Although we don't believe in timing the market or panicking over daily movements, we do like to keep an eye on market changes -- just in case they're material to our investing thesis.
A weaker-than-expected GDP number from Japan and predictions that the Federal Reserve will begin tapering its monthly asset purchases sometime in 2013 are causing investors some anxiety today. After losing 232 points last week, the Dow Jones Industrial Average (^DJI +1.24%) has been all over the map today, but as of 12:50 p.m. EDT the index is down 21 points, or 0.13%, while the S&P 500 and the Nasdaq are mixed -- the broad S&P 500 has lost 0.18, and the tech-heavy index is up 0.17%.
A few Dow losers
Shares of Walt-Disney (DIS +7.54%) are down 1% today after the company wrapped up its three-day fan convention over the weekend. The D23 Expo did hint at a Star Wars expansion to the company's theme parks but kept a tight lid on what may happen in the upcoming Star Wars film. The convention has die-hard Disney fans buzzing with excitement, but Wall Street doesn't currently share their adoration. The company recently became the second-most shorted Dow component based on the number of days it would take to cover all the shares that are currently sold short. This negative sentiment is likely due to a number of factors including the lack of a major blockbuster film for the foreseeable future and the emergence of Fox Sports 1.
Shares of both the Dow's oil titans are moving lower today: Chevron (CVX 3.84%) has lost 1%, while ExxonMobil (XOM 3.96%) is down 0.9%. With the use, availability, and, at long last, price of natural gas finally starting to tick higher, the big oil companies are now finding themselves in a fight for the largest liquefied-natural-gas capacity. LNG is the most cost-effective way to transport natural gas, but the facilities needed to turn the gas into a liquid are expensive and take time to build. That's causing the big boys of oil to scramble and join forces with smaller players around the world so that the Chevrons and Exxons of the globe have a way to turn their silver into gold.
