AngloGold Ashanti Limited and More Big Movers in Basic Materials on November 27, 2012

The market is having a bad day so far: the Nasdaq has fallen 0.2%; the S&P 500 is down 0.2%; and the Dow has decreased 0.3%. The basic materials sector is the category of stocks that accounts for companies involved with the discovery, development and processing of raw materials. This sector includes the mining and refining of metals, chemical producers and forestry products. The basic materials sector is sensitive to changes in the business cycle. Because the sector supplies materials for construction, it depends on a strong economy. This sector is also sensitive to supply and demand fluctuations because the price of raw materials, such as gold or other metals, is largely demand driven.

The Basic Materials sector (XLB) is currently ahead of the overall market, down only 0.1%, and its biggest movers are currently:

Company	Market Cap	Percentage Change
Westlake (NYSE:WLK)	$5.06 billion	-5.5%
NewMarket (NYSE:NEU)	$3.41 billion	+4.1%
Schnitzer Steel Industries (Nasdaq:SCHN)	$744.6 million	-3.5%
Raven Industries (Nasdaq:RAVN)	$930.7 million	+2.9%
Airgas (NYSE:ARG)	$7.03 billion	-2.9%
AngloGold Ashanti Limited (NYSE:AU)	$12.05 billion	-2.4%
Encore (Nasdaq:WIRE)	$632.2 million	+2.4%

Broker Summary: TD Ameritrade Thinkorswim

Westlake (NYSE:WLK) has decreased to $70.66 per share, a 5.5% fall. At 161,381 shares, the company's volume so far today is 0.3 times its average over the past three months.

NewMarket (NYSE:NEU) is currently trading at $266.31 per share, a 4.1% increase. This morning, the company is trading a volume of 68,803 shares.

Falling 3.5%, Schnitzer Steel Industries (Nasdaq:SCHN) is currently at a share price of $27.29. The company's volume is currently 228,392 shares for the day, one times the average daily volume.

After an increase of 2.9%, Raven Industries (Nasdaq:RAVN) has reached a current price of $26.39. The company is trading at a volume of 61,593 shares. At this rate, trading activity will likely be down from yesterday when 243,537 shares changed hands.

Slipping 2.9%, Airgas (NYSE:ARG) is currently trading at $87.85 per share. With 872,428 shares changing hands so far today, the company's volume is 1.7 times its current three-month average.

At $30.67, AngloGold Ashanti Limited (NYSE:AU) has slipped 2.4%. So far today, the company's volume is 427,213 shares.

Encore (Nasdaq:WIRE) has risen 2.4% and is currently trading at $31.33 per share. So far today, the company's volume is 29,386 shares, in keeping with its current daily average.

The Bottom Line No matter the economic climate, Wall Street will always have stocks that make major moves each week. It is important to weigh current activity against historical performance when making any investment decisions. Tools like valuation ratios and profit margins, however, are only as useful as the context you put them in; remember to take historical data and competitor performance into account.