Midday Report: Weight Watchers Sees Oprah Effect; Energy Lags

Stocks were under pressure in midday trading Monday as the energy sector fell after slower Chinese growth in the third quarter threatened oil demand. Weight Watchers (WTW) was a bright spot after media mogul Oprah Winfrey took a 10% stake in the company. Winfrey will also join its board. Weight Watchers has suffered ten straight quarters of declining sales. Hasbro (HAS) declined despite a better-than-expected quarter tied to the rollout of its 'Star Wars' products. However, the toymaker saw no growth in revenue due to the stronger U.S. dollar. Excluding currency exchange, sales rose 6% driven by a 24% surge in its boys segment. Sentiment in the housing industry jumped to its best level since 2005, a period marking the end of the housing boom.