Pacific Rim Economist/ Researcher Kelvin Lau: China Will Ease Cautiously (video)

Despite the easing of inflation a bit in China Lau does expect easing, but it will be a cautious approach….

“Europe’s debt crisis and an oil price rally are the biggest threats to global oil demand this year, OPEC said on Friday, adding it was still pumping above its target despite a slide in Iranian production.

The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) retained its view that world oil demand will grow by 900,000 barrels per day (bpd) this year, unchanged from last month, but warned the weak pace of growth in developed economies could crimp global appetite for oil….”

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RIP Mark.

The Mark Haines Bottom

Solar storms have also been linked to major wars and societal upheaval; not a good thing that we are entering s 10 year period of over activity….

Gapping up

CO%, DEXO +8.2%, ZNGA +1%,  SBUX +3.6%, O +5.9%, MCP +3.9%, SBUX +3.6%, SWHC +1.9%, RENN +8.4%, COO +5.9%, HMIN +5.4%, CAAS +4.1%,

NVAX +3.8% , ULTA +0.8%,  AZN +1.2%, NVS +0.8%,

Gapping down

GMCR -16%, GBG -8.4%, BODY -7.7%, GNOM -6%, ARO -3.4%, ARR -3%, FSIN -2.3%, TXN -1%,  FGP -1.4%, GNOM -1%, ING -2.4%, STD -1.8%,

DB -1.3%, CS -1.2%, BCS -0.9%, BP -1.4%, TOT -0.9%, ROYL -0.8%, OXY -0.7%, SNN -1.8% , PLL -1.6%,  E -0.7%,  ACI -1%,

Source

Body Central Corp. (BODY) : The women’s clothing retailer forecast 2012 revenue of $348 million at most, falling short of the average analyst estimate of $355 million in a Bloomberg survey.

Cooper Companies Inc. (COO) : The maker of contact lenses reported first-quarter earnings of $1.12 a share, beating the average analyst estimate of $1.04.

Green Mountain Coffee Roasters Inc. (GMCR) plunged 16 percent to $52.62. Starbucks Corp. (SBUX) said it plans to start selling a single-cup coffee system in a bid to expand beyond its partnership with the Waterbury, Vermont-based specialty coffee and coffee maker company. Starbucks increased 3.4 percent to $52.10.

Heckmann Corp. (HEK) : The provider of water treatment and disposal services reported fourth-quarter revenue of $51.7 million, missing the average analyst estimate of $54.5 million. The company also said it will acquire Thermo Fluids Inc. for $245 million in cash and stock.

Molycorp Inc. (MCP) rose 3.9 percent to $27. The owner of the largest rare-earth deposit outside of China agreed to buy Canada’s Neo Material Technologies Inc. (NEM CN) for about C$1.3 billion ($1.3 billion) to increase Chinese sales and gain technology used to make magnets.

PowerSecure International Inc. (POWR) : The provider of lighting and electrical systems reported fourth-quarter revenue of $39.7 million, beating the average analyst estimate of $35.5 million.

Smith & Wesson Holding Corp. (SWHC) increased 8.7 percent to $6.15. The handgun manufacturer reported third- quarter earnings excluding some items of 8 cents a share, beating the average analyst estimate of 4 cents.

Texas Instrument Inc. (TXN) : The world’s largest maker of analog semiconductors reduced its first-quarter sales and profit forecasts, citing lower demand for wireless products.

Source

Arch Coal, Inc. (NYSE: ACI) Cut to Market Perform at BMO.

Cabela’s, Inc. (NYSE: CAB) named as Bull of the Day at Zacks.

China Mobile Limited (NYSE: CHL) Raised to Buy at Goldman Sachs.

Dick’s Sporting Goods Inc. (NYSE: DKS) Started as Buy at Argus.

D.R. Horton (NYSE: DHI) Raised to Outperform at Credit Suisse.

GFI Group (NASDAQ: GFIG) Raised to Outperform at Keefe Bruyette & Woods.

Green Mountain Coffee Roasters, Inc. (NASDAQ: GMCR) Cut to Neutral at BofA/ML.

Herbalife Ltd. (NYSE: HLF) Started as Overweight at Barclays.

Johnson & Johnson (NYSE: JNJ) Started as Hold at Jefferies.

KB Home (NYSE: KBH) named Bear of the Day at Zacks.

Kohl’s Corporation (NYSE: KSS) Raised to Buy at Jefferies.

Lennar Corporation (NYSE: LEN) Raised to Outperform at Credit Suisse.

LifePoint Hospitals, Inc. (NASDAQ: LPNT) Started as Buy at Cantor Fitzgerald.

Medtronic, Inc. (NYSE: MDT) Cut to Sell at Argus.

Toll Brothers Inc. (NYSE: TOL) Raised to Outperform at Credit Suisse.

Weight Watchers International Inc. (NYSE: WTW) Started as Overweight at Barclays.

In Play

On the Wires

U-6 down 14.9%, private sector added 233k, average hourly earnings up 0.1%…..

Trade balance: Prior -$48.8 billion, market expects -$48.2 billion, Actual $52.57 billion

…but we knew this….

Code name ATLAS

A deal is a deal…..

Minor ones in the hundreds of thousands….

“Greece has pushed through the bond swap offer which is key to its 130 billion ($172 billion) bailout deal with bondholders representing 83.5 percent of the value of its bonds taking part.

The country will now activate Collective Action Clauses on those who held out, raising participation to 95.7 percent. The activation of CACs was agreed during a conference call with the Eurogroup of euro zone finance ministers Friday.

“The Eurogroup was informed that Greece will activate the collective action clauses applicable to bonds governed by Greek law,” Eurogroup President Jean-Claude Juncker said in a statement.

He added that Greece had met the conditions for the next step of its second bailout deal

The troubled country has been surrounded by speculation this week that it might not be able to get enough bondholders signed up to the deal – the largest debt restructuring in history – to get it through. It has to use bailout money from the troika of the International Monetary Fund, European Central Bank and European Commission to avoid defaulting on its next debt repayment, due March 20.

Holders of around 5 percent of the bonds rejected the deal….”

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It has been a nice 2 quarters where we have ignored Europe’s woes, but can we really be immune ?

“WASHINGTON (AP) — Employers likely added more than 200,000 jobs for a third straight month in February, adding to evidence that the recovery is building momentum.

Economists forecast that the economy likely generated a net gain of 210,000 jobs, according to FactSet. That’s below January’s 243,000 jobs but still a healthy figure. The unemployment rate, which has fallen for five straight months, is projected to stay 8.3 percent.

If the unemployment rate were to fall for a sixth straight month, it would mark the first such streak since 1984.

It will be hard to match the jobs report for January. The employment gains came from across many industries and up and down the pay scale. Manufacturing, restaurants and hotels, retail, and professional services such as accounting all reported big job gains.

A key reason why the unemployment rate has dropped since last year is that many out-of-work people have stopped looking for work. Only people without jobs who are actively seeking one are counted as unemployed.

A sustained rise in the number of people looking for jobs would be a good sign, even if it pushed up the unemployment rate.

Friday’s report comes as a host of data points to an improving economy and job market. Weekly applications for unemployment benefits have fallen about 14 percent in six months. Though they ticked up last week, average applications remain near a four-year low….”

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The bear case for today’s report

GMCR is down $9 @ $53

Good choice….

The dems blocked republicans in passing the XL pipeline deal yesterday….

BofA will receive less fines and penalties if they agree to provide more assistance to mortgage borrowers….