Wednesday Closing Bell: Markets Rise as Investors Buy the Dip

November 13, 2013: U.S. equity markets opened lower again Wednesday morning but investors apparently decided to buy the dip today, raising indexes to the upside later in the day. The Treasury reported that the U.S. budget deficit is shrinking although it remains massive. That also lifted equities late in the day.

European and Asian markets closed lower today while Latin American markets closed higher.

Thursday’s calendar includes speeches by Fed Vice-Chairman Janet Yellen and Philadelphia Fed President Charles Plosser and the following scheduled data releases and events (all times Eastern):

• 8:30 a.m. – International trade
• 8:30 a.m. – New claims for unemployment benefits
• 8:30 a.m. – Productivity and costs
• 10:30 a.m. – EIA weekly natural gas storage report
• 11:00 a.m. – EIA weekly petroleum status report
• 1:00 p.m. – 30-year bond auction
• 4:30 p.m. – Fed balance sheet and money supply

Here are the closing bell levels for Wednesday:

• S&P500 1782.00 (+14.31; +0.81%)
• DJIA 15821.63 (+70.96; +0.45%)
• NASDAQ 3965.58 (+45.66; +1.16%)
• 10YR TNOTE 2.737% (+0.34375)
• Gold $1,268.40 (-2.80; -0.2%)
• WTI Crude oil $94.19 (+1.15; +1.2%)
• Euro/Dollar: 1.3462 (+0.0027; +0.19%)

Big Earnings Movers: Macy’s Inc. (NYSE: M) is up 9.4% at $50.70 after clearing a low bar. Canadian Solar Inc. (NASDAQ: CSIQ) is up 13.8% at $32.12 on solid earnings and rising margins. Health Management Associates Inc. (NYSE: HMA) is up 5.6% at $13.23. NQ Mobile Inc. (NYSE: NQ) is down 8.8% at $13.05 after failing to calm fears arising from short seller attack.

Stocks on the Move: Chegg Inc. (NYSE: CHGG) is down 21.8% at $9.77 after the company’s IPO today. USEC Inc. (NYSE: USU) is up 57.2% at $XX after the U.S. left duties in place on imports of French low-enriched uranium. James River Coal Co. (NASDAQ: JRCC) is up 19.5% at $1.41.

In all, 140 NYSE stocks put up new 52-week highs today, while 47 stocks posted new lows.