Closing Bell: Stocks End Rocky Month of Trading Mixed

DailyFinance Staff
Updated
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Getty ImagesA key measure of Chicago-area manufacturing activity had its biggest monthly drop since 2008, sinking to 51.6 from a 14-month high of 58.7 in May.

U.S. markets ended Friday trading with a thud, as stocks gyrated from win to loss and back again. Two economic reports -- one upbeat, the other decidedly not -- helped drive the indecision on what was the last trading day in June and the second quarter.

The Dow Jones industrial average (^DJI) fell 41 points to 14,983, ending a three-day rally and six months of consecutive monthly gains. The Standard & Poor's 500 (^GSPC) fell 1.4 points to 1,611 while the Nasdaq (^IXIC) added 13 to end at 3,413.

Rising household wealth was credited for an uptick in the latest measure of consumer confidence. The University of Michigan said its final reading of consumer sentiment in June was 84.1, an improvement from a preliminary reading earlier in the month, and just slightly below May's final reading of 84.5 -- the highest since July 2007.

A key measure of Chicago-area manufacturing activity had its biggest monthly drop since 2008, sinking to 51.6 from a 14-month high of 58.7 in May. The reading was well below the level of 55 that economists polled by FactSet were expecting.

Among stocks making big moves Friday:

  • Shares of Nike (NKE) ended the day higher after initially sinking in morning trading, after the athletic apparel maker slightly lowered its 2014 earnings forecast and gave a lackluster first-quarter outlook. Shares ended Friday up 1.5 points to $63.79.

  • BlackBerry (BBRY) plunged 4 points, or 28 percent, to $10.46 after the company posted a surprise loss in the first quarter and warned of future losses despite releasing its make-or-break smartphones this year. The company also discontinued making new versions of its slow-selling tablet device, the Playbook.

  • Accenture (ACN) fell $8.33, 10.4 or percent, to $71.89. The consulting firm cut its revenue and profit outlook for its fiscal year ending in August. Revenue was hurt by lower demand in Europe as well as its communications, media and technology division.

  • Sears Holdings (SHLD) became the latest company to announce it is cutting ties with Paul Deen, following revelations that the celebrity cook used racial slurs in the past. The company, which operates Sears and Kmart stores and websites, said Friday that it will phase out all products tied to Deen's brand after "careful consideration of all available information." In doing so, Sears joins Walmart Stores (WMT), Target (TGT) and Home Depot (HD). Sears fell 1.4 percent to $42.16.

  • In IPO news, shares of Noodles & Co. (NDLS) soared in their first day of trading on the Nasdaq. The casual restaurant chain's stock more than doubled in price Friday to $36.74. That puts Noodles & Co. on track to post the biggest first-day trading gain since Splunk Inc.'s (SPLK) debut in April 2012.


Compiled from staff and wire reports.

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