Dow Jones Today Slips 41 Points but GPRO, ATHL Log Double-Digit Gains

Dow Jones Today, Sept. 29, 2014: U.S. markets slipped again Monday as investors raised new concerns about civil unrest in Hong Kong, where the Chinese government fired tear gas at pro-democracy protesters in one of the largest political crackdowns in China since the Tiananmen Square protests 25 years ago.

Hong Kong and China have had two different political and economic systems since the United Kingdom ceded control in 1997. However, China is now intensifying efforts to stifle pro-democracy advocacy in the region. The iShares FTSE/Xinhua China 25 Index (ETF) (NYSE Arca: FXI) slipped 2.5% on the day.

Here's the scorecard from today's trading session:

Dow: 17,071.22, -41.93 (-0.25%)
Nasdaq: 4,505.85, -6.34 (-0.14%)
S&P 500: 1,977.80, -5.05 (-0.25%)

The S&P Volatility Index (VIX) soared more than 10% this morning. Market uncertainty spiked on news of the ongoing China protests and concerns that Pacific Investment Management Company LLC (Pimco) will likely unwind a number of low-volatility positions with the departure of its co-founder Bill Gross.

Now, here's a breakdown of today's other top stories and stock performances:

• China's Slump: Protests in China dragged down U.S. markets, with Chinese ADRs among today's largest losers. Shares of PetroChina Co. Ltd. (NYSE ADR: PTR) and China Petroleum & Chemical Corp. (NYSE ADR: SNP) both slipped by more than 3%. Shares of ReneSola Ltd. (NYSE ADR: SOL) were down more than 1.5% on the day.

• Speculators Prepare: Alibaba stock options began trading Monday morning, allowing investors who missed out on the IPO of Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. (NYSE: BABA) another way to play the security. Options contracts are usually a great way for experienced investors to make additional profits on a stock. However, Alibaba stock options will not come cheap. Shares of Alibaba were down more than 2% on the day.

• Merger Mania: Shares of Texas-based Athlon Energy Inc. (NYSE: ATHL) were up nearly 25% on news it would be purchased from Canadian energy producer Encana Corp. (NYSE: ECA) for nearly $7.1 billion. The strategic acquisition gives Encana access to a large range of assets totaling roughly 140,000 acres in Texas's oil-rich Permian Basin. Here's the full story on Encana's biggest deal to date...

• Bad Brazilian Bets: While unrest hit China over the weekend, trouble in another emerging market is raising new concerns. Stocks in Brazil were on pace for their sharpest one-day drop in three years. Markets are on edge after an election poll showed that President Dilma Rousseff is narrowing the gap against challenger Marina Silva ahead of this coming weekend's election. Shares of Brazil's state-run oil company Petroleo Brasileiro Petrobras SA (NYSE ADR: PBR) slumped more than 10% on the day. Brazilian investors warn that Rousseff's policies do not benefit minority shareholders in the nation's state-owned companies.

• Bad Bets: Shares of Wynn Resorts Ltd. (Nadsaq: WYNN) dipped nearly 3% on news that August gaming revenue in Nevada slumped again. The state's Gaming Control Board announced over the weekend that August revenue was $920.3 million, a decrease of roughly 3.7% from August 2013. Meanwhile, in Atlantic City, N.J., activist investor Carl Icahn is mulling a $100 million bid that would save the Taj Mahal casino, which is currently facing bankruptcy.

• On Sale Now: Shares of GoPro Inc. (Nasdaq: GPRO) soared more than 10% on news that the company unveiled a new line of high-end camera models. The company announced it has redesigned its Hero camera line and plans to sell an entry-level camera for a lower price than its previous GoPro models. The new products will be on sale Oct. 5. Shares of the camera maker continue to soar since going public in June at $24 a share. This afternoon, GPRO stock ticked above $85 for the first time to close at $90.94.

Now our experts share some of the most important investment moves to make based on today's market trading - for Money Morning Members only:

• A Post-Petrodollar Play for Triple-Digit Gains: It is now clear that both Russia and China are making concerted efforts to move off the petrodollar system. The result of this trend will roil the currency markets, and we can expect these seismic shifts to affect the U.S. dollar - and the stock market. The changes open up profit opportunities, too, and Peter Krauth has found the perfect stock to benefit from the petrodollar's demise.....

• (Other) Investors Will Hate You for Using This Investment Strategy: Even with interest rates so low and the economy steadily improving, many nervous investors - worried about a correction - are selling off. Whenever this sort of negative noise is in the air, it is not a time to sell; it's a profit opportunity for tech investors. That's why Defense & Tech Specialist Michael A. Robinson is sharing three strategies designed to turn market declines to your financial advantage. With them, you'll leave the nervous sellers in the dust...

• 252 Million Years Ago, This Nearly Wiped Out All Life... Tomorrow, It Could Solve Our Energy Problems: According to an April study issued in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, permafrost soil, which typically remains frozen all year, is thawing and decomposing at an accelerating rate. But after a shocking discovery, it seems something locked in the soil could become the fuel of the future... and you could profit big off the new revolution.

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