Category: Stock Market News

UniQure N.V. shares surged almost 4% in premarket trade Monday, after the company reported positive results in an early-stage trial of a treatment for hemophelia B. The company said eighteen-month follow-up data from a Phase I/II trial of AMT-060 in the second-dose cohort found “substantial improvement” in disease state in all five patients, and that all those who previous required frequent infusions were able to stop them. The data were presented to the 58th American Society of Hematology (ASH) annual meeting in Atlanta, Georgia. “We continue to observe a therapeutic benefit from AMT-060 that is clearly superior to patients’ previous prophylactic FIX replacement therapy regimen, with stable elevations in Factor IX levels and a cessation of spontaneous bleeds,” said Professor Frank W.G. Leebeek, M.D. Ph.D. of the Erasmus University Medical Center in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. UniQure is planning to start a pivotal study in 2018 with AMT-061. Hemophelia is an inherited disease that affects males and stops their blood from clotting after a bleed. The condition can cause life-threatening episodes of external and internal bleeding and requires regular injections of plasma-derived human Factor IX. UniQure shares have gained 218% in 2017, while the S&P 500 has 18%.

Market Pulse Stories are Rapid-fire, short news bursts on stocks and markets as they move. Visit MarketWatch.com for more information on this news.

…read more

From:: Stock Market News

PhaseRx Inc. said Monday it has filed for bankruptcy protection. The biopharmaceutical company, which develops treatments for liver disorders in children, said it will continue to operate its business under the jurisdiction of the bankruptcy court. The company said it is working with Cowen and Co. to review financial and strategic alternatives. The stock is currently halted for news until 7:35 a.m. ET. “The protection afforded under a Chapter 11 filing enables us to continue to explore strategic alternatives, including a potential merger transaction,” said Chief Executive Robert Overell. In October, the company said it was cutting its workforce in half, give delays in the development of its lead product candidate, and as it reviewed alternatives, including a potential merger. The stock has plunged 35.5% year to date, while the iShares Nasdaq Biotechnology ETF has rallied 19.9% and the S&P 500 has climbed 18.4%.

Market Pulse Stories are Rapid-fire, short news bursts on stocks and markets as they move. Visit MarketWatch.com for more information on this news.

…read more

From:: Stock Market News

Auto-parts company LKQ Corp. said Monday it will buy Germany’s Stahlgruber Otto Gruber AG in a deal with an enterprise value of the equivalent of about $1.77 billion. LKQ said it expects to fund the deal for the distributor of spare parts for passenger cars, tools, capital equipment and accessories with proceeds from planned debt offerings, borrowings under its current credit facility and direct issuance of 8.06 million newly issued LKQ shares to Stahlgruber’s owner. The is expected to close late in the first quarter or early in the second quarter. “Stahlgruber will create a contiguous footprint and serve as an additional strategic hub for our European operations, allowing for continued improvement in procurement, logistics and infrastructure optimization,” said LKQ Chief Executive John Quinn. The stock, which was still inactive in premarket trade, has rallied 31% year to date, while the S&P 500 has gained 18%.

Market Pulse Stories are Rapid-fire, short news bursts on stocks and markets as they move. Visit MarketWatch.com for more information on this news.

…read more

From:: Stock Market News

Apple Inc. said late Friday that Jony Ive, a long-time executive responsible for some of Apple’s most iconic products, has resumed oversight of the design team, according to multiple reports. Ive has spent recent years focused on the new “space ship” Apple Park campus in Cupertino, California. Ive began leading Apple’s design team in the 1990s and designed the original iMac PC, the first iPod and the iPad. Apple stock is down a fraction after hours. Apple stock has gained 46% this year, as the S&P 500 index rose 18%. The Dow Jones Industrial Average, of which Apple is a component, rose 23%.

Market Pulse Stories are Rapid-fire, short news bursts on stocks and markets as they move. Visit MarketWatch.com for more information on this news.

…read more

From:: Stock Market News

Macy’s Inc. said late Friday Executive Chairman Terry Lundgren will retire from the board of directors effective Jan. 31. The board has appointed Chief Executive Jeff Gennette to the additional role of chairman from that date on. After Lundgren’s retirement, the Macy’s board will have 10 directors, the company said. Shares of Macy’s were flat in late trading after ending the regular session up 2.1%.

Market Pulse Stories are Rapid-fire, short news bursts on stocks and markets as they move. Visit MarketWatch.com for more information on this news.

…read more

From:: Stock Market News

Apple Inc. is nearing an acquisition of Shazam, the music-recognition service, according to a TechCrunch report published Friday afternoon. TechCrunch cited sources familiar with the deal and wrote that Apple could be paying “nine figures” for Shazam, below the $1.02 billion valuation it fetched it its latest funding round in 2015. The deal is to be signed “this week” and may be announced Monday, according to TechCrunch. Apple has been looking for ways to enhance its music offerings and compete with Spotify. The company acquired Beats in 2014 and recently began including original video programming to subscribers of its Apple Music service. Apple Music had “over 30 million” subscribers as of September, whereas Spotify crossed the 60-million mark for paying subscribers in July. Apple shares were flat in Friday trading, compared with a 0.5% rise for the Dow Jones Industrial Average .

Market Pulse Stories are Rapid-fire, short news bursts on stocks and markets as they move. Visit MarketWatch.com for more information on this news.

…read more

From:: Stock Market News

Morningstar Inc. said late Friday its board of directors has declared a quarterly dividend of 25 cents a share, payable Jan. 31 to shareholders of record Jan. 5. That reflects an 8.7% increase in the quarterly dividend from 23 cents a share. The company said it expects to pay three additional dividends in 2018. The board also approved a new share buyback program that authorizes Morningstar to repurchase up to $500 million effective Jan. 1. Shares of Morningstar rose 0.2% in late trading after ending the regular session down 1.3%.

Market Pulse Stories are Rapid-fire, short news bursts on stocks and markets as they move. Visit MarketWatch.com for more information on this news.

…read more

From:: Stock Market News

Stocks ended the week on an positive note Friday, with the S&P 500 and Dow Jones Industrial Average logging record closes, while the Nasdaq Composite also advanced. The S&P 500 finished 0.6% higher at 2,651.50, according to preliminary figures, while the Dow advanced around 118 points, or 0.5%, to close around 24,329. The moves saw the S&P 500 and Dow turn positive for the week, with both gauges posting weekly advances of 0.4%. The Nasdaq Composite rose 0.4% to end near 6,840, trimming its weekly decline to 0.1%. A stronger-than-expected November jobs report helped buoy stocks in early action.

Market Pulse Stories are Rapid-fire, short news bursts on stocks and markets as they move. Visit MarketWatch.com for more information on this news.

…read more

From:: Stock Market News

Republican Rep. Trent Franks on Friday said he’s resigning immediately, just hours after his wife was admitted to a hospital following revelations that her husband had asked several staffers to be “surrogate” mothers for a child. One woman was reportedly offered $5 million. “Last night my wife was admitted to the hospital in Washington, D.C. due to an ongoing ailment,” he said in a statement. ” After discussing options with my family, we came to the conclusion that the best thing for our family now would be for me to tender my previous resignation effective today.” The Arizona conservative had planned to stay on until the end of the year. Republican leaders had asked Franks to leave and he was likely to face an ethics violation.

Market Pulse Stories are Rapid-fire, short news bursts on stocks and markets as they move. Visit MarketWatch.com for more information on this news.

…read more

From:: Stock Market News

Time Warner Inc.’s HBO said Friday its hit series “Big Little Lies” will return for a second, seven-episode installment. The second series will again star executive producers Reese Witherspoon and Nicole Kidman as mothers living in Monterey, California. Andrea Arnold, director of the film “American Honey,” will take over directing duties from French-Canadian director Jean-Marc Vallee. The first series won Emmys for lead actress Kidman, supporting actress Laura Dern and supporting actor Alexander Skarsgard, as well as outstanding director for Vallee, and outstanding limited series. Time Warner shares were flat Friday, but are down 6% in 2017, while the S&P 500 has gained 18%.

Market Pulse Stories are Rapid-fire, short news bursts on stocks and markets as they move. Visit MarketWatch.com for more information on this news.

…read more

From:: Stock Market News