Quest Diagnostics, Southwest Airlines rise; Simulations Plus falls, Wednesday, 7/3/2024

NEW YORK -- Stocks that traded heavily or had substantial price changes on Wednesday:

Southwest Airlines Co., up 29 cents to $28.58.

The airline adopted a shareholder rights plan in an effort to stave off a potential takeover by activist investor Elliott Investment Management.

Newmont Corp., up $1.74 to $43.45.

The gold producer rose along with prices for the precious metal.

Freeport-McMoRan Inc., up $1.94 to $50.65.

The copper miner gained ground along with prices for the base metal.

General Motors Co., down 24 cents to $46.71.

New-vehicle sales in the U.S. barely rose in the second quarter as buyers balked at still-high prices

Quest Diagnostics Inc., up $4.26 to $149.90.

The medical laboratory operator is buying LifeLabs.

CureVac N.V., down 22 cents to $3.12.

The biopharmaceutical company is selling the rights for its Covid-19 and flu vaccines to GSK.

Simulations Plus Inc., down $6.97 to $39.89.

The maker of software used in pharmaceutical research trimmed its earnings forecast for its current quarter.

Marathon Oil Corp., up 19 cents to $28.77.

Energy stocks rose as oil prices edged higher.