The 52-Week Low Club for Friday

December 11, 2015: Here are four stocks trading with heavy volume among 344 equities making new 52-week lows today.

CenterPoint Energy Inc. (NYSE CNP) dropped about 0.6% on Friday to post a new 52-week low of $16.05 against a 52-week high of $24.38. The stock closed at $16.14 on Thursday night. Volume topped 18 million shares, more than 4 times the daily average of around 4.1 million shares traded. The natural gas utility firm added more than 3.5% following an announcement from hedge fund Elliott Management Corp. that it had taken a stake in the company.

Southwestern Energy Co. (NYSE: SWN) slipped about 16.6% on Friday to post a new 52-week low of $5.72 against a high of $31.49. The stock closed at $6.86 on Thursday night. Volume was about 50% above the daily average of around 14 million shares traded. The energy company had no specific news today, but lower crude oil prices have hit Southwestern’s shares hard.

Staples Inc. (NASDAQ: SPLS) posted a new low on Friday. Shares dropped about 5.4% to a low of $9.42 from Thursday’s closing price of $9.96. The stock’s 52-week high is $19.40. Volume was about 20% above the daily average of around 9.4 million shares. The office supply store had no specific news today.

Whiting Petroleum Corp. (NYSE: WLL) dropped about 13.3% on Friday to post a new 52-week low at $11.30 after closing at $13.03 on Thursday. The stock’s 52-week high is $41.57. Share volume was about equal to the daily average of around 5.9 million. The shale oil producer had no specific news today, but then, it didn’t need any more.

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