Stocks Put the Brakes on a Five-Week Losing Streak

4:22 PM, Feb 12, 2010 --

• NYSE down 23 (0.3%) to 6,875.43.
• DJIA down 45 (0.4%) to 10,099.
• S&P 500 down 3 (0.3%) to 1,076.
• Nasdaq up 6 (0.3%) to 2,184.

GLOBAL SENTIMENT

• Hang Seng down 0.11%
• Nikkei up 1.29%
• FTSE down 0.37%

UPSIDE MOVERS

(+) LEAP gains as MetroPCS reportedly hires advisers to look at Leap.

(+) RIMM gets analyst upgrade.

(+) A issues better-than-expected results, guidance.

(+) MOT continues upside move after detailing separation.

(+) PNRA issues weak 2010 EPS outlook.

DOWNSIDE MOVERS

(-) SSL issues disappointing outlook.

(-) PAS misses with Q4 results.

(-) CMG continues evening decline after results.

(-) NILE earnings miss, downgraded by Benchmark

(-) BWLD continues evening slide after earnings miss.

(-) OSK lower after downgrade.

(-) MMM lower after downgrade.

MARKET DIRECTION

The Nasdaq ends in positive territory, as tech shares outperformed in an otherwise choppy trading day. Friday's finish didn't impact weekly gains, which snapped a five-week slide for stocks.

Mixed trading Friday followed another move in China to curb lending and a report of a stalled euro-zone economy in late 2009. Stocks moved off earlier lows in part amid ongoing hope that Europe is working out a resuce plan for debt-troubled Greece.

In the U.S., weaker-than-expected sentiment data was a negative factor for stocks. The Reuters/University of Michigan Surveys of Consumers said its preliminary index of sentiment for February was 73.7, below analysts' expectation of 75.0.

Crude oil futures fell 1.5% on Friday, hit by China's latest move. Crude for March delivery finished down $1.15, or 1.5%, at $74.13 a barrel. Crude rose 4% for the week.