Stocks ended mixed as investors kept one eye on the results of the start of the holiday shopping season, and the other on upcoming economic negotiations in Washington and Europe. Also in Europe, the Bank of England surprisingly named Canadian central bank chief Mark Carney its next governor. Also, Bloomberg News reported the ECB was receptive to the idea of giving up its profits on Greek debt. Tech sector posted modest gains with Facebook rallying 8.1% after Topeka Capital analyst raised its price target to $36 from $34, citing prospects for Facebook’s e-commerce business, while BTIG upgraded the stock to neutral, noting the potential revenue gains from Facebook “accelerated” advertising push. Apple rose 3.2% after Citigroup re-initiated coverage with a buy rating, saying the stock is poised for gains after a near-term selloff. eBay rallied 4.8% after the co. said its PayPal unit enjoyed a 193% increase in mobile payment volume on Black Friday from a year earlier. Also, Yahoo gained 1.0% as Goldman Sachs put Yahoo on its conviction buy list, in light of “recent clarity” on the company’s expected turnaround. Implied volatility inched lower on moderate trading volumes.
