Midday Report: Charter Surges on Deal Whispers; Record-Breaking Rally Loses Steam

Wednesday's history-making rally lost steam on Thursday, with markets struggling to remain in record territory. All indices closed at new highs a day earlier, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average rocketing above 20,000. 

New home sales in the U.S. fell to a 10-month low in December, ending a robust year for the housing market. Sales of newly constructed homes fell just over 10% last month. 

Charter (CHTR) - Get Report surged on reports that Verizon (VZ) - Get Report is interested in a deal, though other sources have said talks are just that at the moment. A combined company would have a massive market cap of $280 billion. 

Mattel (MAT) - Get Report slumped after reporting a weaker-than-expected holiday season. Gross margins were under pressure as the toymaker slashed prices to clear stock heading into Christmas. Profit declined nearly 20%.