The S&P 500 was up 0.1% in midday trading to 2,141.10.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average was up 0.2% to 18,146.57.
The NASDAQ was up 0.1% to 5,238.27.
The yield on a 10-year Treasury bond fell 1.4% to 1.67%.
The price of gold was flat at $1,318.
HEALTHCARE
Irvine-based Aerie Pharmaceuticals Inc. was up 11.9% to $38.16 and a $1.1 billion market cap. Wainwright initiated coverage on shares of the glaucoma drug developer with a “buy” rating and a price target of $66.
REAL ESTATE
Orange County homebuilders were down as the number of housing starts fell 5.8% in August compared with the previous month to an annual rate of 1.14 million and new building permits issued fell slightly to the same level. Both numbers came in lower than economists’ expectations.
Irvine-based CalAtlantic Group Inc. was down 1.9% to $33.16 and a $4 billion market cap. Irvine-based Tri Pointe Group Inc. was down 1.7% to $12.34 and a $2 billion market cap. Newport Beach-based William Lyon Homes was down 1.6% to $15.75 and a $509 million market cap. Aliso Viejo-based New Home Co. Inc. was down 3.6% to $9.67 and a $205 million market cap.
