The Dow advanced 0.20 percent to 34,647.52 at the close of business on Wednesday, while the NASDAQ gained 0.01 percent to 14,664.04. The S&P 500 increased 0.33 percent to 4,358.01.
The United States has the largest number of coronavirus cases and deaths in the world, with 33,748,690 infections and 605,930 deaths reported. In India, there were at least 30,663,660 cases confirmed, with 404,210 deaths, whereas in Brazil, there were over 18,855,010 COVID-19 cases verified, with 526,890 deaths. According to data provided by Johns Hopkins University, there were at least 184,692,740 cases of COVID-19 worldwide, with more than 3,995,310 deaths.
Sectors that are leading and those that are lagging
On Wednesday, materials stocks rose 0.8 percent. Warrior Met Coal, Inc. (NYSE: HCC) and Kraton Corporation (NYSE: KRA) were among the sector’s top gainers, up 8% and 7%, respectively.
Energy stocks slumped 1.7 percent in Wednesday’s trade.
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On Wednesday, MSC Industrial Direct Co Inc (NYSE: MSM) posted better-than-expected third-quarter results.
MSC Industrial Direct reported $1.42 per share in quarterly earnings, beating analysts’ expectations of $1.37 per share. The company’s sales came in at $866.30 million, compared to $847.22 million expected.
Equities are rising in value.
After the business announced top-line results from its confirmatory pharmacokinetic study for OPNT003, nasal nalmefene, for opioid overdose, shares of Opiant Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: OPNT) jumped 38 percent to $18.25.
Dare Bioscience, Inc. (NASDAQ: DARE) stock jumped 34% to $2.03 on news that the business had reached an agreement with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and had been awarded a fresh grant of up to $48.95 million to support the development of DARE-LARC1.
OncoSec Medical Incorporated (NASDAQ: ONCS) saw its stock rise 30% to $3.62 after the business announced that its DNA-plasmid interleukin-12 (IL-12) TAVO (tavokinogene telseplasmid) will be compared to Merck & Co’s Keytruda (pembrolizumab) in the KEYNOTE-C87 Phase 3 trial.
Take a look at today’s big movers.
Trading in equities is down.
The stock of Bridgeline Digital, Inc. (NASDAQ: BLIN) has dropped 27% to $8.88. According to Bridgeline Digital, an Indonesian affiliate of a major footwear brand chose the company’s Celebros search for online experience.
The stock of BSQUARE Corporation (NASDAQ: BSQR) was trading at $5.11, down 28 percent. Under the company’s Form S-3 filed on March 18, software solutions provider BSQUARE entered into a Side Letter with B. Riley Securities, Inc on July 6, 2021 to sell shares with an aggregate offering price of up to $50 million.
IDEAYA Biosciences, Inc. (NASDAQ: IDYA) fell down 23 percent to $17.46 after the company announced an underwritten public offering of up to $80 million shares. Underwriters have the opportunity to buy up to $12 million worth of stock.
Commodities
In commodity news, oil fell 2% to $71.94 per barrel, while gold rose 0.4 percent to $1,801.90 per ounce.
Silver fell 0.2 percent to $26.125 on Wednesday, while copper jumped 1.6 percent to $4.3170.
The Eurozone
Today’s European stock market closes mostly higher. The STOXX 600 index in the eurozone rose 0.78 percent, while the Spanish Ibex Index lost 0.07 percent and the German DAX 30 rose 1.17 percent. Meanwhile, the FTSE 100 in London increased by 0.71 percent, the CAC 40 in France increased by 0.31 percent, and the FTSE MIB in Italy increased by 0.23 percent.
The European Commission raised its GDP predictions for the Eurozone in 2021 and 2022. House prices in the United Kingdom up 8.8% year on year in June, following a revised 9.6% gain the previous month. In May, German industrial production decreased unexpectedly by 0.3 percent.
In May, France had a trade deficit of EUR 6.80 billion, while the current account deficit climbed to EUR 2.3 billion from EUR 2.0 billion the previous month.
Economics
During the week ending July 3, the Johnson Redbook Retail Sales Index increased 19.4% year over year.
From a revised reading of 9.193 million in April, the number of job opportunities surged to a new high of 9.209 million in May.
The minutes of the Federal Open Market Committee’s most recent meeting were released.
Raphael Bostic, President of the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta, will talk at 3:30 p.m. ET.
The complete economic calendar can be seen here (C) 2021. Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not offer financial advice. All intellectual property rights are reserved./n
