Shipping Sector Update: DHT Holdings (DHT), DryShips Inc. (DRYS), Golar LNG (GLNG), Nordic American Tanker (NAT)

U.S. stocks retreated from record highs on Thursday, showing the typical caution ahead of jobs data. Intraday records were hit after reports that the European Central Bank may deliver on stimulus after all, but those faded in a choppy day of trade. The S&P 500 index SPX, -0.12%  lost 0.1%, along with the Dow industrials DJIA, -0.07% For the week, those indexes are up just 0.2% and 0.4%, respectively. 10 biggest risks to the stock market in 2015

Futures for the Dow Jones Industrial Average DJZ4, +0.12%  rose 16 points to 17,906, while S&P 500 futures SPZ4, +0.06%  ticked up 1 point to 2,072.90. Futures for the Nasdaq-100 index NDZ4, -0.24%  rose 4 points to 4,3170.50.

Oil prices continued to fall, with crude CLF5, -0.73%  hovering around $66 a barrel and Brent LCOF5, -0.70%  under $70 a barrel after Saudi Arabia cut prices for U.S. and Asia oil, and analysts are waiting to see if other OPEC nations will follow. Gold prices GCG5, -0.32%  eased as well.

DHT Holdings Inc (NYSE:DHT) works as an independent crude oil tanker company. As of February 27, 2014, its fleet consisted of 10 double-hull crude oil tankers, including 6 crude oil tankers in the very large crude carriers, 2 Suezmax tankers, and two Aframax tankers. The Company shares are trading +19.08% above their 52 week low price after the last close and -27.39% below the 52 week high. Its latest closing price was down -11.45% from the average-price of 200 days while it kept its distance from the SMA50 at +0.51% and -0.40% compared with the SMA 20.

Shares of DryShips Inc. (NASDAQ:DRYS) were +0.86% up 52 week lows as of the latest close and -75.00% below the 52 week high. Its latest closing price was down -56.84% from the average-price of 200 days while it maintained a distance from the SMA 50 at -32.00% and -16.81% compared with the SMA 20. DryShips Inc. offers ocean transportation services for drybulk and petroleum cargoes, and offshore drilling services. The company works through Drybulk Carrier, Tanker, and Offshore Drilling segments.

Golar LNG Limited (USA) (NASDAQ:GLNG) a midstream liquefied natural gas (LNG) company, is involved in the transportation, regasification and liquefaction, and trading of LNG. The company functions in two segments, Vessel Operations and Commodity Trading. The stock’s latest price traded at +38.80% up 52 week lows after the closing bell and was -40.06% behind its 52 week high. Its latest closing price was -13.81% below the SMA200 while the distance from the SMA 50 and SMA 20 was -16.90 % and -9.34% respectively.

Nordic American Tanker Ltd (NYSE:NAT) a tanker company, is involved in acquiring and chartering double-hull tankers. As of May 31, 2014, it had a fleet of 22 Suezmax vessels. The company was founded in 1995 and is headquartered in Hamilton, Bermuda.

The Company so far this year has moved up +3.14% and its monthly performance stands at +12.06%. The stock was up +34.78% from its 52 week low and was -20.65% below the 52 week high. Its latest closing price was up +7.77% from the average-price of 200 days while it kept its distance from the SMA50 at +12.49% and +5.91% compared with the SMA 20.