Thursday was a mixed day for the markets as bearish pressures in the morning were overturned thanks to positive employment data on the home front. The Nasdaq led the way higher, clinching gains of 0.81% on the day, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average lagged behind in red territory, shedding 0.02%. Gold continued its ascent for the fourth consecutive day this week and futures prices for the precious yellow metal settled near $1,620 an ounce as the trading session drew to a close. Selling pressures hit the street at the opening bell after Target and J.C. Penny announced mixed December same-store sales results. Euro zone drama resurfaced as France’s borrowing costs started off the year on a high note, following the first debt auction of the year. The French bond auction drew fairly weak demand from investors, showcasing the lingering uncertainty that is still plaguing financial markets overseas. James Gaul, [...] Click here to read the original article on ETFdb.com. Related Posts: Daily ETF Roundup: XHB Soars On Housing Data, GLD Continues To Sink Daily ETF Roundup: DBA Gains On Commodity Strenght, GDX Sinks On Consumer Confidence Daily ETF Roundup: XHB Surges On Housing Starts, VXX Gets Clobbered By Strong Markets Tuesday’s ETF Chart To Watch: SPDR Homebuilders ETF (XHB) Daily ETF Roundup: DBA Soars On Commodity Strength, EWY Sinks On Kim Jong Il’s Death