Stocks & Markets December 4, 2009, 11:06AM EST

Stocks on the Move: AmEx, Boeing, DuPont, Moody's

Plus more stocks making headlines in Friday's market

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Dec. 4 (Bloomberg) -- Shares of the following companies are having unusual moves in U.S. trading. Stock symbols are in parentheses, and prices are as of 10:55 a.m. in New York.

Staffing companies advanced after a government report showed employers in the U.S. cut the fewest jobs in November since the recession began and the unemployment rate unexpectedly fell. Robert Half International Inc. (RHI) climbed 9.5 percent to $25.39. Monster Worldwide Inc. (MWW) rallied 11 percent to $16.72. Manpower Inc. (MAN) added 13 percent to $57.86.

American Express Co. (AXP), the biggest credit-card issuer by purchases, rallied 3.3 percent to $20.54 on eased concern that rising unemployment will curb consumer spending.

Akamai Technologies Inc. (AKAM) jumped 7.4 percent to $25.53 and advanced earlier to $25.66, the highest intraday price since July 2008. The largest supplier of software and services to make Web sites load faster was raised to "outperform" from "market perform" at Oppenheimer & Co.

Boeing Co. (BA) rose 2.9 percent to $55.35 and jumped earlier to $55.45, the highest intraday price since Sept. 29. The second-largest defense contractor said demand for helicopters, logistics support and cyber-security services will more than make up for recent losses of Army, missile defense and satellite programs.

Big Lots Inc. (BIG) jumped 18 percent to $27.75 for the biggest gain in the Standard & Poor's 500 Index. The broadline closeout retailer reported profit excluding some items of 27 cents a share in the third quarter, beating the average analyst estimate of 44 percent, according to Bloomberg data.

DuPont Co. (DD) fell the most in the Dow Jones Industrial Average, sliding 4 percent to $33.43. The world's second-biggest seed producer said its Optimum GAT corn fell short of its standards for crop yields and won't be released next year in North America as planned.

General Growth Properties Inc. (GGWPQ) jumped 14 percent to $9.13 and advanced earlier to $9.95, the highest intraday price since October 2008. Brookfield Asset Management Inc. (BAM) and Simon Property Group Inc. (SPG) have purchased part of the mall owner's bank debt and bonds and may make bids for all or part of General Growth, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing people familiar with the matter it didn't identify.

Golden Star Resources Ltd. (GSS) fell 14 percent, the largest intraday decline since April 6, to $3.61. The owner of the Bogoso/Prestea gold mine in Ghana sold 20 million shares at $3.75 each. More stock may dilute the value of existing shares.

Flow International Corp. (FLOW) jumped 20 percent to $2.94 after advancing 33 percent earlier, the most intraday since February 2005. The maker of Dynamic high-pressure water jets for cutting industrial materials reported profit excluding some items of 1 cent a share for the quarter ended Oct. 31, beating the average analyst estimate of a 2 cents loss.