The Obamas Donated More than 14% of 2010 Income to Charity

A grand total of $245,075 to 36 different charities. Conversely, the Bidens gave 5k.

Full article

They will raise $51 million.

Full article

They suck.

Reports Q1 (Mar) earnings of $0.55 per share, $0.03 worse than the Thomson Reuters consensus of $0.58; revenues rose 5.8% year/year to $3.39 bln vs the $3.4 bln consensus. TXN reports Q1 Gross Margin of 50.9 % vs 52.8% Street Expectations. Co issues guidance for Q2, sees EPS of $0.52-0.60, which includes a $0.05 negative impact from the impact of the Japanese earthquake and aftermath, may not be comparable to $0.63 Thomson Reuters consensus; sees Q2 revs of $3.41-3.69 bln vs. $3.53 bln Thomson Reuters consensus.

Who gives a shit?

Full Article

Downgraded from stable to negative:
Knights of Columbus, New York Life Insurance, Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance, Teachers Insurance & Annuity Assoc. of America, and United Services Automobile Assoc

Market cap minimum: $1 billion
No. Ticker % Change Market Cap
1 SNDA 18.29 2,490,000,000
2 THOR 10.10 1,610,000,000
3 SINA 7.32 7,680,000,000
4 YOKU 7.28 6,330,000,000
5 ARCO 6.55 4,270,000,000
6 REGN 6.11 4,120,000,000
7 QIHU 5.68 3,400,000,000
8 IPGP 5.18 2,680,000,000
9 MPEL 4.48 4,870,000,000
10 RGLD 4.24 2,980,000,000
11 AKAM 4.02 7,130,000,000
12 GCI 3.65 3,550,000,000
13 RIMM 3.20 27,830,000,000
14 LVS 3.16 32,060,000,000
15 CPL 3.07 13,930,000,000
16 LULU 2.97 6,650,000,000
17 GAME 2.83 2,100,000,000
18 CYOU 2.75 1,830,000,000
19 KNM 2.71 2,410,000,000
20 LCC 2.41 1,310,000,000
21 LTM 2.37 1,470,000,000
22 MTB 2.28 10,260,000,000
23 OPEN 2.27 2,460,000,000
24 CEF 2.19 5,550,000,000
25 VRUS 2.16 3,690,000,000

Corn is up another 1.65% today, reaching new highs. Someone needs to tell the corn people deflation is knocking on the door.

30 year bonds are now up 0.3%, reversing earlier losses, effectively snubbing the noses of the small handed credit analysts at S&P.

Goldman paid Berkshire back $5.5 billion today. Berkshire still hold Goldman warrants, which expire in 2.5 years.

The morons from Africa are going full retard again, post election. Early reports of mass killings, torching of churches and destruction of cars are rampant. Nigeria is one of the world’s largest producer of light sweet crude.

Full article

WTI is dropping more than Brent today, widening the spread between the two. At the moment, the current spread is $14.45 or 13.52%.

Via Briefing:

Systemax reported that it has notified Gilbert Fiorentino, Chief Executive, Technology Products Group and Director of the Company, that it intends to terminate his employment  (12.81 -0.26)

Co reported that it has notified Gilbert Fiorentino, Chief Executive, Technology Products Group and Director of the Company, that it intends to terminate his employment, pursuant to the terms of his employment contract. Fiorentino has been placed on administrative leave, effective immediately. Systemax has named Robert Leeds to serve as Interim Chief Executive, Technology Products, reporting to Systemax Chairman and CEO Richard Leeds. Robert Leeds was the founding CEO of Systemax’s Technology Products business and currently serves as Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors. Co’s action followed the conclusion of its independent investigation of anonymous whistleblower allegations concerning the Company’s Miami, Florida operations. Systemax reported that the investigation, which was conducted by the Audit Committee with the assistance of independent counsel, determined that the issues giving rise to the allegations did not have a material impact on Systemax’s previously reported financial results and were limited to the Company’s Miami operations. Co expects normal business operations to continue for its Technology Products Group businesses.

Logic dictates, if the U.S. credit rating is no good then our debt and currency should trade lower, no? Also, gold should trade up, right? Well, thus far, this trade is not materializing. The only thing consistent with a ratings shock is lower equities, now down 225 on the Dow.

TLT, 20-30 year Treasuries, down just 0.6%

U.S. dollar, +1.00%

Gold, up but weakening

Market cap over $10 billion

No. Ticker % Change Market Cap
1 PBR-A 1.96 214,770,000,000
2 MTB 1.46 10,260,000,000
3 VIA-B 1.04 27,240,000,000
4 RIMM 0.64 27,830,000,000
5 ECL 0.47 11,850,000,000
6 C 0.34 128,430,000,000
7 CAH 0.21 14,330,000,000
8 JNJ 0.17 165,640,000,000
9 VMW 0.08 35,970,000,000
10 NOV 0.03 32,210,000,000
11 DG 0.03 10,750,000,000
12 WMT 0.02 186,950,000,000
13 GIS 0.00 23,840,000,000
14 BBY 0.00 11,350,000,000
15 ACL 0.00 50,800,000,000
16 RMD -0.03 49,950,000,000
17 INFY -0.08 36,110,000,000
18 NEM -0.10 28,490,000,000
19 HNZ -0.10 16,320,000,000
20 FE -0.10 11,710,000,000
21 PCG -0.11 17,780,000,000
22 KMB -0.11 26,520,000,000
23 ABC -0.13 10,850,000,000
24 SO -0.23 32,410,000,000
25 LPL -0.24 11,840,000,000

—————————————–

No. Ticker % Change Market Cap
1 MTL -6.90 11,940,000,000
2 AEG -6.27 13,070,000,000
3 MRVL -5.20 10,120,000,000
4 STO -4.94 89,530,000,000
5 ING -4.86 47,400,000,000
6 SLW -4.65 15,050,000,000
7 BBVA -4.43 53,060,000,000
8 TOT -4.34 135,120,000,000
9 NVDA -4.33 11,070,000,000
10 CVE -4.24 28,200,000,000
11 CAT -4.20 68,490,000,000
12 STM -4.11 10,500,000,000
13 MU -4.00 10,770,000,000
14 JOYG -3.93 10,150,000,000
15 BCS -3.91 58,660,000,000
16 ASML -3.90 17,480,000,000
17 TTM -3.87 15,790,000,000
18 DB -3.85 54,490,000,000
19 ALU -3.78 13,470,000,000
20 CLF -3.75 12,780,000,000
21 SI -3.74 119,300,000,000
22 MTU -3.73 66,320,000,000
23 IVN -3.72 17,390,000,000
24 ARMH -3.69 12,910,000,000
25 SU -3.68 68,750,000,000

Data provided by The PPT

Crude is down more than 2% and gasoline is off by 1.3%, lending to strength in crack spreads. At the moment, spreads are up 2.4% to $28.23.

No. Ticker % Change
1 AMRN 71.61
2 THOR 14.26
3 XPRT 8.40
4 LLEN 7.97
5 AONE 7.80
6 CSR 6.25
7 APP 5.00
8 ZOOM 4.95
9 WATG 4.71
10 HRBN 4.01
11 AOB 3.27
12 KAD 2.86
13 REVU 2.78
14 REGN 2.77
15 LUNA 2.44
16 SYMX 2.31
17 YONG 2.31
18 BWEN 2.14
19 PBR-A 1.96
20 GTXI 1.58
21 GNVC 1.56
22 BPAX 1.44
23 FCE-A 1.28
24 DEER 1.23
25 VIA-B 1.04
———————————-

No. Ticker % Change
1 MCZ -13.62
2 PLUG -10.00
3 VPHM -9.67
4 SUF -9.09
5 AG -9.03
6 AAU -8.83
7 HRZ -8.67
8 CIGX -8.53
9 GIGM -8.33
10 HL -8.32
11 DGW -8.01
12 CYH -7.52
13 OPXA -7.46
14 PANL -7.42
15 GNK -7.33
16 COIN -7.16
17 MTL -6.87
18 EXK -6.76
19 URZ -6.71
20 AEN -6.56
21 HSOL -6.50
22 AIB -6.44
23 SSN -6.43
24 AEG -6.40
25 XING -6.36

No. Ticker % Change
1 LBJ -8.08
2 EDC -7.99
3 CZM -7.88
4 ERX -7.09
5 SOXL -6.96
6 XIV -6.49
7 DZK -6.45
8 TYH -6.35
9 TQQQ -6.31
10 TNA -5.84
11 MWJ -5.69
12 EGPT -5.59
13 SIL -5.15
14 NUGT -5.05
15 TUR -5.03
16 BGU -5.02
17 EET -4.94
18 UKK -4.86
19 UPRO -4.85
20 DIG -4.83
21 GUR -4.73
22 XPP -4.59
23 UCO -4.53
24 UYM -4.49
25 FAS -4.44

In light of the market debacle, the following inverse or bearish ETF’s are outperforming.

No. Ticker % Change
1 TVIX 12.97
2 EDZ 8.05
3 ERY 7.04
4 SOXS 6.55
5 VIIX 6.36
6 DPK 6.34
7 BXDC 6.29
8 VXX 6.21
9 VIXY 6.19
10 TYP 6.11
11 SRTY 5.96
12 TZA 5.84
13 EEV 5.58
14 BZQ 5.36
15 SPXU 5.16
16 BGZ 5.09
17 EFU 5.05
18 DUG 4.98
19 DTO 4.86
20 FXP 4.54
21 SCO 4.46
22 UPW 4.45
23 EPV 4.42
24 SMN 4.42
25 FAZ 4.40

Futures are plunging on news of S&P placing the United States on credit outlook negative, based upon our ridiculous budget issues and pending doom. They want the budget fixed by 2013, or material risks to U.S. debt will arise.

Assets under management are approaching 2008 highs of $2 trillion.

Full article