Volatile Stocks in List: Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT), Southwest Airlines Co. (NYSE:LUV), AstraZeneca PLC (NYSE:AZN)

Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) expected to release a major new round of jobs elimination as early as Wednesday as it looks to cut costs more, according to the New York Times reported. The layoffs are in addition to the about 18,000 employees that Microsoft said it planned to let go a year ago, the report said. According to the report, the new job cuts are expected to affect people in Microsoft’s hardware group, among other parts of the company, including the struggling smartphone business that it acquired from Nokia last year. In July 2014, Microsoft announced plan to eliminate up to 18,000 positions over the next year, as part of a restructuring plan to simplify its operations and align the Nokia Devices and Services business with the company’s overall strategy. Microsoft acquired Nokia’s handset business in April last year. Shares of Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) traded at $44.31 by moving down -0.19% with price volatility of 1.81% for a week and 1.67% for a month. Its beta stands at 0.91 times.

Southwest Airlines Co. (NYSE:LUV) declared on Wednesday that its operational results for the month of June, releasing year-over-year increases in traffic, capacity and load factor from last year. The airline also said passenger revenue per available seat mile or PRASM, for the second quarter is estimated to decease in the 4.0 to 5.0 percent range when compared to the year-ago quarter. The company said it continues to expect its second-quarter 2015 passenger revenue per ASM (PRASM) to decease in the 4.0 to 5.0 percent range, compared to the second quarter of 2014. For the year-to-date six-month period, traffic improved 7.5 percent to 56.72 billion RPMs from 54.21 billion RPMs in the prior-year period. Capacity also grew 6.5 percent to 68.77 billion ASMs from last year’s 64.57 billion ASMs.  Southwest Airlines Co. (NYSE:LUV) stock hit highest price at $33.03, beginning with a price of $32.96 and reported an increase of 1.15% to finish at $33.41 with a day range of $32.71-$33.03. The total market capitalization remained 22.04 Billion, total volume of 8.25 Million shares held in the session was surprisingly higher than its average volume of 9100.51 shares.

AstraZeneca PLC (NYSE:AZN) as well as Ironwood Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (IRWD) declared that its top-line data demonstrating linaclotide met all primary as well as secondary endpoints, covering multiple abdominal more over constipation symptoms, in a Phase III clinical trial of adults with irritable bowel syndrome with constipation or IBS-C. The trial was conducted primarily in China. The companies intend to file in early 2016 for China Food and Drug Administration approval to market linaclotide. The double-blind, placebo-controlled Phase III clinical trial randomized 839 adults with IBS-C in China, Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the U.S. Patients were randomized 1:1 to receive either 290 mcg of linaclotide, or placebo, for 12 weeks. AstraZeneca PLC (NYSE:AZN) stock has highest price of $64.65 in last session, beginning with a price of $64.52 and reported an advance of 0.75% to finish at $65.61 with a day range of $64.41-$64.65. The stock is going forward its 52-week low with 3.01% and moving down from its 52 week high price with -12.19%.