Tent cities are reality for some once middle class Americans….
Comments »Monthly Archives: February 2012
State of the Union: Jobs Are Coming Back to the U.S.
Most Active Options Trades
-CALLS- OPTION EXP.DATE STRIKE PRC. VOLUME LAST S/PRC. NET CHANGE AMLN 4/21/12 24.0000 11065 0.3300 dn 0.0400 AMLN 4/21/12 21.0000 10965 0.9100 up 0.0900 ATVI 2/18/12 13.0000 4512 0.0100 up 0.0000 X 7/21/12 28.0000 3195 3.7100 dn 0.6900 ATVI 5/19/12 14.0000 2570 0.1300 dn 0.0200 ATVI 3/17/12 13.0000 2570 0.1200 up 0.0000 AAPL 2/18/12 505.0000 2285 5.0900 up 0.2400 C 4/21/12 40.0000 1930 0.1700 dn 0.0600 BAC 2/18/12 8.0000 1767 0.1700 dn 0.1600 BAC 3/17/12 9.0000 1754 0.1200 dn 0.0500 -PUTS- OPTION EXP.DATE STRIKE PRC. VOLUME LAST S/PRC. NET CHANGE STEC 2/18/12 10.0000 2990 0.0500 dn 0.0300 STEC 3/17/12 10.0000 2967 0.8200 up 0.0600 BAC 3/17/12 8.0000 2910 0.4300 up 0.1000 BAC 2/18/12 8.0000 2361 0.1500 up 0.0800 BAC 1/19/13 5.0000 2000 0.3700 up 0.0200 C 2/18/12 33.0000 1343 1.1900 up 0.6700 ESRX 2/18/12 50.0000 1247 0.5000 dn 0.3600 SVU 4/21/12 6.0000 1198 0.3000 up 0.0400 AAPL 2/18/12 500.0000 1092 4.0500 dn 0.7500 SNDK 3/17/12 45.0000 1040 1.1100 up 0.0400 -VOLUME- CALLS PUTS TOTAL 337660 279870 617530
-CALLS- OPTION EXP.DATE STRIKE PRC. VOLUME LAST S/PRC. NET CHANGE HAL 2/18/12 37.0000 1000 0.1500 dn 0.0700 AAPL 2/18/12 510.0000 425 3.4000 up 0.2000 BAC 2/18/12 8.0000 384 0.1700 dn 0.1500 RIMM 2/18/12 14.0000 350 0.9300 dn 0.1100 UTX 2/18/12 85.0000 300 0.3300 dn 0.2400 AAPL 2/18/12 515.0000 258 2.1000 up 0.0900 ACI 7/21/12 17.0000 257 0.5600 dn 0.0700 AMZN 3/17/12 200.0000 245 3.9400 up 0.8400 UPS 2/18/12 77.5000 240 0.1000 dn 0.0900 AAPL 2/18/12 505.0000 205 5.3500 up 0.4500 -PUTS- OPTION EXP.DATE STRIKE PRC. VOLUME LAST S/PRC. NET CHANGE BAC 3/17/12 8.0000 444 0.3800 up 0.0600 UTX 2/18/12 82.5000 300 0.2700 up 0.0500 AAPL 2/18/12 500.0000 157 4.0500 dn 0.6500 AAPL 3/17/12 500.0000 145 15.8300 dn 0.1700 AAPL 2/18/12 485.0000 119 0.8000 dn 0.0900 AAPL 3/17/12 495.0000 95 14.1300 up 0.3300 DE 3/17/12 87.5000 84 2.2100 dn 0.2100 GLD 2/18/12 161.0000 75 0.0700 dn 0.0200 AAPL 2/18/12 490.0000 64 1.3000 dn 0.2100 AAPL 3/17/12 505.0000 63 18.2000 dn 0.5000 -VOLUME- CALLS PUTS TOTAL 18695 12693 31388Comments »
Is China’s Soft Landing at Risk Now That Lending Has Fallen Off Sharply ?
The Financial Stress Index is On the Rise Again (Chart Porn)
Business Inventories: Prior 0.3%, Market Expects 0.5%, Actual 0.4%
Non Partisan Deficit Hawks Give Mixed Reviews on Obama’s Budget Plan
A Glut of Zinc Hits a Twenty Year High
“The largest glut of zinc in almost two decades is threatening to curtail a rally in prices as record production expands inventories to the highest since at least 1984.
Supply will outpace demand by 539,000 metric tons, the most since 1993, according to Standard Bank Plc. Stockpiles of the metal used in brass and steel will reach 2.2 million tons, Barclays Capital estimates. Prices will drop 11 percent to $1,832 a ton this year, the median of 15 analyst and trader estimates compiled by Bloomberg shows. That may curb profit for Zug, Switzerland-based Xstrata Plc, the biggest producer.”
Comments »S&P Dividend Payout Just 2.5% From All Time Highs
ComScore Posts a Q4 Loss; Patent Lawsuits With Nielsen Weighed In on Earnings
Democratic and Republican Parties Have Declined to Return Campaign Donations Received From Allen Stanford
“The court-appointed receiver charged with returning money to Stanford investors obtained a federal court order last June against five Democratic and Republican campaigns. But they haven’t returned the money. The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee received $950,500; the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC), $238,500; the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, $200,000; the Republican National Committee $128,500, and the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) $83,345.
The contributions to the campaign committees and candidates were given by Stanford himself, Stanford executives, and a political action committee associated with the financier.
The receiver, Ralph Janvey, is also trying to claw back money Stanford donated to individual politicians. The list of his recipients reads like a who’s who of Washington, including President Obama – who received $4,600 from Stanford in his 2008 election campaign – Rep. Pete Sessions (R-Texas), the chairman of the NRCC, and Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas), the chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Campaign Committee. Janvey is seeking these funds informally, and has not filed lawsuits.
Money has already been returned by House Speaker John Boehner, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and Sen. John McCain, among others. But the roughly $154,000 recovered from elected officials is a fraction of the $1.8 million still outstanding.
The $4,600 Janvey is seeking from the Obama campaign reflects only direct contributions from Allen Stanford himself. The total may be as high $31,000 when Stanford’s contributions to Obama’s other campaign committees are included, along with money from senior Stanford executives, and the Stanford Financial Group’s now defunct PAC, according to campaign financerecords and an analysis by the Center for Responsive Politics.
“ROBS THE STORE”
The Obama campaign donated the $4,600 contribution to charity on February 18, 2009, just days after Stanford’s alleged fraud came to light. The Obama campaign officially has no comment on the matter, but a source familiar with the campaign’s thinking told Reuters that it does not intend to return the money to the receiver or Stanford investors.
Kevin Sadler, lead counsel for the Stanford receivership, condemned the failure by the Obama campaign to turn over the contributions to the receiver. He said “the money was never theirs to begin with,” so they have no more right to the money than an ordinary person who was given it from “a guy who goes into a Seven Eleven and robs the store.”
Comments »FLASH: CARL “GIVE ME 3 SEATS ON YOUR FUCKING BOARD” ICAHN TELLS CVI TO SELL THE FUCKING COMPANY ALREADY
13-d
CVR Energy: Icahn spoke with mgmt and told them CVI would be better served if it commenced a process to put itself up for sale – amended 13D filing (26.96)
On February 13, 2012, Carl C. Icahn and other representatives spoke with Jack Lipinski, the Chairman, Chief Executive Officer, and President of CVI, and discussed the initiatives announced on February 13th. Icahn stated that they believed that shareholders would be better served if CVI commenced a process to put itself up for sale, rather than pursue the limited initiatives announced by the co. Icahn believes that CVI’s stock price does not reflect current high crack spreads. CVI is a small company with only two refineries. As a result, shareholders face an unfavorable risk reward ratio since they bear not only the risk of a decline in crack spreads, but also the risk of production interruptions which would reduce the upside from high crack spreads. Icahn expressed their belief that there are three or four possible acquirers that could benefit greatly from the synergies that could be realized from a combination with CVI and that are better positioned to hedge currently high crack spreads. Mr. Lipinski stated that he would take the Icahn’s suggestions under advisement and discuss them with his board of directors and advisors.
U.S. Equity Preview: YGE, UCTI, SGEN, MAS, LPS, HMA, & CCC
Calgon Carbon Corp. (CCC) : The Pittsburgh-based water- purification company said fourth-quarter earnings will be hurt by expenses on equipment failures.
Health Management Associates Inc. (HMA) : The operator of acute-care hospitals reported fourth-quarter earnings of 26 cents a share, excluding some items, beating the average analyst estimate of 21 cents.
Lender Processing Services Inc. (LPS) : The provider of mortgage-processing services to lenders forecast first-quarter earnings of no more than 55 cents a share, excluding some items, missing the average analyst estimate of 61 cents.
Masco Corp. (MAS) : The home improvement and building products maker reported a fourth-quarter loss from continuing operations of 9 cents a share, wider than the average analyst estimate of a loss of 2 cents.
Seattle Genetics Inc. (SGEN) : The developer of cancer drugs reported a fourth-quarter loss of 24 cents a share, beating the average analyst estimate of a loss of 29 cents.
Ultra Clean Holdings Inc. (UCTT) : The supplier of equipment to semiconductor makers said first-quarter earnings will be at least 15 cents a share, beating the average analyst estimate of 9 cents.
Yingli Green Energy Holding Co. (YGE) : The Chinese maker of solar-power modules agreed to buy $100 million of solar materials from DuPont Co. (DD)
Comments »Upgrades and Downgrades This Morning
Arch Coal Inc. (NYSE: ACI) Cut to Hold at Argus.
Banco Santander (NYSE: STD) Raised to Hold at Societe Generale.
Bank of America Corporation (NYSE: BAC) Cut to Neutral at Citigroup.
Bed Bath & Beyond (NASDAQ: BBBY) Cut to Neutral at Citigroup.
Biogen Idec Inc. (NASDAQ: BIIB) Reiterated Buy but raised target to $140 at Argus; Started as Market Perform at Wells Fargo.
BioMarin Pharmaceutical Inc. (NASDAQ: BRMN) Cut to Underperform as Bear of the Day at Zacks. Campbell Soup Co. (NYSE: CPB) Started as Underweight at Morgan Stanley.
CBOE Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: CBOE) Cut to Neutral at Credit Suisse.
El Paso Corporation (NYSE: EP) Started as Hold at Deutsche Bank.
Gap Inc. (NYSE: GPS) Raised to Buy at Citigroup.
Gardner Denver, Inc. (NYSE: GDI) named as Value Stock of the Day at Zacks.
General Mills (NYSE: GIS) Started as Overweight at Morgan Stanley.
H.J. Heinz Company (NYSE: HNZ) Started as Underweight at Morgan Stanley.
Kinder Morgan, Inc. (NYSE: KMI) Raised to Buy at Deutsche Bank.
Kinder Morgan Energy Partners, L.P. (NYSE: KMP) Raised to Buy at Deutsche Bank.
Kraft Foods Inc. (NYSE: KFT) Started as Overweight at Morgan Stanley.
Netflix, Inc. (NASDAQ: NFLX) Reiterated Outperform and raised target to $140 at Credit Suisse.
ProAssurance Corporation (NYSE: PRA) Raised to Outperform as Bull of the Day at Zacks.
Sprint Nextel Corporation (NYSE: S) Reiterated Hold but widened out loss estimates by Argus.
Gapping Up and Down This Morning
Gapping Up
KORS +11%, UCTT+15.4%, NSIT +11.8%, HIMX +8.9%, RAX +6.8%, YGE +5.9%, HMA +5.4%, LLNW +3.8%, TTM +3.3%, CRL +2.7%, GPRO +1.9%, FIS +1.7%,
MMC +2%, GNRC +7.8% , MGIC +4.6%, WPI +3.1%, RGC +0.8%, PRGN +9.0%, DRYS +3.3%, FRO +2.6%, SBLK +2.5%, YOKU +5.9%, RENN +2.2%, BIDU +1.1%,
MYL +1.2%, GPS +1.8%, HFC +0.4%, KFT +0.7% ,
Gapping Down
SGEN -6.6%, ALNY -4.8%, LPS -2.8%, RJF -2.6%, BAC -0.8%,
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