We head into the second half of the session with another mixed market on our hands. (It feels like I have used that phrase a lot recently.) The S&P 500 (SPX) and Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) are posting moderate losses while the Nasdaq Composite (COMP) sports a small gain. The Russell 2000 (RUT) is stuck in the middle of those extremes.
A look to the sector action suggests that semis are at least partly responsible for the relatively lively action of the COMP. The Semiconductor HOLDRS (SMH) is up more than 3% and stands out as the strongest sector. Financials are the weakest area as the Regional Bank HOLDRS (RKH) and Broker/Dealer Index (XBD) each lose nearly 3%.
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