Commerce Department GDP Revision Shows Q3 Was Awful
The Commerce Department revised GDP growth for the third quarter of this year down, again. The latest number is an increase of 2.2%. A month ago the number was dropped to 2.8% from the…
All Work
Douglas A. McIntyre
Top Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades (AOL, CSC, IAG, IMAX, MAN, STP, AMTD, XTO)
These are this Tuesday’s top analyst upgrades, downgrades, and initiations seen in Wall Street research calls: AOL Inc. (NYSE: AOL) Started as Equal-Weight at Barclays. Computer Science Corp. (NYSE: CSC) Started as Outperform at…
Cuts By Toyota (TM) And Ford (F) Signal Pessimism About 2010.
Ford (NYSE:F) said it would offer buyouts to its 41,000 US factory workers. The terms are generous and give the rank-and-file large lump sum payments and vouchers for Ford vehicles. Ford explained that its…
Apple’s (AAPL) Big Push Into TV
Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) needs to follow-up its success in the computer, portable multimedia player, and handset businesses to keep its revenue momentum and relationship with Wall St. Analysts believe the Apple’s next important product will…
Windows 7 Adoption Causes A Surge Of Corporate PC Sales
Market analysts and experts on IT spending have taken a “wait-and-see” approach to pass judgment on whether the launch of Microsoft’s (NASDAQ:MSFT) Windows 7 would cause quick adoption of the software at businesses. Upgrades…
Moody’s Downgraded Debt Of Greece, Faith In Sovereign Debt Downgraded, Too
Moody’s (NYSE:MCO) downgraded the government debt of Greece from A1 to A2. Very few economists or bankers will be surprised. Greece is dealing with a shrinking economy and growing national debt and budget deficits.…
The Government’s Loan Modification Program Does Not Have To Fail
The government’s “Home Affordable Modification Program” needed $75 billion of taxpayer money to alter home loans so that these loans could be more affordable for creditworthy homeowners who could not make their earlier mortgage…
Media Digest 12/22/2009 Greece Debt Downgraded By Moody’s: Reuters, WSJ, NYTimes, FT, Bloomberg
MarketWatch: Moody’s (NYSE:MCO) downgraded Greece’s debt to A2 from A1 and said it had a negative outlook on the nation’s sovereign paper. Reuters: The FBI is probing a cyber attack on Citigroup (NYSE:C). Reuters: China is…
Asia Markets And Europe Open (12/22/2009)
Markets in Asia were mixed. The Nikkei rose 1.9% to 10,379. Toyota (NYSE:TM) rose sharply. The Hang Seng was up .7% to 21,092. The Shanghai Composite fell 2.3% to 3,051. At the open in…
52-Week High Club (X, AET, CI, AA, HGSI)
United States Steel Corporation (NYSE: X) rose over 6.5% to a yearly high of $52.47 after the United States objected to a requestion by China that the World Trade Organization make a ruling on…
Stem Cell Stocks Rise, Led By Athersys Inc. (ATHX, NBS, STEM)
Stem cell stocks (tracked in Tickerspy’s Stem Cell Stock’s Index (*RXSTM) are up over 7% today, led by Athersys Inc (NASDAQ: ATHX). Athersys Inc. rose as high as 395% this morning following news that…
Unusual Options Trading Alerts (AAPL, GOOG, AMZN, RIMM, GLD, BIIB, MU)
We have compiled several options chains we are watching today now that the DEC-2009 PUTS/CALLS have expired on Friday. Much of this likely options roll-outs continuing, but we are seeing some unusual options trading…
Was Microsoft’s Liddell Promised GM CEO Job?
Microsoft’s (NASDAQ:MSFT) departing CFO Chris Liddell will join GM as Vice Chairman and CFO, according to several media reports. GM is so badly damaged that the move could not even be viewed as an…
E*TRADE New CEO… Chances of Buyout Changing? (ETFC, C, AMTD, SCHW, GS, MS)
E*TRADE Financial Corporation (NASDAQ: ETFC) has some good news this morning, although this could actually be bad news for those hoping for an immediate takeover. The company has been without an heir apparent in…
Today’s Best Market Rumors (12/21/2009)
Updated throughout the day. Dubai World will meet with creditors but offer no proposals (various). China’s sovereign fund CIC will get a new infusion of $200 billion (FT) Goldman Sachs (NYSE:GS) will moves some of…
Top Day Trader Alerts (CHTT, BMY, POT, MOS, MOO, PALM)
These are this Monday’s top day trader and active trader alert stocks with a link through to each story at VSInvestor.com for more detailed data and analysis: Chattem Inc. (NASDAQ: CHTT) is the biggest…
A Falling Dollar Hurts Our Importers, Too
John Tamny of Forbes The great Austrian economist Ludwig Von Mises long ago wrote that “accountancy is not perfect. The precision of its statements is only illusory.” In particular, Von Mises cast a skeptical…
Top 10 Anlayst Upgrades, Downgrades, Initiations (AA, AIRV, BCSI, DEER, INTC, PALM, MA, PSA, STX, V)
These are this Monday’s top 10 analyst Upgrades, Downgrades, and Initiations seen in Wall Street research calls: Alcoa, Inc. (NYSE: AA) Raised to Overweight at Barclays. Airvana Inc. (NASDAQ: AIRV) Cut to Hold at…
China’s New Shopping Spree
China is likely to invest another $200 billion into its sovereign fund CIC, according to the FT. CIC is known for taking non-controlling interests in companies, especially when they are based outside China’s borders. That make sense…
A TARP For Dubai
To: Sultan Ahmed bin Bin Sulayem of Dubai: Dear your magnificent munificence: Several banks that are owed more than $10 billion by Dubai World and Nakheel will be visiting your desert kingdom this week would like to…