You know it’s a rough day in the market when even defensive stocks are weak or mixed. We are at least seeing a mixed bag from some of these. But the trend is a…
Right after noon today, our screen for most active call options pointed out the movements in shares of National City Corporation (NYSE: NCC). We already noted that famed Oppenheimer banking analyst Meredith Whitney actually…
South African gold miner Gold Fields Limited (NYSE:GFI) posted its fiscal year 2008 earnings today. The company has been hit hard by higher costs, lower production, and a cave-in that killed eight miners. The…
In an SEC filing this morning, Grand Canyon Education sets its IPO terms. In the first indications, it looks like 10.5 million shares are being planned for sale in a range of $18.00 to…
It appears that a US-led bailout package may only be part of an effort to calm market fears. The Federal Reserve has announced a massive coordinated liquidity package to provide U.S. dollar liquidity. The…
In a sign that the entire market has gone under the sword, Apple (AAPL), Google (GOOG), and RIM (RIMM) have all breached their 52-week lows. Apple dropped to $109, down from a 52-week high…
This weekend in Barron’s, the weekly publication published an article defending the valuation of Starbucks Corp. (NASDAQ: SBUX). Its article titled "Something Good Is Brewing" defened the company’s share price at current levels. We…
Nouriel Roubini, economist and dark knight of the current crisis, today savaged the Paulson bailout in an article posted at his website. Among his points: "purchasing toxic/illiquid assets of the financial system is not…
Wachovia Corporation (NYSE: WB) is the newest big bank that is being taken over in a government-sponsored deal. Citigroup (NYSE: C) is acquiring the bulk of the bank’s assets and liabilities in an FDIC-facilitated…
Cardinal Health, Inc. (NYSE: CAH) is going to shuffle things up. The healthcare products and services company plans a tax-free spin-off of its clinical and medical products businesses as a separate public company. The…
These are some of the top analyst upgrades we have seen this Monday morning with about two hours to the open: Alberto-Culver (ACV) Started as Buy at Goldman Sachs. China Mass Media (CMM) Started…
These are not all of the analyst downgrades this Monday morning, but these are some of the standout calls we have seen affecting shares early with more than two hours to the open: Apple…
The attention of the markets is focused in the wrong direction. The Treasury will probably get its $700 billion bailout bill. A number of banks and other financial firms will have their balance sheets…
Congress has built all kinds of protections into the $700 billion bailout to keep the average citizen from having to foot the bill. If assets sold to the Treasury by financial companies have not…
The bailout plan proposed by Treasury and likely to pass Congress this week has not been nearly enough to calm world markets. The Heng Seng fell over 4%. In Europe, at 5.35 AM, the…