Continue reading Stock Futures Higher on AT&T-T Mobile Deal

Stock Futures Higher on AT&T-T Mobile Deal originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 21 Mar 2011 08:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

"London-based Rio Tinto (RIO) is one of the largest and most diversified mining companies in the world; ith the potential to reward shareholders with increased dividends and share buybacks, Rio is a buy for investors seeking exposure to booming commodity markets," says Paul Tracy.

The editor of High Yield International explains, "Rio's operations are located in Australia, North and South America, South Africa, Europe and Indonesia. Its strategy is to concentrate on the development of large, high quality mineral deposits and become a low-cost producer for each commodity.

Continue reading Commodity 'Boom' Boosts Rio Tinto (RIO)

Commodity 'Boom' Boosts Rio Tinto (RIO) originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 11 Feb 2011 10:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

While the U.S. exchanges have a diverse market for mining and resource stocks, the fact is that there are large opportunities in foreign markets. In fact, the London Stock Exchange (LSE) and the Canadian TMX Group have agreed to merge, which would create an enormous market for commodities listings.

It is an all-stock deal, with the LSE holders getting roughly 55% of the equity. The exchange's CEO, Xavier Rolet, will also lead the new organization.

Continue reading London, Toronto Exchanges to Create a Mining Powerhouse

London, Toronto Exchanges to Create a Mining Powerhouse originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 09 Feb 2011 11:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Australian mining firm Rio Tinto (RIO) revealed plans to triple its capital expenditure to around $11 billion. The company also plans to up its iron ore production by more than 50% during the next five years.

The boost in production stems from new drilling and a reevaluation of deposits in Western Australia where the company found an extra two billion tons of iron ore reserves. The expansion of the iron ore division should help RIO take advantage of the "growing demand for raw materials to make steel" in China.

Continue reading Rio Tinto Boosts Iron Ore Output, Ups Spending

Rio Tinto Boosts Iron Ore Output, Ups Spending originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 26 Nov 2010 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

It was an historic day when Rio de Janeiro was chosen as host for the 2016 Summer Olympic games -- the first emerging market ever to host the games.

It many ways it marked a formal "coming out" party, if you will, for emerging markets. It was a statement -- a confirmation -- of the the developing world's improved status in the early globalization era. It said, "We've arrived."

Continue reading Memo to Brazil, emerging markets: Congrats on Olympics -- now buy stuff!

Memo to Brazil, emerging markets: Congrats on Olympics -- now buy stuff! originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 05 Oct 2009 13:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Analyst upgrades:

• UBS upgraded Target (NYSE: TGT) to Buy from Neutral and raised its price target to $52 from $45 citing reduced inventories, some credit stability, and an improved back-to-school period.
• Credit Suisse said concerns regarding Safeway's (NYSE: SWY) price position are overblown and that earnings risk is limited. The firm upgraded shares to Outperform from Neutral and raised the target price to $25 from $22.
• Oppenheimer upgraded Canadian Solar (NASDAQ: CSIQ) to Outperform from Perform as it believes the story is underappreciated following the recent sector rally. The firm has a $14 price target on the stock.
• CME Group (NASDAQ: CME) was upgraded to buy from Neutral at Goldman.
• Freeport McMoRan (NYSE: FCX) was upgraded to Overweight from Neutral at JP Morgan.
• Gilead Sciences (NASDAQ: GILD) was upgraded to Buy from Neutral at FTN Equity.

Continue reading Analyst upgrades, downgrades and initiations: TGT, SWY, CSIQ, HOTT, MPEL, RIO, CPB, CVD and HGG

Analyst upgrades, downgrades and initiations: TGT, SWY, CSIQ, HOTT, MPEL, RIO, CPB, CVD and HGG originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 21 May 2009 11:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Credibility and transparency in the Pink Sheets market?

Credibility and transparency in the Pink Sheets market? originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 14 Apr 2009 11:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

From TheStreet.com Network

• Does Mark-to-Market Matter That Much?
• Leadership Matters: 'Less Worse' Ain't Bad

TheStreet.com's Jim Cramer says if you don't want to wait for a pullback, look abroad for the next leg or find values at home.

What do you do when everyone knows we have come up too far, too fast; no one knows who is actually buying; and we are going into earnings season?

What do you do when the animal spirits are taking up the market and yet other than a handful companies -- Research In Motion (NASDAQ: RIMM) (Cramer's Take), Xilinx (NASDAQ: XLNX) (Cramer's Take), Corning (NYSE: GLW) (Cramer's Take), Best Buy (NYSE: BBY) (Cramer's Take) and Taiwan Semi (NYSE: TSM) (Cramer's Take) -- almost all companies that have spoken during the "off-season" earnings reports have been dismal?

Continue reading Cramer on BloggingStocks: So you missed the recent run -- now what?

Cramer on BloggingStocks: So you missed the recent run -- now what? originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 06 Apr 2009 09:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

• Citigroup upgraded Lubrizol (NYSE: LZ) to Buy from Hold on valuation as they believe economic weakness is already priced into the stock. Despite upgrading, Citigroup lowered their target price to $32 from $36.
  
• UBS believes AT&T (NYSE: T) consensus estimates are beatable and that the 7.1% dividend yield is safe. Additionally, the firm said a strike is possible when the unionized wireline employee contract expires on April 4th but expects the company to succeed in lowering healthcare benefits. Shares were upgraded to Buy from Neutral.
  
• Friedman Billings upgraded Adobe (NASDAQ: ADBE) to Market Perform from Underperform as they believe guidance appropriately reset expectations and that the risk/reward is neutral at current levels. The firm lowered their target price to $16 from $17. Shares were also upgraded to Buy from Hold at Jefferies after the Q1 results to reflect better-than-expected cost cuts and an attractive risk/reward at current levels.
• Lousiana Pacific (NYSE: LPX) was raised to Sector Outperformer from Sector Performer at CIBC.
  
• OmniVision (NASDAQ: OVTI) was upgraded at Baird to Neutral from Underperform.

Continue reading Analyst upgrades, downgrades and initiations: T, ADBE, GPS, RIMM, MCD, PFE ...

Analyst upgrades, downgrades and initiations: T, ADBE, GPS, RIMM, MCD, PFE ... originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 05 Mar 2009 11:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

• Citigroup upgraded WebMD (NASDAQ: WBMD) shares to Buy from Hold on valuation following the company's Q4 results and outlook. The firm maintains a $25 target on the stock.
  
• Goldman upgraded Verizon (NYSE: VZ) and AT&T (NYSE: T) to Buy from Neutral based on valuation and expectations for 2010 earnings growth.
• Roth upgraded Maxwell Tech (NASDAQ: MXWL) to Buy from Hold following the company's Q4 results to reflect strong ultracapacitor sales growth and gross margin improvement. The firm maintains a $12 target on the stock.
• Nara Bancorp (NASDAQ: NARA) was raised to Market Perform from Underperform at Friedman Billings.
• Cubic (NYSE: CUB) was upgraded to Neutral from Overweight at JP Morgan.
  
• Terex (NYSE: TEX) was lifted to Outperform from Market Perform at Wachovia.

Continue reading Analyst upgrades, downgrades and initiations: VZ, T, GT, RIO, XRX, MA ...

Analyst upgrades, downgrades and initiations: VZ, T, GT, RIO, XRX, MA ... originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 20 Feb 2009 11:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

• Goldman upgraded Nokia (NYSE: NOK) to Neutral from Sell on valuation and believes the company's guidance is realistic.
  
• SMH Capital upgraded GMX Resources (NASDAQ: GMXR) to Accumulate from Neutral and is positive on the company's capex reduction.
  
• Wachovia raised Nationwide Health Services (NYSE: NHP) to Outperform from Market Perform to reflect the company's diversified portfolio and "solid" capital position.
• Portugal Telecom (NYSE: PT) was upgraded to Equal Weight from Underweight at Morgan Stanley.
  
• Omnicare (NYSE: OCR) was upgraded to Buy from Hold at Soleil.
  
• SKF AB (OTC: SKFRY) was upgraded at JP Morgan to Neutral from Underweight.

Continue reading Analyst calls: NOK, NHP, PCR, RIO, DT, UPS, BLK, ADSK, DAI, UNT ...

Analyst calls: NOK, NHP, PCR, RIO, DT, UPS, BLK, ADSK, DAI, UNT ... originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 09 Dec 2008 11:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Global Q & A: Conserve your resources

Global Q & A: Conserve your resources originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 13 Aug 2008 17:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Chesapeake Energy (NYSE: CHK) closed at $45.25 Monday. Natural Gas futures are recently down 2.25% to $8.53 according to Bloomberg. BMO Capital Markets has a $68 target price on CHK. CHK September option implied volatility of 61 is above its 26-week average of 42 according to Track Data, suggesting larger price movement.

SPDR Gold Trust (NYSE: GLD), a commodity-based exchange traded security, closed at $86.84. Gold is recently trading down 1.70% to $892.50. GLD option volume was heavy on August 4, 2008 with 106,112 contracts trading. GLD over all option implied volatility of 25 is near its 9-week average according to Track Data, suggesting non-directional price movement.

Companhia Vale do Rio Doce (NYSE: RIO) will report Q2 EPS on August 6. RIO, a Brazilian mineral company, closed at $26.36. Goldman has a Buy rating on RIO. RIO option volume was heavy on August 4, 2008, with 237,545 contracts trading. RIO August option implied volatility is at 66, September is at 56; above its 26-week average of 49 according to Track Data, suggesting larger price movement.

Option Update is provided by Stock Specialist Paul Foster of theflyonthewall.com

Option Update: Commodity selloff causes higher volatility originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 05 Aug 2008 08:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

MOST NOTEWORTHY:

• Lehman believes Vale (NYSE:RIO) is well-positioned to benefit from rising steel demand in emerging economies. The firm started shares with an Overweight rating and $45 target.
  
• Citigroup initiated Allos Therapeutics (NASDAQ:ALTH) with a Buy rating and $11 target and believes the company's lead drug PDX is likely to be the first FDA approved agent for peripheral T cell lymphoma.
  
• Friedman Billings expects Torchmark's (NYSE:TMK) sales to get back on track given increased recruiting, ongoing management initiatives, and the potential demise of Medicare Advantage. Shares were assumed with an Outperform rating and $72 target.

• Baird initiated Navigant Consulting (NYSE:NCI) with an Outperform rating and $24 target.
  
• KeyBanc assumed Ingersoll-Rand (NYSE:IR) with a Buy rating and $49 target.
  
• Mindray Medical (NYSE:MR) and China Medical (NASDAQ:CMED) were initiated with Overweight ratings and targets of $50 and $54, respectively, at Morgan Stanley.

Analyst initiations: RIO, ALTH and TMK originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 26 Jun 2008 11:51:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

"China will need to consume an unprecedented amount of natural resources to fuel its red-hot economy," says the advisor who offers his speculations as to the most likely takeover candidates in three areas -- energy, metals and food.

"There's no doubt in my mind that China is on a buying spree. And I'm not just talking about oil, either. Fact is, the Chinese have a ravenous appetite for virtually all commodities.

"While I don't have any inside knowledge about what companies the Chinese have in their sights, I do know what industries are strategically important to their lofty growth objectives.

"China needs energy - and lots of it - so you can expect frenzied buying activity to lock up reliable supplies of multiple sources of energy. In my book, oil, natural gas, coal, and uranium are all key players. My #1 pick for an energy takeover: Cameco (NYSE: CCJ), the largest uranium producer in the world.

Continue reading Three takeover targets for China's buying spree

Three takeover targets for China's buying spree originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 23 May 2008 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Is investing abroad because the U.S. is going through a rough patch a good idea? If so, why? What foreign markets are attractive? Investing abroad is a good idea -- but not because the U.S. is melting down. Instead, it turns out that emerging markets are outperforming developing ones because they are supplying the commodities that fuel demand for 10% annual growth in emerging markets like China and India.

Emerging markets are up 20% in the last year while developed markets like the U.S. are flat. The reason to invest in these markets is not so much because the U.S. is going through a rough patch but more because these other markets are doing so much better and they are going to continue to do well regardless of what happens in the U.S.

But the U.S.'s rough patch may not be as bad as people had thought. An economist at Wachovia Corp. (NYSE: WB) changed his estimate of the chances of a recession from 90% to 45%. So the U.S. may turn out to be a good place to invest if stocks are priced for a recession that doesn't happen.

Continue reading Should you invest abroad?

Should you invest abroad? originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 15 May 2008 15:36:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Cramer on BloggingStocks: Earthquake recovery can change China

Cramer on BloggingStocks: Earthquake recovery can change China originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 14 May 2008 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

MOST NOTEWORTHY: Google, Boyd Gaming and Microsoft were today's noteworthy initiations:

• Kaufman Bros. believes Google (NASDAQ: GOOG) has "only begun to scratch the surface" of its local market opportunity. Shares were assumed with a Buy rating and $680 target.
  
• Banc of America believes Boyd Gaming (NYSE: BYD) will face financing challenges with its Echelon resort, and initiated shares with a Sell rating and $14 target.
  
• Lehman reinstated Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT) with an Equal Weight rating and $34 target based on peaking Vista/Office 2007 cycles, uncertain online strategy, and increased investment.

OTHER INITIATIONS:

• Goldman started AON Corp. (NYSE: AOC) with a Neutral rating.
  
• Broadpoint initiated Covanta (NYSE: CVA) with a Buy rating and $32 target.
  
• Companhia Vale Do Rio Doce (NYSE: RIO) was assumed at Citigroup with a Buy rating and $48 target.

Analyst initiations: Google, Boyd Gaming, Microsoft originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 07 May 2008 11:54:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

"There's no doubt about it: vital resources are in a bull market of gigantic proportions," note Yiannis Mostrous and Roger Conrad.

"The co-editors of Vital Resource Investor caution that "no market moves in a straight line, and in commodities, the action is often extremely violent." However, for long-term investors, they offer some favorites in iron ore, aluminum and copper.

"All commodity bull markets are ultimately gored by demand destruction, alternatives and new supply. But it will almost certainly be years before that happens to this one. And that means plenty of money will be made along the way.

"We're still extremely bullish on iron ore as the market remains in deficit and prices continue to rise. Chinese domestic supply has been falling and, if this continues, imports will make up the difference, thereby helping the miners.

"China consumes 51% of the world's iron supply. Portfolio holding Companhia Vale do Rio Doce (NYSE: RIO), the world's largest iron ore producer, will benefit from the shortage in iron ore supply.

"We favor aluminum in the industrial metals sector. We've been advocating aluminum for some time, and the market's finally going our way. Aluminum prices have been impacted by lack of available power in China and South Africa and higher alumina and bauxite prices.

Continue reading Mining trio: Iron ore, aluminum and copper

Mining trio: Iron ore, aluminum and copper originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 30 Apr 2008 10:48:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Cramer on BloggingStocks: The rich can wait things out

Cramer on BloggingStocks: The rich can wait things out originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 03 Mar 2008 09:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.