While the Basic Materials sector slipped 0.28% on Wednesday there were several companies that managed to post solid gains on the day. Topping the list of percentage gainers was Vista Gold Corp. (AMEX: VGZ) which spiked 16.73% to close at 3.07 with just under 2.7 million shares trading hands. Shares in the company, which engages in the evaluation, acquisition, exploration, and advancement of gold exploration and potential development projects, pushed past the 50-day moving average of 2.79 and remains above the 200-day moving average of 2.22.
After reporting strong revenue and income for their second quarter shares in Landec Corporation (NASDAQ: LNDC) climbed 12.86% on Wednesday to close at 6.67. LNDC, which engages in the design, development, manufacture, and sale of temperature-activated and other specialty polymer products for various food products, agricultural products, and licensed partner applications in the United States, attributed the positive revenue figures were due in large part to its recently acquired biomaterials subsidiary, Lifecore Biomedical Inc. With the big day shares moved past the 50-day moving average of 6.19 and 200-day moving average of 6.15.
Shares in Leading Brands, Inc. (NASDAQ: LBIX) spiked 10.53% on Wednesday to close at 3.15. LBIX, which engages in the production and distribution of beverages in Canada and the western United States, climbed to as high as 3.15 during the day, a six-month high, and shares remain above the 50-day moving average of 2.45 and 200-day moving average of 2.30.
LSB Industries, Inc. (NYSE: LXU), which engages in the manufacture and sale of geothermal and water source heat pumps, air handling products, and chemical products, saw shares jump 8.35% on Wednesday to close at 25.96. Shares climbed up to 26.73 during the trading day, a new 52-week high, and they remain above the 50-day moving average of 23.23 and 200-day moving average of 18.29.
Following Tuesday’s news that they had resumed production as planned at its 60 million-gallon-a-year ethanol plant in Stockton shares in Pacific Ethanol Inc. (NASDAQ: PEIX) pushed up 8.33% on Wednesday to close at 1.04 with more than 15.7 million shares trading hands. PEIX, which produces and sells ethanol and its co-products in the western United States, primarily in California, Nevada, Arizona, Oregon, Colorado, Idaho, and Washington, is trading above the 50-day moving average of 0.77 and 200-day moving average of 0.83.
