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.
As the federal government gets back on its feet, Wall Street will start looking once again to economic reports for guidance, many of which had been delayed for weeks as the partial shutdown put a halt to the collection of data. Next Tuesday, for example, the Labor Department will finally release nonfarm payroll numbers for September, a full 18 days after originally scheduled. Though there was little to go on Friday, the Dow Jones Industrial Average (^DJI 0.67%) seemed glad to have the whole political mess behind it, adding 28 points, or 0.2%, to close at 15,399.
Walt Disney (DIS -0.55%) ended as one of the Dow's best performers, tacking on 1.1% as the company denied claims made by a New York Post article that the entertainment giant was looking to sell some of its local ABC stations, which, in aggregate, reach nearly a quarter of the TV-viewing public. Not only will Disney likely be keeping those valuable assets, but the company just received great news regarding the future of its Orlando theme parks. The city's airport authority just gave the green light to a $1.1 billion project to improve and expand the airport, which should help drive more traffic to Disney's iconic parks.
One reason Disney has been so successful over the years is its international appeal, as it taps into booming international economies like China's. E-Commerce China Dangdang (DANG) doesn't have to count on bigger airports to tap the massive Chinese market, since it happens to be an e-retailer based in the country. Dangdang shares rallied 7.2% Friday and, though the company is not yet profitable, its sales are growing at a blistering pace, having risen more than 45% annually for the past four fiscal years. Dangdang!
Lastly, shares in the Greece-based StealthGas (GASS -0.68%) also had a big day Friday, jumping 5.3%. When the market rises, StealthGas is often up quite a bit more, as shares are nearly two times as volatile as the broader market. Of course, investments like this are a double-edged sword, because they're prone to big downward swings, as well, when times aren't so favorable. StealthGas is hoping the worst of the Greek fiscal crisis is over; but even if more bumps in the road lie ahead, the demand for liquefied petroleum gas, or LPG, isn't likely to disappear anytime soon, and with LPG the primary freight on StealthGas' fleet, the company has positioned itself well.
