The markets closed lower with the Dow slipping 6 points to 19,884 as investors monitored escalating tensions with Iran and a potential conflict with Australia. Nasdaq lost 6 points to 5,636.
On the upside
Benitec Biopharma (Nasdaq: BNTC) has made significant progress in identifying novel viral vectors for the delivery gene therapy applications to the back of the eye and will present data at the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology-Asia meeting.
Brooks Automation (Nasdaq: BRKS) reversed year ago losses to post a stronger than expected profit for the first quarter.
Cadence Design Systems (Nasdaq: CDNS) reported better than expected earnings for the fourth quarter and announced a $525 million stock repurchase plan.
On the downside
A patient in Stemline Therapeutics' (Nasdaq: STML) Phase 2 trial of SL-401 to treat blastic plasmacytoid dendritic cell neoplasm has died.
Ralph Lauren (NYSE: RL) chief executive Stefan Larsson will be leaving the luxury fashion brand on May 1, 2017.
CSG Systems International (Nasdaq: CSGS) reported sharply lower fourth quarter earnings.
In the broad market, advancing issues outpaced decliners by a margin of nearly 5 to 4 on the NYSE while decliners edged out advancers by nearly 10 to 9 on Nasdaq. The broader S&P 500 index added a point to 2,280. Bitcoin soared $22 to $997.
