Market Pulse: Verizon, Morgan Stanley, Exact Sciences, Theravance

Northwest Biotherapeutics

18/04/2013 15:21

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April 18 (Reuters) - Some U.S. stocks on the move on Thursday:

WALL ST HITS SESSION LOWS AFTER DATA

Stocks hit session lows after a gauge of future economic activity fell in March for the first time in seven months and the pace of factory activity growth in the mid-Atlantic region unexpectedly slowed in April. The Dow Jones industrial average

.DJI  fell 66.02 points, or 0.45 percent, to 14,552.57, the S&P 500  .SPX  lost 9.1 points, or 0.59 percent, to 1,542.91 and the Nasdaq Composite  .IXIC  dropped 26.38 points or 0.82 percent, to 3,178.29.  .N

** VERIZON COMMUNICATIONS INC  VZ.N , $51.43, up 3.8 pct (0946 ET)

The telephone company reported a higher-than-expected first-quarter profit, driven by strength in its wireless business.  ID:nL2N0D50N3

** MORGAN STANLEY  MS.N , $21.12, down 1.6 pct (0947 ET)

The sixth-largest U.S. bank by assets said revenue from commodities trading fell sharply in the first quarter and it was working to dispose of nonessential commodity businesses.

ID:nL2N0D50NG   ID:nL3N0D54LQ

** NORTHWEST BIOTHERAPEUTICS INC  NWBO.O , $3.70, down 5.1 pct (0945 ET)

The company entered into an agreement with a healthcare-dedicated institutional investor for a registered direct placement of $10 million of its common stock. Northwest also said it will issue warrant coverage of 40 percent to the investor to buy shares of common stock at an exercise price of $4.29 per share.

** DANAHER CORP  DHR.N , $58.02, down 2.9 pct (0946 ET)

The industrial and healthcare conglomerate's first-quarter profit missed analysts' estimates as operating margin at its largest business, life sciences & diagnostics, fell about 60 basis points. The company also forecast second-quarter earnings below analysts' estimates.  ID:nASB00SHK

** SELECT COMFORT CORP  SCSS.O , $17.67, down 0.6 pct (1002 ET)

** TEMPUR-PEDIC INTERNATIONAL INC  TPX.N , $45.12, down 1 pct (1003 ET)

Specialty mattress maker Select Comfort said it would revert to its earlier marketing strategy after a shift in advertising reduced exposure of its products to already cautious customers and hit sales. ID:nL3N0D4RGO

Shares of competitor Tempur-Pedic were also down on the news.

GOLD STOCKS

** RANDGOLD RESOURCES LTD  GOLD.O , $70.06, up 4.7 pct (1005 ET)

** NEWMONT MINING CORP  NEM.N , $32.58, up 0.7 pct (1005 ET)

** ANGLOGOLD ASHANTI LTD  AU.N , $17.80, up 1.4 pct (1005 ET)

** BARRICK GOLD CORP  ABX.TO   ABX.N , $18.07, up 2.4 pct (1006 ET)

** FIRST MAJESTIC SILVER INC  AG.N , $11.28, up 2.8 pct (1006 ET)

** YAMANA GOLD INC  AUY.N , $11.34, up 2.2 pct (1008 ET)

** KINROSS GOLD CORP  KGC.N , $5.18, up 3.6 pct (1008 ET)

Gold rallied on Thursday in Europe after volatile Asian trade saw prices slide towards two-year lows hit earlier in the week, with strong physical buying set against exits from exchange-traded funds. The sharp drop in prices has triggered a spate of buying in gold bars, coins and nuggets in Asia, while U.S. gold coins have flown off dealers' shelves.  ID:nL5N0D5285

** EXACT SCIENCES CORP  EXAS.O , $7.32, down 26.6 pct (0953 ET)

The company said its molecular screening test for colorectal cancer met a late-stage trial goal of detecting the disease in more patients than other commonly used tests. But its results were not as robust as some were expecting.  ID:nL3N0D545Q

** TRAVELZOO INC  TZOO.O , $25.09, up 15.5 pct (0952 ET)

The online travel deals company reported a 7 percent rise in first-quarter revenue, with its Europe travel business growing 14 percent.  ID:nASB00SJ1

** THERAVANCE INC  THRX.O , $32.40, up 15.7 pct (1013 ET)

An advisory panel to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has recommended that the agency approve an experimental treatment for smoking-related lung damage made by Britain's GlaxoSmithKline Plc  GSK.L   GSK.N  and Theravance.

ID:nL2N0D41XB

** NOKIA OYJ  NOK1V.HE   NOK.N , $3.19, down 10.9 pct (1000 ET)

A big fall in sales of the company's basic phones overshadowed a stronger performance from its Lumia smartphones in the first quarter, and it said it expected operating margins to deteriorate.  ID:nL5N0D529E

Chief Executive Stephen Elop said tougher competition was the main reason behind the fall in sales of regular mobile phones.  ID:nH7N0D5001

** PEPSICO INC  PEP.N , $82.87, up 5.1 pct (0956 ET)

The maker of Pepsi sodas, Tropicana juices, Frito-Lay snacks and Quaker oatmeal reported better-than-expected first-quarter earnings, as price increases helped margins.  ID:nL2N0D50KT

** PHILIP MORRIS INTERNATIONAL INC  PM.N , $91.01, down 3.2 pct (0950 ET)

The company, which sells Marlboro, reported first-quarter profit that missed estimates as cigarette shipment volumes declined 6.5 percent.  ID:nASB00SHT

** PRIVATEBANCORP INC  PVTB.O , $18.07, up 3.9 pct (0950 ET)

The lender reported higher-than-expected quarterly profit, helped by mortgage banking and syndication fee revenue. Non-interest income rose 11 percent to $30.5 million.

ID:nPnCG97054

** UNIPIXEL INC  UNXL.O , $34.67, down 8.9 pct (0956 ET)

The LCD film maker said its offering of 1.2 million shares was priced at $32 per share, a 16 percent discount to the stock's closing price on Wednesday.  ID:nMKW8447a

** UNION PACIFIC CORP  UNP.N , $141.25, up 3.1 pct (0958 ET)

The No.1 U.S. railroad reported a strong first quarter as higher freight rates offset a decline in coal shipments, and the company said it expects to ship more of the commodity in the current quarter.  ID:nL3N0D54J5

** UNITEDHEALTH GROUP INC  UNH.N , $59.77, down 3.6 pct (1001 ET)

United State's largest health insurer said its first-quarter profit fell, in part because of lower government payments for its private Medicare services and prescription plans for older Americans.  ID:nL2N0D50I9

** ALLISON TRANSMISSION HOLDINGS INC  ALSN.N , $22.17, up 4.8 pct (1010 ET)

The maker of fully-automatic transmissions said late on Wednesday that investment funds affiliated with Carlyle Group LP

CG.O  and Onex Corp  OCX.TO  would not proceed with a secondary offering of Allison Transmission's common stock due to market conditions.  ID:nPnDE96815

** EBAY INC  EBAY.O , $52.97, down 5.6 pct (1013 ET)

The e-commerce company gave a disappointing earnings forecast for the second quarter and said Europe was weak, pushing its shares lower in after-hours trade.  ID:nL2N0D42BP

** SINOVAC BIOTECH LTD  SVA.O , $3.83, down 7.3 pct (1015 ET)

The pharmaceutical company said the Mexico health regulator granted marketing approval to its seasonal flu vaccine, named Anflu. Sinovac said the certificate of commercial approval is valid from April 1, 2013  to  April 1, 2018.  ID:nPnCN97120

(Compiled by Aditi Shrivastava; Editing by Joyjeet Das)

((Aditi.Shrivastava@thomsonreuters.com)(within U.S. +1 646 223 8780, outside U.S. +91 80 4135 5783)(Reuters Messaging: aditi.shrivastava.reuters.com@reuters.net))

Keywords: MARKETS USA STOCKS/PULSE