FeedPosted Feb 9th 2010 8:11AM by Melly Alazraki (RSS feed)
Filed under: Before the Bell, International Markets, Coca-Cola (KO), Toyota Motor Corp. (TM), Market Matters, Electronic Arts (ERTS), Economic Data
U.S. stock futures advanced Tuesday, a day after the Dow Jones Industrial Average finished below the 10,000 mark for the first time since early November. With investors encouraged by signs the EU could bail out Greece, bargain hunters searched for deals following the selloff.
U.S. stocks dropped Monday for the third time in four sessions, with the S&P 500 falling 0.9% and the Dow industrials falling over 100 points, or 1%. Concerns about European debt weighed on Wall Street as was the outlook for the U.S. economy, especially in light of reports that Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke will begin laying the groundwork for credit tightening later in the year.
Continue reading Before the Bell: Futures Advance on Hopes of Greece's Rescue
Posted Feb 8th 2010 8:07AM by Melly Alazraki (RSS feed)
Filed under: Before the Bell, International Markets, Magazines, CIT Group (CIT), CVS Corp (CVS), Hasbro Inc (HAS), Economic Data, Oil
U.S. stock futures were
lower higher Monday morning as concerns about the debt situation in Europe continued to weigh on sentiment. The Dow industrials, it seems, for now will continue to flirt with the 10,000 level, following general declines in U.S. stocks markets last week.
[Update: So far this morning futures have changed direction several times as investors try to find a firm footing.]
Stocks slumped last as worries mounted over debt problems in Greece, Portugal and Spain and a mixed bag of economic indicators in the U.S. Meanwhile, concerns over Greece abated somewhat as the government worked Monday on a
tax overhaul aimed at getting its deficit under control.
Continue reading Before the Bell: Futures Pointing to a Higher Start
Posted Feb 5th 2010 8:15AM by Melly Alazraki (RSS feed)
Filed under: Before the Bell, International Markets, Market Matters, Aetna Inc (AET), Tyson Foods'A' (TSN), Economic Data, Oil
U.S. stock futures were lower this morning, as investors anxiously awaited January's jobs report. Following
Wall Street's worst day in more than nine months, and as overseas markets skidded on global economic recovery fear and debt issues at some European countries, investors fretted ahead of key U.S. employment data.
[
Update: Stock futures recovered after the jobs data and now point to a higher start on Wall Street. The jobs data showed an unexpected decline in the unemployment rate to 9.7%, but payroll fell by 20,000.]
At 8:30 a.m., the Labor Department will report January figures on nonfarm payroll. Job losses during the Great Recession have been huge and they're about to get bigger. Economists expect the report to show 5,000-15,000 jobs created during the month. The unemployment rate is expected to remain at 10%.
Continue reading Before the Bell: Futures Higher After Mixed Employment Report
Posted Feb 4th 2010 8:25AM by Melly Alazraki (RSS feed)
Filed under: Before the Bell, International Markets, Cisco Systems (CSCO), Pfizer (PFE), Market Matters, Burger King Hldgs (BKC), Economic Data, Unilever ADR (UL), Visa Inc. (V)
U.S. stock futures were lower Thursday following declines in overseas markets as worries about Europe's sovereign debts resumed. Despite Cisco Systems' upbeat report concerns about the economic recovery ahead of the jobs report continued to affect investors' sentiment.
Already on Wednesday, several weak economic readings, including a service sector gauge, and disappointing results from Pfizer (PFE) pushed stocks lower. But Wall Street is bracing for the nonfarm payroll report due out Friday morning to get a better feel for the state of the economic recovery and employment.
Continue reading Before the Bell: Stocks to Struggle at the Open
Posted Feb 3rd 2010 8:06AM by Melly Alazraki (RSS feed)
Filed under: Before the Bell, International Markets, Time Warner (TWX), Pfizer (PFE), Toyota Motor Corp. (TM), Market Matters, News Corp'B' (NWS), Economic Data
U.S. stock futures were nearly flat Wednesday morning, indicating Wall Street may have trouble extending the rally following the prior session's gains. This morning, the parade of earnings reports continues as jobs data is set to take center stage.
[Update: Futures fell slightly after the jobs data, despite ADP reporting the smallest job losses in January in two years.]
On Tuesday, stocks finished the day higher after strong housing data and solid earnings reports helped pushed the Dow industrials to its second straight day of triple digit gains.
Continue reading Before the Bell: Futures Fall After Jobs Data
Posted Feb 2nd 2010 8:20AM by Melly Alazraki (RSS feed)
Filed under: Before the Bell, International Markets, Market Matters, Hershey Co (HSY), BP p.l.c. ADS (BP), Dow Chemical (DOW), Economic Data
U.S. stock futures edged higher Tuesday morning, pointing to a potential second day of gains on Wall Street. As investors look to recover from January's down market, digesting more earnings this morning, they also await some economic data, including housing and auto sales and a Senate hearing on proposed new rules on financial reform.
Already on Monday, the tide started turning from January's depressed sentiment following strong manufacturing data and better-than-forecast Exxon Mobil earnings. The Dow industrials, the Nasdaq composite and the S&P 500 all finished more than 1% higher.
Continue reading Before the Bell: Futures Higher Ahead of Data
Posted Jan 29th 2010 8:08AM by Melly Alazraki (RSS feed)
Filed under: Before the Bell, International Markets, Microsoft (MSFT), Amazon.com (AMZN), Market Matters, Chevron Corp (CVX), Fortune Brands (FO), Mattel, Inc (MAT), Economic Data, Honeywell Intl (HON), Commodities, Federal Reserve
U.S. stock futures edged higher Friday following robust results from Amazon and Microsoft and as Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke was confirmed for a second term. But still ahead are GDP figures, which Wall Street will focus on to get a clearer picture of economic activity.
At 8:30 a.m., the government will disclose
fourth quarter gross domestic product, the broadest measure of economic activity. Most likely, the economy grew in the fourth quarter for a second straight quarter and possibly at the fastest pace in nearly four years. Analysts estimate the economy grew 4.5% in the final three months of 2009, according to Thomson Reuters. Much of it was due to the stimulus, economists say, and if that stops, they worry growth would slow, or even stop.
Continue reading Before the Bell: Futures Higher Ahead of GDP
Posted Jan 28th 2010 8:25AM by Melly Alazraki (RSS feed)
Filed under: Before the Bell, International Markets, Ford Motor (F), Market Matters, 3M Corporation (MMM), Netflix, Inc. (NFLX), Procter and Gamble (PG), QUALCOMM Inc (QCOM), Economic Data, Federal Reserve
U.S. stock futures were higher on Thursday following the Federal Reserve's outlook for the economy and President Barack Obama's State of the Union address and his pledge to create more jobs. Meanwhile, a stream of earnings is coming in this morning, with Ford posting its first annual profit since 2005. Also on the agenda today are some economic indicators, including data on jobs. All the while, investors will watch as Fed chairman Bernanke's faith is decided.
President Barack Obama late Wednesday put job creation at the top of the agenda in his first State of the Union speech. He promised not to abandon health-care reform and promised tough, new rules on Wall Street.
Continue reading Before the Bell: Futures Higher After Obama's Speech, Amid Earnings
Posted Jan 27th 2010 8:18AM by Melly Alazraki (RSS feed)
Filed under: Before the Bell, International Markets, Yahoo! (YHOO), Apple Inc (AAPL), Toyota Motor Corp. (TM), Market Matters, Caterpillar (CAT), Boeing Co (BA), Economic Data, Oil, Housing, Federal Reserve, General Dynamics Corp (GD)
U.S. stock market futures were higher Wednesday morning as upbeat earnings report from late Tuesday and early Wednesday boosted sentiment. Meanwhile, investors also awaited the Federal Open Market Committee policy statement later in the day as well as President Barack Obama state of the union address.
As Fed chairman Bernanke fights for another term at the helm of the federal bank, the Federal Reserve
may take a chance the housing market can stage a comeback without its support and announce today it will stick to the plan to end a $1.25 trillion program of mortgage-debt purchases in March. The Fed will release its policy statement at 2:15 p.m. Eastern.
Continue reading Before the Bell: Futures Higher Amid Upbeat Earnings
Posted Jan 26th 2010 8:12AM by Melly Alazraki (RSS feed)
Filed under: Before the Bell, International Markets, Apple Inc (AAPL), China, Market Matters, Johnson and Johnson (JNJ), Verizon Communications (VZ), duPont(E.I.)deNemours (DD), Japan, Economic Data, Housing, Federal Reserve
U.S. stock futures declined Tuesday morning as global growth concerns hit markets following S&P downgrade of Japan's outlook and reports of further tightening in China that could hamper growth. Meanwhile, in the U.S., the Federal Reserve begins its two-day policy meeting on Tuesday, amid several economic indicators due out.
U.S. stocks rose Monday as bargain hunters jumped in. But trading was light as Wall Street awaited news from later in the week regarding the confirmation of Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke, the State of the Union address and bank regulatory developments. Meanwhile, the earnings season continues to give mixed results, not fully convincing investors a recovery is underway.
Continue reading Before the Bell: Futures Point to a Lower Start
Posted Jan 22nd 2010 8:06AM by Melly Alazraki (RSS feed)
Filed under: Before the Bell, International Markets, Google (GOOG), General Electric (GE), Market Matters, McDonald's (MCD), Citigroup Inc. (C), JPMorgan Chase (JPM), Bank of America (BAC), Goldman Sachs Group (GS), Morgan Stanley (MS), Wells Fargo (WFC), Financial Crisis
U.S. stock futures were mixed Friday morning as investors mulled results from General Electric and others, and focused on the effects President Obama's plan to overhaul Wall Street would have on banks.
On Thursday, Wall Street suffered one of the worst day in month after the Obama administration announced a proposal to increase regulation on the financial industry. Despite several strong earnings, concerns over China's efforts to curb lending, a surprise increase in jobless claims and a drop in manufacturing amounted to the Dow industrials sinking 213 points, or 2%. The broader S&P 500 lost 1.9% and the Nasdaq composite tumbled 1.1%.
Continue reading Before the Bell: Stocks Headed for a Mixed Start
Posted Jan 21st 2010 8:20AM by Melly Alazraki (RSS feed)
Filed under: Before the Bell, International Markets, eBay (EBAY), Starbucks (SBUX), Market Matters, Goldman Sachs Group (GS), Xerox Corp (XRX), Economic Data, Commodities, Oil
U.S. stock market futures changed earlier direction and edged higher following several better-than-expected earning reports. Still, the market awaits a slew of economic reports, as well as results from Goldman Sachs. With concerns about China, futures move upward was muted.
Update 8:45 a.m.: After a disappointing jobs report that showed the number of newly-laid off workers seeking jobless benefits unexpectedly rose last week, stock futures fell, even as Goldman Sachs (
GS) reported strong results.
On Wednesday, Wall Street markets sold off due to mounting concerns about China's efforts to tighten bank lending. As a global market driver and a major consumer of commodities, these moves could have international effects. Major indexes skidded over 1%.
Continue reading Before the Bell: Futures Lower After Jobs Report
Posted Jan 20th 2010 10:00AM by Mark Fightmaster (RSS feed)
Filed under: Before the Bell, Economic Data, Housing
The Commerce Department reported this morning that U.S.
housing starts fell 4% in December, bringing the seasonally adjusted annual rate to 557,000. For all of 2009, roughly 554,000 homes were started, which is 39% lower than the total from a year earlier. Furthermore, this reading is the lowest since the end of World War II.
Starts of single-family homes fell 29% to a record low of 444,000 in 2009. The good news? This reading was a good deal better than the 540,000 rate expected by analysts and November's starts were revised higher.
Continue reading Housing Starts Drop 4% During December
Posted Jan 20th 2010 8:10AM by Melly Alazraki (RSS feed)
Filed under: Before the Bell, International Markets, China, Market Matters, International Business Machines (IBM), Bank of America (BAC), Economic Data, Oil
U.S. stock futures fell Wednesday, indicating Wall Street is poised for a lower open, after Bank of America reported a big loss. Other concerns weighing on the market include Chinese clampdown on lending and the change in the balance of power in Washington. Meanwhile, investors will continue to focus on the many earnings and economic indicators coming out this morning.
U.S. stocks hit a new 15-month high Tuesday as IBM led tech stocks higher ahead of its earnings report late Tuesday, and health-care shares rose as the health care and insurance reforms hung in the balance. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 115 points, or 1.1%, the S&P 500 rose 14 points, or 1.3%, and the Nasdaq Composite gained 32 points, or 1.4%.
Continue reading Before the Bell: Futures Fall as Bank of America Reports Big Loss
Next Page »
Closing Bell: When We All Love the PIIGS (NBG, SQNM, PG, ERTS, KO)
Serious Money: Cheapest Stocks List Shrinks from 26 to 21
Chasing Value: Hasbro Earnings Makes My Point
