Technology Stocks, Including VMware, Making Big Moves on October 12, 2012

This morning's trading has marked a bad day for the market so far. The Nasdaq is down 0.2%; the S&P 500 has declined 0.4%; and the Dow has decreased 0.2%. The technology sector is a category of stocks relating to the research, development and/or distribution of technologically based goods and services. This sector contains businesses revolving around the manufacturing of electronics, creation of software, computers or products and services relating to information technology. The technology sector offers a wide arrange of products and services for both customers and other businesses. Consumer goods like personal computers, stereos and televisions are continually improved and upgraded, offering the latest technology to all users. Businesses receive information and services from software and database systems, which allow the companies to make strategic business decisions.

The Technology sector (XLK) is currently lagging behind the overall market, down 0.2%, and its current biggest movers are:

Company	Market Cap	Percentage Change
Infosys Ltd (Nasdaq:INFY)	$27.55 billion	-9.9%
Plexus (Nasdaq:PLXS)	$1.03 billion	-4.1%
Spreadtrum Communications, Inc (Nasdaq:SPRD)	$935.2 million	+3.8%
Ultimate Software Group (Nasdaq:ULTI)	$2.66 billion	+3.3%
Harris (NYSE:HRS)	$5.73 billion	-3.2%
VMware (NYSE:VMW)	$37.95 billion	-2.8%
Stratasys (Nasdaq:SSYS)	$1.27 billion	+2.5%

Forex Broker Summary: Forex Capital Markets (FXCM)

Infosys Ltd (Nasdaq:INFY) has fallen 9.9% and is currently trading at $43.44 per share. The company's volume for the day so far is five million shares. Yesterday's volume was only 2.6 million shares.

Plexus (Nasdaq:PLXS) is currently trading at a share price of $28.26, a 4.1% decline. The company's volume for the day so far is 48,793 shares, 0.3 times the current three-month average.

After an increase of 3.8%, Spreadtrum Communications, Inc (Nasdaq:SPRD) has reached a current price of $20.66. So far today, the company's volume is 223,838 shares.

After rising 3.3%, Ultimate Software Group (Nasdaq:ULTI) is currently trading at a share price of $102.80. So far today, the company's volume is 118,546 shares, 0.9 times its current daily average.

Slipping 3.2%, Harris (NYSE:HRS) is currently trading at $49.20 per share. The company's volume is currently 630,116 shares. This is more trading activity than there was yesterday.

Currently trading at $86.51 per share, VMware (NYSE:VMW) has fallen 2.8%. At 1.7 million shares, the company's volume so far today is 0.9 times its current three-month average.

Increasing 2.5%, Stratasys (Nasdaq:SSYS) is trading at $60.98 per share. The company is currently trading a volume of 98,173 shares.

The Bottom Line The nature of the market is such that stocks will have good days and bad days. Daily stock performance should be weighed against historical performance and put in context of the market overall. 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.