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December 19 Market Close: GovCon Index Higher on Lockheed & Prime Gains, US Stocks Up With Caution on Global Turmoil


Executive Mosaic’s GovCon Index traded higher on contributions from large defense prime contractors as U.S stocks pared back some gains from earlier in the session after the terror attack in a Berlin Christmas market and the assassination of Russia’s ambassador to Turkey.

GovCon Index gainers outnumbered decliners by a 3-to-1 ratio and seven of its 11 S&P 500 components advanced with co-listed Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT) the GCI’s top net performer and L-3 Communications (NYSE: LLL) the largest laggard.

Shares in Lockheed slid 3.79 percent in the prior week after President-elect Donald Trump criticized the F-35 fighter jet program’s costs.

Other top five net gainers after Lockheed included Science Applications International Corp. (NYSE: SAIC), Northrop Grumman (NYSE: NOC),  Huntington Ingalls Industries (NYSE: HII) and Boeing (NYSE: BA).

Huntington Ingalls hit a 52-week high during the session.

Vectrus (NYSE: VEC) led GCI percentage gainers and was joined in the top five for that category by other services contractors SAIC, Engility Corp. (NYSE: EGL),  CSRA (NYSE: CSRA) and ManTech International (Nasdaq: MANT).

ManTech announced before markets opened its acquisition of federal health information technology services contractor Edaptive Systems.

Telecommunications led eight S&P 500 sectors higher with energy the largest decliner of the remaining three as the U.S. stock bellwether remained in positive territory despite the sense of geopolitical uncertainty in light of the assassination and terror attack, as well as China’s seizure of a U.S. underwater drone Friday.

Market Summary

IndexValueNet Change% Change
GovCon Index88.689+0.507+0.575%
S&P 500 2, 258.07+3.96+0.18%
Dow Jones Industrial Average19, 843.41+8.83+0.04%
NASDAQ5, 437.16+19.69+0.36%
Advancing GovCon Index Issues23
Declining GovCon Index Issues7
Unchanged GovCon Index Issues0

Top GovCon Index Net Performers

SymbolCompany$ Current PriceNet Change ▴% Change
LMTLockheed Martin *252.18+2.10+0.84%
SAICSAIC85.38+1.92+2.30%
NOCNorthrop Grumman *233.54+1.84+0.79%
HIIHuntington Ingalls Industries184.21+1.81+0.99%
BABoeing *156.18+1.68+1.09%

Top GovCon Index Percentage Performers

SymbolCompany$ Current PriceNet Change% Change ▴
VECVectrus24.52+1.11+4.74%
SAICSAIC85.38+1.92+2.30%
EGLEngility Holdings34.70+0.75+2.21%
CSRACSRA *32.33+0.65+2.05%
MANTManTech International42.65+0.51+1.21%

Lowest GovCon Index Net Performers

SymbolCompany$ Current PriceNet Change ▾% Change
LLLL-3 Communications *155.25-2.10-1.33%
CUBCubic Corporation48.75-0.80-1.61%
MCKMcKesson Corp. *141.56-0.73-0.51%
TXTTextron *48.34-0.26-0.53%
BAESYBAE Systems29.46-0.11-0.37%

Lowest GovCon Index Percentage Performers

SymbolCompany$ Current PriceNet Change% Change ▾
CUBCubic Corporation48.75-0.80-1.61%
LLLL-3 Communications *155.25-2.10-1.33%
CAECAE14.02-0.08-0.57%
TXTTextron Inc *48.34-0.26-0.53%
MCKMcKesson Corp. *141.56-0.73-0.51%

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