September 19, 2014: Markets opened higher on Friday as the financial world waited for the initial public offering from Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. (NYSE: BABA). Shares traded higher by 38% at opening and hit a peak of $99.70 before settling back down. In other news, Scotland voted to remain a part of the U.K. Friday was also a quadruple witching day, with stock options, index options, index futures, and individual stock futures all expiring. Shortly before the closing bell the DJIA traded up 0.27% for the day, the S&P 500 traded up 0.11%, and the Nasdaq Composite traded down 0.20%.

One Dow 30 stock posting a nice percentage gain today was The Coca-Cola Co. (NYSE: KO) which traded up 1.11% at $42.26. The stock’s 52-week range is $36.83 to $42.57. The company’s deal with Keurig Green Mountain Inc. (NASDAQ: GMCR) boosted the smaller company to a new 52-week high yesterday and investors have likely decided that it’s a good deal for Coke as well. Trading volume was about 25% higher than the daily average of around 13 million shares.

McDonald’s Corp. (NYSE: MCD) traded up 1.02% at $94.43 in a 52-week range of $90.53 to $103.78. Volume was about 20% higher than the daily average of  5.2 million shares. The fast food giant boosted its dividend yesterday for the 38th consecutive quarter and now pays a dividend yield of 3.40%.

Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE: VZ) traded up 1.27% at $50.32 in a 52-week range of $45.45 to $53.66. Trading volume was about 30% above the daily average of around 13.2 million shares. Verizon is basking in the glow of today’s start to sales of the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus. Verizon and rival AT&T Inc. (NYSE: T) are expected to reap the benefit of high demand for the new devices.

Wal-Mart Stores Inc. (NYSE: WMT) traded higher by 1.02% at $77.00 today. The stock’s 52-week range is $71.51 to $81.37. Volume was about 15% higher than the daily average of around 5.6 million shares. The world’s largest retailer said yesterday that it would hire 60,000 seasonal workers this year.

Of the Dow 30 stocks 21 stocks are set to close higher today and 9 are on track to close lower.

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