MAJOR PAPERS:

• Merrill Lynch & Co Inc (NYSE: MER), under intense pressure from billions of dollars of mortgage write-downs may get about a $5B capital investment from Temasek Holdings, a Singapore state-owned investment firm, the Wall Street Journal reported.
• The WSJ also reported that the SEC is investigating how Washington Mutual Incorporated (NYSE: WM) handled and reported on mortgage loans which may have been based on inflated home appraisals.

• BusinessWeek's "Inside Wall Street," Eastman Kodak Company (NYSE: EK) is looking to transform from a pariah on the Street into success. The number one photography company has been restructuring since 2003, and analysts expect to see strong profitability and cash flow in 2008.
• Aldabra 2 Acquisition Corp (AMEX: AII) may be another success story, BusinessWeek's "Inside Wall Street" noted, particularly if it gets a boost in output and "possible listing on the Big Board."
• Analysts are bullish on Inspire Pharmaceuticals Inc (NASDAQ: ISPH), BusinessWeek's "Inside Wall Street" reported, which has conjunctivitis drug AzaSite on the market and several drugs in its pipeline. AzaSite sales are expected to come in around $45M next year, but the company could grow further with its cystic fibrosis drug Denufosol, now in phase III trials.

Newspaper wrap-up: WaMu under SEC investigation originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 21 Dec 2007 08:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.