Tag - Aco

Premiere Global Services Inc. (Nasdaq:PGI), AMCOL International Corp. (Nasdaq:ACO) and Rigel Pharmaceuticals Inc. (Nasdaq:RIGL) are among the biggest percentage losers in Friday's trading among companies with market capitalizations under $1 billion.

Also included among the results: Deckers Outdoor Corp. (Nasdaq:DECK), Western Alliance Bancorp (Nasdaq:WAL), NetScout Systems Inc. (Nasdaq:NTCT), Firstbank Corp. (Nasdaq:FBMI), Lakeland Bancorp Inc. (Nasdaq:LBAI) and Health Fitness Corp. (Nasdaq:FIT).

Data Domain Inc. (Nasdaq:DDUP), Key Technology Inc. (Nasdaq:KTEC) and Lindsay Corp. (Nasdaq:LNN) are among the biggest percentage losers in Friday's trading among companies with market capitalizations under $1 billion.

Also included among the results: BreitBurn Energy Partners L P (Nasdaq:BBEP), DryShips Inc. (Nasdaq:DRYS), AMCOL International Corp. (Nasdaq:ACO), Zion Oil and Gas Inc. (Nasdaq:ZN), Infinera Corp. (Nasdaq:INFN) and Heritage Commerce Corp (Nasdaq:HTBK).

Small-cap stocks are stumbling in Friday afternoon trading, pulled down by profit-taking ahead of the weekend from money traders who caught the bounce this week and by weak earnings in the tech sector. At 1:54 p.m. ET, the Russell 2000 (NYSE:IWM) was down 5.65, or 0.81%, at 690.98.

Despite the rise in financials led by Citigroup Inc. (NYSE:C), techs were on the defensive this afternoon, paced by losses in Google (Nasdaq:GOOG) and Microsoft (Nasdaq:MSFT), both of which reported earnings that disappointed investors.

The greenback is up against the yen, but down against the dollar. A positive reaction to Citibank’s results seemed to boost the U.S. dollar briefly. Crude oil is up to $129.90 in recent trading.

Broad market sectors on the rise this afternoon included casinos, technology retailers, construction raw materials, money center banks and trucking companies. On the downside, catalog and mail-order retailers, grocery stores, coal, insurance, and audio and video equipment companies were experiencing a sell-off.

Small-cap stocks on the move this afternoon include airline holding company Pinnacle Airlines Corp. (Nasdaq:PNCL), which is up more 36% after announcing after the close on Thursday it had extended its agreement with Delta Air Lines Inc. (NYSE:DAL). Brookings, S.D.-based ethanol producer VeraSun Energy Corporation (NYSE:VSE) was upgraded early Friday by UBS to “buy” from “neutral,” sending shares up more than 25%. AMCOL International Corporation (NYSE:ACO) has jumped 19% in today’s trading after reporting better-than-expected second-quarter results. The specialty mineral producer reported ahead of the bell that 2008 . . .

AMCOL International Corporation (NYSE:ACO) has jumped 21% in today’s trading after reporting better-than-expected second quarter results. The specialty mineral producer reported ahead of the bell that 2008 second quarter net income was $17.8 million, or $0.58 per share, compared with $14.9 million, or $0.48 a share, for the same quarter a year earlier. Wall Street was expecting a profit of $0.51 per share. The Arlington Heights, Ill.-based company said oilfield service sales helped push up its profit.

In today’s trading, AMCOL is at $31.11 at 10:26 a.m. ET, up $5.28 from Thursday’s close. The stock is up 25% during the past six months. In the past 52 weeks, shares have ranged from $23.51 to $42.70.