Tag - Nice

Small-cap stocks are expected to open lower, following yet another decline in stock markets around the world overnight and by a startling rise in unemployment claims in the U.S. Further weakness could be tied to a slide in crude oil prices and further investor flight out of stocks and into credit instruments. It should be noted however, that the market is oversold, Libor rates were lower and Swiss central bankers cut rates, which could help limit early losses. Some of today’s small-cap gainers are Ultrapar Participacoes  SA (Nasdaq:UGP), Randgold (Nasdaq:GOLD) and Gymboree (Nasdaq:GYMB).

Other Market Watch highlights today included:

• The chart structure for small caps is awful right now, with the Russell 2000 in freefall mode through support points that date back more than five years.
• Yields on two-year notes hit record lows overnight, and the yield on T-bills is now near the panic lows from October.  
• The yield on benchmark 10-year notes was down a stunning 5.2% into the stock market open, reaching the lowest level since June 2003.  
• Crude oil prices were off some $3 a barrel into the stock market open, slipping below $50 for first time since January 2007.

Small Cap Gainers:

• Ultrapar Participacoes  rose 16% as the fuels distribution and chemical firm rose on light volume buying. See (NYSE:UGP).  
• Randgold up 7.4% in pre-market on news that it aims to swallow assets of rivals. See (Nasdaq:GOLD).
• Retail sales lift Gymboree fiscal 3Q profit, analyst upgrades small cap to "overweight" from neutral." Shares climb about 5% in pre-market. See (Nasdaq:GYMB).  
• NICE Systems wins $20 million order from an EMEA government agency; shares climb slightly higher in pre-market. See (Nasdaq:NICE).

Small Cap Losers:

• Suntech Power Holdings Co. Ltd. is down 29% on sour earnings news. See (NYSE:STP).
• Woodward Governor Co. lost 27% as the energy solution provider took an earnings lump. See (Nasdaq:WGOV).  
• VeriFone Inc. tumbled 26% as the electronic payment firm made a preliminary comment on quarterly results. See (NYSE:PAY). 
• Oil and gas exploration company Linn Energy down 3% in pre-market as the majority of stocks in the energy sector are being hurt by falling crude oil prices. See (Nasdaq:LINE).

What looked like a sleepy, mild opening dip turned into an ugly downside press, with small-cap stocks pulled down this morning by sloppy corporate profit reports, declines in Asian equities and yet another weak tone on the commodities front. Today’s small-cap gainers are Concur Technologies (Nasdaq:CNQR), General Motors Corp. (NYSE:GM) and GT Solar (Nasdaq:SOLR).

Other Market Watch highlights today included:

• Copper and aluminum prices tumbled to 3-year lows during London’s trading session.  
• There are no economic reports on tap today in the U.S., but banks and government offices are back at work after the Veteran’s Day holiday, which could help volume levels.  
• At 9:54 a.m. ET, the Russell 2000 was down 6.28, or 1.30% at 476.00, slipping through intraday chart support along the 480 line.
• What looked in advance like a sleepy, mild opening dip in the Russell 2000 turned into an ugly downside press.

Small Cap Gainers:

• Concur Technologies sees 2009 revenue growing 25%; shares climb 12% in pre-market. See (Nasdaq:CNQR).  
• House speaker Nancy Pelosi pushes legislation that would help bail out the embattled U.S. automakers; General Motors Corp. is up 9% on the news. See (NYSE:GM).  
• GT Solar appoints Jacobs Engineering Group chairman Noel G. Watson to board of directors; shares tread nearly 4% higher in pre-market. See (Nasdaq:SOLR).  
• Nice Systems up 3% in pre-market on a rise in Q3 net profit, revenue. See (Nasdaq:NICE).  


Small Cap Losers:

• JA Solar posts loss on Lehman, cuts forecast; shares dive 24% in pre-market. See (Nasdaq:JASO).
• J Crew Group Inc. is down 13%, sinking to 52-week lows. See (JCG).  
• Canadian Solar downgraded to "hold" from "buy" by Deutsche Securities; shares down 7.6% in pre-market. See (Nasdaq:CSIQ).  
• Sausage and restaurant operator Bob Evans Farms Inc. lowered its outlook and was off about 2.5% in pre-market trading. See (Nasdaq:BOBE).