MARKET PULSE-Apple, Oramed, Caterpillar, Spherix, Biocryst

(For more market insights, including options activity, click on ; for the Day Ahead newsletter http://link.reuters.com/mex49s; for the Morning News Call newsletter, http://link.reuters.com/nex49s) U.S. stocks fell by mid-morning on Monday, quickly erasing earlier gains, as weaker-than-expected new home sales data and ongoing concerns about emerging markets weighed on investor sentiment. The Dow Jones industrial average was down 0.13 percent at 15,858.82, the S&P 500 was down 0.44 percent at 1,782.45 and the Nasdaq Composite was down 0.97 percent at 4,088.069.

** ORAMED PHARMACEUTICALS INC (NasdaqCM: ORMP - news) , $24.61, +23.05 pct

The Israeli developer of oral drug delivery systems said it will present data from a mid-stage study of the company's orally ingestible insulin capsule on Thursday, Jan 30. The drug, ORMD-0801, is being tested for type 2 diabetes.

** BIOCRYST PHARMACEUTICALS INC (NasdaqGS: BCRX - news) , $9.7101, -16.29 pct

Wells Fargo (Berlin: NWT.BE - news) analyst Brian Abrahams cut his rating on the stock to "market perform" from "outperform," saying the company's current valuation reflected potential revenue from its influenza injection and the promise of its experimental drug to treat hereditary angioedema, a rare disease characterized by swelling of the body.

** YADKIN FINANCIAL CORPORATION (NasdaqGS: YDKN - news) , $18.445, +6.56 pct

** VANTAGESOUTH BANCSHARES INC (AMEX: VSB - news) , $5.7, +10.89 pct

Lender Yadkin said it would buy VantageSouth Bancshares for about $299 million in stock to expand its community banking presence across major markets. VantageSouth shareholders will receive 0.3125 shares of Yadkin's common stock for every VantageSouth share. The combined bank will have about $4 billion in assets.

** GERON CORP, $4.62, -17.79 pct

The company said about 20 patients enrolled in a trial testing its cancer drug, imetelstat, dropped out of the study. The company said the investigator-sponsored trial had enrolled 79 patients since it started. The study was testing imetelstat in patients with myelofibrosis and other myeloid malignancies, a group of blood cancers.

** SPHERIX INC, $5.86, -28.88 pct

The intellectual property company entered into a lockup agreement with certain shareholders for 1.5 million shares.

** APPLE INC (NasdaqGS: AAPL - news) , $550.29, +0.77 pct

The iPhone maker may notch its most successful holiday shopping season yet when it reports quarterly results after markets close, setting records for sales of its gift-friendly iPhones and iPads.

** CATERPILLAR INC (NYSE: CAT - news) , $89.78, +4.19 pct

Caterpillar posted a stronger-than-expected quarterly profit on Monday as the world's largest mining and construction equipment aggressively cut costs to offset continued sluggish sales of its earth-moving equipment.

** CAREER EDUCATION CORP (NasdaqGS: CECO - news) , $5.76, -5.11 pct

The for-profit education company said it received inquiries from 12 state attorneys general related to its enrollment practices and student loans.

** ACCO BRANDS CORP, $5.83, -8.33 pct

Suntrust Robinson Humphrey cuts its rating on the office products maker's stock to "neutral" from "buy," according to Theflyonthewall.com.

** NORTHWEST BIOTHERAPEUTICS INC (NasdaqCM: NWBO - news) , $5.04, +4.13 pct

The biotechnology company said it had entered into a set of agreements with its contract manufacturer to expand the manufacturing and distribution capacity of its vaccines. Northwest said the agreements would allow it to expand its clinical programs in the U.S. and Europe.

** MILLENNIAL MEDIA INC (NYSE: MM - news) , $7.35, +9.54 pct

The company, which helps mobile app developers and advertisers to focus on smartphones, tablets and other mobile devices, estimated fourth-quarter revenue above analysts' estimates.

** REGIS CORP (NYSE: RGS - news) , $12.22, -8.94 pct

The Supercuts hair salon operator reported second-quarter results that missed analysts' estimates, hurt by a 6.2 percent decline in same-store sales.

** LIGHTINTHEBOX HOLDING CO LTD, $8.98, -8.92 pct

The online retailer said Chief Financial Officer Richard Xue has decided to leave the company effective Feb. 17 due to personal reasons. It will search for a new CFO immediately. Meanwhile, Financial Controller Jennifer Hu will perform all accounting and finance duties.

** ANN INC (NYSE: ANN - news) , $32.78, -4.15 pct

Brokerage Janney Capital Markets downgraded the women's apparel retailer's stock to "neutral" from "buy," citing negative traffic, weak consumer demand and deep promotions. Janney also lowered its fourth-quarter earnings estimate for the retailer to 9 cents per share from 17 cents and said it expects sales to remain weak through January and February.

** ACCO BRANDS CORP, $5.83, -8.33 pct

Suntrust Robinson Humphrey cuts its rating on the office products maker's stock to "neutral" from "buy," according to Theflyonthewall.com.

** YINGLI GREEN ENERGY HOLDING COMPANY LTD, $6, +2.39 pct

** CANADIAN SOLAR INC (NasdaqGS: CSIQ - news) , $37.35, +0.27 pct

** TRINA SOLAR LTD, $14.14, +3.82 pct

** JINKOSOLAR HOLDING CO LTD, $29.29, -1.38 pct

** JA SOLAR HOLDINGS CO LTD, $8.6, -2.16 pct

** RENESOLA LTD (NYSE: SOL - news) , $3.27, -3.54 pct

** FIRST SOLAR INC (Xetra: F3A.DE - news) , $48.73, +0.12 pct

** SOLARCITY CORP, $68.43, -2.91 pct

** SUNPOWER CORP, $31.07, -0.22 pct

Analysts at Roth Capital said confusion regarding China's targeted demand for solar consumption in 2014, along with the ongoing U.S.-China trade war and U.S. suspension of Chinese units of four accounting firms weighed on the solar companies' stocks. Analysts said the U.S. trade officials' investigation into imports of certain solar products from China and Taiwan, and the SEC suspension of accounting firms represent potential near-term industry headwinds.

The investigation could bar import of modules assembled in China into the U.S. market, resulting in higher prices and lower demand. "Not only could this adversely impact Chinese module manufacturers and Taiwanese cell manufacturers, but it could also negatively impact downstream companies in the US and the US market overall," analysts said in a note.

** SHANDA GAMES LTD, $6.35, +12.39 pct

The Chinese online game developer received a buyout offer from its controlling shareholders that values the company at $1.9 billion, highlighting the growing popularity of online gaming in China.

** INTEGRATED DEVICE TECHNOLOGY INC (NasdaqGS: IDTI - news) , $9.725, -7.12 pct

Barclays Capital cut its rating on the chip-component maker's stock to "underweight" from "equal weight," saying the stock was reflecting insufficient concern for revenue headwinds after its cost-cutting efforts.

** FOOT LOCKER INC (NYSE: FL - news) , $38.18, +1.89 pct

J.P. Morgan Securities began covering the specialty athletic footwear and apparel retailer's stock with an "overweight" rating and a price target of $47 as it expects the company's same-store sales to rise about 4-4.5 percent through 2016.

** 3D SYSTEMS CORP, $75.09, -5.98 pct

Brokerage Needham & Co cut its price target on the 3D printer company's shares by $5 to $95, saying the company's investments to expand into new verticals would take several quarters to be realized.

-15.95** YRC WORLDWIDE INC (NasdaqGS: YRCW - news) , $19.6399, +4.52 pct

Teamsters union members have approved YRC Worldwide's revised labor contract, clearing the way for the struggling trucking company to proceed with its refinancing plans.

** AT&T (NYSE: T - news) , $33.45, +0.09 pct

** VODAFONE GROUP PLC, $36.959, -2.84 pct

** VERIZON COMMUNICATIONS INC (LSE: VZC.L - news) , $48.1, +0.99 pct

** SPRINT CORP, $8.83, +5.12 pct

U.S. mobile group AT&T has ruled out a bid for Britain's Vodafone for now, with banking sources saying a U.S. spying scandal and a surge in European telecom shares may have disrupted a deal that many think could still happen.

** BOEING CO (NYSE: BA - news) , $136.78, +0.10 pct

The airplane maker said on Friday it is producing its 787 Dreamliner at the highest ever rate of 10 per month, a milestone the company had hoped to achieve by the end of 2013.

** CISCO SYSTEMS INC (NasdaqGS: CSCO - news) , $21.99, -0.95-0.95 pct

JPMorgan cut its rating on Cisco's stock to "underweight" from "neutral," citing weakness in emerging markets service providers and delayed spending in the switching market driven by software-defined networking. The brokerage cut its price target on the stock to $17 from $21.

** PROCTER & GAMBLE CO, $78.73, -0.57 pct

** KIMBERLY-CLARK CORP, $107.28, -0.11 pct

The companies, two of the world's biggest household products makers, forecast strong sales gains in emerging markets on Friday, quelling investor fears that slowing growth in some countries would hurt their prospects. P&G, the maker of Pampers diapers and Tide (Oslo: TIDE.OL - news) detergent, said revenue rose 8 percent in developing countries in its fiscal second quarter, but barely edged up in mature markets like the United States and Europe. It stuck to its 2014 sales and profit forecasts. Kimberly-Clark reported similar gains in emerging markets, helped by strong growth in China, and gave an upbeat 2014 forecast.$74.1-0.43

** LIBERTY GLOBAL (NasdaqGS: LBTYA - news) , $81.11, -2.59 pct

The U.S. cable group will buy Ziggo (Dusseldorf: ZGG.DU - news) in a cash-and-share deal valuing the Dutch operator at 10 billion euros ($13.7 billion) to expand its reach across Europe.

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** ROYAL CARIBBEAN, $48.18, +2.23 pct

** CARNIVAL CORP, $39.81, +1.69 pct

The world's second-largest cruise operator reported a fourth-quarter profit, compared to a year-earlier loss, buoyed by increased bookings in most markets.

Carnival Corp shares were also up on the news.$43.51+1.35$10.97-0.90 (Compiled by Sruthi Ramakrishnan in Bangalore,)