MiddletownJournal.com

MBIA, Tiffany, UAL, Williams Sonoma are big movers

NEW YORK — Stocks that moved substantially or traded heavily Thursday on the New York Stock Exchange and Nasdaq Stock Market:

NYSE

MBIA Inc., up $4.17 at $16.15

MBIA agreed to reinsure about $200 billion of municipal bonds issued by Financial Guaranty Insurance Co.

Tiffany & Co., up $4.24 at $43.85

Jewelry retailer Tiffany & Co. said its second-quarter profit doubled on strong sales in Asia and Europe.

Williams Sonoma Inc., down $1.43 at $17.01

The retailer reported its second quarter profit dropped 29 percent and slashed its third quarter and full-year profit guidance.

Gerber Scientific Inc., down 88 cents at $9.17

Weak software sales led to a 76 percent drop in profit for the first quarter at the graphics equipment company.

Toyota Motor Corp., up 70 cents at $88.70

Toyota lowered its global sales target for 2009 by 700,000 vehicles to 9.7 million, saying it needed to set more cautious targets after growing quickly — but that target was still an increase from this year's sales goal of 9.5 million.

NASDAQ

Origin Agritech Ltd., up 55 cents at $5.29

The Chinese seed company said its third quarter profit jumped 63 percent due to rising selling prices and lower marketing costs.

UAL Corp., up $1.12 at $11

The parent of United Airlines will cut the jobs of 1,550 flight attendants due to reduced flight schedules.

Amylin Pharmaceuticals Inc., up $1.40 at $21.88

Shares of the drug maker recovered somewhat after the company reported the deaths of four more patients taking the diabetes treatment Byetta.

___