Stocks that were moving substantially or trading heavily Thursday on the New York Stock Exchange and Nasdaq Stock Market: NYSEMcDonald's Corp., up $3.18 at $54.38.

The stock surged to an all-time high after the fast-food chain announced the largest dividend increase in its history and pledged to return more money to shareholders through payouts than Wall Street expected.

Countrywide Financial Corp., up $1.39 at $18.01.

The mortgage lender secured an additional $12 billion in financing. The biggest U.S. lender by volume has struggled to weather the slowdown in the housing market and tightness in the credit market.

Target Corp., up $2.01 at $64.72.

The retailer said it might put on the block the nearly $7 billion that its customers owe on the company's credit cards. The company also said it was examining the pace of its share repurchases.



NASDAQIsis Pharmaceuticals Inc., up 70 cents at $13.46; Johnson & Johnson (NYSE) up 67 cents at $63.18.

Isis said it is working with a unit of industry giant J&J to develop a treatments for metabolic disorders.

Syntax-Brillian Corp., down $2 at $4.13.

The maker of Olevia high-definition televisions issued a disappointing sales forecast for the fiscal first quarter. The company said its suppliers have been hurt by credit tightening in Asia.

Select Comfort Corp., down $1.47 at $15.93.

The bedding maker, citing lower sales, warned it will likely fall short of Wall Street's earnings expectations for the third quarter.