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OncoGenex Pharmaceuticals Inc. (Nasdaq:OGXI), Starlims Technologies Ltd. (Nasdaq:LIMS) and Isramco Inc. (Nasdaq:ISRL) are among the biggest percentage losers in Tuesday's trading among companies with market capitalizations under $1 billion.

Also included among the results: Yadkin Valley Financial Corp. (Nasdaq:YAVY), Hiveld Steel Depository Receipt (Nasdaq:HSVLY), Merchants Bancshares Inc. (Nasdaq:MBVT), Main Street Capital Corp. (Nasdaq:MAIN), WHX Corp. (Nasdaq:WXCO) and Capital Bank Corp. (Nasdaq:CBKN).

GTSI Corp. (Nasdaq:GTSI), FBL Financial Group Inc. (Nasdaq:FFG) and Myers Industries Inc. (Nasdaq:MYE) are among the biggest percentage gainers in Monday's trading among companies with market capitalizations under $1 billion.

Also included among the results: Dendreon Corp. (Nasdaq:DNDN), Take Two Interactive Software Inc. (Nasdaq:TTWO), Central Pacific Financial Corp. (Nasdaq:CPF), A Power Energy Generation Systems Ltd. (Nasdaq:APWR), RSC Holdings Inc. (Nasdaq:RRR) and Main Street Capital Corp. (Nasdaq:MAIN).

Battered stocks limped to a dismal Monday close, with the Dow and S&P 500 falling to levels seen in 1997 as investors continue to pull money out on decreased confidence. Some of today’s small-cap gainers were GeoEye Inc.. (Nasdaq:GEOY), Agilysys (Nasdaq:AGYS) and Main Street Capital (Nasdaq:MAIN).

Other Market Watch highlights today included:

• The technology-laden Nasdaq composite index dropped 2.41%, and large-cap tech bellweathers bled red.  
• Tech stocks were getting pummeled today on news from The Wall Street Journal that Yahoo’s new CEO is planning a companywide reorganization.  
• News that the Treasury Department would lead a new bank bailout program that would include the option of allowing the government to increase its ownership in financial institutions did little to support investor confidence.  
• Battered stocks limped to a dismal Monday close, falling to levels seen in 1997 as investors continue to pull money out on decreased confidence.

Small Cap Gainers:

• GeoEye Inc. is up 18% after attaining full operational capability with its GeoEye-1 Satellite. See (Nasdaq:GEOY).
• Arrow ECS helps Agilysys with largest-ever independent system test for utility meter data management industry; shares rise nearly 5%. See (Nasdaq:AGYS).  
• Main Street Capital announces additional SBIC borrowing capacity from stimulus bill; shares climb 7%. See (Nasdaq:MAIN).  

Small Cap Losers:

• HealthSpring shares drop 33% on Medicare rate worries. See (NYSE:HS). 
• Chiquita Brands International is down another 22% today after reporting disappointing earnings on Friday. See (NYSE:CQB).  
• PetroQuest Energy Slips another 24% after reporting a Q4 loss late last week. See (NYSE:PQ).  

AeroVironment Inc. (Nasdaq:AVAV), Citizens First Bancorp Inc. (Nasdaq:CTZN) and Nobility Homes (Nasdaq:NOBH) are among the biggest percentage gainers in Wednesday's trading among companies with market capitalizations under $1 billion.

Also included among the results: Oxford Industries Inc. (Nasdaq:OXM), Cambrex Corp. (Nasdaq:CBM), Kohlberg Capital Corp. (Nasdaq:KCAP), Callon Petroleum Co. (Nasdaq:CPE), Main Street Capital Corp. (Nasdaq:MAIN) and BJs Restaurants Inc. (Nasdaq:BJRI).

Here are the biggest percentage gainers among small caps:

After opening higher, small caps have been beaten down mid-session, as crude oil futures gushed higher and the troubled financial sector weighed on stocks. At 1:37 p.m. ET, the Russell 2000 (NYSE:IWM) was down 1.81, or 0.25%, at 723.92.

Crude oil prices were up to $137.76 a barrel in recent trading after reports surfaced that Israel executed a practice strike on Iran’s nuclear facilities. Additionally, revelations that Shell cannot meet its contractual obligations to export oil from Nigeria provided support for higher crude prices. One of Shell’s Nigerian oil fields was attacked by militants on Thursday.

In morning trading, crude was trading lower following a weekend pledge from Saudi Arabia to increase production. However, the announcement was widely expected and any bump from the announcement was already baked into crude futures. Some investors also saw the Saudi offer as fraudulent because it was so small.

Despite the rise in crude oil prices, the dollar is up against the yen and euro in Monday midday trading.

In large cap headlines, Bunge Ltd. (NYSE:BG), a giant fertilizer and oilseed processing company, announced plans to purchase Corn Products International (NYSE:CPO) in a deal worth $4.4 billion. Investors reacted negatively to the announcement, with BG shares down more than 11% in midday action. The stock is moving lower even though Bunge increased its earnings forecast. CPO has jumped some 17% on the news.

Financial stocks have been pummeled in recent weeks by investors amid ongoing worries about the credit crunch. Although some stocks in the financial zone might benefit from bargain hunters this week, there were additional analyst downgrades on banks and against home lenders overnight, which could keep that area on the defensive. Fannie Mae (NYSE:FNM) and Freddie Mac (NYSE:FRE) were off early today after Lehman Bros. analysts increased their loss forecast on the pair.

Small-cap stocks opened higher, but were unable to sustain the early bid and slipped back slightly into the red as slumping financial stocks and higher crude oil overcame bullish fodders on the merger and acquisition front from a large deal in the agriculture arena. At 10:03 a.m. ET, the Russell 2000 (NYSE:IWM) was down 1.06, or 0.15%, at 724.67.

Bunge Ltd. (NYSE:BG), a giant fertilizer and oilseed processing company, announced plans to purchase Corn Products International (NYSE:CPO) in a deal worth $4.4 billion. BG shares were up in overnight trading, benefiting from news that the company increased its earnings forecast, but turned lower shortly after the regular market open this morning. CPO prices soared some 24% on the news.

Crude oil prices were on the rise heading toward the U.S. stock market opening, climbing despite a pledge from Saudi Arabia to raise production. Tension in the Middle East has been stirred lately by revelations that Israel executed a practice strike on Iran’s nuclear facilities.

Despite the rise in crude oil prices, the dollar was actually on a roll this morning, climbing about 0.7% against the euro following soft economic data out of the Eurozone overnight. The greenback was also up about 0.5% versus the yen.

Financial stocks have been pummeled in recent weeks by investors amid ongoing worries about the credit crunch. Although some stocks in the financial zone might benefit from bargain hunters this week, there were additional analyst downgrades on banks and against home lenders overnight, which could keep that area on . . .