September 5, 2014: Markets opened lower on Friday following a disappointing report on employment that investors later took as a signal that the Fed might extend its easy money policy. The unemployment rate fell to 6.1%. By noon equities had moved north of the break-even line and spent the rest of the trading day there. Shortly before closing today the DJIA traded up 0.34% for the day, the S&P 500 traded up 0.45%, and the Nasdaq Composite traded up 0.41%.

The Dow 30 stock posting the biggest percentage gain today was The Home Depot Inc. (NYSE: HD) which traded higher by 1.75% at $91.50 today. The stock’s 52-week range is $72.21 to $93.52. Volume was about 15% below the daily average of around 6.8 million shares traded. The company had no news today, but worries are abating over the damage caused by the potential data breach the company reported earlier this week.

Merck & Co. (NYSE: MRK) traded up 1.71% at $61.10 in a 52-week range of $44.62 to $61.15, a new 52-week high. The drug company’s new-wave cancer drug was approved for use by the FDA. Trading volume was about equal to the daily average of 8.1 million shares traded.

Wal-Mart Stores Inc.(NYSE: WMT) traded up 1.08% at $77.37 in a 52-week range of $71.51 to $81.37. Volume was about 15% above the daily average of around 5.6 million shares traded. The company had no news today.

The Walt Disney Co. (NYSE: DIS) traded up 0.78% at $90.84 in a 52-week range of $60.63 to $91.20. The company had no news today, but last’s first regular-season NFL game has spread its glow over the next several months of ESPN’s telecasts. Trading volume was about 30% below the daily average of 5.8 million shares.

Of the Dow 30 stocks 21 are set to close higher today and 9 are poised to close lower.

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