Hall Kinion Shares Rise in IPO Trading

Hall Kinion & Associates Inc. shares rose nearly 30% in their first day of trading amid optimism about prospects for the staffing company, which provides highly skilled workers to technology companies. Shares of the company rose $4.13 to close at $19.13 in Nasdaq trading of 1.59 million shares. Earlier the shares touched $20.25 after a $37.7-million initial public sale of 2.52 million shares. The Cupertino-based company sold 1.67 million shares and stockholders 848,300 shares at $15 each, at the top of the expected price range of $14 to $15. The offering represents a 28% stake in the company. Hall Kinion, which provides employees to companies such as computer systems makers, software developers and telecommunications suppliers, is benefiting from strong demand, analysts said. . . . Meanwhile, South San Francisco-based Ocular Sciences Inc. shares rose 24% in the first day of trading as the contact-lens maker benefited from the niche it’s established in its industry. The stock rose $4 to $20.50 in trading of 4.36 million shares, after a $118.8-million initial public offering. Ocular Sciences is a significant player in the contact-lens industry, with its own style of doing business, analysts said.