The markets closed flat with the Dow holding steady at 14,865 despite disappointing economic data. Nasdaq lost 5 points to 3294.
On the upside
Barington Capital Group urged Jones Group (NYSE: JNY) to shed some of its brands.
Deutsche Bank analyst Carlos Santarelli upgraded Pinnacle Entertainment (NYSE: PNK) to a Buy rating.
Bargain hunters lifted shares of Bebe (Nasdaq: BEBE). Shares of the teen apparel retailer fell yesterday after reporting preliminary third quarter revenue that fell short of expectations.
On the downside
The Wall Street Journal reported that Orchard Supply Hardware Stores (Nasdaq: OSH) hired lawyers to assist with a restructuring of the company.
Stephens downgraded Infinity Pharmaceuticals (Nasdaq: IMGN) to an Equal Weight rating.
Bank of America downgraded Medical Properties Trust (NYSE: MPW) to an Underperform rating.
In the broad market, declining issues outpaced advancers by a margin of nearly 5 to 3 on the NYSE and by more than 7 to 5 on Nasdaq. The broader S&P 500 index slipped 4 points to 1588.