Premarket Movers: Huron, Oracle Fall

The company cut its quarterly profit forecast and adjusted its anticipated revenue below analysts' estimates, citing continued weakness in its financial consulting segment.

Shares lost 21.4 percent to $46 in premarket action.

Also moving lower were shares of business software maker Oracle Corp., which reported fiscal third-quarter earnings that met Wall Street's estimates but sales figures that fell short of analysts' projections.

Oracle stock fell 7.6 percent to $19.35 before the bell.

Estimates and a price target for Merrill Lynch & Co. were cut Thursday by two analysts, who expect the investment bank to likely write down at least $6 billion in the first quarter.

Merrill shares declined 88 cents to $43.54.

On the rising side, Clear Channel Communications Inc. said Thursday that a judge has issued a temporary restraining order in favor of the radio station operator, saying that "irreparable harm" would result if the banks backing the company's $19.5 billion buyout deal were not immediately prevented from interfering with its closing.

Shares jumped $3.78, or 14 percent, to $30.70 in early trade.

And shares of Valero Energy Corp. gained $1.69, or 3.4 percent, to $50.65 after a Deutsche Bank analyst upgraded the refiner, saying the stock is currently trading at a discount.