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Comments »Monthly Archives: September 2012
$GS: “QE Probability Now Above 50%”
$AAPL Seeks to Create Pandora Rival
“Apple Inc. AAPL +0.89% is in talks to license music for a custom-radio service similar to the popular one operated by Pandora Media Inc., P +1.88% according to people familiar with the matter, in what would be a bid by the hardware maker to expand its dominance in online music.
Such services create virtual “stations” that play music similar to a song or artist of the user’s choosing, either on Web browsers or smartphone apps. Like traditional radio, they are typically free for users, but incorporate advertisements.
Apple’s service would work on its sprawling hardware family, including the iPhone, iPads and Mac computers, and possibly on PCs running Microsoft Corp.’s MSFT +3.05%Windows operating system, according to one of these people. It would not work on smartphones and tablets running Google Inc.’s GOOG +2.67% Android operating system, this person added, highlighting the mounting battle for mobile dominance between the two technology giants.”
Comments »The Euro Jumps Above 1.27 While the Dollar Falls
“The euro strengthened above $1.27 for the first time since June amid optimism a bond-purchase program announced by the European Central Bank will help contain the region’s debt crisis.
The 17-nation currency climbed to a two-month high versus the yen after German exports and industrial production for July beat economists’ forecasts. The dollar fell against most of its major counterparts before a U.S. monthly payroll report, after industry data yesterday showed American companies hired more workers last month than analysts predicted. The Swiss franc fell to the weakest since January against the euro.”
Comments »$INTC Slashes Guidance Amid Weak Demand
“Intel Corp. (INTC), the world’s largest semiconductor maker, reduced its third-quarter revenue forecast and withdrew previous full-year projections, citing weaker demand in a challenging macroeconomic environment.
Third-quarter sales will be $13.2 billion, plus or minus $300 million, compared to a prior projection of $13.8 billion to $14.8 billion, the Santa Clara, California-based company said in a statement today. Analysts on average had estimated sales of $14.2 billion, according to data compiled by Bloomberg.”
Comments »Byron Wien Says Billionaires Are Bullish On Stocks And Europe
“For several decades I have organized a series of “Benchmark” lunches on Fridays in August for serious investors who spend their summer weekends in eastern Long Island,” writes Blackstone’s Byron Wien in his latest market commentary.
“About 75 attended the three sessions, including leaders in hedge funds, private equity, real estate and venture capital. here were many billionaires and many others whose net worth hasn’t quite gotten there, but whose views are widely respected throughout the investment community.”
Here’s a summary of the what they said about the markets and the world:
Comments »Non Farm Payrolls: Prior 141k, Market Expects 130k, Actual 96k, Unemployment Rate Falls to 8.1%
Global Markets Rejoice in Extreme Bliss, U.S. Futures are Called Higher
Today’s Top Performing ETFs
Market Update
Hey Shorts:
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How Polarized We Have Become
This goes for the right too! Can we all just meet in the center ?
[youtube://http://www.youtube.comwatch?v=w442-F89SVI 450 300]
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Losing Competitiveness: Keep Your Eye on the Ball
On the Matter of the Ballooning Deficit
Hint Hint: Nearly Half of Germans Don’t Trust ECB’s Draghi
Will September 12 be the day the markets get crushed. Bears are certainly going to know what’s up by then.
“Nearly one in two Germans has little or no confidence in European Central Bank President Mario Draghi, according to a poll released ahead of a closely watched ECB policy meeting later on Thursday.
The Italian ECB (learn more) chief is expected to lay out at the meeting the framework for the central bank’s new bond-buying program for stricken southern euro states like Spain and Italy.
Jens Weidmann, head of Germany’s influential Bundesbank, opposes Draghi’s plan and has not shied away from criticizing it publicly. Other German “hawks” have expressed concern that the ECB has been taken over by a southern cabal determined to bend the rules of sound monetary policy.”
Comments »Samsung Sells 20mn Galaxy S IIIs, Good or Bad for Competition ?
“Nokia and Motorola had their day in the device spotlight yesterday, and today it is Amazon’s turn, with Apple’s next week. So in the middle of all of this, just to make sure we don’t forget about it, Samsung has released some numbers on sales of its newest smartphone, the Galaxy S III.
Samsung says it has sold over 20 million units of Galaxy S III in the first 100 days of launch: 6 million in Europe, 4.5 million in Asia (ex. Korea), 4 million in North America and 2.5 million in Korea. Samsung is the world’s biggest mobile phone company at the moment, so should sales of its flagship device be viewed as a benchmark for competitors?”
Comments »$LNKD Unveils a New Image
“LinkedIn plans to roll out a redesigned version of its company pages today, part of a broader attempt to redesign and simplify everything, including its homepage.
I went down to the LinkedIn office yesterday to get a preview of the new design. As Senior Product manager Mike Grishaver jumped back-and-forth between the old company page and the new one, there were some clear differences. The old company page consisted almost entirely of text, and it was packed with different widgets. The new page (pictured above), on the other hand, is dominated by a single image chosen by the business, there’s now a big “follow” button visible at the top right, and a lot of the clutter has been removed.”
Comments »Warren Attacks CEOs Who ‘Wrecked Economy’, Says the Markets are Rigged for the Uber Wealthy
“Elizabeth Warren took direct aim at Wall Street chief executives – who “wrecked our economy” and “strut around Congress . . . acting like we should thank them” – in a primetime address on Wednesday night that solidified her reputation as a rising liberal star.”
Comments »Not So Fun Times in America
“The U.S. Department of Agriculture today released its annual report on household food security in the United States in 2011. The study found that 14.9% of American households “had difficulty at some time during the year providing food for all their members due to a lack of resources.” The percentage is slightly higher than the 14.5% reported in 2010, but the USDA says the change is statistically insignificant and may be due to variations in sampling.”
Comments »Upgrades and Downgrades This Morning
ATVI, ARNA, BCS, EAT, CIT, CLF, ESRX, MWW, NBR, NOK, NVO, OREX, PBY, GOLD, SWK, STI, VPRT, KEY,
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