Shares of cable TV companies are getting pummeled in midday trade Thursday, as another round of disappointing quarterly reports fueled fears about the long-term viability of the sector. Viacom Inc.’s stock plunged 20% to the lowest level since November 2011, after the company reported fiscal third-quarter sales that missed expectations. The selloff extends the 7.5% slide on Wednesday, and bring the three-month loss to 41%. In contrast, the S&P 500 has gained 0.3% the last three months, and rival video-streaming service provider Netflix Inc.’s stock has soared 56%. 21st Century Fox Inc.’s stock tumbled 13%, adding to the 7% drop in the previous session, after the company missed sales expectations and provided a disappointing outlook. The stock has now lost 18% over the past three months. Among other cable TV providers, shares of Time Warner Inc. slumped 5.9% to a nine-month low and Discovery Communications dropped 1.2% to the lowest level since November 2012. Cablevision Systems’ stock shed 4.7% and Verizon Communications Inc. shares slipped 0.4%.

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From:: Stock Market News

The average rate for a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage dropped to 3.91% in the week that ended Aug. 4, falling to the lowest level in two months, from the prior week’s reading of 3.98%, according to a Thursday report from federally controlled mortgage buyer Freddie Mac. “Uncertainty about the economy helped drive down Treasury yields early in the week,” said Sean Becketti, Freddie’s chief economist. Changes in long-term-mortgage rates closely track movements on the yield for the 10-year Treasury note. A year ago, the 30-year rate was at 4.14%. A record low of 3.31% for the 30-year mortgage was reached in November 2012. The average rate for the 15-year fixed-rate mortgage fell to 3.13% in the latest week from 3.17% in the prior week. Meanwhile, the rate for a 5-year Treasury-indexed hybrid adjustable-rate mortgage was 2.95%, unchanged from the prior week. The rate for a 1-year Treasury-indexed ARM rose to 2.54% from 2.52%.

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From:: Stock Market News

Planet Fitness Inc. shares got off to a weak start on their first day of trade Thursday, shedding more than 10% to trade at $14.30 in the first few minutes, below their issue price of $16. The company sold 13.5 million shares to raise $216 million. Shares are trading on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol “PLNT.” The move comes a day after Fitbit Inc. shares were hammered following a stronger-than-expected earnings report by apparent disappointment at the company’s failure to unveil any new products.

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From:: Stock Market News

U.S. stocks quickly turned negative in early Thursday trade after briefly opening in positive territory. Pressure from energy and consumer sectors weighed on the main indexes, sending the main indexes lower. The Dow Jones Industrial Average . was off nearly 65 points, or 0.4%, to 17,474.17. Shares of Walt Disney Company , down 2.5%, weighed on the blue-chip index for a second day. The S&P 500 was 5 points lower, or 0.2%, at 2,094, while the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite Index shed 15 points, or 0.3%, to 5,124.79.

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From:: Stock Market News

Keurig Green Mountain was downgraded to hold from buy at Canaccord Genuity on Thursday after the manufacturer of at-home coffee brewers reported disappointing quarterly earnings amid a sharp increase in competition from the likes of Nespresso. “We can’t forecast meaningful growth,” said analyst Scott Van Winkle, who also lowered his price target by 46% to $65 from $120. While the stock is already down more than 28% in premarket trade, Winkle said valuation assumptions are still “significantly reduced” by the company’s new growth trajectory. The analysts said he can’t recommend buying the stock until either Keurig’s cold-brewing system, KOLD, expected to launch this fall, runs its course, or the direct competitive risk to its K-cup pods starts to moderate.

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From:: Stock Market News

By Liz Gray

Trends come and go, but the perfect sofa is forever. The living room is one of the most-used spaces in my home, so it’s essential that every piece both looks good and does double or even triple duty in the room. Here are some of my favorite hard-working living room design musts for show-stopping style that just won’t quit. See my picks, then tell me your living room style essentials!

1: The Perfect Sofa

My ideal match? This blue velvet number that’s fun and vibrant with modern lines. It’s distinctive enough to catch guests’ eyes as they walk into the room, but neutral enough that I can switch up accessories as my tastes change.

2: An Oversized Gallery Wall

My living room’s focal point is a bright gallery wall full of original art and vintage finds. I love how the display changes as the collection grows.

3: A Versatile Bar Cart

It’s a side table. It’s a serving tray. It’s a mobile bar. Hardworking and stylish? This weathered brass cart definitely earns its keep.

4: A Set of Bookshelves

Whether built-in or freestanding, living room bookshelves are the perfect mix of style and function: You can display your favorite volumes in fun vignettes with favorite accessories. It’s also a great place to experiment with styling; I take an hour to rearrange my bookshelves when my room’s style starts to feel stale.

5: A Fresh Scent

Nothing welcomes a guest to your living room like a fresh scent, whether from fresh flowers or your signature candle or room spray. Trust me, you’ll enjoy your space even more if it’s stylish and smells great, too!

To extend the luxurious freshness to your couches, rugs, and other un-washable items, use Unstopables Fabric Refresher for up to seven days of freshness. Add up to six hours of irresistible scent to the air with a spritz of Unstopables Air Refresher. Learn more by visiting http://www.unstopables.com/en-us/home-fragrance-products.

What are your living room style staples? Tell me in the comments below.

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From:: HGTV

The New York Times reported net income of $16.4 million, or 10 cents per share, above $9.2 million, or 6 cents per share, in the year-earlier period. The company reported adjusted earnings per share of 13 cents, above the FactSet consensus of 11 cents. Sales were $382.9 million, below $388.7 million in the year-earlier period and below the FactSet consensus of $383.6 million. The New York Times said it added 33,000 net digital subscribers in the quarter, meaning it had 990,000 paid digital-only subscribers by the end of the second quarter and 1.1 million print and digital subscribers. “The number of digital subscriber additions in the second quarter was higher than in the same quarter in either 2014 or 2013, despite the impact of our decision to switch NYT Now from a subscription to a free product,” said chief executive Mark Thompson.

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From:: Stock Market News

AMC Network Inc. shares jumped 3% after the company reported better-than-expected second-quarter earnings, beating on profit. AMC reported a profit of $83 million, or $1.14 earnings per share, compared with $59 million, or 83 cents per share earnings in the same period a year ago. Adjusted EPS for the second quarter was $1.23, FactSet consensus was 91 cents. AMC reported an increase in revenue, up 15% to $601 million vs. $522 million in the year prior period. FacSet consensus on revenue was $588 million. AMC Network shares are up 23% in the year to date. The S&P is up 2%.

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From:: Stock Market News

WASHINGTON (MarketWatch) – The number of people who applied for U.S. unemployment benefits at the end of July rose for the second straight week, but new claims remained unusually low in a reflection of a steadily improving labor market. Initial jobless claims edged up 3,000 to 270,000 in week ended Aug. 1, the government said Thursday. That matched the forecast of economists surveyed by MarketWatch. New claims had fallen to a 42-year low in mid-July. The average of new claims over the past month, meanwhile, fell by 6,500 to seasonally adjusted 268,250. That’s the lowest level since mid-May and the second smallest reading since the recession ended in 2009. The four-week average smooths out sharp fluctuations in the more volatile weekly report and is seen as a more accurate predictor of labor-market trends. Some 2.26 million people were already collecting weekly unemployment benefits, known as continuing claims, in the seven days ended July 25. That was down 14,000 from the prior week.

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From:: Stock Market News

SeaWorld Entertainment Inc. shares fell 5% in premarket trade, after the company reported weaker-than-expected profit and revenue for the second quarter. The theme park operator said net income came to $5.8 million, or 7 cents a share, down from $37.4 million, or 43 cents a share, in the year-earlier period. Adjusted per-share earnings came to 22 cents, well below the FactSet consensus of 40 cents. Revenue fell to $391.6 million from $405.2 million, compared with a FactSet consensus of $397 million. Attendance fell to 6.478 million from 6.584 million, which the company said was due to the timing of Easter, record rainfall in Texas and continued brand challenges in California. The company has struggled since the release of the “Blackfish” documentary that alleged cruelty in its handling of Orcas. It has worked to overcome the fallout with a television ad campaign. “Early feedback on our campaign has been positive, however, we recognize that fully resolving our brand challenges in California will require sustained focus and commitment to correct misinformation,” Chief Executive Joel Manby said in a statement. Shares are down about 19% in the last three months, while the S&P 500 has gained 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.

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From:: Stock Market News