Monday, June 6, 2011

DailyMarkets.com - Forex – EUR/USD Up In Asian Trade

DailyMarkets.com - Forex – EUR/USD Up In Asian Trade

Forex – EUR/USD Up In Asian Trade

Posted: 06 Jun 2011 05:05 PM PDT

Forex Pros – The Euro was higher against the U.S. Dollar on Tuesday.<br/><br/> EUR/USD was trading at 1.4588, up 0.08% at time of writing.<br/><br/> The pair was likely to find support at 1.4326, Thursday&rsquo;s low, and resistance at 1.4658, Monday&rsquo;s high.<br/><br/> Meanwhile, the Euro was up against the British Pound and the Japanese Yen, with EUR/GBP gaining 0.13% to hit 0.8924 and EUR/JPY rising 0.13% to hit … [visit site to read more] or compare Best Credit Cards and Balance Transfer Credit Cards

Forex – USD/JPY Up During Asian Trade

Posted: 06 Jun 2011 04:15 PM PDT

Forex Pros – The U.S. Dollar was higher against the Japanese Yen on Monday.<br/><br/> USD/JPY was trading at 80.14, up 0.05% at time of writing.<br/><br/> The pair was likely to find support at 79.98, today&rsquo;s low, and resistance at 81.50, Wednesday&rsquo;s high.<br/><br/> Meanwhile, the U.S. Dollar was down against the Euro and up against the British Pound, with EUR/USD gaining 0.08% to hit 1.4588 and GBP/USD falling 0.001% to hit … [visit site to read more] or compare Best Credit Cards and Balance Transfer Credit Cards

Sears’ Initiatives To Remain Afloat

Posted: 06 Jun 2011 04:05 PM PDT

In a move to boost its top line, Sears Holdings Corporation (NASDAQ:SHLD) has strategically entered into a license agreement with Dorcy International. As per the agreement, Dorcy will be allowed to sell Sears Holdings’ DieHard-branded rechargeable batteries and flashlights to the retailers in the U.S., Puerto Rico and the Caribbean.
Sears Holdings introduced the DieHard automotive batteries in 1967, which produced 35% more starting power than other comparable batteries. The DieHard’s Platinum Auto … [visit site to read more] or compare Best Credit Cards and Balance Transfer Credit Cards

Still Neutral On Nokia

Posted: 06 Jun 2011 04:05 PM PDT

We maintain our long-term Neutral recommendation on Nokia Corp. (NYSE:NOK). Nokia is currently is in a state of mess. Recently, management declared that the company will not be able to reach any where near to its previous financial guidance for the second-quarter 2011.
Consequently, the full-year 2011 outlook is expected to remain as a distant dream. The company abandoned its profit outlook for fiscal 2011 and declined to issue a fresh full-year 2011 financial guidance.
The primary reason for the … [visit site to read more] or compare Best Credit Cards and Balance Transfer Credit Cards

Boeing Wins Defense Deal With India

Posted: 06 Jun 2011 03:57 PM PDT

06/06/11 The Indian Cabinet Committee on Security approved a $4.1 billion deal to buy military aircrafts from … [visit site to read more] or compare Best Credit Cards and Balance Transfer Credit Cards

Nucor To Supply Lousiana Mill

Posted: 06 Jun 2011 03:55 PM PDT

Steelmaker Nucor Corporation (NYSE:NUE) has contracts with Vale SA (VALE), Samarco and Iron Ore Co of Canada to supply  iron ore, which feed Nucor’s 2-million-ton-a-year DRI mill in Trinidad and Tobago.
The St. James Parish, Louisiana direct-reduction-iron, or DRI unit, is expected to group the DRI units in two plants with the capacity to produce 5.5 million tons (4.99 million tons) of sponge iron a year, requiring an investment of $3 billion.
In March 2011, Nucor set up shop in Louisiana … [visit site to read more] or compare Best Credit Cards and Balance Transfer Credit Cards

Calgon Carbon’s Phoenix Contract

Posted: 06 Jun 2011 03:55 PM PDT

Calgon Carbon Corporation (NYSE:CCC) was selected by the City Council of Phoenix, Arizona to negotiate a contract to provide reactivation services in Maricopa County, Arizona.
This ten-year project also includes the construction of a reactivation facility at the site, which would be owned and operated by Calgon Carbon.
The reactivation facility would serve as a regional center, providing custom reactivation services for other municipalities that utilize GAC to treat their drinking water, including … [visit site to read more] or compare Best Credit Cards and Balance Transfer Credit Cards

PartnerRe Assesses CAT Losses

Posted: 06 Jun 2011 03:55 PM PDT

Yesterday, global reinsurance company, PartnerRe Ltd. (NYSE:PRE), announced that the catastrophe (CAT) losses in the US are expected to impact the second-quarter 2011 earnings by about $50–$70 million, pre-tax. Devastating tornadoes hit the southern, mid-western and north-eastern parts of the US during the last week of April this year.
The most gravely affected area was the state of Alabama, particularly the city of Tuscaloosa. The violent tornadoes have severely affected the economy and … [visit site to read more] or compare Best Credit Cards and Balance Transfer Credit Cards

Federal Realty Reaffirmed Neutral

Posted: 06 Jun 2011 03:35 PM PDT

We reiterate our Neutral recommendation on Federal Realty Investment Trust. (NYSE:FRT) as we expect the stock to perform in line with the broader market. The company reported first quarter 2011 FFO (funds from operations) of $61.3 million or 99 cents per share compared with $57.8 million or 94 cents per share in the year-earlier quarter.
Funds from operations, a widely used metric to gauge the performance of REITs, is obtained after adding depreciation and amortization and other non-cash expenses … [visit site to read more] or compare Best Credit Cards and Balance Transfer Credit Cards

Sealed Air May Face Resistance

Posted: 06 Jun 2011 03:35 PM PDT

Sealed Air Corp. (NYSE:SEE) recently announced the acquisition of privately held Diversey Holdings Inc, a leading solutions provider to the global cleaning and sanitization market, for $4.3 billion. The acquisition might face resistance from large shareholders.
Davis Selected Advisers, the fund manager may have additional discussions with the issuer or third party regarding the possibilities of maximizing the issuer's value. Davis is the largest stockholder of Diversey and holds 26.8% of the … [visit site to read more] or compare Best Credit Cards and Balance Transfer Credit Cards

Forex – NZD/USD Down In Asian Trade

Posted: 06 Jun 2011 03:35 PM PDT

Forex Pros – The New Zealand Dollar was lower against the U.S. Dollar on Monday.<br/><br/> NZD/USD was trading at 0.8141, down 0.04% at time of writing.<br/><br/> The pair was likely to find support at 0.8074, Friday&rsquo;s low, and resistance at 0.8252, Wednesday&rsquo;s high.<br/><br/> Meanwhile, the New Zealand Dollar was down against the Australian Dollar and the Euro, with AUD/NZD gaining 0.19% to hit 1.3176 and EUR/NZD rising 0.08% to hit … [visit site to read more] or compare Best Credit Cards and Balance Transfer Credit Cards

The Day Ahead: RBA Rate Decision, US Consumer Credit, Amazon.com Shareholder Meeting, Ford Motor Company Investor Day In New York

Posted: 06 Jun 2011 10:20 AM PDT

06/06/11 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 Balance Transfer Credit Cards

Hot Option Plays: Today’s Shorts Snapshot

Posted: 06 Jun 2011 03:17 PM PDT

Cusick’s Corner
The market has broken down and while we are at potential congestion levels/support levels, the shorts are not covering at this stage. Right now the market is seeing volatility start to move and this is a point where you could see stocks get into a range, especially now that we are in the low end of the range. Now how you can strategize for stocks that have increased volatility and look to be range-bound? Potential candidates may be credit strategies that have defined risk – like … [visit site to read more] or compare Best Credit Cards and Balance Transfer Credit Cards

El Paso Amends Credit Facility

Posted: 06 Jun 2011 03:10 PM PDT

El Paso Corporation (NYSE:EP) and its subsidiary El Paso Exploration & Production Company (EPEP) announced that they have made changes to their credit facilities, as they prepare to split into two separate entities by year-end 2011. The credit facilities of both EP and EPEP are set to expire in 2012.
El Paso Corp. amended and restated its revolving credit facility extending the maturity date to 2016 and reducing the available commitments to $1.25 billion from $1.5 billion. Moreover, EP's … [visit site to read more] or compare Best Credit Cards and Balance Transfer Credit Cards

Earnings Scorecard: Patterson Co.

Posted: 06 Jun 2011 03:10 PM PDT

Patterson Companies Inc (NASDAQ:PDCO), a leading distributor of dental, veterinarian and rehabilitation medical supplies, posted fourth-quarter fiscal 2011 (ended April 30) earnings per share of 53 cents, topping the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 51 cents and the year-ago earnings of 52 cents.
Fourth Quarter Highlights
Profit for the quarter inched up 1.5% year over year on account of higher revenues (up roughly 9%), which comfortably beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate. Revenues were driven by higher … [visit site to read more] or compare Best Credit Cards and Balance Transfer Credit Cards

Vulcan Offers Senior Notes

Posted: 06 Jun 2011 03:04 PM PDT

Vulcan Materials Company (NYSE:VMC) announced pricing of $500 million and $600 million aggregate principal amount of, respectively, 6.5% senior unsecured notes due 2016 and 7.5% senior unsecured notes due 2021.  The offering is expected to close on June 14, 2011, subject to customary closing terms and conditions.
The company expects to realize net proceeds of approximately $1.08 billion, which will be used to terminate Vulcan's existing term loan due 2015, to fund a partial tender offer for … [visit site to read more] or compare Best Credit Cards and Balance Transfer Credit Cards

U.S. Rig Count Up To 1854

Posted: 06 Jun 2011 03:04 PM PDT

In its weekly release, Houston-based oilfield services company Baker Hughes Inc. (BHI) reported a rise in the U.S. rig count (number of rigs searching for oil and gas in the country), primarily reflecting an increase in the tally of land rigs.
In particular, there were more rigs drilling for oil than gas for the seventh week in a row as the companies look to capitalizing on soaring oil prices, which are currently trending at around $100 a barrel.
The Baker Hughes rig count, issued since 1944, … [visit site to read more] or compare Best Credit Cards and Balance Transfer Credit Cards

Juniper Serves Japanese Researchers

Posted: 06 Jun 2011 03:04 PM PDT

Juniper Networks Inc. (NASDAQ:JNPR), one of the leading providers of networking infrastructure products and services, announced that its routers and operating system will be deployed by the National Institute of Informatics (NII) of Japan for its Science Information Network 4 (SINET4). Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.
SINET is a nationwide information and communication network joining more than 700 universities and research institutions through various connection points or nodes … [visit site to read more] or compare Best Credit Cards and Balance Transfer Credit Cards

Bank Failures: 45 So Far In ’11

Posted: 06 Jun 2011 03:04 PM PDT

Last Friday, U.S. regulators shuttered Charleston, South Carolina-based Atlantic Bank and Trust, taking the number of failed banks thus far in 2011 to 45. This follows 157 bank failures in 2010, 140 in 2009 and 25 in 2008.
While the financials of bigger banks have been stabilizing on the back of an economic recovery, many smaller banks are still struggling to survive. Nagging issues like rock-bottom home prices along with still-high loan defaults and unemployment levels continue to trouble such … [visit site to read more] or compare Best Credit Cards and Balance Transfer Credit Cards

Molson Reaching For Foster’s

Posted: 06 Jun 2011 03:04 PM PDT

There has been a rumor that Molson Coors Brewing Co. (NYSE:TAP) is eyeing Australia's largest brewer Foster’s Group Ltd. Molson Coors is to join with Mexico’s Grupo Modelo for coming out with the joint bid offer to takeover Foster.
Bank of America Corp and Deutsche Bank are reported to be the main banks helping Molson; Molson and Modelo are working out an ideal financial offer to take Foster's into its ambit. However, the details of the joint bid were not disclosed.
Many potential buyers have … [visit site to read more] or compare Best Credit Cards and Balance Transfer Credit Cards

Stock Market Summary For Monday, June 6, 2011

Posted: 06 Jun 2011 02:50 PM PDT

Our short term rating on Mercadilibre, Inc. (symbol: MELI) changed from ‘bullish’ to ‘bearish’. 1 out of the 10 stocks on our focus list is rated bullish (VECO) in the short term. 3 out of the 10 stocks on our stock focus list are rated bullish (LULU, MELI, VECO) in the long term. The same as last session. Our stock market direction outlook is: (1) short term: bearish; (2) long term: bullish. Stocks declined for the fourth straight session on the DJIA and S&P 500 and second straight session … [visit site to read more] or compare Best Credit Cards and Balance Transfer Credit Cards

Top Trade Ideas For Tuesday, June 07

Posted: 06 Jun 2011 02:43 PM PDT

( click to enlarge )

Netflix, Inc. (NASDAQ:NFLX) made a new 52 week high today but gave up the gains and lost 4%. The chart for Netflix seems to indicate the stock is currently extended and it is more likely the stock will pull back to $252 level (it's most recent breakout point). But if that support level fails to hold, then the next level of support is $228.70.

( click to enlarge )

Under Armour, Inc. (NYSE:UA), failed to maintain its 20MA, generally a bearish signal. It has a good base at … [visit site to read more] or compare Best Credit Cards and Balance Transfer Credit Cards

Still Bullish On Tesoro

Posted: 06 Jun 2011 02:25 PM PDT

Supported by continued favorable trends in the refining industry along with initiatives to improve reliability and reduce operating costs, we have maintained our Outperform recommendation on refiner Tesoro Corporation (TSO) with a price target of $29.
San Antonio, Texas-based Tesoro is an independent refiner and marketer of refined petroleum products in the western U.S. The company operates in two segments: Refining (accounted for 72% of the company's total 2010 operating income) and Retail … [visit site to read more] or compare Best Credit Cards and Balance Transfer Credit Cards

Mazda, Ford Terminate JV

Posted: 06 Jun 2011 02:25 PM PDT

Mazda Motor has announced that it will terminate its Auto Alliance International joint venture (JV) with Ford Motor Co. (NYSE:F) in order to review its global production system. The Japanese automaker has decided to cease production for the joint venture from 2013.
Currently, the JV sells Mazda6 car in the U.S., which is manufactured as Atenza in Japan. After 2013, Mazda6 will be produced in a factory in Yamaguchi prefecture in Japan. Mazda will export cars, produced in Japan and Mexico, to the … [visit site to read more] or compare Best Credit Cards and Balance Transfer Credit Cards

Encouraging Result For Regeneron’s Cancer Drug

Posted: 06 Jun 2011 02:25 PM PDT

Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ:REGN) recently announced that treatment with its cancer candidate Zaltrap (aflibercept or VEGF trap) extended the survival in previously treated patients suffering from metastatic colorectal cancer.
Regeneron is co-developing Zaltrap with Sanofi-Aventis (NYSE:SNY).
An abstract from the late-stage, multinational study (VELOUR: n= 1,226) was published in the June 2011 supplement to the Annals of Oncology journal. Detailed results from the randomized, double-blind … [visit site to read more] or compare Best Credit Cards and Balance Transfer Credit Cards

Monster Index Shows Escalation Of Recruitment Activity Overall, Public-Sector Job Demand Lags

Posted: 06 Jun 2011 02:24 PM PDT

The Monster Employment Index for the U.S. was released today, and showed a positive annual gain of 7% in May, marking the 16th straight month of a year-over-year gain for online job demand. Other highlights include:

1. 14 of the 20 industries monitored by the Index showed positive annual growth trends, with the strongest gains in mining/oil and gas extraction (+62%, the “drill, drill, drill” effect), utilities (+35%), wholesale trade (+17%), and retail trade (+15%).  The weakest industry … [visit site to read more] or compare Best Credit Cards and Balance Transfer Credit Cards

More Contract Wins For Boeing

Posted: 06 Jun 2011 02:05 PM PDT

The Boeing Co. (NYSE:BA) announced that it received additional contracts worth $61 million from the U.S. Air Force to produce C-130 Avionics Modernization Program ("AMP") kits. The new agreements are part of the low-rate initial production ("LRIP") contract that was awarded in 2010.
The C-130 AMP was initiated to modernize, standardize and reduce total ownership costs for the United States Air Force C-130 fleet, including specialized versions in service with the Air Force Special … [visit site to read more] or compare Best Credit Cards and Balance Transfer Credit Cards

Duke Energy Seeks Higher Rates

Posted: 06 Jun 2011 02:05 PM PDT

Duke Energy Corporation's (NYSE:DUK) subsidiary Duke Energy Carolinas has filed a notice with North Carolina regulators that it will apply for a rate increase on July 1, 2011. The company expects the higher rates will go into effect from January 1, 2012.
Duke Energy's recent plan for rate case hike is second in a series of three increases. The hikes are tied largely to recovering investments for the construction of the 825-megawatt expansion at the Cliffside Steam station and the 620-megawatt … [visit site to read more] or compare Best Credit Cards and Balance Transfer Credit Cards

Half Way There?

Posted: 06 Jun 2011 01:57 PM PDT

If reports like this are any guide [blue italics mine] –
“Sellers Wonder When Housing Market Will Hit Bottom” (News & Observer)
Although Donna Roberts’ Cary house is for sale, she was not among the hundreds of Triangle homeowners who participated in a nationwide open house event over the weekend.
Instead, she used the weekend to scope out the competition, touring homes in her Lochmere neighborhood that are priced similarly to her own.
Roberts’ house has been on the market since late … [visit site to read more] or compare Best Credit Cards and Balance Transfer Credit Cards

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

Posted: 06 Jun 2011 01:55 PM PDT

Forex Pros – The Euro was lower against the U.S. Dollar on Monday.<br/><br/> EUR/USD was trading at 1.4578, down 0.40% at time of writing.<br/><br/> The pair was likely to find support at 1.4308, Wednesday&rsquo;s low, and resistance at 1.4658, today&rsquo;s high.<br/><br/> Meanwhile, the Euro was up against the British Pound and down against the Japanese Yen, with EUR/GBP gaining 0.03% to hit 0.8913 and EUR/JPY falling 0.62% to hit … [visit site to read more] or compare Best Credit Cards and Balance Transfer Credit Cards

Accuray Taps Overland Storage

Posted: 06 Jun 2011 01:40 PM PDT

Leading radiosurgery systems maker Accuray Incorporated (NASDAQ:ARAY) has chosen data management and data protection solutions provider Overland Storage (NASDAQ:OVRL) to boost the data storage capabilities of its radiosurgery systems.
The California-based company has selected Overland's SnapServer N2000 storage solution to augment the data storage capacity of its popular CyberKnife robotic radiosurgery systems, which has been already used to treat more than 100,000 patients globally. 
During … [visit site to read more] or compare Best Credit Cards and Balance Transfer Credit Cards

Wendy’s/Arby’s In Neutral Lane

Posted: 06 Jun 2011 01:40 PM PDT

We are maintaining our Neutral recommendation on Wendy's/Arby's Group Inc. (NYSE:WEN).
High commodity costs, heightened competition and faltering consumer confidence compel us to retain our guarded view on company-operated restaurant margins, despite the company's multi-year turnaround plan.

Wendy's/Arby's Group posted first quarter 2011 adjusted earnings of approximately a penny per share, which narrowly missed the Zacks Consensus Estimate. On a GAAP basis, the Atlanta-based … [visit site to read more] or compare Best Credit Cards and Balance Transfer Credit Cards

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

Posted: 06 Jun 2011 01:40 PM PDT

Forex Pros – The U.S. Dollar was lower against the Japanese Yen on Monday.<br/><br/> USD/JPY was trading at 80.10, down 0.21% at time of writing.<br/><br/> The pair was likely to find support at 79.98, today&rsquo;s low, and resistance at 81.50, Wednesday&rsquo;s high.<br/><br/> Meanwhile, the U.S. Dollar was up against the Euro and the British Pound, with EUR/USD shedding 0.44% to hit 1.4572 and GBP/USD falling 0.44% to hit … [visit site to read more] or compare Best Credit Cards and Balance Transfer Credit Cards

Bernanke Pitching A Perfect Game?

Posted: 06 Jun 2011 01:35 PM PDT

Let’s get biases out of the way first. I’m a big Bernanke fan and have been since the financial crisis of 2008. But I’m open-minded enough to absorb new facts and modify that opinion at any time. It’s just that he hasn’t given me any reason to do so yet.
That said, we can now go over an imperfect timeline where he had the opportunity to screw up, and didn’t:
Fall 2008 through Winter 2009: American banking system and economy on the brink of implosion. Ben, along with Hank Paulson at the … [visit site to read more] or compare Best Credit Cards and Balance Transfer Credit Cards

Ross Comps Rise

Posted: 06 Jun 2011 01:35 PM PDT

Ross Stores Inc. (NASDAQ:ROST), the second largest off-price retailer of apparel and home accessories, reported a more modest growth of 4% in comparable store sales for the four weeks ended May 28, 2011 following an increase of 10% for the four weeks ended April 30, 2011.
The recent results compare unfavorably with a gain of 5% in same-store sales in the prior-year month. April same-store sales however came in better than the company's forecast of a 2% to 3% growth for the month.
For the month … [visit site to read more] or compare Best Credit Cards and Balance Transfer Credit Cards

GAP Decline In May

Posted: 06 Jun 2011 01:35 PM PDT

Same-store sales at The Gap Inc. (NYSE:GPS) declined 4% for the four-week period ended May 28, 2011.
Same store sales for the four-week period ended May 29, 2010 had increased 1% .
The company's net sales for May inched up 0.95% year over year to $1.06 billion. 
Gap reported a decline in same store sales for every region where it operates. The company’s same store sales in North America declined 4%, wider than a decline of 2% in May 2010. Banana Republic North America declined 6% compared … [visit site to read more] or compare Best Credit Cards and Balance Transfer Credit Cards

Northrop Wins Defense Contract

Posted: 06 Jun 2011 01:35 PM PDT

Defense contractor Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) received two contracts worth $22.4 million and $13.6 million from the Department of Defense (DoD) for work on the Global Hawk program.
Global Hawk is an unmanned aerial vehicle used by the United States Air Force and Navy as a surveillance aircraft.
The contract worth $22 million involves software maintenance while the other contract involves infrastructure portion of the engineering and manufacturing development.
The Boeing Co. (NYSE:BA), … [visit site to read more] or compare Best Credit Cards and Balance Transfer Credit Cards

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

Posted: 06 Jun 2011 01:25 PM PDT

Forex Pros – The Euro was lower against the U.S. Dollar on Monday.<br/><br/> EUR/USD was trading at 1.4570, down 0.45% at time of writing.<br/><br/> The pair was likely to find support at 1.4308, Wednesday&rsquo;s low, and resistance at 1.4658, today&rsquo;s high.<br/><br/> Meanwhile, the Euro was up against the British Pound and down against the Japanese Yen, with EUR/GBP gaining 0.001% to hit 0.8910 and EUR/JPY falling 0.61% to hit … [visit site to read more] or compare Best Credit Cards and Balance Transfer Credit Cards

U.S. Markets Close Lower; Dow Jones Down 0.50%

Posted: 06 Jun 2011 01:10 PM PDT

Forex Pros – U.S. stocks were down after the closing bell on Monday.<br/><br/> At the close of U.S. trade, the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 0.50%, the S&P 500 index shed 1.08%, while the Nasdaq 100 index declined 0.78%.<br/><br/> Meanwhile, across the Atlantic, European stock markets were mixed at close. France&rsquo;s CAC 40 was down 0.68%; Germany&rsquo;s DAX shed 0.34%; Britain&rsquo;s FTSE 100 climbed 0.14%; and the EURO STOXX 50 fell … [visit site to read more] or compare Best Credit Cards and Balance Transfer Credit Cards

General Dynamics To Cut Jobs

Posted: 06 Jun 2011 01:04 PM PDT

General Dynamics C4 Systems, a business unit of General Dynamics Corporation (NYSE:GD), has announced the laying-off of about 5% of its workers from a workforce of 10,000. The workforce is spread over 200 sites across Canada and the U.S.
The lay-off was precipitated by defense-budget cuts that are forcing the company to streamline its operations. The job cuts would be announced over the next fortnight.
General Dynamics’ operating unit, General Dynamics C4 Systems Inc. focuses on the development, … [visit site to read more] or compare Best Credit Cards and Balance Transfer Credit Cards

Newell Slashes Guidance

Posted: 06 Jun 2011 01:04 PM PDT

One of the leading manufacturers of home and office products in the U.S., Newell Rubbermaid Inc. (NYSE:NWL) has recently slashed its sales and earnings guidance for fiscal 2011. The company has blamed slower spending in the United States and increasing inflationary pressure as the main reason behind this gloomier guidance.
As per Newell, the company’s large retail customers have downgraded their U.S. growth expectations for the year due to weak consumer confidence levels and lower spending trends, … [visit site to read more] or compare Best Credit Cards and Balance Transfer Credit Cards

E3 To Captivate Global Gamers

Posted: 06 Jun 2011 12:55 PM PDT

At the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) to be held in Los Angeles this week (June 7-9, 2011), both hardware and software videogames manufacturers are gearing up to woo their fans with their latest titles and play wares.
Also on display will be the offerings of the major publishers that have been shifting the business model to the digitized format where the popular and new titles will be available in their digital versions. This includes Electronic Arts' recently launched online service, … [visit site to read more] or compare Best Credit Cards and Balance Transfer Credit Cards

Valero Upped To Outperform

Posted: 06 Jun 2011 12:55 PM PDT

We have upgraded our recommendation for Valero Energy Corp. (NYSE:VLO) to Outperform from Neutral based on impressive first quarter results as well as improved 2011 earnings visibility.
Valero posted solid first quarter 2011 earnings results on the back of a strong refining margins environment and better feedstock discounts. Company-wide, throughput margins jumped $3.93 per barrel year over year in the quarter owing to higher margins for diesel and jet fuel, along with better discounts for … [visit site to read more] or compare Best Credit Cards and Balance Transfer Credit Cards

Walgreen Grows Online

Posted: 06 Jun 2011 12:55 PM PDT

Walgreen (NYSE:WAG) has completed the acquisition of drugstore.com for a total enterprise value of $409 million.
Earlier in March, the retail pharmacy giant had announced its decision to acquire the online retailer, which had more than $456 million in sales in 2010. Walgreen said the deal would be dilutive to its earnings in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2011 by 3 cents, in fiscal 2012 by 3-4 cents and in 2013 by 2 cents.
Through this deal, Walgreen's reach in the online arena will increase as it … [visit site to read more] or compare Best Credit Cards and Balance Transfer Credit Cards

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

Posted: 06 Jun 2011 12:45 PM PDT

Forex Pros – The British Pound was lower against the U.S. Dollar on Monday.<br/><br/> GBP/USD was trading at 1.6347, down 0.48% at time of writing.<br/><br/> The pair was likely to find support at 1.6287, Friday&rsquo;s low, and resistance at 1.6497, Wednesday&rsquo;s high.<br/><br/> Meanwhile, the British Pound was down against the Euro and the Japanese Yen, with EUR/GBP gaining 0.03% to hit 0.8913 and GBP/JPY falling 0.70% to hit … [visit site to read more] or compare Best Credit Cards and Balance Transfer Credit Cards

Sara Lee Opens New Facility

Posted: 06 Jun 2011 12:35 PM PDT

Sara Lee Corp. (NYSE:SLE) announced the opening of its modern sliced meats manufacturing facility in Kansas City, Kansas. The company will manufacture sliced deli meats under the Hillshire Farm and Sara Lee Deli brands at the new facility.
Sara Lee has invested more than $140 million in the new facility, indicating its commitment to the core protein category. This new facility at Kansas uses robotic systems and follows the 'no touch' process, meaning that the entire processing of the raw … [visit site to read more] or compare Best Credit Cards and Balance Transfer Credit Cards

CSC Faces Class Action Lawsuit

Posted: 06 Jun 2011 12:35 PM PDT

Technology major Computer Sciences Corporation (NYSE:CSC) has been on a roller coaster over the past few weeks. The company recently announced that a class action lawsuit has been commenced by an institutional investor in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia on behalf of purchasers of Computer Sciences Corporation common stock during the class period August 11, 2010 and May 25, 2011.
As per this lawsuit, CSC and some of its officers have been accused of violating … [visit site to read more] or compare Best Credit Cards and Balance Transfer Credit Cards

Encouraging Data From Glaxo Drug

Posted: 06 Jun 2011 12:35 PM PDT

Recently, GlaxoSmithKline (NYSE:GSK) and US partner Theravance Inc. (NASDAQ:THRX) announced data from two late stage trials of its lead pipeline program Relovair, which support continuation of development of the candidate for the treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Relovair is a once-daily inhaled corticosteroid (ICS)/long-acting beta-agonist (LABA) combination treatment, comprising fluticasone furoate (FF) and vilanterol (VI).
The two pivotal 6-month studies evaluated the … [visit site to read more] or compare Best Credit Cards and Balance Transfer Credit Cards

Goldman May Sell Litton To Ocwen

Posted: 06 Jun 2011 12:35 PM PDT

Financial Times reported that The Goldman Sachs Group Inc. (NYSE:GS) is planning to close down the sale of its mortgage-servicing subsidiary, Litton Loan Servicing to Ocwen Financial Corp. (NYSE:OCN). The news followed the writing down of mortgage-servicing business worth $200 million by Goldman two months ago.
In March, New York Times also reported that Goldman was looking for strategic options for the sale of Litton as the mortgage-servicing industry was under greater scrutiny for their foreclosure … [visit site to read more] or compare Best Credit Cards and Balance Transfer Credit Cards

Fitch Upgrades Tenneco

Posted: 06 Jun 2011 12:35 PM PDT

Fitch Ratings has upgraded the credit ratings of Tenneco Inc. (NYSE:TEN) based on the improvement in the automotive sector. The rating agency raised the company's issuer default rating by one notch to "BB", secured credit facility rating to "BBB-" from "BB+" and its senior unsecured rating to "BB-" from "B+". It has also maintained a stable outlook on the company.
Fitch believes Tenneco will benefit from tighter emissions standards globally for light and commercial vehicles … [visit site to read more] or compare Best Credit Cards and Balance Transfer Credit Cards

Nat Gas Builds, But At Slower Pace

Posted: 06 Jun 2011 12:35 PM PDT

The U.S. Energy Department’s weekly inventory release showed a smaller-than-expected build-up in natural gas supplies on the back of warmer temperatures in major population centers of the country, which led to intensified natural gas demand from electric power plants to meet air-conditioning needs. This was partially offset by an increase in domestic production.
The Weekly Natural Gas Storage Report – brought out by the Energy Information Administration (EIA) every Thursday since 2002 – … [visit site to read more] or compare Best Credit Cards and Balance Transfer Credit Cards

Another Blow For Orexigen’s Contrave

Posted: 06 Jun 2011 12:35 PM PDT

Orexigen Therapeutics, Inc.’s (NASDAQ:OREX) shares fell more than 30% following the outcome of a meeting with the US Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) Division of Metabolic and Endocrinologic Products (DMEP) regarding the company's New Drug Application for Contrave. Orexigen is looking to gain approval for Contrave for the treatment of obesity, including weight loss and maintenance of weight loss. The company has a collaboration agreement with Takeda for the development and commercialization of … [visit site to read more] or compare Best Credit Cards and Balance Transfer Credit Cards

Hot Option Plays: It’s Inverted Hammertime!

Posted: 06 Jun 2011 12:17 PM PDT

Cusick’s Corner
With Finance and Energy challenged, plus AAPL under some pressure, the shorts have the strength on their side in spite of Friday’s Bullish technical set up that created an inverted hammer. The market looks poised for continued safe haven buying, Gold/Silver, along with continued confusion and choppy action going into the After Hours. I want to see if the April lows will hold and get a bounce into the close. If not, we could see March Lows tested. See you After Hours.
Market … [visit site to read more] or compare Best Credit Cards and Balance Transfer Credit Cards

Forex – USD/CAD Up In U.S. Trade

Posted: 06 Jun 2011 12:10 PM PDT

Forex Pros – The U.S. Dollar was higher against the Canadian Dollar on Monday.<br/><br/> USD/CAD was trading at 0.9810, up 0.32% at time of writing.<br/><br/> The pair was likely to find support at 0.9668, Wednesday&rsquo;s low, and resistance at 0.9852, Friday&rsquo;s high.<br/><br/> Meanwhile, the U.S. Dollar was up against the Euro and the British Pound, with EUR/USD shedding 0.41% to hit 1.4576 and GBP/USD falling 0.48% to hit … [visit site to read more] or compare Best Credit Cards and Balance Transfer Credit Cards

TowerJazz Has A History Of Promises Delivered

Posted: 06 Jun 2011 12:03 PM PDT

Ken Nagy, CFA
TowerJazz has a History of Promises Delivered

On May 5, 2011 TowerJazz (TSEM) announced that it completed its previously announced acquisition of Micron Technology's fabrication facility in Nishiwaki City, Hyogo, Japan. The acquisitions will nearly double TowerJazz's current internal manufacturing capacity, increasing production by 60,000 wafers per month.

The total value of the transaction, including assumption of liabilities, is approximately $140 million, of which $40 … [visit site to read more] or compare Best Credit Cards and Balance Transfer Credit Cards

BRE Acquires Asset In Oakland

Posted: 06 Jun 2011 12:03 PM PDT

BRE Properties Inc. (NYSE:BRE), an apartment real estate investment trust (REIT), has recently acquired an apartment community titled 'The Landing at Jack London Square' in Oakland, California, for $64.9 million. The acquisition is part of the long-term strategy of the company to own high-quality apartment homes in the Bay Area, and provides it a competitive advantage by owning properties in one of the strongest rental markets in California.
The acquired property comprises of four buildings, … [visit site to read more] or compare Best Credit Cards and Balance Transfer Credit Cards

Avalonbay Revises Fiscal Outlook

Posted: 06 Jun 2011 12:03 PM PDT

Avalonbay Communities Inc. (NYSE:AVB), a leading multifamily real estate investment trust (REIT), has recently updated its fiscal 2011 outlook and revised its earnings guidance for the second quarter based on portfolio trend analysis under the current market scenario. Trend analysis is a form of comparative analysis that is often employed to identify current and future movements of an investment or group of investments.
Avalonbay had earlier expected FFO (funds from operations) for second quarter … [visit site to read more] or compare Best Credit Cards and Balance Transfer Credit Cards

Markets In Everything: Moving Box Rental

Posted: 06 Jun 2011 12:01 PM PDT

Jugglebox provides eco-friendly reusable plastic moving boxes for residential, commercial and college moving needs throughout Manhattan and Brooklyn.  The two-week rental charges range from $99 to rent 25 large boxes and packing materials to move a studio apartment, up to $239 to rent 75 large boxes for a 3 bedroom apartment, including box delivery and pick-up (price list here).

HT: Maureen … [visit site to read more] or compare Best Credit Cards and Balance Transfer Credit Cards

Forex – EUR/USD Down In U.S. Trading Hours

Posted: 06 Jun 2011 11:45 AM PDT

Forex Pros – The Euro was lower against the U.S. Dollar on Monday.<br/><br/> EUR/USD was trading at 1.4586, down 0.34% at time of writing.<br/><br/> The pair was likely to find support at 1.4308, Wednesday&rsquo;s low, and resistance at 1.4658, today&rsquo;s high.<br/><br/> Meanwhile, the Euro was up against the British Pound and down against the Japanese Yen, with EUR/GBP gaining 0.12% to hit 0.8921 and EUR/JPY falling 0.51% to hit … [visit site to read more] or compare Best Credit Cards and Balance Transfer Credit Cards

Forex Trading: EURUSD Extending The Range To The Downside.

Posted: 06 Jun 2011 11:42 AM PDT

The 1.4578 level is the next key target to break. This is the 38.2% of the move up from Fridays low.  Failure to break below this level would be disappointment for the bears/sellers and could/should solicit buying once again.
Below 1.4578, the 1.4568 becomes the next … [visit site to read more] or compare Best Credit Cards and Balance Transfer Credit Cards

Crude Stocks At 2-Year High

Posted: 06 Jun 2011 11:35 AM PDT

The U.S. Energy Department’s weekly inventory release showed an unexpected increase in crude stockpiles – currently at their highest level in two years, while gasoline supplies rose for the fourth straight week. However, the distillate numbers were quite bullish with inventories dropping more than expected. Meanwhile, refiners reduced processing rates by 0.3%. 
The Energy Information Administration (EIA) Petroleum Status Report – which contains data for the previous week ending on … [visit site to read more] or compare Best Credit Cards and Balance Transfer Credit Cards

Cliffs Provides Outlook

Posted: 06 Jun 2011 11:25 AM PDT

Cliffs Natural Resources Inc. (NYSE:CLF) announced its outlook for its Bloom Lake Mine, an iron ore operation acquired as part of its recent acquisition of Consolidated Thompson Iron Mines Limited. Along with this Cliffs also provided an update for its North American Operations for the years 2011 and 2012.
At Bloom Lake, annualized production rate is expected to be 8 million tons by the end of 2011. For the rest of 2011, the company expects to sell approximately 4.8 million tons of Bloom Lake iron … [visit site to read more] or compare Best Credit Cards and Balance Transfer Credit Cards

Costco Sustains Sales Momentum

Posted: 06 Jun 2011 11:25 AM PDT

Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST), one of the leading U.S. warehouse club operators, recently posted healthy sales data for the four-week period ended May 29, 2011.
The company has been able to sustain its sales momentum. After a 12% increase in April 2011, Costco's comparable-store sales for May rose 13%, reflecting comparable sales growth of 11% at its U.S. locations and 21% at its international divisions. For the thirty-nine week period ended May 29, 2011, the company registered … [visit site to read more] or compare Best Credit Cards and Balance Transfer Credit Cards

Forex – AUD/USD Down In U.S. Trade

Posted: 06 Jun 2011 11:15 AM PDT

Forex Pros – The Australian Dollar was lower against the U.S. Dollar on Monday.<br/><br/> AUD/USD was trading at 1.0715, down 0.01% at time of writing.<br/><br/> The pair was likely to find support at 1.0588, Thursday&rsquo;s low, and resistance at 1.0775, Friday&rsquo;s high.<br/><br/> Meanwhile, the Australian Dollar was up against the Euro and down against the Japanese Yen, with EUR/AUD shedding 0.25% to hit 1.3625 and AUD/JPY falling 0.15% to … [visit site to read more] or compare Best Credit Cards and Balance Transfer Credit Cards

Sonoco Introduces MIRRORINK

Posted: 06 Jun 2011 11:05 AM PDT

Sonoco Products Co. (NYSE:SON) recently introduced MIRRORINK, a new printing process which produces the metallic finish without using the age-old de-metallization process. MIRROINK helps attract consumers to the shops by producing mirror finish, at the same time saving costs, improving sustainability and increasing speed to market the product.
Sonoco did a lot of research with its graphics management and tooling business, Trident and a global manufacturer of metallic pigments to achieve its mirror … [visit site to read more] or compare Best Credit Cards and Balance Transfer Credit Cards

Postponing The Economic Rapture?

Posted: 06 Jun 2011 10:52 AM PDT

A new commentary from Brian Wesbury and First Trust Advisors titled “Economic Rapture?”

“While the economy could be doing better, real GDP has expanded for seven straight quarters – we're now in the eighth. Corporate profits are at a record; the S&P 500 is up 100% from the bottom; consumer spending is $450 billion above its pre-panic 2008 peak, and private sector payrolls have expanded for 15 straight months.

We are not in the majority, nor are we ignoring our economic problems. We … [visit site to read more] or compare Best Credit Cards and Balance Transfer Credit Cards

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

Posted: 06 Jun 2011 10:45 AM PDT

Forex Pros – The New Zealand Dollar was lower against the U.S. Dollar on Monday.<br/><br/> NZD/USD was trading at 0.8146, down 0.14% at time of writing.<br/><br/> The pair was likely to find support at 0.8074, Friday&rsquo;s low, and resistance at 0.8252, Wednesday&rsquo;s high.<br/><br/> Meanwhile, the New Zealand Dollar was down against the Australian Dollar and up against the Euro, with AUD/NZD gaining 0.12% to hit 1.3152 and EUR/NZD falling … [visit site to read more] or compare Best Credit Cards and Balance Transfer Credit Cards

Mack-Cali Leases In Manhattan

Posted: 06 Jun 2011 10:40 AM PDT

Mack-Cali Realty Corporation (CLI) a real estate investment trust recently signed a 21-year lease with General Reinsurance Corporation at 125 Broad Street in Downtown Manhattan totaling 56,106 square feet.
General Reinsurance is one of the biggest reinsurers in the US operating more than 45 offices in 26 countries. This lease shows Mack-Cali's interest to expand its presence in Manhattan. With the continued strong leasing activities, Mack-Cali anticipates a gradual recovery of the overall … [visit site to read more] or compare Best Credit Cards and Balance Transfer Credit Cards

“Difficult…to Push Through Another Quantitative Easing Program”

Posted: 06 Jun 2011 10:40 AM PDT

06/06/11 ICAP Equities’ Kenneth PolcarI discusses the pullback in the major stock averages and the upcoming conclusion of … [visit site to read more] or compare Best Credit Cards and Balance Transfer Credit Cards

Patterson-UTI: 201 Rigs At Work

Posted: 06 Jun 2011 10:36 AM PDT

Onshore contract driller Patterson-UTI Energy Inc. (NASDAQ:PTEN) declared that its May 2011 drill rig count averaged 201, flat compared to the previous month. The company operated 200 rigs in the U.S. and 1 in Canada in May, compared with 197 rigs in the U.S. and 4 rigs in Canada during April this year.
Patterson-UTI's activity levels in the U.S. peaked in early October 2008 with a rig count of 275. Since then through the second quarter of 2009, the company witnessed a steep and rapid decline in … [visit site to read more] or compare Best Credit Cards and Balance Transfer Credit Cards

Pitney Collaborates On ECommerce

Posted: 06 Jun 2011 10:36 AM PDT

Pitney Bowes Inc.'s (NYSE:PBI) ClearPath™ international ecommerce and logistics service can be accessed by the U.S.-based retailers on the Magento Open Source Ecommerce Platform. Pitney has entered into a collaboration with Grand River, a leading provider of ecommerce development and integration service provider, to build extensions between Magento™ and the Pitney Bowes ClearPath™ service.
The official marketplace for Magento extensions, called Magento Connect, will be used by Pitney to … [visit site to read more] or compare Best Credit Cards and Balance Transfer Credit Cards

New Data On Medivation’s MDV3100

Posted: 06 Jun 2011 10:36 AM PDT

Medivation, Inc. (NASDAQ:MDVN) and Astellas Pharma Inc. recently presented preliminary data on their prostate cancer candidate, MDV3100, from an ongoing study. Preliminary results from the study, which is being conducted with patients suffering from advanced prostate cancer, confirmed the anti-tumor effects and tolerability profile of MDV3100 as seen in earlier phase I/II studies. The 160 mg daily dose of MDV3100 is being evaluated.
The study is being conducted with 58 heavily pre-treated advanced … [visit site to read more] or compare Best Credit Cards and Balance Transfer Credit Cards

Qualcomm Set To Power More Handsets

Posted: 06 Jun 2011 10:35 AM PDT

Qualcomm Inc.(NASDAQ:QCOM), the largest global manufacturer of mobile phone chipsets, is ready to supply its popular snapdragon microprocessors to 250 more handset devices. The company is already providing its chipsets to 125 handheld devices.
Qualcomm's microprocessors, popularly known as Snapdragon, are becoming more and more popular as demand for smartphones and tablets are increasing. These chipsets allow proper functioning of software on mobile handsets.
Qualcomm's next-generation … [visit site to read more] or compare Best Credit Cards and Balance Transfer Credit Cards

Mixed Trade In Forex Markets

Posted: 06 Jun 2011 05:00 AM PDT

06/06/11 The US dollar was trading mixed today following mixed European economic reports and Greek debt … [visit site to read more] or compare Best Credit Cards and Balance Transfer Credit Cards

Forex – GBP/USD Down In U.S. Trade

Posted: 06 Jun 2011 10:00 AM PDT

Forex Pros – The British Pound was lower against the U.S. Dollar on Monday.<br/><br/> GBP/USD was trading at 1.6356, down 0.43% at time of writing.<br/><br/> The pair was likely to find support at 1.6287, Friday&rsquo;s low, and resistance at 1.6497, Wednesday&rsquo;s high.<br/><br/> Meanwhile, the British Pound was down against the Euro and the Japanese Yen, with EUR/GBP gaining 0.22% to hit 0.8930 and GBP/JPY falling 0.54% to hit … [visit site to read more] or compare Best Credit Cards and Balance Transfer Credit Cards

European Markets Mixed At Close; Dax Down 0.34%

Posted: 06 Jun 2011 09:55 AM PDT

Forex Pros – European stocks were mixed after the closing bell on Monday.<br/><br/> At the close of European trade, Germany&rsquo;s DAX fell 0.34%, London&rsquo;s FTSE 100 gained 0.14%, France&rsquo;s CAC 40 declined 0.68% and the EURO STOXX 50 was down 0.86%.<br/><br/> Meanwhile, on Wall Street, equity markets were down after the open. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was down 0.14%; the S&P 500 index shed 0.44%, while the Nasdaq 100 index declined … [visit site to read more] or compare Best Credit Cards and Balance Transfer Credit Cards

Options Player Plants Short Straddle On Health Management Associates

Posted: 06 Jun 2011 09:54 AM PDT

Options player plants short straddle on Health Management Associates
Today's tickers: HMA, DELL, AWI & DISCA
(NYSE:HMA) – Health Management Associates, Inc. – A sizable short straddle on the provider of health care services yields maximum benefits to the seller at expiration if the price of the underlying stock remains fairly stagnant in the next couple of months. Shares in Health Management Associates fell 1.75% this afternoon to $10.69 just before 12:30pm in New York. Options volume in … [visit site to read more] or compare Best Credit Cards and Balance Transfer Credit Cards

Three Questions About Global Natural Resources

Posted: 05 Jun 2011 10:00 PM PDT

Frank Holmes and the co-managers of the U.S. Global Investors Global Resources Fund (PSPFX), Evan Smith and Brian Hicks, participated in a special webcast for the Peak Advisor Alliance last week. Here are some candid portions of the Q&A:
Q. How are interest rates currently affecting commodity prices?

A. The magic number for real interest rates is 2 percent. That's when you can earn more than 2 percent on a U.S. Treasury bill after discounting for inflation. Our research has shown that … [visit site to read more] or compare Best Credit Cards and Balance Transfer Credit Cards
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