October 26, 2015: Markets opened lower on Monday after Asian markets didn’t react as positively as expected to China’s interest rate cut. New home sales in the U.S. fell by 11.5% month-over-month to the lowest level in 10 months and that has kept a lid on the blue chippers today. WTI crude oil for December delivery settled at $43.98 a barrel, down 1.4% on the day, and gold settled up 0.3% at $1,166.20 for the day. Equities were headed for a mixed close shortly before the closing bell as the DJIA traded down 0.16% for the day, the S&P 500 traded down 0.21%, and the Nasdaq Composite traded up 0.01%.
The DJIA stock posting the largest daily percentage loss ahead of the close Monday was Apple Inc. (NASDAQ: AAPL) which traded down 3.07% at $115.42. The stock’s 52-week range is $92.00 to $134.54. Trading volume was about 2 million shares below the daily average of nearly 59 million. The company had no specific news today, but dazzling earnings from Amazon, Google, and Microsoft lifted all tech stocks today. Apple reports fiscal fourth quarter results Tuesday, but a supplier’s inadvertent release of third quarter results this morning (2 days ahead of schedule) weighed on the iPhone maker’s stock.

Chevron Corp. (NYSE: CVX) traded down 2.61% at $88.86 The stock’s 52-week range is $69.58 to $120.17. Trading volume was slightly more than half the daily average of around 12 million. The company’s stock took a beating on today’s drop in crude oil prices.

Exxon Mobil Co. (NYSE: XOM) traded down 1.98% at $81.34. The stock’s 52-week range is $65.02 to $93.89.  Volume is about half the daily average of 16.2 million shares traded. Low crude oil prices and low natural gas prices combined to put a double whammy on the stock today.

Intel Corp. (NASDAQ: INTC) traded down 0.97% at $34.56 The stock’s 52-week range is $24.87 to $37.90. Trading volume was about 45% below the daily average of around 33.3 million. The company announced the acquisition of a small cognitive computing company this morning.

Of the Dow 30 stocks 15 are set to close higher today and 15 are on track to close lower.

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