Benzinga | Nov 16, 2020 02:36PM EST

Mid-Afternoon Market Update: Dow Rises 360 Points; Alterity Therapeutics Shares Spike Higher

Toward the end of trading Monday, the Dow traded up 1.22% to 29,840 while the NASDAQ rose 0.55% to 11,893.76. The S&P also rose, gaining 0.85% to 3,615.50.

The U.S. has the highest number of coronavirus cases and deaths in the world, reporting a total of 11,038,310 cases with around 246,220 deaths. India confirmed a total of at least 8,845,120 confirmed cases and 130,070 deaths, while Brazil reported over 5,863,090 COVID-19 cases with 165,790 deaths. In total, there were at least 54,482,440 cases of COVID-19 worldwide with over 1,318,610 deaths, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University.

Leading and Lagging Sectors

Energy shares climbed 6% on Monday. Meanwhile, top gainers in the sector included PrimeEnergy Resources Corporation (NASDAQ:PNRG), up 18%, and Callon Petroleum Company (NYSE:CPE), up 15%.

In trading on Monday, health care shares fell by 0.3%.

Top Headline

Moderna Inc (NASDAQ:MRNA) announced on Monday the results from phase 3 trials for the COVID-19 vaccine show the vaccine is 94.5% effective.

This comes just one week after Pfizer (NYSE:PFE) and BioNTech's (NASDAQ:BNTX) vaccine candidate showed a 90% efficacy rate..



Equities Trading UP

Alterity Therapeutics Limited (NASDAQ:ATHE) shares shot up 140% to $2.7650 as the Australian biopharma said the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has approved a new composition of matter patent related to its drug development portfolio focused on neurodegenerative diseases.

Shares of Foundation Building Materials, Inc. (NYSE:FBM) got a boost, shooting 27% to $19.22 after the company announced it would be acquired by American Securities for $19.25 per share.

Maiden Holdings, Ltd. (NASDAQ:MHLD) shares were also up, gaining 37% to $1.87 after reporting Q3 results.



Equities Trading DOWN

Hall of Fame Resort & Entertainment Company (NASDAQ:HOFV) shares tumbled 55% to $1.11 after the company reported pricing of $25 million public offering at $1.40 per share.

Shares of RAPT Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ:RAPT) were down 43% to $17.33 after the company reported Q3 earnings results and positive initial data from its ongoing phase 1/2 clinical trial of FLX475.

Gulfport Energy Corporation (NASDAQ:GPOR) was down, falling 42% to $0.1375 after the company filed for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy.



Commodities

In commodity news, oil traded up 2.9% to $41.30, while gold traded up 0.1% to $1,886.50.

Silver traded up 0.1% Monday to $24.805 while copper rose 1.2% to $3.2175.

Euro zone

European shares closed higher today. The eurozone's STOXX 600 rose 1.18%, the Spanish Ibex Index rose 2.6%, while Italy's FTSE MIB Index gained 1.98%. Meanwhile, the German DAX 30 gained 0.47%, French CAC 40 gained 1.7% and London's FTSE 100 rose 1.66%.

Consumer prices in Italy fell 0.3% year-over-year in October versus a 0.6% drop in the prior month.

Economics

The New York Empire State Manufacturing Index declined to 6.3 in November versus 10.5 in October.