Top Day Trader Alerts (AA, CENX, BP, CVLT, MBI, ABK, OREX, SQNM, VVUS)

There are many stocks on the move for day traders and active traders this Tuesday morning now that earnings season has launched.  Today’s top alerts are in Alcoa, Inc. (NYSE: AA), Century Aluminum Co. (NASDAQ: CENX), BP plc (NYSE: BP), CommVault Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ: CVLT), MBIA Inc. (NYSE: MBI), Ambac Financial Group, Inc. (NYSE: ABK), Orexigen Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ: OREX), Sequenom Inc. (NASDAQ: SQNM), and VIVUS, Inc. (NASDAQ: VVUS).

Alcoa, Inc. (NYSE: AA) is up after beating earnings last night and on a demand increase of 12% versus a earlier expectations of a 10% gain offsetting the price drop in tonnage. Alcoa is up 3.7% at $11.28 on now more than 500,000 shares.  Century Aluminum Co. (NASDAQ: CENX) is on the move as well and up even more because it is NASDAQ and it is deemed more leveraged by some traders.  Shares are up 4.9% at $10.06 on light trading volume; average volume on CENX is about 4 million shares per day.

BP plc (NYSE: BP) is up after it installed a new cap over the Gulf well disaster, which still has to be tested.  Shares are up almost 3% at $37.84 on strong volume this pre-market session.

CommVault Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ: CVLT) is getting crushed this morning after its preliminary earnings report failed to make the grade.  Shares are down about 24% at $17.85 on well over 200,000 pre-market shares.  The 52-week range is $15.60 to $24.51 and the average volume is about 535,000 shares.

MBIA Inc. (NYSE: MBI) is after Bruce Berkowitz’ Fairholme disclosed a new stake of 11% in the financial guaranty company.  This makes a new largest single holder of MBIA.  Shares are up a sharp 10.5% at $7.11 on almost 400,000 shares.  Ambac Financial Group, Inc. (NYSE: ABK) is the surprise as this was not a Berkowitz pick but is just a troubled competitor rising with the tide (on a leveraged basis).  Shares are up over 13% at $0.74 on over 100,000 shares.

Orexigen Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ: OREX) is up in sympathy with VIVUS, although it does not have any fresh news of its own.  Its weight loss pill is expected to be reviewed later in the year.  Shares are up almost 10% at $4.55, but volume is much less at under 50,000 shares so far in the pre-market.

Sequenom Inc. (NASDAQ: SQNM) is one of the larger drops this morning.  Shares are down 5% at $5.37 on over 50,000 shares.

VIVUS, Inc. (NASDAQ: VVUS) is trading higher and will be one to watch for stock and options today and this week on its Qnexa FDA panel review.  Options are calling for a huge move in the stock.  The company is up on word that its data shows that the pill works, and the counter-measure is that the FDA is asking about its side-effects.  Shares are up 16% at $12.40 already on almost 2 million shares.

JON C. OGG