The S&P 500 was up 0.1% to 2,107.26.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average was up 0.1% to 18,125.35. The Nasdaq was flat at 5,008.68.
The yield on a 10-year Treasury bond was up 0.1% to 1.9%
The price of gold was down 0.3% to $1,198.
HOMEBUILDING
Orange County homebuilders were down on news from the Commerce Department that U.S. housing starts were lower than expected in March, which it attributed to a harsh winter and the West Coast ports dispute. Groundbreakings grew 2% in March compared with February, to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 926,000 units. Economists had expected 1.04 million starts.
Irvine-based Tri Pointe Group Inc. was down 2.1% to $14.90 and a $2.4 billion market cap. Irvine-based Standard Pacific Corp. was down 1.8% to $8.63 and a market value on its common stock of $2.3 billion. Newport Beach-based William Lyon Homes was down 3.2% to $23.96 and a $753 million market cap. Aliso Viejo-based New Home Co. Inc. was down 1.8% to $16.25 and a $268 million market cap.
RESTAURANTS
Huntington Beach-based BJ’s Restaurants Inc. was up 1.4% to $51.53 and a $1.4 billion market cap. New York-based Guggenheim Securities initiated coverage on the casual dining operator with a “buy” rating and price target of $60. BJ’s is slated to report earnings after markets close on April 23.
