The markets traded modestly higher during the midday with the Dow rising 19 points to 15,986 as a drop in existing home sales tempered enthusiasm for a better than expected increase in retail sales. Nasdaq gained 12 points to 3943.

On the upside 

Bargain hunters lifted shares of Oxygen Biotherapeutics (Nasdaq: OXBT).

The Defense Information Systems Agency granted Joint Interoperability Certification to Zhone Technologies (Nasdaq: ZHNE) for its FiberLAN solutions.

Gray Television (NYSE: GTN) and Excalibur Broadcasting will pay approximately $335 million in cash to acquire 15 television stations from Hoak Media and Parker Broadcasting.

On the downside

Lowe’s Companies (NYSE: LOW) reported higher third quarter earnings but the results fell short of expectations and the home improvement retailer forecast full year earnings below estimates. 

3D Systems (NYSE: DDD) chief financial officer Damon Joseph Gregoire sold 45,000 shares of company stock.

Profit taking continued to sink shares of Voxeljet (NYSE: VJET).

In the broad market, advancing issues outpaced decliners by a margin of nearly 3 to 2 on the NYSE and by nearly 5 to 3 on Nasdaq. The broader S&P 500 added 3 points to 1791.