Wall Street was down sharply for a second day on Wednesday as crude-oil futures approached $100 a barrel. Dow Jones Industrial Average lost 0.80 percent or 97.63 points to 12,115.16, and NASDAQ Composite fell 1.12 percent or 31.05 points to 2,725.04. The Standard and Poor's 500 slipped 0.63 percent or 8.29 points to 1,307.15.
52-Week Highs:
Duncan Energy Partners LP (NYSE: DEP) recorded a new 52-week high of $40.71 today with a trading volume of 1.2 million shares. The stock's 52-week low was $21.32 with an average trading volume of 125 thousand shares. The company has received a $2.4 billion acquisition offer from Enterprise Products Partners LP (NYSE: EPD). Shares of Duncan Energy were trading at $39.72, up 21.96 points or $7.16 in the afternoon.
Cabot Oil & Gas Corp. (NYSE: COG) reported a 35 percent increase in its Q4 net earnings to $49.1 million or 47 cents per share. The stock hit a new all-time high of $45 today. The stock's all-time low was $26.58 with an average trading volume of 1.3 million shares. Today, the trading volume was 3.3 million shares. Shares of the company were trading at $44.07, up 10.65 percent or $4.24 during the mid-day trading.
Herbalife Ltd. (NYSE: HLF) hit a new 52-week high of $76.27 today, with a trading volume of 1.5 million shares. The stock's 52-week low was $37.48 with an average trading volume of 443 thousand shares. The company reported an increase of 46 percent in its Q4 net income to $81 million. Shares of the company added 6.20 percent or $4.33 to $74.18 in the afternoon.
Royale Energy Inc. (NASDAQ: ROYL) recorded a new all-time high of $3.23 today. The stock's 52-week low was $1.76. Today, the trading volume was 2.6 million shares compared to its average trading volume of 135 thousand shares. Shares of the company jumped 50.95 percent or $1.07 to $3.17 during the mid-day trading.
Vertex Pharmaceuticals Inc. (NASDAQ: VRTX) hit a 52-week high of $44.68 with a trading volume of 12 million shares. The stock's 52-week low was $31.25 with an average trading volume of 2.3 million shares. The company released better-than-expected Phase 3 study results for its experimental cystic-fibrosis treatment drug VX-770. Shares of the company were trading at $43.95, up 14.99 percent or $5.73 in the afternoon session.
SMF Energy Corp. (NASDAQ: FUEL) recorded a new 52-week high of $2.25 today. The stock's 52-week low was $1.11. Today, the trading volume was 739 thousand shares compared to its average trading volume of 53 thousand shares. Shares of SMF were trading at $2.03, up 22.56 percent or $0.36 during the mid-day trading.