The Administration Raises Budget Deficit Figure 5%
The Administration today raised its estimate for the federal budget for this fiscal year by $89 billion, 5%, to $1.84 trillion. The new, higher number is nearly the same as the one provided by…
All Work
Douglas A. McIntyre
24/7 Wall St.-The Channel Checkers Survey: Dell (DELL) Solid Results
According to data from the 24/7 Wall St.-The Channel Checkers survey, Dell (DELL) is doing extremely well in the consumer retail part of the PC industry. Over the past week, we surveyed general electronics…
FAS/FAZ Dealing With Billions of Dollars of Securities Sales from Members (FAS, FAZ, BBT, COF, PFG, WFC, USB)
The triple leverage ETF’s, the Direxion Financial Bull 3X Shares (NYSE: FAS) and Direxion Financial Bear 3X Shares (NYSE: FAZ), are perhaps the most volatile of all financial-stock ETF’s. This morning they are getting…
Uranium Miner Stumbles (URRE, CCJ)
Low prices for uranium have hit producers hard, and Uranium Resources, Inc. (NASDAQ:URRE) has posted the numbers to prove it. First quarter 2009 revenue fell 75%, from $5.7 million in the same period a…
Why Is Microsoft Selling 5, 10, and 30 Year Debt? (MSFT)
This morning came a preliminary prospectus supplemental filing from Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ: MSFT) to sell 5-year, 10-year, and 30-year debt instruments for undisclosed terms and undisclosed amounts.
New Name Doesn’t Help (RRI, NRG)
What’s left of Reliant Energy is now called RRI Energy, Inc. (NYSE:RRI) following the sale of Reliant’s Texas retail segment to NRG Energy, Inc. (NYSE:NRG) that was completed on May 1st. The company reported…
Energy Conversion Devices Almost Clears Low Bar (ENER)
The third fiscal quarter report from Energy Conversion Devices, Inc. (NASDAQ:ENER) showed EPS of $0.03, down from $0.17 in the same period a year ago and $0.33 sequentially, but above analysts’ estimates of $0.02.…
Top Analyst Upgrades (AMSC, AEO, ADP, DOW, HMA, KBW, MAN, MS, RHI, HOT, UHS)
These are some of the top pre-market analyst upgrades and positive research calls we have seen early this Monday morning: American Superconductor (AMSC) Raised to Buy at Piper Jaffray. American Eagle (AEO) Raised to…
Top Analyst Downgrades (CLX, CTV, HD, IPI, MU, WSM)
These are some of the top analyst downgrades or negative research calls we have seen early this Monday morning: Clorox (CLX) Cut to Underperform at Bernstein. Commscope (CTV) Cut to Neutral at UBS. Home…
Will The Economy Need A Second Stimulus Package?
If the new stimulus package and parts of the budget aimed at creating new jobs do not begin to take hold soon, the Congress and Administration may be faced with having to put hundreds…
George Soros: Do Billionaires Know Much About The Economy?
T. Boone Pickens speaks out on the likelihood of rising oil prices and alternative energy are often as anyone will listen. Based on data about his energy fund, he has lost money on most of…
As Sovereign Governments Compete For Capital, The Cost Of Doing Businesses Pushes Up
It was inevitable. The US is trying to raise hundreds of billions of dollars to finance its growing deficit. The UK and many EU nations are doing the same. Japan is in the capital…
Target’s (TGT) Strength Makes Dissident’s Assault A Likely Failure
Investor Bill Ackerman, who has held an investment in Target (TGT) for almost two years and has lost a great deal of money in the process, wants to replace part of the retailer’s board. Ackerman…
The Failure Of 3G Hurts Apple (AAPL) And Its Competition
The inadequacy of 3G networks to carry data and video for large numbers of handsets simultaneously is hurting the performance of the Apple (AAPL) iPhone. The problem only starts there. The weakness of 3G…
The Humble Scooter: When Stimulus Packages Collide
As the government tries to dig the economy out of recession, the Administration is beginning to see that some of its stimulus packages are beginning to compete with one another. Congress and the President…
The Economy Moves To The Waiting Room
Most large companies have released their first quarter earnings and the critical economic figures for March and April are out. A growing number of economists say that the consumer will begin to conquer his…
Media Digest 5/11/2009 Reuters, WSJ, NYTimes, FT, Bloomberg
According to Reuters, Obama says his healthcare programs will save billions. Reuters reports that AIG (AIG) expects a long restructuring process. Reuters writes that Soros says the economic downturn trend is easing. Reuters reports…
Asia Markets And Europe Open 5/11/2009
Markets in Asia were mixed. The Nikkei rose .2% to 4,592. The Hang Seng was up .6% to 17,488. The Shanghai Composite fell 1.8% to 2,580. At the open in Europe, the FTSE was…
Antitrust: Intel (INTC), The Next Microsoft (MSFT)
The Financial Times is reporting that EU antitrust authorities are preparing to levy a huge fine against the world’s largest chip company, Intel (INTC). The paper writes that “Some lawyers suggest that the record…
Poor Bets in Oil & Derivatives, Rethinking the Buffett Game (BRK-A, BRK-B, COP, WFC, DOW)
Berkshire Hathaway Inc. (NYSE: BRK-A) (NYSE: BRK-B) may have had the wind behind its back from its annual shareholder meeting, but that wind now may be breaking wind. This was Warren Buffett’s quarterly loss…