Mid-Day Market Update: Dow Surges Over 100 Points; DURECT Shares Plummet

Midway through trading Friday, the Dow traded up 0.46 percent to 23,269.14 while the NASDAQ climbed 0.41 percent to 6,632.30. The S&P also rose, gaining 0.33 percent to 2,570.62.

Leading and Lagging Sectors

On Friday, the technology shares surged 0.56 percent. Meanwhile, top gainers in the sector included athenahealth, Inc ATHN 9.43%, up 11 percent, and Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson ERIC 9.07%, up 9 percent.

In trading on Friday, healthcare shares fell 0.28 percent. Meanwhile, top losers in the sector included Celgene Corporation CELG 10.27%, down 10 percent, and AMAG Pharmaceuticals, Inc. AMAG 2.8%  down 4 percent.

Top Headline

General Electric Company GE 1.57% reported weaker-than-expected earnings for its third quarter and lowered its FY17 earnings outlook.

General Electric posted quarterly adjusted earnings of $0.29 per share on revenue of $33.47 billion. However, analysts expected earnings of $0.49 per share on revenue of $32.7 billion.

GE lowered its FY17 adjusted earnings outlook from $1.60-$1.70 per share, to $1.05-$1.10 per share.

Equities Trading UP

Digital Ally, Inc. DGLY 18.18% shares shot up 21 percent to $2.66. Digital Ally and VIEVU, LLC entered into a supply agreement which provides VIEVU exclusive right to integrate the VuLInk system in its body camera products.

Shares of Skechers USA Inc SKX 36.97% got a boost, shooting up 36 percent to $32.59 as the company reported better-than-expected results for its third quarter on Thursday.

Atlassian Corporation PLCTEAM 22.9% shares were also up, gaining 24 percent to $49.72 after the company reported first-quarter sales growth of 42 percent year over year.

Equities Trading DOWN

DURECT Corporation DRRX 59.36% shares dropped 60 percent to $0.780 as the company disclosed that its PERSIST Phase 3 trial of POSIMIR did not meet primary efficacy endpoint. Stifel Nicolaus downgraded Durect from Buy to Hold.

Shares of Del Taco Restaurants Inc TACO 19.4% were down 21 percent to $12.22. Del Taco reported in-line Q3 earnings and narrowed its FY17 outlook.

Concordia International Corp. CXRX 31.37% was down, falling around 32 percent to $0.632. Concordia filed for debt restructuring in Canada.

Commodities

In commodity news, oil traded up 0.21 percent to $51.40 while gold traded down 0.55 percent to $1,282.90.

Silver traded down 1.36 percent Friday to $17.02, while copper fell 0.35 percent to $3.1565.

Eurozone

European shares were mostly higher today. The eurozone’s STOXX 600 climbed 0.24 percent, the Spanish Ibex Index rose 0.15 percent, while Italy’s FTSE MIB Index surged 0.87 percent. Meanwhile the German DAX slipped 0.08 percent, and the French CAC 40 climbed 0.07 percent while U.K. shares fell 0.05 percent.

Economics

Sales of existing homes sales rose 0.7 percent to an annual rate of 5.39 million for September. However, economists were expecting a 5.31 million rate.

The Baker Hughes North American rig count report for the latest week is schedule for release at 1:00 p.m. ET.

Cleveland Federal Reserve Bank President Loretta Mester is set to speak in New York City at 2:00 p.m. ET.

Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen will speak in Washington at 7:30 p.m. ET.