Private employers added more jobs than expected in August to lift the markets to a higher open with Dow climbing 83 points to 10,404. Nasdaq gained 23 points to 2224.
On the upside
Take-Two Interactive (Nasdaq: TTWO) reversed year ago losses to post a better than expected profit for the third quarter as revenue surged and lifted its guidance for the fourth quarter.
First quarter earnings fell for Finisar (Nasdaq: FNSR) but revenue climbed and the results topped analyst estimates.
In its just released August operational summary, MGIC (NYSE: MTG) subsidiary Mortgage Guaranty Insurance announced $1.2 billion in new insurance written.
On the downside
A Seeking Alpha article reported that patients on anti-obesity drugs discontinue using the medications due to side effects at a rate of 40% to 50% sending shares of Vivus (NYSE: VVUS), which is working with the Food and Drug Administration to win approval for its diet drug Qnexa, tumbling.
Celldex (Nasdaq: CLDX) and Pfizer (NYSE: PFE) ended their development and marketing agreement for Celldex's cancer vaccine rindopepimut.
Quiksilver (NYSE: ZQK) reported higher third quarter earnings but revenue fell to miss expectations.
In the broad market, advancing issues outpaced decliners by a margin of more than 4 to 1 on the NYSE and by more than 7 to 2 on Nasdaq. The Russell 2000 which tracks small cap stocks climbed 9 points to 641.
