Dow Jones: 13,181 (+0.07%)
Nasdaq: 3,026 (+0.29%)
S&P 500: 1,406 (+0.18%)
LONDON (SHARECAST) - There was a cautious tone on equity markets in the US after the opening bell on Wednesday as investors reacted to a barrage of domestic economic data.
Economic data comes in mixed
The Empire State manufacturing index fell to -5.9 this month, well down from 7.4 in July. Consensus forecasts were for a more modest fall to 7.0.
The Institute for Supply Management (ISM) said that its monthly index was 49.8 in July, only slightly higher than the three-year low of 49.7 reached the month before. Any figure below 50 suggests contraction.
Industrial output increased by 0.6% in July, only slightly ahead of the 0.5% growth expected.
The US consumer price index was unchanged in July, showing no change for the third time in four months. The market had been expecting a 0.2% increase. The annual inflation rate eased to 1.4% (consensus forecast: 1.5%) from 1.7%.
Philip Morris drops on Australian plain-packaging
Cigarette maker Philip Morris was out of favour - along with UK-listed peers Imperial Tobacco and British American Tobacco - after Australia became the first nation to implement a law requiring all cigarette packets to have plain packaging.
The ruling, hailed by the medical world as a massive victory for global health, is expected to encourage other governments to enforce plain-packaging laws after Australia threw out challenges by tobacco heavyweights across the world.
Social networking giant Facebook was being 'liked' early on after it was revealed that Soros Fund Management, managed by legendary investor George Soros, bought $10m-worth of shares in second quarter.
Netflix, the entertainment media streaming company, has announced it is to start operating in Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden by the end of the year.
Optical products provider JDS Uniphase rose strong after it released better than expected results after the bell yesterday.
S&P 500 - Risers
JDS Uniphase Corp. (JDSU) $11.58 +8.43%
Abercrombie & Fitch Co. (ANF) $34.47 +6.62%
Starbucks Corp. (SBUX) $47.53 +2.37%
Target Corp. (TGT) $64.59 +1.91%
Fossil Inc. (FOSL) $86.05 +1.76%
Akamai Technologies Inc. (AKAM) $36.05 +1.72%
Progressive Corp. (PGR) $20.14 +1.72%
Advanced Micro Devices Inc. (AMD) $4.18 +1.46%
F5 Networks Inc. (FFIV) $98.36 +1.41%
Juniper Networks Inc. (JNPR) $18.31 +1.33%
S&P 500 - Fallers
Staples Inc. (SPLS) $11.46 -14.83%
Deere & Co. (DE) $75.14 -6.23%
United States Steel Corp. (X) $22.20 -1.94%
Alpha Natural Res (ANR) $6.71 -1.90%
First Solar Inc. (FSLR) $19.67 -1.82%
AGL Resources Inc. (GAS) $40.06 -1.60%
Allegheny Technologies Inc. (ATI) $31.42 -1.41%
Sprint Nextel Corporation (S) $4.92 -1.40%
Caterpillar Inc. (CAT) $86.64 -1.40%
Kroger Co. (KR) $22.04 -1.39%
Dow Jones I.A - Risers
Cisco Systems Inc. (CSCO) $17.29 +0.70%
Pfizer Inc. (PFE) $24.07 +0.38%
International Business Machines Corp. (IBM) $198.89 +0.30%
Home Depot Inc. (HD) $54.86 +0.27%
Wal-Mart Stores Inc. (WMT) $74.19 +0.24%
Exxon Mobil Corp. (XOM) $88.40 +0.23%
American Express Co. (AXP) $56.18 +0.18%
Walt Disney Co. (DIS) $49.77 +0.16%
Microsoft Corp. (MSFT) $30.17 +0.13%
Travelers Company Inc. (TRV) $63.62 +0.13%
Dow Jones I.A - Fallers
Caterpillar Inc. (CAT) $86.64 -1.40%
Verizon Communications Inc. (VZ) $44.00 -0.75%
United Technologies Corp. (UTX) $77.26 -0.66%
Chevron Corp. (CVX) $112.61 -0.63%
Boeing Co. (BA) $73.36 -0.61%
AT&T Inc. (T) $37.03 -0.58%
Hewlett-Packard Co. (HPQ) $19.25 -0.54%
General Electric Co. (GE) $20.83 -0.53%
Intel Corp. (INTC) $26.37 -0.42%
Merck & Co. Inc. (MRK) $44.23 -0.41%
Nasdaq 100 - Risers
Starbucks Corp. (SBUX) $47.53 +2.37%
Fossil Inc. (FOSL) $86.05 +1.76%
Akamai Technologies Inc. (AKAM) $36.05 +1.72%
F5 Networks Inc. (FFIV) $98.36 +1.41%
Check Point Software Technologies Ltd. (CHKP) $48.56 +1.29%
NetApp Inc. (NTAP) $31.81 +1.24%
Sandisk Corp. (SNDK) $40.85 +0.79%
Nvidia Corp. (NVDA) $14.70 +0.75%
Cisco Systems Inc. (CSCO) $17.29 +0.70%
Netflix Inc. (NFLX) $62.19 +0.70%
Nasdaq 100 - Fallers
Staples Inc. (SPLS) $11.46 -14.83%
Vodafone Group Plc ADS (VOD) $29.51 -1.53%
Perrigo Company (PRGO) $115.25 -1.15%
Dell Inc. (DELL) $12.06 -1.07%
Sears Holdings Corp. (SHLD) $54.62 -1.00%
Activision Blizzard Inc. (ATVI) $11.43 -0.87%
Micron Technology Inc. (MU) $6.49 -0.84%
Green Mountain Coffee Roasters Inc. (GMCR) $22.67 -0.79%
Citrix Systems Inc. (CTXS) $74.93 -0.72%
Dollar Tree Stores Inc. (DLTR) $50.31 -0.61%
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