Quarterly reports from Oracle (ORCL), Discover (DFS) and Tiffany (TIF) will highlight news on the earnings front this week.

Elsewhere on the economic calendar, the focus will be on housing, with existing home sales data due from the National Association of Realtors on Monday, new home sales numbers from the Census Bureau on Wednesday and data on housing starts released on Thursday.

Also watch for durable goods orders in February and the final GDP for the fourth quarter.

Continue reading Week in Preview: Housing Data and Late Season Earnings (ORCL, DFS, TIF)

Week in Preview: Housing Data and Late Season Earnings (ORCL, DFS, TIF) originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sun, 20 Mar 2011 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Morning Movers

The futures were modestly higher prior to the release of economic data, and after the awful housing starts number, the markets turned lower. Dow dropped 58 points, S&P 500 4 points, and Nasdaq fell about 9 points.

SPDR S&P Homebuilders ETF (XHB), which tracks the homebuilders, was down 18 cents to $17.76 at time of writing.

Continue reading U.S. Markets Open Lower; Asian Markets End Higher

U.S. Markets Open Lower; Asian Markets End Higher originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 16 Mar 2011 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

With earnings season in full swing, the FOMC meeting on interest rates, the GDP estimate, and housing numbers due out, the coming week is shaping up to be a busy one. So here's a peek at what's on the economic calendar.

Monday

Quarterly reports from American Express (AXP) and McDonald's (MCD) will highlight Monday. Amgen (AMGN), CSX (CSX), Halliburton (HAL) and Texas Instruments (TXN) are also expected to report strong earnings results.

Continue reading Week in Preview: GDP, FOMC Meeting, Housing Data and Lots of Earnings

Week in Preview: GDP, FOMC Meeting, Housing Data and Lots of Earnings originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sun, 23 Jan 2011 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

FedEx Corp. (FDX), the world's leading package delivery service and an ostensible bellwether of the U.S. economy, will dance its way onto the earnings stage this week. Also, with the holiday shopping season well underway, Best Buy Co. (BBY) and Discover Financial Services (DFS) are scheduled to offer up their most recent quarterly results.

Here's a closer look at what the analysts surveyed by Thomson Reuters are expecting from these three, plus a peek at the week's economic calendar.

Continue reading Week in Preview: FedEx, Best Buy, Discover to Deliver Earnings

Week in Preview: FedEx, Best Buy, Discover to Deliver Earnings originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sun, 12 Dec 2010 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Mixed Bag on Housing: Starts Up, Permits Down

Mixed Bag on Housing: Starts Up, Permits Down originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 19 Oct 2010 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Most of the S&P 500 companies have already reported earnings results for the most recent quarter. But scheduled to release their results this week are Medtronic (MDT) and Novell (NOVL), which analysts surveyed by Thomson Reuters expect to post earnings per share (EPS) about same as last year, as well as JDS Uniphase (JDSU), Patterson Companies (PDCO) and Tiffany & Co. (TIF), for which analysts foresee year-over-year earnings growth. Of these, the expectations are highest for Tiffany.

During the three months that ended in July, Tiffany launched an iPhone app and increased its quarterly dividend. Analysts expect the New York-based specialty retailer to report that earnings per share came to 53 cents, a 26.4% increase from a year earlier. Second-quarter revenue is expected to have grown 12.8% to $690.8 million. So far, analysts predict full-year earnings of $2.61 per share (+22.9%) on $3.0 billion (+11.8%) in revenue. Earnings results topped consensus estimates in four of the past five quarters, by 11 cents per share in the first quarter.

Continue reading The Week in Preview: Eye on Tiffany, Canadian Banks, Semtech

The Week in Preview: Eye on Tiffany, Canadian Banks, Semtech originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sun, 22 Aug 2010 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Closing Bell: Europe Keeps Feeding the Bears (HPQ, VRSN, WMT, HD, LOW)

Closing Bell: Europe Keeps Feeding the Bears (HPQ, VRSN, WMT, HD, LOW) originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 18 May 2010 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

After a harsh winter, new home construction is on the rise. These numbers are particularly encouraging: New home construction rose 20% in March over a year ago. Permits were up 34% over a year ago.

The Commerce Department reported that housing starts rose to an annual rate of 626,000 last month, up from February's revised 616,000. There is a push on to complete some of these houses before the first-time home buyer credit expires in June.

Continue reading Strong Rebound for Housing Starts and Building Permits

Strong Rebound for Housing Starts and Building Permits originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 16 Apr 2010 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The Commerce Department reported that housing starts fell 5.9% in February to 575,000. Building permits also fell in February. Economists surveyed by Bloomberg news had forecast starts to fall to between 510,000 to 610,000.

Much of the weakness can be blamed on the weather. You don't start new construction in the midst of snowstorms and blizzards. Also, with a backlog of unsold existing homes, it becomes more difficult start new constructions. Builders remain cautious of moving forward too rapidly.

Here is a breakdown of the stats:

Continue reading Housing Starts Fell 5.9% in February

Housing Starts Fell 5.9% in February originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 16 Mar 2010 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The numbers are looking good for January: both US home construction and industrial production rose.

Here are the stats:

• The Commerce Department reported that housing starts climbed 2.8% to a seasonally adjusted 591,000 annual rate.
• Housing starts and apartment construction were both up in January.
• Apartment construction rose 9.2% to 107,000

Continue reading Housing Starts and Industrial Production Up In January

Housing Starts and Industrial Production Up In January originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 17 Feb 2010 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Housing Starts Drop 4% During December

Housing Starts Drop 4% During December originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 20 Jan 2010 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The U.S. housing market continued to show weakness in the latest reading. Here are the Commerce Department's latest numbers:

• Housing starts dropped 10.5% to 529,000 units. The expected number was 600,000.
• Groundbreaking for single family homes fell 6.8% last month to an annual rate of 476,000 units.
• Starts for multifamily homes fell sharply to a 53,000 annual pace, a drop of 34.6%.
• Compared to October last year, housing starts fell 30.7%.

Continue reading U.S. housing starts fall sharply in October as inflation rises

U.S. housing starts fall sharply in October as inflation rises originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 18 Nov 2009 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

This is good news! The Commerce Department reported that housing starts soared 17% in May. Housing starts increased to 532,000 from 454,000 the prior month. Projections were for an increase to only 485,000.

Here are the supporting numbers:

• Permits rose to 518,000, up from 498,000. Forecasts were for 508,000.
• Single family homes rose 7.5% to 401,000, the third straight monthly gain.

Continue reading Housing starts jump 17% in May

Housing starts jump 17% in May originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 16 Jun 2009 12:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

On Tuesday, the Federal Reserve's FOMC holds two-day meeting on interest rates and will announce its decision on Wednesday. The Fed's Ben Bernanke will still be out and about this week, discussing the failure of Lehman Brothers later today, and ending up the week speaking at the Independent Community Bankers of America National Convention and Techworld.

Manufacturing will be in focus this week, starting with industrial production numbers for February and the Empire State Manufacturing Survey Diffusion Index for March scheduled to be released Monday morning. Tuesday morning will bring us the Producer Price Index for February, and Thursday morning comes the Philadelphia Fed Outlook Survey -- Diffusion Index Manufacturing for March.

Continue reading The week in preview: Interest rates, manufacturing, earnings gainers

The week in preview: Interest rates, manufacturing, earnings gainers originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sun, 15 Mar 2009 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Among all the negative economic data that came out last week was a positive surprise: retail sales were higher in January. A fluke or a glimmer at the end of the tunnel? That may depend on whether we see any positive surprises arising from items on this week's economic calendar:

• Consumer Analyst Group of New York Conference: Monday through Friday
• NY Empire Manufacturing Index (Feb. 2009): Tuesday, 8:30 AM
• NAHB Housing Market Index (Feb. 2009): Tuesday, 1:00 PM
• Fed's Bullard speaks before National Association of Business Economists: Tuesday, 1:00 PM
• Housing starts (Jan. 2009): Wednesday, 8:30 AM
• Fed's Pianalto speaks before Commercial Developers Power Breakfast: Wednesday, 9:00 AM
• Industrial production (Jan. 2009): Wednesday, 9:15 AM
• Fed's Bernanke speaks before National Press Club Luncheon: Wednesday, 12:30 PM

Continue reading The week in preview: A glimmer at the end of the tunnel?

The week in preview: A glimmer at the end of the tunnel? originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sun, 15 Feb 2009 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading U.S. housing starts fell to 50-year low in 2008

U.S. housing starts fell to 50-year low in 2008 originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 22 Jan 2009 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading U.S. recession has started, slump could be deep: NABE survey

U.S. recession has started, slump could be deep: NABE survey originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 17 Nov 2008 09:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Housing starts fall 6% in September to 17-year low

Housing starts fall 6% in September to 17-year low originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 17 Oct 2008 11:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading U.S. housing starts fall to 17-year low

U.S. housing starts fall to 17-year low originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 17 Sep 2008 14:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Baum: Stagnant housing sector needs drastic action ... such as lowered prices

Baum: Stagnant housing sector needs drastic action ... such as lowered prices originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 18 Jun 2008 17:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.