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Real-time Equity news
U.S. stock market report
1720 ET 21Dec2009-Take
Two will sell unit, cuts outlook
Shares of Take-Two Interactive Software Inc fell following the closing bell after the company said it will sell its Jack of All Games distribution business and slashed its forecasts for fiscal 2010 and the first quarter as a result.
Take-Two shed 5.1 percent to $8.95 in extended trading.
For details, see
Reuters Messaging: leah.schnurr.reuters.com@reuters.net
1629 ET 21Dec2009
Health shares lift Wall St; Nasdaq at
15
month high
U.S. stocks rose on Monday, with the Nasdaq hitting a
15
month high after a healthcare reform bill advanced in the Senate and brokerages upgraded two Dow components on improving profit prospects.
Healthcare stocks rose after a bill to overhaul the U.S. healthcare system, which is perceived as less damaging to industry profits than expected, passed a crucial test in the U.S. Senate early Monday.
Retail stocks also gained as investors were optimistic about the rest of the holiday shopping season even after a heavy snowstorm hit the East Coast over the weekend, which may have deprived retailers of profits.
For more please double click
Reuters Messaging rm://ellis.mnyandu.reuters.com@reuters.net
1415 ET 21Dec2009
Micron call volume heats up before results
Micron Technology Inc shares rose 5.35 percent to $9.25 late in the session after Wedbush Morgan Securities upgraded the chipmaker's stock to outperform from neutral ahead of the company's quarterly results due late on Tuesday. For details, see
The stock's overall options volume was heating up, with about 71,000 contracts traded, out of which 53,000 calls changed hands, according to Trade Alert.
The top trade was a January 2010 $9/$10 risk reversal which traded 10,000 times and where an investor apparently collected 12 cents to sell puts and buy calls, said WhatsTrading.com option strategist Frederic Ruffy. He surmised the transaction was probably tied to a block of 905,000 shares that traded at $9.25. Meanwhile, traders appeared to snap up April $10 calls with blocks of 1,000 contracts traded on the ask-side at 80 cents per contract. In that strike price, 11,422 contracts crossed the tape versus 4,305 contracts in open interest.
Reuters Messaging: doris.frankel.reuters.com@reuters.net
1337 ET 21Dec2009
Some investors shed calls in dollar bull ETF
Shares of the PowerShares DB US Dollar Index Bullish Fund rose 6 cents to $23.07 in the afternoon session as the dollar gained. The U.S. Dollar Index also edged up to 78.041.
The dollar rose to a more than six-week high against the yen on Monday as expectations the U.S. economy is reviving encouraged investors to bet the Federal Reserve will raise interest rates sooner rather than later. For details, see
The fund's option volume has increased as investors recently made significant trades in the expectation that the dollar might rise, said Andrew Wilkinson, senior market analyst at Interactive Brokers Group. He noted the most heavily trafficked call option series was at the March $23 strike with open interest of 469,168 contracts. In today's action, it appears a number of investors closed out some long call positions in that strike and booked profits, he said. Most of the calls were apparently sold at 55 cents per contract. The $23 strike had volume of 70,613 contracts, Reuters data show.
Reuters Messaging: doris.frankel.reuters.com@reuters.net
1234 ET 21Dec2009
Goldman, Google, 3M in Citi's Ten for 2010 picks
Tobias Levkovich, Citigroup's chief U.S. equity strategist, suggested having the stocks outlined below in a 2010 portfolio, calling them 'The Ten for 2010' picks. He favors these companies due to their healthy balance sheets and unique advantages in the market, among other factors:
NAME PRICE TARGET PRICE AS OF 12/21/09
- Deere & Co $62 $55.72
- Google Inc $640 $598.66
- 3M Co $92 $81.84
- Procter & Gamble Co $66 $61.79
- Goldman Sachs $240 $166.60
- Cisco Systems Inc $28 $23.73
- Carnival Corp $41 $32.47
- Apache Corp $130 $102.43
- Amazon.com Inc $170 $132.56
- Nucor Corp $57 $44.65
Reuters Messaging: ellis.mnyandu.reuters.com@reuters.net
Keywords: MARKETS STOCKSNEWS
COPYRIGHT Copyright Thomson Reuters 2009. 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.
Real-time Equity news
U.S. stock market report
1720 ET 21Dec2009-Take
Two will sell unit, cuts outlook
Shares of Take-Two Interactive Software Inc fell following the closing bell after the company said it will sell its Jack of All Games distribution business and slashed its forecasts for fiscal 2010 and the first quarter as a result.
Take-Two shed 5.1 percent to $8.95 in extended trading.
For details, see
Reuters Messaging: leah.schnurr.reuters.com@reuters.net
1629 ET 21Dec2009
Health shares lift Wall St; Nasdaq at
15
month high
U.S. stocks rose on Monday, with the Nasdaq hitting a
15
month high after a healthcare reform bill advanced in the Senate and brokerages upgraded two Dow components on improving profit prospects.
Healthcare stocks rose after a bill to overhaul the U.S. healthcare system, which is perceived as less damaging to industry profits than expected, passed a crucial test in the U.S. Senate early Monday.
Retail stocks also gained as investors were optimistic about the rest of the holiday shopping season even after a heavy snowstorm hit the East Coast over the weekend, which may have deprived retailers of profits.
For more please double click
Reuters Messaging rm://ellis.mnyandu.reuters.com@reuters.net
1415 ET 21Dec2009
Micron call volume heats up before results
Micron Technology Inc shares rose 5.35 percent to $9.25 late in the session after Wedbush Morgan Securities upgraded the chipmaker's stock to outperform from neutral ahead of the company's quarterly results due late on Tuesday. For details, see
The stock's overall options volume was heating up, with about 71,000 contracts traded, out of which 53,000 calls changed hands, according to Trade Alert.
The top trade was a January 2010 $9/$10 risk reversal which traded 10,000 times and where an investor apparently collected 12 cents to sell puts and buy calls, said WhatsTrading.com option strategist Frederic Ruffy. He surmised the transaction was probably tied to a block of 905,000 shares that traded at $9.25. Meanwhile, traders appeared to snap up April $10 calls with blocks of 1,000 contracts traded on the ask-side at 80 cents per contract. In that strike price, 11,422 contracts crossed the tape versus 4,305 contracts in open interest.
Reuters Messaging: doris.frankel.reuters.com@reuters.net
1337 ET 21Dec2009
Some investors shed calls in dollar bull ETF
Shares of the PowerShares DB US Dollar Index Bullish Fund rose 6 cents to $23.07 in the afternoon session as the dollar gained. The U.S. Dollar Index also edged up to 78.041.
The dollar rose to a more than six-week high against the yen on Monday as expectations the U.S. economy is reviving encouraged investors to bet the Federal Reserve will raise interest rates sooner rather than later. For details, see
The fund's option volume has increased as investors recently made significant trades in the expectation that the dollar might rise, said Andrew Wilkinson, senior market analyst at Interactive Brokers Group. He noted the most heavily trafficked call option series was at the March $23 strike with open interest of 469,168 contracts. In today's action, it appears a number of investors closed out some long call positions in that strike and booked profits, he said. Most of the calls were apparently sold at 55 cents per contract. The $23 strike had volume of 70,613 contracts, Reuters data show.
Reuters Messaging: doris.frankel.reuters.com@reuters.net
1234 ET 21Dec2009
Goldman, Google, 3M in Citi's Ten for 2010 picks
Tobias Levkovich, Citigroup's chief U.S. equity strategist, suggested having the stocks outlined below in a 2010 portfolio, calling them 'The Ten for 2010' picks. He favors these companies due to their healthy balance sheets and unique advantages in the market, among other factors:
NAME PRICE TARGET PRICE AS OF 12/21/09
- Deere & Co $62 $55.72
- Google Inc $640 $598.66
- 3M Co $92 $81.84
- Procter & Gamble Co $66 $61.79
- Goldman Sachs $240 $166.60
- Cisco Systems Inc $28 $23.73
- Carnival Corp $41 $32.47
- Apache Corp $130 $102.43
- Amazon.com Inc $170 $132.56
- Nucor Corp $57 $44.65
Reuters Messaging: ellis.mnyandu.reuters.com@reuters.net
Keywords: MARKETS STOCKSNEWS
COPYRIGHT Copyright Thomson Reuters 2009. 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.