dec. 31 outpaced analyst expectations, gaining 54% from the year-ago period. For 2007, revenues increased 37% to $70.9 million. For 2008, the company expects 25% organic growth, with revenues at $82 million to $86 million.

The Russell 2000 (IWM) fell as investors turned their attention to the economy. The small-cap index let go 3.85 points, or 0.55%, to 698.93, its fourth decline in the past five days. The Dow Jones Industrial Average (INDU) lost 64.87 points, or 0.53%, to 12,182.13.

On a year-to-date basis, the Russell 2000 has shed 8.76%, while the Dow has let go 8.16% and the S&P 500 has slashed 9.33%.

There was no major economic news scheduled for today and little on the corporate front and stocks small and large spent the first half of the session trading sideways.

The mood in pre-market trading was slightly bearish following news that an official from the U.S. Federal Reserve said that the economy is headed for a slowdown.

“I consider it most probable that the U.S. economy will experience slow growth, and not outright recession, in coming quarters,” said Janet Yellen, president of the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco, in a speech in Honolulu.

Concerns about the future of the economy are what led the U.S. Congress to approve a $168 billion economic stimulus package that consists of tax rebates and business incentives. President Bush said he would sign the bill next week. Rebate checks will be mailed to households and individuals as early as late May.

Trading was volatile as the Russell 2000 seesawed up and down before falling into the red at about 12 p.m. ET, and slumping to its session low shortly before 2 p.m. ET.

The Russell 2000 (NYSE: IWM) is posting a gain as stocks are trading with no clear direction.

At 10:24 a.m. ET, the small-cap index had added 0.63 points, or 0.09%, to 703.41. The Dow Jones Industrial Average (INDU) was down 6.99 points, or 0.06%, to 12,240.01.

Small-cap stocks opened lowered but quickly bounced higher, leaving their bigger counterparts behind.

With little economic news scheduled for today, investors are looking for direction. The mood in pre-market trading was slightly bearish following news that an official from the U.S. Federal Reserve said that the economy is headed for a slowdown.

“I consider it most probable that the U.S. economy will experience slow growth, and not outright recession, in coming quarters,” said Janet Yellen, president of the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco, in a speech in Honolulu.

Elsewhere, the U.S. Congress approved a $152 billion economic stimulus package that consists of tax rebates and business incentives that will hopefully prevent a recession.

Helping the small-cap index rise is wireless communications company TerreStar Corp. (Nasdaq: TSTR), which saw its shares soar more than 30% on news that it will get about $300 million from investors.

Also rising is San Jose, Calif.-based VNUS Medical Technologies, Inc. (Nasdaq: VNUS), which swung to a fourth-quarter profit.

PDF Solutions, Inc. (Nasdaq: PDFS) did even better, reporting an increase in fourth-quarter profit. But shares of the provider of technologies and services to semiconductor companies are down on news of disappointing first-quarter guidance.

For AngioDynamics, Inc. (Nasdaq: ANGO), access is everything. Its many medical devices enter your arterial network and wriggle on through the veins, pinpointing damage along the way. They may remove a varicose vein here, insert a post-surgical drain there, or vaporize an aberrant tumor here, there or most anywhere.   

AngioDynamics supplies radiologists, surgeons, and other physicians with devices for the minimally invasive diagnosis and treatment of cancer and peripheral vascular disease (PVD). The company is positioned to take advantage of the nascent PVD market and — through a recent acquisition — the promising interventional oncology market.

Canaccord Adams analyst Jason Mills estimates that more than 11 million Americans suffer from PVD — often characterized by a narrowing of vessels that carry blood to the legs, arms and certain organs. As people age, vascular problems accelerate. Growth of the multi-billion dollar PVD medical device market is expected at 8% to 10% annually.

Grab your Wikipedia. Mills says AngioDynamics’ portfolio of diagnostic, therapeutic and drug-delivery catheters targets several key PVD sectors, including angiography (imaging/diagnostics), image-guided vascular access (imaging and drug-delivery of chemotherapy drugs for cancer patients), venous disease (therapeutic ablation), thrombus removal (therapeutic drug delivery), hemodialysis catheters and interventional oncology (radiofrequency tumor ablation, resection, drug delivery).

If you followed that, you are ready for AngioDynamics’ kicker: RITA Medical Systems. RITA, purchased by AngioDynamics at the end of January 2007 for $220 million, specializes in radiofrequency ablation — a treatment option for patients with liver tumors and painful metastatic bone tumors. It is a medical technology that uses heat to destroy tumors in a less invasive way than traditional methods.

April 11 (SmallCapInvestor.com) – Stocks fell after minutes released by the Federal Reserve indicated the U.S. central bank could raise interest rates over concerns about inflation.  Among small caps, shares of VNUS Medical Technologies Inc. (Nasdaq: VNUS) gained on positive analyst coverage, while Biolase Technology, Inc. (Nasdaq: BLTI) lowered its quarterly revenue forecast.

The Russell 2000 lost more than the other major indices, shedding 6.27 points, or 0.77 percent, to 808.24.  The Dow Jones Industrial Average ended its 8-day rally, losing 89.23 points, or 0.71 percent, to 12,484.62.