A United Nations recently released report showed that global food prices gained sharply in July, ending a three month declining trend due to a spike in grain and sugar prices.
Severe drought gripping the U.S. Midwest has caused corn prices to jump nearly 23 percent and predictions of worsened crop forecast in Russia because of dry weather sent world wheat prices up 19 percent.
U.S. stocks ended mixed in last trading session after U.S. non-farm output advanced more than expected in the second quarter as companies raised production but only modestly improved the hours worked by their employees, according to data from the Labor Department.
The Dow Chemical Company (NYSE:DOW)
Dow Performance Packaging, a business unit of The Dow Chemical Company, and MuCell Extrusion LLC declared that MuCell will completely license Dow’s Thin Foamed Films Patent family, using MuCell pioneering Foaming technology to make physically fluffed films for all film applications.
This agreement will promote the two companies’ affiliation as innovation collaborators.
The Dow Chemical Company (NYSE:DOW) dropped -0.47% with the closing price of $29.92. The overall volume in the last trading session was 1.20 million shares. Its fifty two week range was $20.61-$36.08. The total market capitalization remained $35.85 billion.
DOW is ahead of its 52 week low with 49.03% and its last month price volatility remained 2.13%. Its beta coefficient was 2.33 with a target price of $33.00. DOW has insider ownership of 0.29% with its institutional ownership remaining at 69.65%.
Company’s current year earnings per share grew with 18.91% while the five year EPS growth rate was -11.73%.
Caterpillar Inc. (NYSE:CAT)
In last trading session, Caterpillar Inc. (NYSE:CAT) reported no change for the day to close at $87.22 and its overall traded volume was 1.02 million shares more than the average volume of 7.99 million.
CAT has earnings per share of $8.94 with the net profit margin of 9.10% and operating margin of 13.06%. Its price to earnings ratio ended at 9.76. Caterpillar Inc. (Caterpillar) is a manufacturer of construction and mining equipment, diesel and natural gas engines, industrial gas turbines and diesel-electric locomotives.
3M Co (NYSE:MMM)
3M Co (NYSE:MMM) slipped -0.08% and closed at $91.63 in last trading session. The overall traded volume was 549,043.00 shares.
Stock price 52 weeks high was $92.34 and 52 weeks low price was $68.63.
In its share capital MMM has 691.32 million outstanding shares while 690.93 million shares have been floated in market.
Company’s current year earnings per share grew 5.79% while the five year EPS growth rate was 3.32%.