What a Week: Feeling Groovy

Speaking of gluttony, during the upcoming Thanksgiving-shortened week, market participants will shift their focus to the year-end holiday shopping season. Black Friday, the massive sale and shopping bonanza that comes the day after Thanksgiving, will provide some insight into whether U.S. consumers are buying more than just Sony's (SNE Quote) PlayStation 3. The 400,000 video game units offered in the U.S. Friday sold out in minutes; Sony shares rose 2.1% Friday.

The initial public offering for commodities trading platform Nymex Holdings(NMX Quote) resembled the Sony PlayStation mania.

The Nymex sold 6.5 million shares at $59, but started trading on the open market at more than double the offering price. The shares made it as high as $152 intraday before settling to close their first day at $132.99, up 125% from the offering price.

IPOs from solar energy company First Solar(FSLR Quote), Halliburton(HAL Quote) spinoff KBR(KBR Quote) and Constellation Energy(CEP Quote) all fared well this week.

Rental-care company Hertz(HTZ Quote), was the notable laggard. The company, which was the target of a leveraged buyout just last year, offered its shares below the expected range at $15 each, and they gained only two cents on their first trading day. Hertz is currently trading at $15.66 per share.

M&A and private equity activity continued to reflect optimism about the economy this week.