The nation's trade deficit narrowed in November but the markets opened sharply lower with the Dow plunging 189 points to 16,969 as crude oil prices dropped again. Nasdaq tumbled 38 points to 4,853.
On the upside
General Steel Holdings (Nasdaq: CNAT) reported positive initial stage results from a Phase 2 Liver Cirrhosis clinical trial.
Majesco Entertainment (Nasdaq: COOL) declared a special dividend of 33 cents per common share payable on January 15, 2016 to shareholders of record on January 14, 2016.
Rising gold prices lifted shares of Harmony Gold (NYSE: HMY).
On the downside
AutoNation (NYSE: AN) warned of lower profit margins.
Moody's Investors Service placed Freeport-McMoRan's (NYSE: FCX) Baa3 senior unsecured rating and Baa2 senior unsecured rating under review for possible downgrades.
Investors locked in profits on WPX Energy (NYSE: WPX).
In the broad market, declining issues outpaced advancers by a margin of more than 6 to 1 on the NYSE and by more than 4 to 1 on Nasdaq. The broader S&P 500 plunged 23 points to 1,993. Bitcoin slipped $1 to $430.
