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Oil futures turned higher Wednesday after the U.S. Energy Information Administration reported a surprise decline in weekly supplies of crude oil. Crude inventories fell by 800,000 barrels for the week ended Feb. 5. The American Petroleum Institute on Tuesday reported a 2.4 million-barrel increase, according to sources. Analysts polled by Platts expected a rise of 3.2 million. Gasoline and distillate supplies each climbed by 1.3 million barrels, the EIA said. March crude was at $28.58 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange, up 64 cents, or 2.3%. Prices traded at $28.09 before the data.

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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Twitter Inc.’s stock is surging 5.5% in morning trade Wednesday, but options traders are prepping for a much bigger move this week after the social media company reports fourth-quarter results after the closing bell. An stock option strategy known as a “straddle,” which is a pure volatility play that involves the simultaneous buying of bullish and bear options at current prices, is implying a price move of about 18% through Friday, in either direction. At current prices, that would mean the buyer of the straddle wouldn’t start making money unless the stock closes Friday above about $17.70, or below $12.30. The average one-day, post-results move in the stock, since Twitter went public in November 2013, has been 13%, and the median move has been 12%. Prior to Thursday’s bounce, the stock had closed at record lows the past three sessions. It has tumbled 44% over the past three months, while the S&P 500 has lost 9.6%.

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

Twitter Inc.’s stock is surging 5.5% in morning trade Wednesday, but options traders are prepping for a much bigger move this week after the social media company reports fourth-quarter results after the closing bell. An stock option strategy known as a “straddle,” which is a pure volatility play that involves the simultaneous buying of bullish and bear options at current prices, is implying a price move of about 18% through Friday, in either direction. At current prices, that would mean the buyer of the straddle wouldn’t start making money unless the stock closes Friday above about $17.70, or below $12.30. The average one-day, post-results move in the stock, since Twitter went public in November 2013, has been 13%, and the median move has been 12%. Prior to Thursday’s bounce, the stock had closed at record lows the past three sessions. It has tumbled 44% over the past three months, while the S&P 500 has lost 9.6%.

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

There are now more than 260,000 robots working in U.S. factories. Orders and shipments for robots in North America set new records in 2015, according to industry trade group Robotic Industries Association. A total of 31,464 robots, valued at a combined $1.8 billion, were ordered from North American companies last year, marking a 14% increase in units and an 11% increase in value year-over-year. Shipments rose 10% over 2014 to 28,049 units. The biggest increase in robot orders came from buyers in the automotive, semiconductor and electronics industries, according to the trade group. The most popular jobs for these robots were industrial, including coating and dispensing, material handling and spot welding.

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

U.S. stocks opened slightly higher Wednesday as investors took in a cautious statement on the U.S. economy by Federal Reserve Chairwoman Janet Yellen that fell largely within expectations. In her statement released ahead of her testimony on Capitol Hill, Yellen did not back away from expectations for additional, gradual, interest-rate hikes. The S&P 500 opened 10 points, or 0.5%, higher at 1,861. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was up 40 points, or 0.2%, at 16,049 shortly after the open. Meanwhile, the Nasdaq Composite began the day up 45 points, or 1%, at 4,313.

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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Fitbit shares rose 3.5% in pre-market trade Wednesday after Salesforce Chief Executive Officer Marc Benioff reported a 5.3% stake in the company. Benioff owns 5,311,824 shares in Fitbit , according to a filing. Shares of the stock have fallen 33% in one month, compared to the S&P 500’s decline of 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.

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US Foods Holding Corp., a food distribution company, announced plans to go public Wednesday. In its prospectus, the company reported $23 billion in sales for the 12-month period ended Sept. 26. The filing comes after a failed attempt to be acquired by Sysco Corporation . US Foods Holding Corp said it planned to raise $100 million in the prospectus, but the number is likely a placeholder. The company plans to list on the New York stock exchange with the symbol “USFD.”

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

Humana Inc. reported Wednesday fourth-quarter earnings of $101 million, or 67 cents per share, compared with $145 million, or 94 cents a share, in the same period a year ago. Adjusted EPS was $1.45, matching the FactSet consensus of $1.45. Revenue rose to $13.36 billion from $12.33 billion, but below the FactSet consensus of $13.46 billion. For 2016, the company expects adjusted EPS of $8.85, compared with the FactSet consensus of $8.70. The stock was not yet active in pre-market trade but had lost 9.6% over the last three months, while the S&P 500 dropped 11%.

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

Time Warner Inc.’s stock climbed 1.3% in premarket trade Wednesday, as the media company’s better-than-expected fourth-quarter profit, a raised dividend and a new stock buyback program helped offset a revenue miss. Earnings for the latest quarter rose to $857 million, or $1.06 a share, from $718 million, or 84 cents a share, in the same period a year ago. Excluding non-recurring items, adjusted earnings per share of $1.06 was above the FactSet consensus of $1.01. Revenue fell to $7.08 billion from $7.53 billion, missing the FactSet consensus of $7.54 billion. Revenue from its Turner and HBO units rose mostly in line with expectations, but Warner Bros. revenue fell more than expected, due primarily to lower theatrical revenue. The company said it raised its quarterly dividend by 15% to 40.25 a share, and authorized a new $5 billion share repurchase program. The stock has declined 9.4% over the past three months through Tuesday, while the S&P 500 has dropped 11%.

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