March 5, 2014: Markets opened mixed on Wednesday following a disappointing reading from ADP on employment, setting the tone for lowered expectations for Friday when the Labor Department reports non-farm payroll numbers for February. Oil & gas stocks weighed on both the S&P 500 and the DJIA, while tech stocks are only modestly higher. The afternoon release of the Fed’s Beige Book had virtually no impact on equities. In the final minutes of trading the DJIA was down 0.24%, the S&P 500 was down 0.07%, and the Nasdaq Composite was up 0.06%.

Today’s biggest decliner among the Dow stocks was Exxon Mobil Corp. (NYSE: XOM). The company said this morning that it’s capital spending would be lower this year and lower still going forward. Production is expected to rise, but it looks like that’s due mostly to liquids other than crude oil. Shares traded down 2.83% at $93.79 in a 52-week range of $84.79 to $101.74 just ahead of the closing bell. Exxon’s volume is on track to be about 25% higher the daily average of nearly 13 million shares traded.

Nasdaq Composite component Facebook Inc. (NASDAQ: FB) saw its share price rise 3.97% today after the company revealed its plans to tighten rules related to gun sales on both Facebook and Instagram. The stock will close around $71.53 in a 52-week range of $22.67 to $71.97 (a new 52-week high). Volume was about 10% higher than the daily average of around 65 million shares traded.

Another heavily traded Nasdaq stock today is FuelCell Energy Inc. (NASDAQ: FCEL). The fuel cell maker posted a new 52-week high today as it rides the coattails of Plug Power Inc. (NASDAQ: PLUG). Plug Power signed a deal with Wal-Mart Stores Inc. (NYSE: WMT) last week and has been on a tear ever since. FuelCell Energy’s shares are looking to close up 15.13% at $3.12 in a 52-week range of $0.84 to $3.40 (the new 52-week high). Share volume was about 13-times higher than the daily average of around 8 million shares traded.

Dow 30 component Nike Inc. (NYSE: NKE) is down 1.49% today and traded at $77.45 in its 52-week range of $53.27 to $80.26 shortly before today’s closing bell. The athletic gear company is probably feeling some impact from an announcement earlier today from competitor Adidas which warned that weakening currencies in emerging markets will hit sales. Trading volume for Nike’s shares was about 65% of the daily average of nearly 4 million shares.

Of the Dow 30 stocks 11 are set to close higher today while 19 are on their way to a lower close.

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