Tag - Strs

LECG Corporation (Nasdaq:XPRT), Riverbed Technology Inc. (Nasdaq:RVBD) and Elbit Imaging Ltd. (Nasdaq:EMITF) are among the biggest percentage gainers in Wednesday's trading among companies with market capitalizations under $1 billion.

Also included among the results: IRIS International Inc. (Nasdaq:IRIS), The9 Ltd. (Nasdaq:NCTY), Stratus Properties Inc. (Nasdaq:STRS), Capital Bank Corp.  (Nasdaq:CBKN), Novatel Wireless Inc. (Nasdaq:NVTL) and Rockwood Holdings Inc. (Nasdaq:ROC).

Small-cap stocks stormed higher Tuesday, extending a morning rally when investors got word that the Federal Reserve slashed interest rates to the lowest level in history and hinted that they wouldn’t hesitate to utilize other tactics to help jolt the moribund economy out of one of the worst recessions since the Great Depression of the 1930s. The Russell 2000 (NYSE:IWM) rose 30.28, or 6.69%, to 482.35, the highest daily close since Nov. 13. For the year, the Russell is still down 37%, while the Dow is off 33% and the S&P 500 is down 38%.

The FOMC stunned the market by slashing rates by 75 to 100 basis points, well beyond the 50-bp cut that was expected. Policy makers also made no bones about their mission right now: save the economy, worry about prices later. In fact, the Fed’s own statement said they would “employ all available tools to promote the resumption of sustainable economic growth and to preserve price stability.” With prices sinking as evidenced by today’s CPI report, the clear goal is economic growth. Now that the Fed is basically handing out money free of charge to those with access to the Fed window, the next order of business would appear to be attacking long-term interest rates, either through direct purchases or other means. The action was bold and stock market investors liked the approach.

It will be interesting to see if the heightened focus on long-term rates will provide a spark to the moribund housing market. Housing starts numbers released this morning tumbled to the lowest rate in history and slumped 18.9% on a seasonally adjusted rate. Despite the gloomy picture of the housing market, homebuilder shares took off today, attracting bottom-fishers on hopes that a light at the end of the tunnel . . .

Small-cap stocks edged lower a relatively quiet opening, as jitters about the financial arena and rising crude oil prices were countered by decent earnings news. At 10:00 a.m. ET, the Russell 2000 (NYSE:IWM) was down 3.71, or 0.52%, at 706.63.

Federal regulators seized a couple of small banks over the weekend, which cast a modest negative pall over the financial sector this morning. The FDIC took over the First National Bank of Nevada and First Heritage Bank NA of California and sold the banks to Mutual Omaha Bank. Small banks dominated the list of largest percentage losers on the Nasdaq Exchange early this morning.

Concerns about the health of the financial system pulled down the U.S. dollar, which was off about 0.2% against the euro and 0.1% versus the yen. Treasury prices also were on a bid on the bank failure news, but volume was light.

Crude oil prices were pushing higher early this morning, buoyed by reports of attacks on oil pipelines in Nigeria and a fire at a Kuwait refinery. Crude prices on the NYMEX were up nearly 1% in the morning trade, approaching $124.50 dollars a barrel.

While the crude oil pop and the bank failures were negative elements in play this morning for equities, the news didn’t exactly spark a firestorm of selling in stocks, and investors appeared to be waiting for a stronger directional bias to emerge.

It is a big week for earnings, with about 118 of the S&P 500 slated to report quarterly results. One of the key names this morning was Kraft Foods Inc. (NYSE:KFT), as the maker of Oreo cookies beat the forecast and was up about 2.5% shortly after the open.

One of the biggest percentage movers among large-caps this morning was Amgen Inc. (Nasdaq:AMGN), which jumped nearly 15% on news that a trial for an osteoporosis drug went well. Also, private equity firm Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co. announced plans for an IPO, which suggested to some that the market . . .

Small-cap stocks took flight Wednesday, as investors embraced a spate of relatively positive earnings results and another slide in crude oil as a sign that the market may have weathered the worst of the summer storm. The Russell 2000 (NYSE:IWM) jumped 24.39, or 3.68%, to 686.75, notching the fourth-largest one-day advance of the year, powered by gains in financial and tech stocks.

The impressive rally topped off a picture perfect validation of a bullish chart pattern from Tuesday’s recovery bounce off fresh move lows, and further upside action this week would cement the most powerful technical analysis bullish signal in months. In addition, the heightened volatility in recent days fits with similar whipsaw price action at the lows back in January and March.

The market was also able to carve out today’s sizable gains despite another serving of bearish economic headlines. When the market starts to work higher in the face of bearish news, it is considered a classic show of strength — especially if the move is powered by more than just short-covering amid oversold conditions. While we wait for further confirmation of the recovery off Tuesday’s lows, let’s recap what the market overcame on the data front today.

The big report this morning was the Consumer Price Index release. For the second consecutive day, the market was slapped in the face with sobering inflation news. The headline figure for CPI came in at plus 1.1%, which was the largest monthly advance in 26 years. What’s more, the year-over-year increase was at a whopping 5%, which is the largest rise in consumer prices since 1991. In short, the CPI news was every bit as troubling as Tuesday’s Producer Price Index report, where the year-over-year figure was the highest since June 1981. And the inflation data simply adds to the woes from slumping housing, GDP and labor market reports of recent months.

So, if we are truly mired in a slow growth, rising unemployment, escalating inflation world, then why on earth did small caps put together such an impressive rally today? The easy part of that question is that crude oil prices tumbled down to . . .

Alto Palermo SA (Nasdaq:APSA), NDS GROUP PLC (Nasdaq:NNDS) and Red Lion Hotels Corp (Nasdaq:RLH) are among the biggest percentage gainers in Monday's trading among companies with market capitalizations under $1 billion.

Also included among the results: PowerSecure International Inc (Nasdaq:POWR), Rediff.com India Ltd (Nasdaq:REDF), Aceto Corp (Nasdaq:ACET), Stratus Properties Inc (Nasdaq:STRS), GTSI Corp (Nasdaq:GTSI) and E Com Ventures Inc (Nasdaq:ECMV).

Here are the biggest percentage gainers among small caps:

The Russell 2000 (NYSE: IWM) and the other major U.S. indices have extended their losses on news of sales declines at U.S. carmakers. At 3:34 p.m. ET, the small-cap index was missing 4.95 points, or 0.72%, to 681.23. The Dow Jones Industrial Average (INDU) had let go 32.48 points, or 0.26%, to 12,233.91.

Stocks extended their slide following news after the start of the trading that General Motors Corp. (NYSE: GM) saw its sales dropped 13% in February, while rival Ford Motor Co. (NYSE: F) reported a 6.6% decline.

The numbers show a shift away from large gas-guzzling automobiles and toward smaller and more fuel efficient cars.

Before that, small-cap stocks were also lower but trading closer to the flat line following news of government reports indicating declines in January construction spending and February factory activity.

Shares of Irwin Financial Corp. (NYSE: IFC) are down on news before the start of trading that the Columbus, Ind.-based financial services company announced before Monday’s opening that it plans to suspend quarterly dividends.

Colonial Bankshares Inc. (Nasdaq: COBK), Coast Distribution System Inc. (AMEX: CRV) and Great Pee Dee Bancorp Inc. (Nasdaq: PEDE) are among the biggest percentage losers in Monday's trading among companies with market capitalizations under $500 million.

Here are today's biggest percentage losers:

The Lamson & Sessions Co. (NYSE: LMS), Spartan Motors, Inc. (Nasdaq: SPAR) and Resource America, Inc. (Nasdaq: REXI) are among the biggest percentage gainers in Thursday's trading among companies with market capitalizations under $500 million.

Here are today's biggest percentage gainers: