Investing.com - Stocks in focus in pre-market trade Thursday:
• Alcoa (NYSE:AA) stock jumped 4.58% by 8:20 AM ET (12:20 GMT) after the company reported better-than-expected quarterly profit thanks to rising aluminum prices.
• Endocyte (NASDAQ:ECYT) stock skyrocketed 50.51% after Novartis (NYSE:NVS) agreed to buy the company for $2.1 billion, or $24 a share, in cash.
• Travelers (NYSE:TRV) stock gained 0.44% after the company reported third quarter results that beat on the top and bottom lines.
• Philip Morris (NYSE:PM) stock rose 2.29% as third-quarter results topped estimates.
• Helios and Matheson Analytics (NASDAQ:HMNY) stock slumped 17.5% after CNBC reported that New York Attorney General Barbara Underwood had opened an investigation to examine if the MoviePass owner had misled investors about its financial health.
• Constellation Brands (NYSE:STZ) stock dropped 0.62% after the company announced that CEO Rob Sands will step down next March.