Tuesday, January 18, 2011

DailyMarkets.com - Austerity In America: 22 Signs That It Is Already Here And That It Is Going To Be Very Painful

DailyMarkets.com - Austerity In America: 22 Signs That It Is Already Here And That It Is Going To Be Very Painful

Austerity In America: 22 Signs That It Is Already Here And That It Is Going To Be Very Painful

Posted: 18 Jan 2011 05:45 PM PST

Over the past couple of years, most Americans have shown little concern as austerity measures were imposed on financially troubled nations across Europe.  Even as austerity riots erupted in nations such as Greece and Spain, most Americans were still convinced that nothing like that could ever happen here.  Well, guess what?  Austerity has arrived in America.  At this point, it is not a formal, mandated austerity like we have seen in Europe, but the results are just the same.  Taxes … [visit site to read more] or compare Best Credit Cards and Best CD Rates

Forex – GBP/JPY Up During The Asian Session

Posted: 18 Jan 2011 04:45 PM PST

Forex Pros – The British Pound was higher against the Japanese Yen on Wednesday.

GBP/JPY was trading at 132.16, up 0.28% at time of writing.

The pair was likely to find support at 130.46, Friday's low, and resistance at 132.51, Tuesday's high.

Meanwhile, the British Pound was up against the U.S. Dollar and the Euro, with GBP/USD gaining 0.12% to hit 1.5982 and EUR/GBP falling 0.10% to hit … [visit site to read more] or compare Best Credit Cards and Best CD Rates

Georgia Central Bank Holds Refi At 7.50%

Posted: 18 Jan 2011 03:54 PM PST

The National Bank of Georgia kept the refinancing rate at 7.50% but decided to increase the reserve requirement for foreign currency liabilities to 15%. The Bank noted in its statement that “annual inflation reached 11.2 percent by the end of 2010″ driven mostly by food price inflation, but with some flow-on rise seen in inflation … [visit site to read more] or compare Best Credit Cards and Best CD Rates

Forex – NZD/USD Down During The Asian Session

Posted: 18 Jan 2011 03:50 PM PST

Forex Pros – The New Zealand Dollar was lower against the U.S. Dollar on Tuesday.

NZD/USD was trading at 0.7710, down 0.11% at time of writing.

The pair was likely to find support at 0.7610, Thursday's low, and resistance at 0.7748, Monday's high.

Meanwhile, the New Zealand Dollar was up against the Australian Dollar and down against the Euro, with AUD/NZD shedding 0.15% to hit 1.2928 and EUR/NZD rising 0.001% to hit … [visit site to read more] or compare Best Credit Cards and Best CD Rates

The Day Ahead: Housing Starts, Earnings

Posted: 18 Jan 2011 03:30 PM PST

01/19/10 The stories, data, and stocks that may have the greatest impact during the next trading … [visit site to read more] or compare Best Credit Cards and Best CD Rates

Trade Ideas For Wednesday, January 19

Posted: 18 Jan 2011 03:26 PM PST

( click to enlarge )

Dear Traders, Nice day for Plug Power Inc. (NASDAQ:PLUG) everyone !! So I first alerted on this one Thursday night and Friday morning via twiter when it was trading at $.61. Today it hit a high of $.94 for a possible gain on 50% and ended the day at $.90 so readers who bought in on my inital alert are still up 48% !! Hope everyone is having fun and making some money. Let the profits run for this one.

( click to enlarge )

JPMorgan Chase & Co. (NYSE:JPM) still looking … [visit site to read more] or compare Best Credit Cards and Best CD Rates

Hot Option Plays: Market Longs Are Strong

Posted: 18 Jan 2011 03:18 PM PST

Cusick's Corner
The market has held up again and is potentially setting up a nice upside challenge. This is the blow off that we have been waiting for and the catalyst could be AAPL's earnings. While the sustainability of a blow off run will come into question, the mere fact is that the longs are strong and any pullback will be met with a consolidation until the bid swoops in. This type of action has been confirmed in Tech and Finance with both sectors running off their lows. I will be … [visit site to read more] or compare Best Credit Cards and Best CD Rates

Pound Extends Gains As CPI Comes In Red Hot

Posted: 18 Jan 2011 03:09 PM PST

In the European session, the UK released its latest consumer price index readings, and it showed a large increase in the annual rate. For the December period, annual CPI rose to 3.7%, higher than forecasts of a 3.3% which would have matched November's figure. On the month inflation jumped 1%, compared to 0.4% in November, and expectations of a 0.7% increase.
The news helps the GBP in the short term, and this story around heightened inflation has been building since the beginning of the … [visit site to read more] or compare Best Credit Cards and Best CD Rates

NRP’s Headway For Illinois Buyout

Posted: 18 Jan 2011 03:05 PM PST

Natural Resource Partners L.P. (NYSE:NRP) made its fourth — out of the planned seven — purchase of coal reserves at the Deer Run mine in Illinois. The company bought these new reserves from Colt LLC, an affiliate of the Cline Group, for $70 million.
The Deer Run mine located near Hillsboro in Montgomery and Bond Counties, Illinois, has the potential to produce roughly 8 to 10 million tons per year when the longwall is in full production. The estimated life of the mine is expected to exceed 20 … [visit site to read more] or compare Best Credit Cards and Best CD Rates

Affymetrix’s Rice Genotyping Test

Posted: 18 Jan 2011 03:05 PM PST

California-based genetic products maker Affymetrix Inc (NASDAQ:AFFX) has announced the launch of its first high-density rice genotyping array at the Plant and Animal Genome XIX Conference in San Diego. The test, dubbed GeneChip Rice 44K SNP Genotyping Array, will offer an affordable, high-quality method to identify rice varieties and explore genetic traits. 
Developed through collaboration with global community of rice researchers under a project funded by the National Science Foundation's … [visit site to read more] or compare Best Credit Cards and Best CD Rates

GOL Linhas’ Decade Of Growth

Posted: 18 Jan 2011 02:35 PM PST

Brazil's largest low-fare airline operator, GOL Linhas Aereas Inteligentes S.A. (NYSE:GOL), has completed ten years of  service. During these ten years its operating fleet reached 112 aircraft from just 6. Now, management expects to take its operating fleet size to 115 by the end of fiscal 2011.
During the span of ten years, GOL Linhas has formed numerous code-share agreements and introduced various flights to different locations.
GOL Linhas has been continuously increasing the frequency of … [visit site to read more] or compare Best Credit Cards and Best CD Rates

GOL Linhas’ Decade Of Growth

Posted: 18 Jan 2011 02:35 PM PST

Brazil's largest low-fare airline operator, GOL Linhas Aereas Inteligentes S.A. (NYSE:GOL), has completed ten years of  service. During these ten years its operating fleet reached 112 aircraft from just 6. Now, management expects to take its operating fleet size to 115 by the end of fiscal 2011.
During the span of ten years, GOL Linhas has formed numerous code-share agreements and introduced various flights to different locations.
GOL Linhas has been continuously increasing the frequency of … [visit site to read more] or compare Best Credit Cards and Best CD Rates

Wright Intros DARCO In Japan

Posted: 18 Jan 2011 02:35 PM PST

Orthopedic devices maker Wright Medical (NASDAQ:WMGI) has introduced the DARCO foot and ankle plating system in Japan. The launch represents an important milestone for the company's foot and ankle surgical products business. The product is marketed in the U.S. and other major international markets since 2007.
The DARCO plating line includes more than 40 different locked plates designed to address the requirements of foot and ankle surgeons while performing surgery. According to Wright Medical, it … [visit site to read more] or compare Best Credit Cards and Best CD Rates

Apple Stomps Estimates Again

Posted: 18 Jan 2011 02:35 PM PST

Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) has done it again — posted highly impressive earnings results that left the Zacks Consensus Estimates in the dust and its own guidance purely laughable. Apple Inc. generated $6.43 per share in its fiscal 1st quarter 2011 on revenues of $26.7 billion. The Zacks Consensus Estimates had been $5.38 per share and $24.3 billion in revenues. Apple’s own forecast had been $4.80 and $23 billion, respectively.

This will salve a lot of investors feeling the burn of an initial $20 … [visit site to read more] or compare Best Credit Cards and Best CD Rates

Four ETFs Driven By Apple And IBM’s Stellar Performance

Posted: 18 Jan 2011 02:18 PM PST

Technology giants, Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) and International Business Machines (NYSE:IBM) reported stellar quarterly earnings, smashing analyst expectations and shinning a ray of light on the technology sector and the exchange traded funds [[ETFs]] that track it.
Apple reported a fourth quarter increase in revenue to $26.7 billion, while boasting gross margins of 38.5 percent and net income of $6 billion, or $6.43 per share, beating Apple's own forecasts of revenues of $23 billion and a gross margin … [visit site to read more] or compare Best Credit Cards and Best CD Rates

Coach Bags A Buy Rating

Posted: 18 Jan 2011 02:05 PM PST

Being a leading American marketer of fine accessories and gifts, Coach Inc. (NYSE:COH) boasts a proven strategy of investing in stores to enhance store sales productivity through product innovation, compelling pricing strategy, new merchandise assortments, and a cost-effective global sourcing model, which should help drive comparable-store sales and operating margins in the long term.
Management also remains confident of sustaining a double-digit growth momentum in both top and bottom lines, after … [visit site to read more] or compare Best Credit Cards and Best CD Rates

GE’s New Diagnostic Imaging Agent

Posted: 18 Jan 2011 02:05 PM PST

GE Healthcare, a unit of General Electric Company (NYSE:GE), has developed a new radiopharmaceutical agent, called DaTscan (Ioflupane I 123 Injection), which has been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). This is the first diagnostic imaging agent to be used for detecting dopamine transporters (DaT) in patients allegedly with Parkinsonian syndromes (PS).
DaTscan will aid physicians in the assessment of neurodegenerative movement disorders and will distinguish Parkinsonian … [visit site to read more] or compare Best Credit Cards and Best CD Rates

IBM Tops By 2.5%

Posted: 18 Jan 2011 02:05 PM PST

You should never take good news for granted, especially in the market. It could always come back to bite you when you least expect it.
Unless of course you're talking about IBM (NYSE:IBM), I guess…
After the bell Tuesday, the tech giant did what everyone knew they were going to do in the fourth quarter. With earnings per share of $4.18, IBM topped the Zacks Consensus Estimate by a dime, or approximately 2.5%. This marked another positive earnings surprise for the company. You have to go back … [visit site to read more] or compare Best Credit Cards and Best CD Rates

Forex – EUR/USD Up At The End Of U.S. Session

Posted: 18 Jan 2011 01:55 PM PST

Forex Pros – The Euro was higher against the U.S. Dollar on Tuesday.

EUR/USD was trading at 1.3389, up 0.71% at time of writing.

The pair was likely to find support at 1.3089, Thursday's low, and resistance at 1.3466, today's high.

Meanwhile, the Euro was up against the British Pound and the Japanese Yen, with EUR/GBP gaining 0.24% to hit 0.8388 and EUR/JPY rising 0.62% to hit … [visit site to read more] or compare Best Credit Cards and Best CD Rates

Forex – USD/JPY Down Toward The End Of U.S. Session

Posted: 18 Jan 2011 01:40 PM PST

Forex Pros – The U.S. Dollar was lower against the Japanese Yen on Tuesday.

USD/JPY was trading at 82.60, down 0.10% at time of writing.

The pair was likely to find support at 82.33, today's low, and resistance at 83.15, Thursday's high.

Meanwhile, the U.S. Dollar was down against the Euro and the British Pound, with EUR/USD gaining 0.69% to hit 1.3386 and GBP/USD rising 0.46% to hit … [visit site to read more] or compare Best Credit Cards and Best CD Rates

Analyst Interviews: Alternative Energy Industry Outlook

Posted: 18 Jan 2011 01:35 PM PST

OUTLOOK
 
Like everyone else, the Alternative Energy industry was hit hard by the Great Recession and essentially remains in recovery mode. And while the economy is in recovery mode, so is our hope for the industry. The growth outlook of alternative energy companies is closely tied to the fortunes of the economy.

Despite some lingering concerns, the global economic expansion remains on track. Per the Energy Information Administration (EIA), in its latest release U.S. electricity … [visit site to read more] or compare Best Credit Cards and Best CD Rates

Earnings Preview: Juniper Networks

Posted: 18 Jan 2011 01:35 PM PST

Juniper Networks Inc. (NASDAQ:JNPR) is scheduled to announce its fourth quarter 2010 results on January 25 after the market closes, and we do not see any variation in analyst estimates at this point.
Third Quarter Overview
Juniper reported modest third quarter 2010 numbers, with earnings per share (EPS) of 26 cents coming in line with the Zacks Consensus Estimate.
Juniper's reported revenue of $1.01 billion was an increase of 23.0% from the year-earlier quarter. The revenue upside was … [visit site to read more] or compare Best Credit Cards and Best CD Rates

Manitowoc Completes Divestiture

Posted: 18 Jan 2011 01:35 PM PST

The Manitowoc Company Inc. (NYSE:MTW) completed the divestiture of Kysor/Warren and Kysor/Warren de Mexico ("Kysor/Warren") to Lennox International (NYSE:LII). The divestiture, announced on December 15, 2010, fetched $138 million for Manitowoc.
Kysor/Warren is a leading producer of refrigerated display merchandisers and systems primarily for retail applications such as grocery stores, supermarkets and convenience stores.  This business was part of Manitowoc's Foodservice Equipment … [visit site to read more] or compare Best Credit Cards and Best CD Rates

Closing Bell Market Monitor: DAL, C, CMA

Posted: 18 Jan 2011 01:30 PM PST

01/18/11  The latest in news, commentary, and information on what’s moving the US equities markets. Watch this broadcast LIVE at 4:00 pm EST daily @ … [visit site to read more] or compare Best Credit Cards and Best CD Rates

A Trillion Here, A Trillion There…

Posted: 18 Jan 2011 01:27 PM PST

A billion here, a billion there, and pretty soon you’re talking real money.
–Attributed to the late Sen. Everett Dirksen
With the kinds of numbers we are seeing nowadays, I reckon the good ole Republican Senator from Illinois might have been known for a slightly different quip if he had lived for another 40 years or so:
Consumer credit outstanding: $2.4 trillion
Mortgage debt outstanding: $10.6 trillion
Federal debt outstanding: $14 trillion
Commercial/multifamily mortgage debt outstanding: … [visit site to read more] or compare Best Credit Cards and Best CD Rates

Euro Boosted By Talk Of Expanding Bailout Fund, Strong ZEW Report From Germany, & Russia’s Interest In Buying EFSF Bonds

Posted: 18 Jan 2011 01:26 PM PST

Last week we took a good strong look at the developments in the Euro-zone, and following some successful bond auctions by troubled Euro-zone countries – Portugal and Spain – we saw the EUR rally strongly.
That momentum continued today as we had the EUR/USD rally to a 1-month high at 1.3466, though it fell back down from that level in later NY trading. We now test a zone of resistance in the pair which we had been unable to break above since December.
Traders Pricing in Bigger Bailout … [visit site to read more] or compare Best Credit Cards and Best CD Rates

Forex – EUR/USD Up Toward The End Of U.S. Session

Posted: 18 Jan 2011 01:25 PM PST

Forex Pros – The Euro was higher against the U.S. Dollar on Tuesday.

EUR/USD was trading at 1.3386, up 0.69% at time of writing.

The pair was likely to find support at 1.3089, Thursday's low, and resistance at 1.3466, today's high.

Meanwhile, the Euro was up against the British Pound and the Japanese Yen, with EUR/GBP gaining 0.22% to hit 0.8386 and EUR/JPY rising 0.59% to hit … [visit site to read more] or compare Best Credit Cards and Best CD Rates

U.S. Markets Close Higher; Dow Jones Up 0.43%

Posted: 18 Jan 2011 01:10 PM PST

Forex Pros – U.S. stocks were up after the closing bell on Tuesday.

At the close of U.S. trade, the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 0.43%, the S&P 500 index gained 0.14%, while the Nasdaq 100 index climbed 0.23%.

Meanwhile, across the Atlantic, European stock markets closed higher. France's CAC 40 was up 0.94%; Germany's DAX gained 0.92%; Britain's FTSE 100 climbed 1.18%; and the EURO STOXX 50 rose … [visit site to read more] or compare Best Credit Cards and Best CD Rates

Pratt & Whitney Wins Order

Posted: 18 Jan 2011 01:05 PM PST

Pratt & Whitney, a group company of United Technologies Corporation (NYSE:UTX), has entered into a contract with Sopogy, Inc., of Hawaii for supplying two Turboden Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC) systems.
The 5.5 MW project will be based in Hawaii with two Turboden Organic Rankine Cycle systems that will take heat energy from Sopogy’s MicroCSP solar collectors into a receiver tube which then heats up a fluid to create the high-temperature thermal resource. The heated fluid then becomes the fuel to … [visit site to read more] or compare Best Credit Cards and Best CD Rates

SurModics Upped To Neutral

Posted: 18 Jan 2011 01:05 PM PST

We are upgrading SurModics Inc. (NASDAQ:SRDX) to 'Neutral' from 'Underperform' following the efforts of the company to emerge from the below-par performances delivered over the past few quarters. Our target price on the stock is $13.00.
We are encouraged by the company's move to explore options regarding the Pharma unit, including its potential sale, as the move will enable SurModics to focus on its core business and enhance shareholder value. SurModics has constituted a core group to … [visit site to read more] or compare Best Credit Cards and Best CD Rates

Bullish Player Rigs Up Call Spread On Oil Services HOLDRS Trust

Posted: 18 Jan 2011 01:02 PM PST

Bullish player rigs up call spread on Oil Services HOLDRS Trust
Today’s tickers: OIH, AFFY, CAT, EBAY, IYT & RIG
Oil Services HOLDRS Trust (OIH) – Shares in the Oil Services HOLDRS Trust are up 0.50% in the final hour of trading to secure an intraday- and new 52-week high of $147.34. One options player expecting shares to continue to hit new highs through February expiration initiated a debit call spread. Shares in the OIH, an issuer of depository receipts known as Oil Service HOLDRS that … [visit site to read more] or compare Best Credit Cards and Best CD Rates

Forex – GBP/USD Up During The U.S. Session

Posted: 18 Jan 2011 12:45 PM PST

Forex Pros – The British Pound was higher against the U.S. Dollar on Tuesday.

GBP/USD was trading at 1.5958, up 0.45% at time of writing.

The pair was likely to find support at 1.5719, Thursday's low, and resistance at 1.6059, today's high.

Meanwhile, the British Pound was down against the Euro and up against the Japanese Yen, with EUR/GBP gaining 0.24% to hit 0.8388 and GBP/JPY rising 0.37% to hit … [visit site to read more] or compare Best Credit Cards and Best CD Rates

Earnings Preview: Symantec Corp.

Posted: 18 Jan 2011 12:35 PM PST

Symantec Corp. (NASDAQ:SYMC) is scheduled to announce its third quarter fiscal 2011 results on January 26 after the market closes, and we do not see any variation in analyst estimates at this point.
Second Quarter Overview
Symantec reported encouraging second quarter fiscal 2011 numbers, with earnings per share of 34 cents beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 9 cents.
Symantec reported second quarter revenue of $1.48 billion, up 2% from $1.474 billion in the year-ago quarter. The reported revenue … [visit site to read more] or compare Best Credit Cards and Best CD Rates

NYC Office Rent Up Post Slump

Posted: 18 Jan 2011 12:35 PM PST

According to a research report by Cushman & Wakefield, a privately held commercial real estate services firm, office rents in Manhattan has increased in fourth quarter 2010 – the first of its kind since recession that had pushed several companies into bankruptcy.
Rents sought by landlords increased to $54.34 per square foot at year-end 2010 from $53.80 in  the third quarter. About 7.5 million square feet of office space were leased during the quarter in the region –  maximum … [visit site to read more] or compare Best Credit Cards and Best CD Rates

News Corp Possible Buyer For Shine

Posted: 18 Jan 2011 12:35 PM PST

According to Bloomberg, Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp. (NWSA) may turn out to be a possible buyer for the Shine group, founded by his daughter, Elisabeth Murdoch, in 2001.
The news followed after Shine engaged JPMorgan (NYSE:JPM) to advice about the strategic alternatives and expansion opportunities of the company in the coming years.
The probable buyout of Shine Group would take Ms. Murdoch back into her father's media territory, and is likely to place her as a promising heir to the 79 year old, … [visit site to read more] or compare Best Credit Cards and Best CD Rates

Bank Of Canada Nips Expectations Of Any Impending Rate Hikes, CAD Slides

Posted: 18 Jan 2011 12:32 PM PST

Bank of Canada, While Upping Growth Forecasts, Highlights Headwinds to Economy
The Bank of Canada held rates steady today at 1% and while it did increase its growth outlook for 2011 and 2012, it seems that the bank's Governor Mark Carney, continued to try and beat back the strength of the CAD. He did this today by saying that any future interest-rate increases would be "carefully considered." The BOC statement also pointed to possible headwinds for the Canadian economy including the … [visit site to read more] or compare Best Credit Cards and Best CD Rates

Hot Option Plays: Earnings Top Billing

Posted: 18 Jan 2011 12:18 PM PST

Cusick’s Corner
Stocks are broadly higher on positive earnings and mixed economic news Friday. JP Morgan (NYSE:JPM) shares are up 2.5 percent and the best gainers in the Dow Jones Industrial Average after the bank reported a quarterly profit of $1.12 per share, which was 13 cents better-than-expected. Intel (NASDAQ:INTC) also moved higher on better-than-expected results early Friday, but has since given back the gains and is off 19 cents to $21.10. On the economic front, data released early Friday … [visit site to read more] or compare Best Credit Cards and Best CD Rates

Hot Option Plays: Earnings Optimism

Posted: 18 Jan 2011 12:18 PM PST

Cusick's Corner
The market continues to get some more fuel early in this earnings cycle — JPM and INTC reported to the upside, with little drag from the actions by the Chinese and the continued struggles of EU sovereign debt. Gold is on the radar because the short-term move looks potentially ugly, but if you look at some of the producers [[Miners]], especially the smaller names, they are holding up well. This does give long-term confidence in the metal but does raise a short-term red Flag. I … [visit site to read more] or compare Best Credit Cards and Best CD Rates

Hot Option Plays: Bad News Easily Absorbed

Posted: 18 Jan 2011 12:18 PM PST

Cusick's Corner
This market can be characterized as a roaring bull market where bad news can be absorbed and good news sustains the move up. However, really good news starts to raise some red flags, especially for seasoned traders. This market is looking like it will challenge and break the upper barrier, then potentially pullback and consolidate. Option data coming from the Put/Call Ratio is still very bullish, signaling short-term complacency. With the amount of data out this week, we could … [visit site to read more] or compare Best Credit Cards and Best CD Rates

Embraer’s 2010 Jets Delivery

Posted: 18 Jan 2011 12:05 PM PST

The gradual economic recovery is encouraging almost all the industries to open up. The airline industry, which took a big hit during the recession, is also looking for opportunities as fuel prices are in their low-90s, down from $150 per barrel in 2008.
Empresa Brasileira de Aeronautica S.A. or Embraer (NYSE:ERJ), the largest Brazilian aircraft manufacturer, delivered 92 aircraft during the fourth quarter of fiscal 2010 compared with 44 aircraft in the third quarter of fiscal 2010. … [visit site to read more] or compare Best Credit Cards and Best CD Rates

MasterCard Counts On China

Posted: 18 Jan 2011 12:05 PM PST

Expanding its presence in high-growth China, MasterCard Inc. (NYSE:MA) plans to enhance its partnership with China UnionPay and penetrate the debit card market in the region, according to Reuters. China UnionPay is the sole bank card transaction processing company in the region.
UnionPay is the biggest card company globally in terms of card issuance and the second largest brand in the Asia-Pacific region in terms of transaction volume, thereby beating the oldest and globally renowned competitors … [visit site to read more] or compare Best Credit Cards and Best CD Rates

Forex – USD/CAD Up During The U.S. Session

Posted: 18 Jan 2011 12:05 PM PST

Forex Pros – The U.S. Dollar was higher against the Canadian Dollar on Tuesday.

USD/CAD was trading at 0.9926, up 0.56% at time of writing.

The pair was likely to find support at 0.9838, today's low, and resistance at 0.9978, Friday's high.

Meanwhile, the U.S. Dollar was down against the Euro and the British Pound, with EUR/USD gaining 0.71% to hit 1.3389 and GBP/USD rising 0.46% to hit … [visit site to read more] or compare Best Credit Cards and Best CD Rates

The Gold Bull Market – Two Out Of Three Ain’t Bad

Posted: 18 Jan 2011 11:55 AM PST

The gold bull market, which started from a low of $255 an ounce in early 2001, looks as strong as ever after hitting a new high price of $1,420 an ounce in late December last. In the initial years, gold's rise had more to do with it being a cheap asset following a 20-year bear market through the 1980s and 1990s. More lately, its strength reflects deep-seated investor concerns regarding ongoing global monetary instability which has been created by persistent global trade imbalances, … [visit site to read more] or compare Best Credit Cards and Best CD Rates

Garmin Down To Underperform

Posted: 18 Jan 2011 11:35 AM PST

We are downgrading shares of Garmin Ltd (NASDAQ:GRMN) to Underperform, since conditions in the portable navigation device (“PND”) market continue to deteriorate.
Garmin generated around 64% of its third quarter revenue from the auto/mobile segment, the bulk of which comes from PNDs. Segment revenues dropped to around $442 million in the last quarter from around $627 million in the September quarter of 2008.
The main reason for the weakness is cannibalization by smartphones, as consumers are … [visit site to read more] or compare Best Credit Cards and Best CD Rates

Telus Inspires Confidence

Posted: 18 Jan 2011 11:35 AM PST

We are upgrading our recommendation on Telus Corporation (NYSE:TU), the second largest Canadian telecommunications company, to Outperform from Neutral. Currently, the stock has a Zacks #2 Rank (Buy).
Telus appears confident of a profitable 2011 attributable to continuous wireless subscriber growth, accelerating wireless data services as well as reduced financing costs due to lower interest rates.
The company increased its focus on wireless and data business growth and is rapidly expanding its 3G … [visit site to read more] or compare Best Credit Cards and Best CD Rates

Quick Checkup Of Current Market Breadth And Intraday Trendlines

Posted: 18 Jan 2011 11:33 AM PST

For the quick-reflexed traders among us, here is a current intraday update of the state of the SP500 5-min chart when compared with declining breadth/internals and the competing rising price trendlines to use as a reference for potential future trade set-ups.
Let's see it:

Keep in mind the Higher Timeframe structural reference level at 1,300 – as I mentioned in today's previous post on Weekly Levels to Watch.
What we like to do as traders is keep in mind a higher timeframe reference … [visit site to read more] or compare Best Credit Cards and Best CD Rates

Forex – EUR/USD Up During The U.S. Session

Posted: 18 Jan 2011 11:30 AM PST

Forex Pros – The Euro was higher against the U.S. Dollar on Tuesday.

EUR/USD was trading at 1.3364, up 0.53% at time of writing.

The pair was likely to find support at 1.3089, Thursday's low, and resistance at 1.3466, today's high.

Meanwhile, the Euro was up against the British Pound and the Japanese Yen, with EUR/GBP gaining 0.05% to hit 0.8372 and EUR/JPY rising 0.52% to hit … [visit site to read more] or compare Best Credit Cards and Best CD Rates

AUD/NZD At The Crossroards Looking At Possible Correction Rally

Posted: 18 Jan 2011 11:27 AM PST

AUD/NZD

- The  day chart shows the AUD/NZD after 2 downswings supported above the confluence of 50% and 78.6% retracement (near 1.28). The market was also testing a rising support. It cracked it, but still has a chance to show respect to it be closing back inside the channel.
- The RSI violated the bullish by breaking below 40, but we saw the previous rally in RSI reading from 40 accompanied by strong price action as well. What would really confirm the bearish outlook is a break below … [visit site to read more] or compare Best Credit Cards and Best CD Rates

Schwab Beats On Higher Revenue

Posted: 18 Jan 2011 11:05 AM PST

Charles Schwab Corporation's (NASDAQ:SCHW) fourth quarter earnings came in at 18 cents per share, substantially ahead of the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 10 cents. This also compares favorably with the year-ago quarter's earnings of 14 cents.
For the fiscal year 2010, the company reported earnings of 65 cents per share ahead of Zacks Consensus Estimate of 39 cents. However, this was slightly behind the prior period earnings of 68 cents.
Schwab's results for the reported quarter exclude class … [visit site to read more] or compare Best Credit Cards and Best CD Rates

Earning Preview: Union Pacific

Posted: 18 Jan 2011 11:05 AM PST

An improving U.S. economy, significant surge in automotive shipments, and a sharp rebound in many of the company's end markets are expected to fuel future growth of Union Pacific Corp. (NYSE:UNP). In the previous quarter, the company benefited primarily from increased operating revenues due to growth in business volumes and pricing gains. Union Pacific will declare its fourth quarter 2010 financial results on January 20 before the market opens.
Agreement of Analysts
The recent Zacks Consensus … [visit site to read more] or compare Best Credit Cards and Best CD Rates

Fastenal Misses EPS By A Penny

Posted: 18 Jan 2011 10:35 AM PST

Fastenal Co.(NASDAQ:FAST) posted a 46.3% increase in profit to $65.1 million during the fourth quarter of 2010 from $44.5 million in the year-ago quarter. Earnings per share improved 46.7% to 44 cents from 30 cents a year ago, a penny behind the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 45 cents per share.
Net sales for the quarter totaled $573.8 million, up 20.3% year over year driven by improvement in sales to both manufacturing customers as well as non-residential construction customers of the company. … [visit site to read more] or compare Best Credit Cards and Best CD Rates

Comerica Beats On Higher Net Margin

Posted: 18 Jan 2011 10:35 AM PST

Comerica Incorporated (NYSE:CMA) reported fourth-quarter 2010 net income of 53 cents per share, surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 31 cents and prior quarter figure of 33 cents. However, earnings saw a striking year-over-year improvement from a loss of 42 cents.
Results reflected the increase in net interest income, non interest income and net interest margin, offset by higher non-interest expenses. Further, a significant improvement in credit quality also acted as a positive catalyst.
Net … [visit site to read more] or compare Best Credit Cards and Best CD Rates

Forex – AUD/USD Up During The U.S. Session

Posted: 18 Jan 2011 10:35 AM PST

Forex Pros – The Australian Dollar was higher against the U.S. Dollar on Tuesday.

AUD/USD was trading at 0.9976, up 0.38% at time of writing.

The pair was likely to find support at 0.9857, Friday's low, and resistance at 1.0019, Thursday's high.

Meanwhile, the Australian Dollar was down against the Euro and up against the Japanese Yen, with EUR/AUD gaining 0.16% to hit 1.3400 and AUD/JPY rising 0.42% to hit … [visit site to read more] or compare Best Credit Cards and Best CD Rates

Bulls Eye Caterpillar Calls As Shares Rally To All-time High

Posted: 18 Jan 2011 10:23 AM PST

Bulls eye Caterpillar calls as shares rally to all-time high
Today’s tickers: CAT, EBAY, IYT & RIG
Caterpillar, Inc. (NYSE:CAT) – Caterpillar call options are in high demand this afternoon with shares of the machinery maker rising nearly 3.00% during the first half of the session to hit an intraday- and new all-time high of $96.35. Shares are currently up 2.5% to stand at $95.92 as of 12:45pm in New York. Investors are buying in- and out-of-the-money calls on CAT, purchased just fewer than … [visit site to read more] or compare Best Credit Cards and Best CD Rates

Forest Labs Impresses Again

Posted: 18 Jan 2011 10:05 AM PST

Forest Laboratories, Inc. (NYSE:FRX) reported earnings per share of $1.34 for the third quarter of fiscal 2011, easily beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 99 cents and the year-earlier earnings of 97 cents. Results were boosted by strong Namenda sales, lower expenses and lower share count. Including one-time items, earnings came in at $1.11 per share.
Third quarter revenues increased 5.8% to $1.13 billion, with net sales increasing 6.7% to $1.06 billion. Total revenues topped the Zacks … [visit site to read more] or compare Best Credit Cards and Best CD Rates

Forex – NZD/USD Down During The U.S. Session

Posted: 18 Jan 2011 10:00 AM PST

Forex Pros – The New Zealand Dollar was lower against the U.S. Dollar on Tuesday.

NZD/USD was trading at 0.7700, down 0.30% at time of writing.

The pair was likely to find support at 0.7610, Thursday's low, and resistance at 0.7748, Monday's high.

Meanwhile, the New Zealand Dollar was down against the Australian Dollar and the Euro, with AUD/NZD gaining 0.67% to hit 1.2954 and EUR/NZD rising 0.84% to hit … [visit site to read more] or compare Best Credit Cards and Best CD Rates

European Markets Close Higher; Dax Up 0.92%

Posted: 18 Jan 2011 09:55 AM PST

Forex Pros – European stocks were up after the closing bell on Tuesday.

At the close of European trade, Germany's DAX rose 0.92%, London's FTSE 100 gained 1.18%, France's CAC 40 climbed 0.94% and the EURO STOXX 50 was up 1.20%.

Meanwhile, on Wall Street, equity markets were mixed after the open. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was up 0.52%; the S&P 500 index gained 0.02%, while the Nasdaq 100 index declined … [visit site to read more] or compare Best Credit Cards and Best CD Rates

Interesting Triple Index Weekly Overhead Levels To Watch Closely

Posted: 18 Jan 2011 09:54 AM PST

The US Equity Markets now face a critical test of weekly chart price levels that stretch back to mid-2008… or a surprising level on the NASDAQ weekly index.
You might be very surprised at the level the NASDAQ has reached if you focus most of your attention on the Dow or S&P 500.
Let's take a look first at the similar index levels (structurally) on the Dow Jones and S&P 500 indexes… and then prepare to be surprised by the level the NASDAQ is challenging right now.

Just focusing on … [visit site to read more] or compare Best Credit Cards and Best CD Rates

Infosys Reports Quarterly Gain, Still Short Of Expectations

Posted: 18 Jan 2011 02:25 AM PST

01/18/11 Indian technology giant Infosys Technologies Inc. announced last week that it posted a gain during the 4Q. However, the results did fall short of … [visit site to read more] or compare Best Credit Cards and Best CD Rates

Hasbro Expects Strong 4Q Earnings

Posted: 18 Jan 2011 07:15 AM PST

01/18/11 Toy maker Hasbro announced that it xpects to release strong 4Q earnings figures on improved holiday … [visit site to read more] or compare Best Credit Cards and Best CD Rates

Is Mexico A Country On Fire?

Posted: 17 Jan 2011 10:00 PM PST

Just a three-hour drive from our offices in San Antonio lies an entrance to Mexico, one of the most promising but precarious investment opportunities in global markets. Like stepping on an ant hill, President Felipe Calderon's war against the drug cartels has created chaos but the country's economy has proven much tougher than many thought.
San Antonio's economy has been a direct benefactor of the turmoil as wealthy Mexican citizens have migrated to the area, invigorating the local … [visit site to read more] or compare Best Credit Cards and Best CD Rates
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