An unexpected drop in first time applications for unemployment benefits lifted the markets to a higher open with the Dow rising 7 points to 20,599. Nasdaq gained 15 points to 5,851.
On the upside
Ocera Therapeutics (Nasdaq: OCRX) will present data from a preclinical study of ornithine phenylacetate in a poster session at The International Liver Congress of the European Association for the Study of the Liver on Thursday, April 20, 2017.
Second Sight Medical Products' (Nasdaq: EYES) Argus II Retinal Prosthesis System was implanted in the first patient in Asia.
Applied Optoelectronics (Nasdaq: AAOI) reported preliminary first quarter earnings and revenue that surpassed estimates.
On the downside
Sorrento Therapeutics (Nasdaq: SRNE) announced a public offering of common stock.
Fourth quarter revenue fell for Pier 1 Imports (NYSE: PIR) and the retailer warned of losses for the first quarter.
SkyPeople Fruit Juice (Nasdaq: SPU) announced a registered direct offering with institutional investors.
In the broad market, declining issues outpaced advancers by a margin of nearly 5 to 3 on the NYSE and by nearly 8 to 5 on Nasdaq. The broader S&P 500 index added a point to 2,346. Bitcoin tumbled $23 to $1188.
