Volume Spike Investor

Tivo Inc. (Nasdaq: TIVO) shares are down 14 percent to $9.25 as of 11:30 a.m. Eastern on volume of 3.6 million shares, about 1.4 times its average daily volume, after a federal judge’s handed the company a setback in its long-standing patent dispute with rival Dish Network Corp (Nasdaq: DISH).

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit issued a stay on an injunction that would have kept Dish customers from using their digital video recorders while the patent case was ongoing.

Tivo asserted today that it would ultimately win in court.

A federal court last month rejected Dish Networks’ argument that it created a workaround that did not violate Tivo patents. A that time, Tivo was awarded $103 million, in addition ota previous $105 million payment made a year ago. — Mike Tarsala

Fertilizer stocks are gaining ground, with stocks including Potash CP (NYSE: POT) trading rising 4 percent, above $94, with nearly half its average volume changing hands in the first hour of Thursday trading.

The company could be benefit from a Bloomberg.com’s report that Russia’s two largest potash miners plan to raise prices for domestic fertilizer producers by about 20%.  It suggests potential pricing power for companies like Potash, which produces potash from six mines in Saskatchewan and one in New Brunswick.

Other fertilizer stocks are on the move including Intrepid Potash Inc. (NYSE: IPI), rising about 3 percent above $28 a share, on volume of about 550,000. Agrium Inc. (NYSE: AGU) and Mosaic Co. (NYSE: MOS) also are trending higher on relatively strong volume a day before a 3-day weekend. — Mike Tarsala

Beacon Power Corporation (NASDAQ: BCON) has just surged on a single note that the D.O.E. is offerinhg a $43 million conditional loan guarantee to the company.  Shares opened at $0.80 this morning and at 10:06 are at $0.90.  We have now seen 900,000 shares after about 600,000 of the shares came after the news hit.  Average volume is over 2 million shares and the 52-week range is $0.32 to $1.97. -Jon C. Ogg

Ford Motor Co. (NYSE: F) shares are up 2 percent near $6.20 a share, and have climbed roughly 20 cents shortly after noon on Wednesday on a volume spike of more than 5 million shares.

The company announced at around 12:20 p.m. Eastern that its June auto sales fell 10.9% from the same month a year earlier, versus analyst expectations of a 17% sales decline. - Mike Tarsala

Pier 1 Imports Inc. (NYSE: PIR) saw a sudden spike higher late in the morning.  The company’ CEO spoke at an annual meeting and said that the first month of the new quarter is running better than internal projections.  The company has also approved a par value reduction to accommodate a reverse split as well; and it elected 8 members of the board.

He said a month ago after the loss report last month that Pier 1 traffic was gradually improving and that many sales declines were getting smaller.

Pier 1 shares are up 14% at $2.27 on over 1.3 million shares.  That now matches its average volume for a whole day and its 52-week range is $0.10 to $5.70.

Jon C. Ogg
July 1, 2009 (11:51 AM EST)

Immersion Corp. (Nasdaq: IMMR) shares are down more than 20 percent on nearly 50,000 shares volume as of 9:10 Eastern this morning, after the company announced an investigation into previous revenue transactions in its medical business.

The company’s audit committee has not yet determined the impact, if any, to Immersion’s historical financial statements.

As a result of the investigation, the company says it’s possible it might not file its second-quarter financials on time. — Mike Tarsala

Gold stocks that took a hit in yesterday’s trading following a disappointing consumer confidence number that sent the dollar higher and many commodities lower are rebounding in premarket trade this morning, ahead of expected reports this morning on construction spending and pending home sales that may broadly affect commodities.

Spot gold is rebounding about $4 to $9.32 this morning, gaining back nearly half of what it lost in the previous session.

Gold stocks on the move this morning include smaller player DRDGold Ltd (Nasdaq: DROOY), up about 8 percent on nearly 10,000 shares traded in the premarket at about 9 a.m. Eastern.

Also as of 9 a.m. Eastern, Rangold Resources Ltd. (GOLD) shares are up nearly 3 percent with about 80,000 shares traded. AngloGold Ashanti Ltd. (NYSE: AU) shares are up about 3 percent, with about 6,000 shares traded. YamanaGold Inc. (NYSE: AUY) is up nearly 2 percent, with about 26,000 shares traded. — Mike Tarsala

IncrediMail Ltd. (Nasdaq: MAIL) shares are up 8 percent on a premarket volume spike after the company said it’s reached a deal to use Google Inc.’s (Nasdaq: GOOG) Adsense advertising platform for two additional years.

The Israeli company’s stock had risen nearly 18 percent in trading in Tel Aviv.

The platform allows the company monetize advertising revenue; about 70 percent of IncrediMail’s ales are derived from search advertising.  - Mike Tarsala

Spectrum Pharmaceuticals Inc. (Nasdaq: SPPI) Inc. shares are down roughly 8 percent on nearly 60,000 shares traded as of 8:15 a.m. Eastern. The company announced early this morning that it will raise $21 million from institutional investors at $7.15 a share. The stock had been trading near $7.65 a share. — Mike Tarsala

Shares of vaccine maker Novavax Inc. (Nasdaq: NVAX) are rising in premarket trading, seeing some continued buying a day after Spanish health authorities licensed its technologies to make pandemic and seasonal flu vaccines.

The stock had risen more than 30 percent yesterday on the news.

Boutique research firm Rodman and Renshaw raised its target on Novavax shares to $5 from $4 this morning, suggesting Spain is providing additional validation fo the company’s technology and it may be a foothold for Novavax to register its vaccine in other countries.