Citigroup, Inc. (NYSE: C) is trading 4% at $3.94 on very active trading volume after another analyst upgrade this morning, this being Meredith Whitney’s replacement at Oppenheimer.

Central Jersey Bancorp (NASDAQ: CJBK) is the biggest percentage winner this morning with shares up over 100%.  A buyout does that.  Shares are up 132% at $7.15 versus a $2.69 to $6.65 range over the last 52-weeks.  The all-cash deal is $7.50 per share.

GTx Inc. (NASDAQ: GTXI) is getting whacked after the company announced its top line results of Phase III clinical trial evaluating Toremifene 20 mg against Prostate Cancer in men with high-grade PIN failed to meet primary endpoints.  Shares are down 35% at $1.95 after a $3.02 close yesterday. Count that as a 52-week low with a prior range of $2.98 to $13.59.

MGM Mirage (NYSE: MGM) is defying gravity with a strong market this morning.  Goldman Sachs removed it from the praised Conviction Buy List but maintained a Buy rating.  Shares are actually up almost 2% at $12.17 on fairly active pre-market trading.

NVIDIA Corporation (NASDAQ: NVDA) is trading up just over 4% at $13.21 on very active trading after an analyst upgrade this morning from FBR Capital Markets.

Solarfun Power Holdings Co. Ltd. (NASDAQ: SOLF) beat earnings and guidance looks above estimates.  Shares are up 11% at $6.96 on fairly active pre-market trading.  Its 52-week range is $4.48 to $10.78.

Sprott Physical Gold Trust ETV (NASDAQ: PHYS) is not supposed to be this volatile.  The ETF/ETN announced an 18 million share follow-on offering of trust units last night to acquire more gold bullion.  Units are down 7.9% at $11.47 on very active trading for this trust in the pre-market hours.

Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated (NASDAQ: VRTX) is trading higher on its report that its Hepatitis C drug achieved its main targets with a 75% cure rate per its most recent study data.  Shares are up 9.7% at $37.25 on active trading.

JON C. OGG

Sponsor: 26 Cheap Stocks to Sell – Cheap stocks have been on a tear recently, but nine out of ten stocks are circling the drain!

• HMN Financial, Inc. (NASDAQ: HMNF) filed to sell nearly $30 million worth of securities for the Feds.
• MutualFirst Financial, Inc. (NASDAQ: MFSF) filed to sell up to 625,135 shares of common stock and warrants for TARP funds.
• Sterling Bancorp (NYSE: STL) filed to sell up to $48.3 million atcurrent prices under the cumulative preferred funds for the Feds.
• Central Jersey Bancorp (NASDAQ: CJBK) filed to sell almost $1.7 million at current prices as part of the plan for the Feds.
• Green Bankshares, Inc. (NASDAQ: GRNB) filed to sell roughly $83 million under the plan in cumulative preferred and warrants.
• Parkvale Financial Corporation (NASDAQ: PVSA) filed to sell roughly$4.76 million worth of securities under the plan via warrants andcommon stock.
• Financial Institutions, Inc. (NASDAQ: FISI) filed to sell roughly $43 million worth of securities under the plan.
• Timberland Bancorp, Inc. (NASDAQ: TSBK) filed to sell almost $2.7 million under the plan.
• International Bancshares Corporation (NASDAQ: IBOC) filed to sellalmost $250 million in securities, also under the federal TARP plan.

Get used to filings of this sort.  There are hundreds of institutionsin the TARP and in the rescue plan.  Eventually, they will all have toregister these shares.  The good news is that Uncle Sam might not bethe most opportune securities sellers.

Jon C. Ogg
January 22, 2009