Tobacco stocks were in focus on Wednesday and before the New York bell Thursday due to regulatory news, which piqued investor interest.
One of the largest producers Altria Group Inc (NYSE:MO) saw shares sink 1.78% to US$62.30 in pre-market deals, but yesterday saw shares fire up 6.66% to US$63.43.
Philip Morris International Inc (NYSE:PM) also added over 3% yesterday, but was down 0.22% in pre-market today.
It comes as the key US regulator, the FDA threatened to pull e-cigarettes, competition of course to regular cigarettes, from the shelves of shops if manufacturers do not control their use by young people.
British American Tobacco (LON:BATS) shares increased nearly 6% yesterday, while Imperial Brands (LON:IMB) rose 3%
#FDA is grateful for the strong support of @SecAzar in our shared effort to aggressively confront the youth use of tobacco products. While e-cigs may offer opportunities for adult smokers, we won’t allow a generation of kids to get hooked on nicotine through these products https://t.co/lcXpEeqhBS
— Scott Gottlieb, M.D. (@SGottliebFDA) 12 September 2018
Also in the frame in pre-market in New York was JPMorgan Chase chief executive Jamie Dimon, who is never that far from the headline writers' pens it seems.
The company chief told an interviewer in New York he shouldn't have bragged about being able to beat Donald Trump in a presidential election.
"I shouldn't have said it," Dimon told ABC's Rebecca Jarvis Wednesday in an exclusive interview.
JP Morgan Chase (NYSE:JPM) shares are down 0.071% to US$113 in pre-market.
In other news, Pivotal Software Inc (NYSE:PVTL) shares tanked almost 26% to US$21.32 after it announced earnings, which topped expectations.
For its second quarter, the San Francisco-based company reported revenue of US$164.4mln, higher than the US$158.2mln, which analysts had expected.
Last but not least, McDonald's Corp (NYSE:MCD) shares were unchanged, as a story emerged that workers were set to strike in a bid to make the fast food group take stronger steps against sexual harassment on the job.