DJIA Today Falls 85 Points on Mixed Earnings Reports

For April 21, 2015, here's how the stock market did today, earnings reports, the top stock market news, and stocks to watch based on today's market moves…

How Did the Stock Market Do Today?

Dow: 17,949.59, -85.34, -0.47%

S&P 500: 2,097.29, -3.11, -0.15%

Nasdaq: 5,014.10, +19.50, +0.39%

The DJIA today slid 85 points as corporate earnings continue to show the effects of a strong U.S. dollar. The dollar has surged more than 9% year to date and punished companies with a broad international focus and reliance on overseas sales.

The Nasdaq moved 19 points higher on news of a proposed biotech merger.

Top Stock Market News Today

• Oil Prices Today: Oil prices slipped this afternoon on mixed economic data and news that a Saudi-led military operation in Yemen has ended. Brent oil, priced in London, fell 2.0% to $62.13 per barrel. WTI crude, priced in New York City, dipped 2.0% to hit $55.58 per barrel. Tomorrow will be an important day for crude prices as the Energy Information Administration reports weekly inventory levels for oil stocks.
• Flash Crash: The Department of Justice announced today that a high-frequency trader based in London has been arrested and charged with crimes in connection to the May 2010 "flash crash." This is the first time that regulators have alleged manipulation in the event. The trader, Navinder Singh Sarao, has been charged with wire fraud, commodities fraud, and manipulation.
• After the Bell: Following today's close a number of key companies will report quarterly results. That roster includes Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc. (NYSE: CMG), Yahoo Inc. (Nasdaq: YHOO), and chipmaker Broadcom Corp. (Nasdaq: BRCM).

Stocks to Watch: CMCSA, AAPL, DD, MYL                    

• Stocks to Watch No. 1, CMCSA: Six U.S. Senators have urged the government to reject the $45.2 billion merger between cable giant Comcast Corp. (Nasdaq: CMCSA) and Time Warner Cable Inc. (NYSE: TWC). Five Democrats and one independent Senator have asked Attorney General Eric Holder and Federal Communications Commission Chairman Tom Wheeler to turn down the deal. The Senators argued that the merger will lead to higher prices and fewer choices for consumers. The two companies will meet with the Justice Department on Wednesday to offer concessions in an attempt to expedite the proposed deal.
• Stocks to Watch No. 2, DD: Shares of DuPont Co. (NYSE: DD) slipped more than 3% this morning after the company reported quarterly earnings. DuPont has been engaged in a proxy battle with activist investor Nelson Peltz for several months and was expected to report weak earnings thanks to a stronger dollar and lower agricultural business. However, the company reported per-share earnings of $1.34, which topped consensus expectations by roughly $0.03. Peltz has pressed for a breakup of the company and wants four board seats at the 212-year-old industrial giant.

• Stocks to Watch No. 3, AAPL: Shares of Apple Inc. (Nasdaq: AAPL) slipped 0.5% as investors begin to contemplate the impact of the stronger dollar on company's pending April 27 earnings report. A number of analysts project strong iPhone sales for the quarter. However, with a strong chunk coming in countries where currencies are struggling against the dollar, profits could be muted.
• Stocks to Watch No. 4, MYL: Shares of Mylan NV (Nasdaq: MYL) jumped 8.85% this afternoon on news that the company has received an $82-per-share takeover bid from rival Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. (NYSE ADR: TEVA). Teva's bid is extremely aggressive at a time when its lucrative Copaxone drug faces competition from generics. Shares of Teva rose 1.37% on the day.
• Stocks to Watch No. 5, UA: Sports apparel giant Under Armour (NYSE: UA) reported first-quarter earnings this week to a mixed response. The Baltimore-based firm matched EPS expectations of $0.05 and exceeded Wall Street expectations on revenue, posting $805 million against the Street's estimate of $802.5 million. UA stock slipped 4.83% on the day, despite the earnings beat.

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Garrett Baldwin

About the Author

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Garrett Baldwin is a globally recognized research economist, financial writer, and consultant with degrees from Northwestern, Johns Hopkins, Purdue, and Indiana University. He is a seasoned financial and political risk analyst, with a focus on stocks, hedge funds, private equity, blockchain, and housing policy. He has conducted risk assessment projects for clients in 27 countries, and consulted on policy and financial operations for some of the nation's largest financial institutions, including a $1.5 trillion credit fund, a $43 billion credit and auto loan giant, as well as two of the largest Wall Street banks by assets under management.

Garrett joined Money Map Press as an economist and researcher in 2011, specializing in alternative strategies with an emphasis on fundamental and technical analysis.

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