MORNING UPDATE: PriceWatch Alerts for RIMM, MU and More... for 2012-04-21 |
| ----------------------------------------------------------------- MORNING UPDATE: PriceWatch Alerts for RIMM, FRE, ATYT, MLNM, GIS, MU, RHAT, BE, GTW and MSO. Dec 21 - 8:30 AM EDT - Before the open... PriceWatch Alerts for RIMM, FRE, ATYT, MLNM, GIS, MU, RHAT, BE, GTW and MSO, Market Overview, Put/Call Alert, FuturesWatch, Today's Economic Calendar, Expected Earnings Reports, and the Quote Of The Day. QUOTE OF THE DAY ----------------------------------------------- "The likelihood of bank profits rising in the next few years at rates similar to the last four is zero." -- Richard Bove, analyst, Punk, Ziegel & Co. PRICEWATCH ALERTS - HIGH RETURN COVERED CALL OPTIONS ----------- -- Research In Motion (Nasdaq: RIMM) Last Price 86.79 - JAN 80.00 CALL OPTION@ $10.50 -> 4.9 % Return assigned* -- Freddie Mac Corp. (NYSE: FRE) Last Price 70.49 - APR 70.00 CALL OPTION@ $3.30 -> 4.2 % Return assigned* -- ATI Technologies Inc. (Nasdaq: ATYT) Last Price 20.21 - JAN 20.00 CALL OPTION@ $1.45 -> 6.6 % Return assigned* -- Millennium Pharmaceuticals Inc. (Nasdaq: MLNM) Last Price 11.02 - FEB 10.00 CALL OPTION@ $1.45 -> 4.5 % Return assigned* -- General Mills Inc. (NYSE: GIS) Last Price 49.12 - APR 50.00 CALL OPTION@ $1.15 -> 4.2 % Return assigned* -- Micron Technology Inc. (NYSE: MU) Last Price 11.35 - APR 10.00 CALL OPTION@ $1.80 -> 4.7 % Return assigned* -- Red Hat Inc. (Nasdaq: RHAT) Last Price 14.85 - MAR 12.50 CALL OPTION@ $3.10 -> 6.4 % Return assigned* -- BearingPoint, Inc. (NYSE: BE) Last Price 7.69 - APR 7.50 CALL OPTION@ $0.65 -> 6.5 % Return assigned* -- Gateway Inc. (NYSE: GTW) Last Price 5.77 - MAR 5.00 CALL OPTION@ $1.30 -> 11.9 % Return assigned* -- Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia Inc. (NYSE: MSO) Last Price 25.70 - JAN 25.00 CALL OPTION@ $2.30 -> 6.8 % Return assigned* *For more details on covered calls and how you can use them to enhance your portfolio performance go to http://www.poweropt.com/cchelp.asp NEWS LEADERS AND LAGGARDS------------------------------------- So far today, American Healthways, Inc. and Agilent Technologies, Inc. lead the list of companies with the most news stories, while Gasco Energy, Inc. and American International Ventures are showing a spike in news. IAC/InterActiveCorp., Progress Software and Barr Pharmaceuticals have the highest srtIndex scores to top the list of companies with positive news, while Exar Corp. and Agilent Technologies lead the list of companies with negative news reports. Google Inc. has popped up with a high positive news sraIndex score. MARKET OVERVIEW------------------------------------------------ Overseas markets are mixed this morning with European markets decidedly negative and Asian markets in the green. The FTSE has managed to keep its head above the water and is currently up 0.10% disregarding losses in the tobacco sector. The Nikkei closed at 11125.92 up 0.20% despite poor news on the economy. The Hang Seng closed slightly in negative territory after losing 0.23%. However analysts expect a year end rally to propel the index higher. There's no stopping the BSE Sensex as it recorded yet another all time high of 6,461.64 before closing higher by 48.30 points. The December future contract on the 30-year bond was up 13/32 in yesterday's trading. Treasuries were higher, still happy about the inflation data that showed price levels remain in check. Nevertheless, bonds came off their highs as Richmond Federal Reserve President Jeffrey Lacker said the Fed might hike interest rates more often than first thought. The yields on the 2-year and 10-year notes stood at 3.033 percent and 4.187 percent respectively. The yield on the two-year rose, while the yield on the ten-year fell, with their prices moving in opposite directions. The 2-30 year yield spread stood 178 basis points. DYNAMIC MARKET OPPORTUNITIES------------------------------------- Not much good cheer from the US government on Monday. The president?s Council of Economic Advisors (CEA) said there would be an average of around 133.4 million new jobs in the US in 2005. While that would represent a 2.3 million increase over 2004, it?s down sharply from an earlier CEA estimate that called for 3.6 million new positions. For 2006, the CEA sees a decline from 2.3 million new jobs to 2.1 million, with losses also projected for 2008 and 2009. At the current rate, a 2.1 million annual increase would equate to 175,000 jobs per month. Not bad, but not that great, either. The CEA also passed judgment on US GDP, projecting 3.5% growth for 2005 and 3.4% in 2006. George Bush also prepared America for a round of spending cuts in order to achieve his goal of slashing the country?s budget deficit in half within five years. The Congressional Budget Office projects US$2.3 trillion worth of deficits within the next decade. As Bush and his economic team work on the budget for fiscal 2006 (due to be sent to Congress by February), he also warned that there would be ?difficult choices? on Social Security reform. Elsewhere, the NASDAQ will soon offer US$100 million worth of its own shares on its own exchange. This will mean giving up its current spot on the OTC:BB (over-the-counter bulletin board). This move comes ahead of a similar decision from the NYSE, and gives the NASDAQ a higher profile. This should boost trading volume in NASDAQ shares, which climbed around 25% on the news. Earlier this year, the Chicago Mercantile Exchange did the same ? a decision that led to its shares soaring 230% to around US$224 apiece. PUT/CALL ALERT ------------------------------------------------- Equity option activity on the CBOE yesterday had 263,896 put contracts trade compared to 546,189 call contracts. The resultant 0.483 single-session put/call ratio has allowed the 21-day moving average to drop down to 0.637. The CBOE Market Volatility Index, SPX implied (VIX - 11.83) fell 1.00 percent (OEX implied, VXO - 13.61, up 7.08 percent). The CBOE Nasdaq Market Volatility Index (VXN - 18.21) was unchanged. FUTURES WATCH -------------------------------------------------- The futures markets are a bit higher this morning as traders await the earnings results from Bear Stearns and Morgan Stanley due out before the opening this morning. There has also been an upgrade to Intel that has the NASDAQ futures showing some early strength. The S&P's could see some upside follow through if that market can start to trade above the 120100 level and the NASDAQ futures can trade above the 160950 level. The S&P futures maintain and upward bias as long as that market stays above the 118200 level and the NASDAQ futures maintain the 158700 level. In the meantime, volume remains light and markets remain thin. TODAY'S ECONOMIC CALENDAR --------------------------------------- 7:45 a.m.: ICSC-UBS Store Sales Index for last week (last plus 1.2%) 8:55 a.m.: Redbook Retail Sales Index for last week (last minus 0.8%) 10:00 a.m.: November Chicago Fed National Activity Index (last plus 0.52) 6:30 p.m.: ABC/Money Consumer Confidence for last week (last minus 6) EARNINGS EXPECTED TODAY (w/current estimates) ------------------ Applied Signal (APSG) 4Q 0.29 Bear Stearns (BSC) 4Q 2.14 Christopher & Banks (CBK) 3Q 0.22 FSI Intl (FSII) 1Q -0.1 Factset Research (FDS) 1Q 0.49 General Mills (GIS) 2Q 0.87 Gtech Holdings (GTK) 3Q 0.34 Intervoice Inc. (INTV) 3Q 0.12 Manugistics Group (MANU) 3Q -0.04 Merix Corp. (MERX) 2Q -0.02 Morgan Stanley (MWD) 4Q 1.01 Paychex Inc. (PAYX) 2Q 0.23 Progress Software (PRGS) 4Q 0.29 Solectron Corp. (SLR) 1Q 0.05 This Morning Update was prepared with data and information provided by: Motley Fool Investing Alert for 2005 ? ?The Case Against Mutual Funds? ? New FREE report details a more successful way for you to invest your money. http://www.investorsobserver.com/phillips PowerOptionsPlus.com - The Best Way To Find, Compare, Analyze, and Make Money On Option Investments - Forbes Best of the Web Winner. InvestorsObserver.com -- Better Strategies for Making Money -> For Investors With a Sense of Humor. Only $1 for your first month plus seven free bonuses worth over $800, see: http://www.poweropt.com/io WallStreetSecretsPlus.com ? For Investors Who Need To Know -> Only $1 for your first month plus free bonuses worth over $269, go to: http://gowssp.com/go/mu/ Man Financial Inc - One of the world's major futures and options brokers and a leading option order execution firm for individuals and institutions. Member CBOE/NASD/SIPC (CRD#6731) http://www.poweropt.com/mansec. FuturesWatch provided by Man's Harry Michas www.manmarketmonitor.com. For a free Trader's Resource CD click the following link or paste it into your browser address bar: http://www.poweropt.com/manseccd 247profits.com: You'll get exclusive financial commentary, access to a global network of experts and undiscovered stock alerts. Register NOW for the FREE 247profits e-Dispatch. Go to: http://www.poweropt.com/247 Schaeffer's Investment Research - Market information that combines unique data with insightful commentary, enabling you to navigate in any market conditions and invest wisely http://www.poweropt.com/sirmmo All stocks and options shown are examples only. These are not recommendations to buy or sell any security. PriceWatch Alerts do not take into account your trade size, brokerage commissions or taxes which will effect actual investment returns. Stocks and |
