With consumer confidence shaky, real estate a mess and financials in turmoil, are there any safe havens in this market? There are a few.

When in doubt, there's always utilities. People need air-conditioning and heat regardless of how the market is doing. Plus, many pay dividends. Exelon Corp. (NYSE:EXC), which owns utilities in Chicago and Philadelphia, rose $1.02 to $69.97 in after-hours trading, rebounding from a drop-off in regular trading. Duke Energy Corp. (NYSE:DUK), Public Service Enterprise Group Inc. (NYSE:PEG) and Consolidated Edison Inc. (NYSE:ED) also were up.

But remember that even the most nervous consumer spends their money at some places, but is far more selective. They want to get the most bang for their buck. Investors today sent shares of some of those companies down today. Below are a few examples.

McDonald's Corp. (NYSE:MCD) -- Even in an uncertain economy, parents are still going to take their kids to the home of the Golden Arches. People are even eating the company's healthier fare. Go figure. Shares fell 2.6% today to $43.88. The stock is trading at a forward price-to-earnings ratio of 16.5, lower than both Wendy's International Inc. (NYSE:WEN) and Burger King Holdings Inc. (NYSE:BKC).

Goldman Sachs Group Inc. (NYSE:GS) reported a 29% gain in first-quarter profit, handily beating analysts' forecasts and investors probably could care less. Wall Street is waiting on pins and needles to find out whether the largest securities firm escaped the black hole engulfing suprime lenders.

As Bloomberg News notes, Goldman Sachs is a lender to New Century Financial Corp. (NYSE:NEW), the suprime lender that can't pay its creditors. Shares of the Goldman have slumped 8.3% since February 20 amid concerns that the real estate market will fall because of higher interest rates resulting in a slowdown of the economy, Bloomberg said.

Not suprisingly, New Century shares were halted yesterday after plunging nearly 90% last week. Another subprime lender Accredited Home Lenders Co. (NASDAQ:LEND) plumetted 27% yesterday and plunged another 43% in pre-market trading.

Suprime lending is bound to come up over the next two weeks when Bear Stearns Cos. (NYSE:BSC), Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc. (NYSE:LEH) and Morgan Stanley (NYSE:MS) report earnings.

Main market news here.

J.P. Morgan Chase & Co. (NYSE:JPM) Chief Executive Jamie Dimon would probably earn a gold medal for cost-cutting if the Olympics gave such things out. Now, investors are wondering how the high-profile Wall Street executive is going to grow JP Morgan's bottom line the old-fashioned way, organically. The Wall Street Journal (subscription required) argues in its "Heard on the Street" column that investors will be keenly interested in hearing Dimon's plans at a company meeting tomorrow.

Like the stock market, the oil market also is in decline Prices for light, sweet crude for April delivery fell $1.12 to $60.52 in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange, according to the Associated Press. Tensions between the U.S. and Iran along with lower-than-expected stockpiles will continue to bolster the market, the AP said. The New York Times points out that technological advances makes it possible for oil companies to get more oil from oil fields.

Subprime lender New Century Financial Corp. (NYSE:NEW) will need help from Wall Street firms such as Morgan Stanley (NYSE:MS) and UBS AG (NYSE:UBS), according to Bloomberg News. New Century had a $3 billion credit line wit Morgan Stanley that was supposed to expire last month and a $2 billion line with UBS that's good until September 2008, with $1.5 billion outstanding, Bloomberg said.

As expected, Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Co. (NYSE:GAP), owner of the A&P supermarket chain, agreed to buy rival Pathmark Stores Inc. for $1.3 billion in cash, stock and debt, the Associated Press said. The merged company will own 550 stores in the New York and Philadelphia areas as well as Michigan, Maryland and Louisiana.