The markets closed flat with the Dow adding 2 points to 13,328 despite a strong gain in consumer sentiment as mixed earnings news weighed on investors. Nasdaq slipped 5 points to 3044. On the upside
Shares of Workday (NYSE: WDAY) surged on its first trading day. Lexicon Pharmaceuticals (Nasdaq: LXRX) reported positive data from a new clinical study of its carcinoid syndrome treatment telotristat. Ecolab (NYSE: ECL) will pay approximately $2.2 billion in cash and stock to acquire Champion Technologies. On the downside CLSA Asia-Pacific Markets downgraded Alpha Natural Resources (NYSE: ANR) to a Sell rating. Stillwater Mining (NYSE: SWC) priced its public offering of convertible senior notes. Credit Agricole downgraded Walter Energy (NYSE: WLT) to a Sell rating. In the broad market, declining issues outpaced advancers by a margin of more than 5 to 3 on the NYSE and by nearly 2 to 1 on Nasdaq. The Russell 2000 which tracks small cap stocks fell 6 points to 823.