Baker and Other Big Movers In Energy on October 19, 2012

The market is having a bad day so far. The Nasdaq has slipped 1.6%; the S&P 500 has declined 1%; and the Dow is trading down 1.1%. The energy sector is the category of stocks that relate to producing or supplying energy. This sector includes companies involved in the exploration and development of oil or gas reserves, oil and gas drilling, or integrated power firms. Performance in the sector is largely driven by the supply and demand for worldwide energy. Energy producers will do very well during times of high oil and gas prices, but will earn less when the value of energy drops. Furthermore, this sector is sensitive to political events, which historically have driven changes in the price of oil.

The Energy sector (XLE) is currently ahead of the overall market, down only 0.8%, and its biggest movers are currently:

Company	Market Cap	Percentage Change
Baker (NYSE:BHI)	$20.7 billion	-5.7%
CARBO Ceramics (NYSE:CRR)	$1.55 billion	-3.5%
Walter Energy (NYSE:WLT)	$2.51 billion	-3.2%
SM (NYSE:SM)	$3.75 billion	-2.1%
Oil States International (NYSE:OIS)	$4.21 billion	-2%
Dril-Quip (NYSE:DRQ)	$2.88 billion	-1.6%
TransMontaigne Partners (NYSE:TLP)	$542.1 million	+1.6%

Broker Summary: OptionsXpress Online Trading Platform

Currently trading at $44.42 per share, Baker (NYSE:BHI) has fallen 5.7%. So far today, 5.3 million shares have changed hands.

CARBO Ceramics (NYSE:CRR) is down 3.5% to reach $65 per share. The company's volume is currently 69,014 shares for the day, 0.3 times the average volume over the last three months.

Walter Energy (NYSE:WLT) is currently trading at a share price of $38.84, a 3.2% decline. The company's volume is currently 1.6 million shares. This is a sign that there will be less trading activity than there was yesterday.

After a decline of 2.1%, SM (NYSE:SM) has hit a share price of $56.39. So far today, the company's volume is 166,310 shares, 0.2 times the average daily volume.

Slipping 2%, Oil States International (NYSE:OIS) is currently trading at $75.44 per share. This morning, the company is trading a volume of 128,755 shares.

Dril-Quip (NYSE:DRQ) has decreased to $70.17 per share, a 1.6% fall. So far today, the company's volume is 61,164 shares, 0.4 times its current three-month average.

TransMontaigne Partners (NYSE:TLP) has increased to a share price of $38.10, a 1.6% rise. The company is trading at a volume of 3,835 shares. This is on pace to reach yesterday's trading volume of 9,368 shares.

The Bottom Line On any given day, a particular stock may see positive or negative change in its share price. It is important to weigh current activity against historical performance when making any investment decisions. Keep in mind that all these ratios should be compared against historical numbers and industry information in order to get a more complete picture.