The Dow was leading the way with a 0.5% gain, while the S&P 500 and Nasdaq composite had gains of 0.3% and 0.2%, respectively. The New York composite, which was as much as 0.4% lower, was virtually unchanged. Volume was markedly higher across the board.
Military electronics stocks were among the day’s best, boosted by a 6% vault in Elbit () shares. UBS upgraded the defense contractor to buy from neutral. Recreational vehicles and other leisure-related stocks also were up. Metals and farming stocks remained soft.
Sigma Designs () rebounded 1.45 to 24.88 in rapid trade. The chip maker’s stock was the subject of an upgrade by Needham & Co., to buy from hold. But this follows hard on the heels of a downgrade Monday by American Technology Research, which pointed to growing competition from Chinese rivals. Tuesday’s rebound did little to repair Monday’s damage: a gap-down loss in high volume, leaving the stock far below its 10-week moving average.
Apparent profit-taking has sent a number of stocks reeling from the red-hot solar power group. SunPower () has slightly pared its earlier 5.65-point loss to 3.80, trading at 56.88 in heavy volume. SunPower had been holding up the last few days as its rivals got whacked. Cypress Semiconductor () sold 7.5 million shares SunPower in a private deal valued at about $455.1 million.
First Solar (), for instance, also gapped down in double volume and is trading 5.24 lower at 54.75. But this is First Solar’s fourth straight loss, and the first in the run with heavy volume. In these four sessions, the stock has lost 16%.
JA Solar Holdings () was off 1.89 to 22.50 in a similar volume surge. Its four-day losing streak has cost it 20%.
Trina Solar () tanked 2.92 to 50.51, although in just slightly above-average trade. In four days, Trina also has ceded 20%.
1:00 p.m. Update: Stocks Off Lows But Still Weaker
BY JUAN CARLOS ARANCIBIA
Stock indexes were lower on heavy trading, despite coming off session lows in midday dealings.
Several leading stocks sold off on heavy volume, putting a bearish tone on the day.
Just past 1 p.m. ET, the Nasdaq was down 0.4%, while the S&P 500 and NYSE composite lost 0.2%. The Dow was flat. NYSE and NYSE volume was running 34% above yesterday’s levels.
In industry groups, newspapers soared 8% after News Corp. () made an unsolicited buyout offer for Dow Jones (), whose shares vaulted more than 50%. Metals and farming-related stocks were among the day’s worst groups.
Apparel makers also got hit as Under Armour () tumbled 3.51 to 46.99, breaching its 50-day moving average and sliding past its 200-day before staging a positive reversal. The company lowered its second-quarter guidance, as it reported Q1 earnings in line with expectations. The stock never cleared a correction earlier this year before rolling lower again.
Rochester Medical () plunged 4.46, or 19%, to 18.99, piercing its 50-day line. The stock suffered a 23% sell-off Friday, and Monday’s recovery attempt showed poor action, too. The maker of catheters and incontinence products reported earnings late Monday.
SunPower () gapped down, losing 4.37 to 56.31 as solar-energy stocks weakened. The stock had gone up 26% from a 48.21 buy point before Tuesday’s drop.
RTI International Metals () nose dived 14.18, or 15%, to 80.09 after the producer of titanium mill products and metal components missed earnings expectations. It was the stock’s most serious violation of its 10-week line since a deep correction last year.
On the upside, Matrix Service () rose 0.61 to 25.01 after Standard & Poor’s said the industrial services firm will be added to the S&P 600 index. Ansoft () which cleared an nine-week base earlier today, is also being added to the small-cap index.
Open Text () gained 1.11 to 24.13. The stock slid after clearing a 10-week pattern, but may be trying for new highs again.
11 a.m. update: Stocks Mixed On Manufacturing, Housing Data
BY ALAN ELLIOTT
Stocks fell slack at the opening after Monday’s late-day tumble. Positive manufacturing data and a strong Q1 earnings report from Procter & Gamble () helped prop up early trading.
The Nasdaq and NYSE composites were down 0.3% at 10:49 a.m. ET. The S&P 500 was off 0.2%. On the upside, the Dow eked up 0.1%. Nasdaq volume was riding 38% higher. Volume rose 27% on the NYSE.
The Institute for Supply Management’s national manufacturing index registered a better than expected 54.7 reading for April. That’s up from 50.9 in March and 52.3 in February. “The PMI reflects accelerating growth for the month,” the ISM release said. “New Orders and Production improved significantly as did Employment. Manufacturers are now in their ninth month of inventory reduction, so supply chains are generally in balance.”
Less encouraging but no surprise: the National Association of Realtors reported contracts signed for pending home sales fell 4.9% in March. That put the Pending Home Sales index at 104.3, its lowest level since March 2003.
Ford () is set to report earnings later Tuesday. Time Warner () and General Motors () waited in the wings to report Wednesday and Thursday.
Atheros Communications () gapped up, gaining 2.61 to 29.40 on massive volume. A maker of chipsets for wireless communications, it reported Q1 earnings jumped 64% on a 54% sales gain. The EPS gain was slower than in the past five quarters, the sales gain slower than in the past three. The move punched the stock above its April 2006 high and left it up 37% for the year.
What do massive industrial cranes and ice cube makers have in common? Both are made by Manitowoc (). Its shares jumped 4.69 to 72.92 after reporting Monday its Q1 earnings had vaulted 115% on 36% sales growth. The company has netted better than 100% sales growth since December 2005. Sales growth has topped 30% for the past three quarters. Manitowoc shares have logged nine consecutive weeks of gains. The stock is up 31% since March 2.
Ansoft () gapped up and gained 1.53 to 33.82 on five times average volume. Standard & Poor’s announced Monday it would add the maker of automated design equipment for cell phones and other electronics to its Small Cap 600 index on an unspecified date. Ansoft’s earnings have generally been solid, but fell flat in fiscal Q2, ended October. Sales have climbed 13% to 24% over the past nine quarters. The stock has been riding its 10-week moving average line after a February breakout.
On the downside, oil and gas field parts and equipment maker Dril Quip () tanked, losing 5.53 to 44.97 on very heavy volume. The company reported Q1 earnings rose 34%, but fell 2 cents shy of views. The move left the stock just above its 10-week moving average line and well off its recent highs.