June 2, 2015: Markets opened lower on Tuesday as a settlement of the Greek financial problem continues to evade negotiators. The euro rose today, sending the dollar lower and the yield on U.S. Treasuries higher. Shortly before the closing bell the DJIA traded down 0.12% for the day, the S&P 500 traded down 0.05%, and the Nasdaq Composite traded down 0.05%.

The DJIA stock posting the largest daily percentage loss ahead of the close Monday was Intel Corp. (NASDAQ: INTC) which traded down 1.98% at $33.24. The stock’s 52-week range is $27.12 to $37.90. Trading volume totaled about 30 million shares, in line with the daily average of around 31 million. The company’s announced acquisition of Altera is getting some mixed reaction today.

UnitedHealth Group Inc. (NYSE: UNH) traded down 1.79% at $117.72. The stock’s 52-week range is $77.53 to $123.76. About 3 million shares traded hands today, below the daily average of around 3.8 million. The company had no specific news today, but the possible acquisition of Humana is probably weighing on UnitedHealth today. Buyers for $100+ billion companies are not thick on the ground and that’s where investors see a big payoff.

Merck & Co. Inc. (NYSE: MRK) traded down 0.89% at $60.21. The stock’s 52-week range is $52.49 to $63.62. Trading volume approached 7 million shares,  well below the daily average of around 11.5 million. The company had no specific news today, but yesterday’s announcement on a priority review of a cancer drug did not seem to hold investors for long.

E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company (NYSE: DD) traded lower by 0.64% at $71.18. The stock’s 52-week range is $63.70 to $80.65. Trading volume topped 10 million, well above the daily average of around 6 million. The company said today that it will cut 5% to 7% of the approximately 9,100 global employees of the division soon to be spun off and become Chemours.

Of the Dow 30 stocks 12 are set to close higher today and 18 are on track to close lower.

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