Crude oil prices rose to lift the markets to a higher close with the Dow climbing 26 points to 17,804. Nasdaq gained 16 points to 4,765.
On the upside
Recovering crude oil prices lifted shares of Swift Energy (NYSE: SFY).
Shares of Quiksilver (NYSE: ZQK) extended its gains.
Penn Virginia (Nasdaq: PVA) declared quarterly dividends on Series A and Series B convertible preferred stock.
On the downside
OncoGenex Pharmaceuticals (Nasdaq: OGXI) reported positive results from a Phase 2 Borealis-1 trial of its bladder cancer treatment apatorsen but the stock price fell.
RXi Pharmaceuticals (Nasdaq: RXII) entered an exclusive global license agreement to develop Samcyprone but the stock price fell.
Brown Shoe (NYSE: BWS) amended and extended its credit agreement.
In the broad market, advancing issues outpaced decliners by a margin of more than 5 to 3 on the NYSE while advancers barely edged out decliners by a slim margin on Nasdaq. The broader S&P 500 gained 9 points to 2070. Bitcoin edged up a fraction to $314.
Rising oil prices lift markets
December 19, 2014 at 17:19 PM EST