August 21, 2015: Markets opened lower again on Friday but that was just the beginning of the carnage. The Flash manufacturing PMI reading came in at 52.9, well below the consensus estimate of 54.2. China’s early PMI reading was even worse, coming in at 47.1. Crude oil couldn’t catch a bid and ticked below $40 a barrel before settling at $40.45. Gold settled up 0.6% on the day and gained 4.2% for the week. Volume was very high as options were settled today. Shortly before the closing bell the DJIA traded down 2.61% for the day, the S&P 500 traded down 2.69%, and the Nasdaq Composite traded down 3.02%.

The DJIA stock posting the largest daily percentage loss ahead of the close Friday was Apple Inc. (NASDAQ: AAPL) which traded down 5.28% at $106.70. The stock’s 52-week range is $95.18 to $134.54. Trading volume was more than double the daily average of around 49 million. The world’s most closely watched company looks headed toward bear country.

Microsoft Corp. (NASDAQ: MSFT) traded down 4.58% at $43.57. The stock’s 52-week range is $40.12 to $50.05. Trading volume was about 70% above the daily average of around 30 million. The company closed one of three remaining phone plants in Finland and cut about 2,300 jobs.

NIke Inc. (NYSE: NKE) traded down 4.50% at $107.25. The stock’s 52-week range is $78.27 to $117.72. About 6.3 million shares traded hands today, more than double the daily average of about 3 million. The company had no specific news today.

The Boeing Co. (NYSE: BA) traded lower by 3.72%% at $131.92. The stock’s 52-week range is $116.32 to $158.83. Trading volume was about double the daily average of around 3.2 million. The airplane maker had no specific news today.

All 30 Dow stocks are on track to close lower today.

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