STOCKS NEWS US-VIX slips to lows seen in May '08

Stocks on the move

Real-time equity news

U.S. stock market report


1304 ET 17March2010
VIX slips to lows last seen in May 2008

The CBOE Volatility Index fell to its lows last seen in May 2008, suggesting investors are likely to be more complacent with current market conditions. The VIX, Wall Street's favorite pulse of investor anxiety, fell 5.3 percent to 16.75, also back in the range that preceded the mid-Jan sell-off that took the markets off 8 percent through early February.

The VIX is a 30-day risk forecast based off of S&P 500 option prices and typically moves inversely to the S&P benchmark. The S&P is now up more than 70 percent from a 12-year low in March last year, but still 26 percent below its life high in Oct 2007.

Reuters Messaging: [e-mail]

1256 ET 17March2010
S&P call options active ahead of expiration

For U.S. equity markets, a very large call option interest in the 1170-1180 strikes should act like a magnet heading into expiration on Friday after the S&P 500 finished up 0.8 percent at 1,159 in the previous session, said Jefferies Equity Derivatives in a note. The close was the index's highest finish since October 2008 and its largest move in seven trading sessions. Net open interest in the March 1170 and March 1176 call options is 110,000 and 111,000, respectively, the note said. It is 'very interesting to note although this is a quarterly expiration, these options only recently traded in heavy volumes, indicating a large amount of upside notional exposure bought by customers, Jefferies said.

Reuters Messaging: [e-mail]

1243 ET 17March2010
Dow hits recovery high as energy, financials gain

U.S. stocks rose on Wednesday, with the Dow hitting a recovery high, as the Fed's renewed promise of low interest rates was underscored by a benign inflation reading.

For details, see

The Dow Jones industrial average gained 41.12 points, or 0.38 percent, to 10,727.10. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index rose 6.46 points, or 0.56 percent, to 1,165.92. The Nasdaq Composite Index added 14.08 points, or 0.58 percent, to 2,392.03.

Reuters Messaging: [e-mail]


1206 ET 17Mar2010-First
quarter S&P earnings seen rising 36.4 percent

Standard & Poor's 500 first-quarter earnings are forecast up 36.4 percent from a year ago, according to data by Thomson Reuters.

That's a tad lower than the 37.2 percent increase forecast in January.

Fourth-quarter 2009 earnings were up 200.8 percent from the previous year, the data showed.

Reuters Messaging rm://[e-mail]

1156 ET 17Mar2010-Dow hits 17
month high, a crucial technical cue

The Dow Jones industrial average on Wednesday finally got around to what market technicians had been waiting for. The 30-stock index of blue chip companies hit an intraday high of 10,741.61 -- its highest level in 17 months.

The development is an important technical cue since it serves as confirmation of the highs already seen in other major indexes -- the Dow transportation index, the Nasdaq ant the Russell 2000, the KBW bank index.

Reuters Messaging rm://[e-mail]


1132 ET 17Mar2010
Emerging stock markets to outsprint rich world

Emerging stock markets will easily outpace gains seen this year for rich world counterparts, where there are signs of waning enthusiasm after 2009's historic rally, Reuters polls showed on Wednesday.

All of the world's major stock indexes are expected to finish the year higher than current levels, according to the surveys which tapped the views of more than 300 investment strategists.

For more please double click

Reuters Messaging rm://[e-mail]

1123 ET 17March2010
Regulators to U.S. banks: tighten up on funding

The Federal Reserve and other banking regulators jointly reminded financial institutions on Wednesday about the importance of managing their liquidity to avoid a repeat of the financial crisis.

The 50-page policy statement said banks and other deposit-taking firms need to keep accurate projections of cash flows, do stress testing and maintain an adequate cushion of liquid assets to protect their safety and soundness.

For details, see

Reuters Messaging: [e-mail]


1043 ET 17March2010
Schiff Nutrition jumps after results, dividend

Schiff Nutrition International Inc shares jumped on Wednesday after the company posted better-than-expected quarterly results and approved a special cash dividend.

The maker of vitamin and nutrition bars reported earnings of 20 cents per share for the third-quarter and announced a special cash dividend of 50 cents a share payable to shareholders on March 31.

The average estimate of analysts surveyed by Thomson Reuters was for earnings of 14 cents a share.

Schiff shares climbed 13.7 percent to $10.35.

Reuters Messaging:rm://[e-mail] Keywords: MARKETS STOCKSNEWS

COPYRIGHT Copyright Thomson Reuters 2010. All rights reserved. The copying, republication or redistribution of Reuters News Content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Thomson Reuters.