The markets retreated from early morning highs but continued trading in positive territory with the Dow rising 52 points to 12,072 as German and French leaders met to discuss deficit control measures. Nasdaq gained 23 points to 2650.
On the upside
Syntroleum (Nasdaq: SYNM) and Tyson Foods (NYSE: TSN) joint venture Dynamic Fuels will supply the U. S. Navy with 450,000 gallons of renewable fuels.
Lazard Capital Markets upgraded Gannett (NYSE: GCI) to a Buy rating.
CRT Capital Group managing director Sheryl Skolnick wrote that new audits for Medicare payments for heart and orthopedic surgeries were misunderstood lifting shares of Tenet Healthcare (NYSE: THC).
On the downside
A Seeking Alpha article questioned the $22 price target that Canaccord Genuity set on Inhibitex (Nasdaq: INHX).
Shares of Nokia (NYSE: NOK) tumbled after Brigantine Advisors backed their upgrade on November 17 of Research in Motion (Nasdaq: RIMM) to a Buy rating.
Newfield Exploration (NYSE: NFX) will supply Tesoro with 18,000 barrels of crude oil per day but the stock price fell.
In the broad market, advancing issues outpaced decliners by a margin of more than 4 to 1 on the NYSE and by 5 to 2 on Nasdaq. The Russell 2000 which tracks small cap stocks gained 12 points to 747.
