The Dow Jones Industrial Average (^DJI +0.02%) ended in the green for a third-straight session on Tuesday despite subpar real estate data for May and a larger-than-expected rise in the consumer price index. Curiously enough, Home Depot (HD 1.61%) stock finished as one of the best blue chip performers for a second-straight day. Investors will listen intently to the Federal Open Market Committee tomorrow as members discuss the economy and interest rates. With Wall Street cautiously optimistic about what the central bank leaders will do and say on Wednesday, the Dow rose 27 points, or 0.2%, to end at 16,808.
Yesterday, Home Depot shares finished as outperformers after a popular gauge of builder sentiment ticked higher. But May's housing starts data, which missed market expectations, should've been a net negative for Home Depot. Housing starts, or the number of residential projects that builders break new ground on, fell 6.5% in May from April. The data could encourage the Fed to keep interest rates lower for longer, but policy makers have already vowed to keep rates at rock-bottom levels for the foreseeable future. Whatever the rationale, Home Depot stock was up 1.4% today.
Candy Crush being played on a tablet. Source: King Digital Entertainment
King Digital Entertainment (KING +0.00%) shareholders saw even bigger gains on Tuesday, and for similarly fuzzy reasons. Shares of the game developer, best known for its Candy Crush Saga game, soared 4% today. While there was no definitive impetus behind the move today, I think King's top brass deserve credit for the way the stock's IPO was priced back in March. Pricing the public offering at $22.50 a share, or a valuation of roughly $6 billion, the stock trades at more than a 20% discount to that price today. However, unlike other businesses taking advantage of the frothy IPO market in recent years, King Digital is debt free, and has been both cash flow positive and profitable for nearly a decade.
Lastly, shares of Navigator Holdings (NVGS +0.61%) added 6.2% on Tuesday. The London-based company operates a fleet of more than 20 ships across the globe, transporting liquefied petroleum gas and other products across international waters for energy companies and traders. Navigator Holdings has grown sales at a breakneck speed of more than 60% annually for the last two years. While that's an amazing and enviable rate of growth, shipping gases internationally is a capital-intensive business, and Navigator Holdings may have to take out more debt if it wants to increase its fleet and continue its explosive run.
