MORNING BUSINESS MINUTE, WEDS. FEB. 15, 2006
By:
Updated: April 17, 2007
We saw the price of oil drop $1.67 a barrel to close at $59.57 on Nymex -- that continues what analysts call a steep decline in energy prices.
We also saw the biggest jump in retail sales in some six years during the month of January -- a %2.3 percent climb.
The results?
The Dow added +136.07 (+1.25%) to finish at 11,028.39. The NASDAQ rose +22.36 (+1.00%) to close at 2,262.17 and the S&P 500 rose +12.67 (+1.00%) to close at 1,275.53.
Local stocks turned in a positive performance. JB Hunt (JBHT) added +3.12% to finish at $25.46. Tyson Foods (TSN) added +1.10% to close at $14.74. Acxiom (ACXM) rose +0.69% to finish at $24.91 and Wal-Mart (WMT) added +2.07% to finish at $46.45.
Today, we`ll see capacity utilization and industrial production for January, along with crude oil inventories.
Earnings today include numbers from Hewlett-Packard and Office Depot.
Overseas last night in Asia, the Nikkei rose +0.7% to reach 16,266.80 at the mid-day break in Tokyo. Back in the U.S., in extended hours trading, the NASDAQ 100 Afterhours Indicator rose +0.33 (+0.02%) to close the night at 1,662.28.
