Lower open as average hourly pay disappoints

The nation's unemployment rate fell to its lowest rate in six years but the markets opened down with the Dow losing 36 points to 17,518 as average hourly pay merely edged up 2% from last year. Nasdaq fell 24 points to 4,613.

On the upside

Sears Holdings (Nasdaq: SHLD) may convert 200-300 stores into a real estate investment trust through a sale-leaseback transaction.

The Food and Drug Administration requested no additional clinical studies from Repros Therapeutics (Nasdaq: RPRX) for its New Drug Application for Androxal.

A Food and Drug Administration advisory committee recommended that Rockwell Medical's (Nasdaq: RMTI) Triferic supported a positive benefit for iron replacement in hemodialysis patients.

On the downside

Salix Pharmaceuticals (Nasdaq: SLXP) fell to a loss for the third quarter and announced the resignation of chief financial officer Adam C. Derbyshire.

Shares of Genworth (NYSE: GNW) extended its losses.

Vapor (Nasdaq: VPCO) will merge with Vaporin and warned of losses for the third quarter as revenue plunged.

In the broad market, declining issues outpaced advancers by a margin of 7 to 5 on the NYSE and by nearly 2 to 1 on Nasdaq. The broader S&P 500 slipped 2 points to 2028. Bitcoin lost $4 to $343.