SLM & DOE, Salvation Of A New Tune (SLM)
Sallie Mae, or SLM Corp., (NYSE: SLM) is soaring this morning. In fact, it looks like the stock was briefly trading above $9.00 for the first time since it became a political target. This…
All Work
Douglas A. McIntyre
Green Shoots In Weekly Jobs Data, Sort Of
There have been hopes, over and over, that the jobs data would get better. Or at least less-bad as we have been discussing for about 3 or 4 months when the data started looking…
Blackstone Heading Deeper Into China (BX)
Blackstone Group LP (NYSE: BX) looks like it is going to get a much stronger foothold in China. A report from Reuters has the private equity giant in talks with the local city government…
Is There An Oil Story Behind the Iranian Elections?
By John Tamny of RealClearMarkets Writing about last week’s presidential election in Iran, the Wall Street Journal’s Bret Stephens observed that the plebiscite was “so transparently rigged that the only serious question is…
Top Analyst Upgrades (ANF, KOF, HTZ, HEW, ING, LNC, VZ)
These are the top analyst upgrades and positive research calls we have seen from Wall Street this Thursday morning with about two hours until the market opens: Abercombie & Fitch (ANF) Raised to Buy…
Top Analyst Downgrades (T, ADP, GNTX, HAR, JCI, PAYX, YRCW)
These are the top pre-market analyst downgrades or cautious research calls we have seen from Wall Street this Thursday morning with about two hours until the market opens: AT&T (T) Started as Sell at…
S&P Says US Debt Is Still “AAA”
S&P says it does not like the huge rise in US government indebtedness. But, it clearly thinks the Treasury can make its debt service and eventually pay those hundreds of billions of dollars back.…
Bank Of American (BAC) Still Making Millionaires Out Of Employees
Bank of America’s (BAC) addiction to giving its senior employees huge bonuses has not ended. These used to be based on “performance.” A banker who created toxic asset products that could be sold to…
China’s Growth Roars Back?
A number of economists believe that GDP growth in China is a mirage. The nation’s $585 billion stimulus package is allowing factories to produce at levels that they could not normally afford with the…
US Weapons To Fight The Trade Gap
The United States needs to find ways to cut its trade gap by raising exports. Rising exports tend to mean more manufacturing in the US. Manufacturing increases tend to create jobs. According to Reuters, weapons shipments to…
The Housing “Recovery” Comes To An End
The Mortgage Bankers Association Weekly Mortgage Applications Survey for last week is grim reading. Interest rates in the US are rising, some believe due to the need for the Treasury to consistently be in…
The Fail-Safe Financial Market Regulation Plan
Facing the blank sheet of paper that will eventually be the chronicle of his life in government and the success or failure of the Administration’s programs to radically overhaul the regulation of the financial…
Media Digest 6/17/2009 Reuters, WSJ, NYTimes, FT, Bloomberg
Reuters: Obama proposed sweeping reform for financial industry. Reuters: A number of large banks repaid TARP. (JPM)(GS)(BBT)(COP)(STT)(AXP)(USB) Reuters: Consumer prices show inflation is in check. Reuters: China could still be a big buyer of…
Asia Market And Europe Open 6/18/2008
Markets in Asia were mixed The Nikkei fell 1.4% to 9,704. Honda (HMC) dropped due to the dollar. HSBC (HBC) and other banks were down. The Hang Seng was off 1.2% to 17,861. The…
How Much Does iPhone App Really Add To SIRIUS XM’s Business? (SIRI, AAPL)
SIRIUS XM Radio (NASDAQ: SIRI) subscribers are only hours away from the launch that will allow the satellite radio monopoly subscribers to access content via the iPhone from Apple Inc. (NASDAQ: AAPL). Unfortunately, this…
The Biotech Industry Prepares For A Wave Of Consolidation
Underscoring just how much big pharma will depend on biotech acquisitions for future revenue, an analysis published by Evaluate Pharma today suggests half of the top 100 drugs worldwide by 2014 – and all…
Cramer’s Obama Healthcare Winner: WellPoint (WLP, CI, UNH, AET)
Jim Cramer came out with a healthcare maintenance stock tonight on CNBC’s MAD MONEY which he thinks will survive and perhaps thrive under the Obama healthcare plan. His pick in the healthcare maintenance sector…
Chart Alert: Wal-Mart (WMT, TGT, COST)
Wal-Mart Stores Inc. (NYSE: WMT) is supposed to be the retail winner in a depression or recession as more and more consumers are forced to shop at the world’s largest retailer whether they want…
Two Quests Hit By One Going Concern (QELP, QRCP)
Quest Energy Partners, L.P. (NASDAQ: QELP) got hit hard on fairly innocent trading volume today. The partnership was formed by Quest Resource Corporation (NASDAQ: QRCP) to acquire, exploit and develop natural gas and oil…
Some Signs Of Life In Biotech Funding Field
If you’re a CEO of a small biotech company, raising money isn’t necessarily getting easier, but there are a few signs that money could be starting to loosen up a bit. The Boston Globe…