Today’s 52 Week Highs and Lows

NYSE

New Highs 17 

COMPANY                       SYMBOL      HIGH                VOLUME 
-------                       ------      ----                ------ 
Annie's Inc.                  BNNY        40.50              115,062 
BRT Realty Trust              BRT         7.26                   401 
BlkRk MuniYld Inv             MYF         16.39               12,556 
Bluegreen Corp                BXG         4.89                 3,934 
Church & Dwight               CHD         50.00               47,612 
Copa Hldgs Cl A               CPA         82.67               11,608 
Cytec Indus                   CYT         64.90              273,235 
Embraer ADS                   ERJ         34.92              100,789 
FX Alliance                   FX          16.24                1,940 
Grupo Aero Sureste ads        ASR         73.73                3,828 
KKR Finl 7.5% Notes 2042      KFI         25.33                8,858 
Las Vegas Sands               LVS         61.61            1,702,273 
McKesson Corp                 MCK         92.69            1,709,655 
Rexnord Corp                  RXN         22.57                3,000 
Sherwin-Williams              SHW         115.29              79,187 
Taro Pharmaceutical Indus     TARO        49.90                9,232 
Wstrn Asset Worldwide Inc     SBW         14.73               10,258 

New Lows 9 

COMPANY                       SYMBOL      LOW                 VOLUME 
-------                       ------      ----                ------ 
Cenveo                        CVO         2.63                54,154 
DelhaizeGrp                   DEG         48.19                7,133 
France Telecom                FTE         13.55              326,614 
GasLog Ltd                    GLOG        10.70                7,750 
Natl Fuel Gas                 NFG         44.18               15,171 
Newfield Exploration          NFX         32.25              115,019 
Nokia                         NOK         4.08            11,368,750 
Oi SA ADS Ord                 OIBR/C      5.73                 9,440 
Quicksilver Resources         KWK         4.12               320,996

NASDAQ

New Highs 16 

COMPANY                       SYMBOL      HIGH                VOLUME 
-------                       ------      ----                ------ 
Auburn National               AUBN        22.50                  600 
BioClinica                    BIOC        6.16                   400 
Citizens Republic Bancorp     CRBC        16.19               12,295 
Consumer Ptf Services         CPSS        2.24                39,198 
Fresh Market                  TFM         50.98               62,383 
HealthStream                  HSTM        24.34                8,468 
Hingham Institution Savs      HIFS        58.00                1,200 
IntegraMed America            INMD        13.19                6,850 
Medtox Scientific             MTOX        19.81               13,690 
Nathan's Famous               NATH        22.31                  964 
Pozen                         POZN        7.00                83,088 
Starbucks                     SBUX        59.98            1,253,045 
Taylor Devices                TAYD        11.85                5,691 
Tractor Supply Co             TSCO        95.20              571,542 
Ubiquiti Networks             UBNT        34.60               59,791 
VeriSign                      VRSN        39.74              105,104 

New Lows 5 

COMPANY                       SYMBOL      LOW                 VOLUME 
-------                       ------      ----                ------ 
CafePress                     PRSS        17.08                2,925 
Double Eagle Petroleum        DBLE        5.32                 1,450 
Education Management          EDMC        13.06               14,901 
Primo Water                   PRMW        1.55                43,919 
Swisher Hygiene               SWSH        1.85               241,628

LMAO

“The Environmental Protection Agency has refused a petition that aimed to ban the sale of a powerful pesticide linked with cancer — and while already available, a surge in sales is expected as scientists ready a new crop resistant to the chemical.

Not only has the EPA rejected a petition that sought to prohibit the domestic sale of the dangerous 2,4-D pesticide — a key ingredient in Agent Orange — but the main manufacturer of the chemical predicts that sales will skyrocket in the coming months. The reason, it would seem, is that Dow Chemicals is awaiting federal approval of a genetically engineered crop they’ve created that will be resistant to 2,4-D.

If approved, farmers will be able to plant the frankencrop corn variant and douse their fields with the pesticide to eliminate unwanted weeds with greater success. Although 2,4-D isn’t currently used to a large degree on corn fields, all that could soon change for the country’s most successful crop. Opponents argue, though, that the potential side effects of the pesticide are enough to push for a ban on 2,4-D altogether.

The Natural Resources Defense Council, an environmental watch group, has argued that expose to 2,4-D has caused in some cases cancer, hormone disruption, genetic mutations and neurotoxicity, reports the New York Times. In voting not to hear the petition against the pesticide, however, the EPA says that they believe there to be a lack of evidence that would be significant enough to raise suspicion.

“After considering public comment received on the petition and all the available studies, EPA is denying the request to revoke all tolerances and the request to cancel all registrations,” the agency says in their explanation this week.

According to the National Resources Defense Council, the truth behind the toxicity of the chemical is quite the contrary.

“This dangerous pesticide is lurking all over the place – from ball fields and golf courses, to front lawns and farms – exposing an enormous amount of the American public to cancer and other serious health risks,” NRDC senior scientist Dr. Gina Solomon wrote earlier this year. “There’s no reason to continue allowing a toxic Agent Orange-ingredient in the places our children play, our families live and our farmers work. EPA must step up and finally put a stop to it.”

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“A lawsuit filed this week claims that the Monsanto corporation, “motivated by a desire for unwarranted economic gain,” knowingly poisoned farmers that were pressured to use the company’s chemicals.

Farmers from Argentina claim that agricultural giant Monsanto, along with Philip Morris and other major American tobacco companies, asked them to use chemicals on their crops that caused “devastating birth defects.” The plaintiffs say that the corporations being included in the suit were aware of the implications but failed to warn the farmers, instead acting “by a desire for unwarranted economic gain and profit.”

In the suit, filed this week at New Castle County Court in the state of Delaware, Monsanto, Philip Morris and others are said to have “wrongfully caused the parental and infant plaintiffs to be exposed to those chemicals and substances which they both knew, or should have known, would cause the infant offspring of the parental plaintiffs to be born with devastating birth defects.” A 55-page complaint filed in court alleges that those chemicals caused conditions to develop that include cerebral palsy, epilepsy, spina bifida, congenital heart defects, Down syndrome, missing fingers and blindness.

Monsanto, who is no stranger to legal trouble, is named in the suit along with Altria Group fka Philip Morris Cos., Philip Morris USA, Carolina Leaf Tobacco, Universal Corporation fka Universal Leaf Tobacco Company and others.

The plaintiffs in the suit — growers from mostly small, family-owned farms in Misiones Province, Argentina — say they were asked to use herbicides and pesticide produced by Monsanto that were proven to be poisonous. Many farmers insist that they were driven to replace native tobacco crops with a variant favored by Philip Morris which required more pesticides to harvest. From there they were pushed to use Roundup, a Monsanto-made herbicide that, while successful in killing weeds, has ghastly side effects due to its large concentration of the chemical glyphosate.

“Monsanto defendants, the Philip Morris defendants, and the Carolina Leaf defendants promoted the use of Roundup and other herbicides to tobacco farmers in Misiones even though they were on direct and explicit notice that at all relevant times farmers in Misiones, including the instant plaintiffs, lacked the necessary personal protective equipment and other safety knowledge and skills required to minimize harmful exposures to Roundup,” the complaint claims…”

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3D heat map

S&P A/D Line 

NASDAQ A/D Line 

HAHAHA fry that fucker…..

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“A $7.6 billion federal program to help homeowners avoid foreclosure had spent just 3% of its money almost two years after the program was announced, a government report shows.

As of Dec. 31, the “Hardest Hit” program had helped 30,640 homeowners — or 7% of the almost 475,000 homeowners it was intended to assist — says the report released today from the Office of the Special Inspector General for the Troubled Asset Relief Program.

The program, available in 18 states and the District of Columbia, suffered a “significant delay” given lack of planning by the U.S. Treasury Department and slow uptake by mortgage loan servicers and mortgage giantsFreddie Mac and Fannie Mae, the report says.

• STORY: Principal forgiveness on mortgages gains appeal

Unless changes are made, not all of the funds may be spent by the program’s end in December 2017, warns Christy Romero, deputy special inspector general.

She also says its in danger of having a “limited” impact on the foreclosure crisis, which is a criticism that’s been lobbed at other Obama administration programs.

Treasury officials say the report “misses the mark.” The program, geared toward helping the unemployed or underemployed in states hard hit by recession or home price declines, has “kept tens of thousands of families in their homes,” Treasury official Tim Massad says….”

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It has been touted that the recent rise in gas prices has not cut into consumer spending all that much. But if you don’t buy a coffee, candy bar, or newspaper how healthy can the consume be ?

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 -CALLS- 
OPTION    EXP.DATE       STRIKE PRC.     VOLUME        LAST S/PRC.    NET CHANGE 
ILMN       4/21/12          55.0000        2722            0.5000      dn 0.3600 
BAC        4/21/12           9.0000        2361            0.3000      up 0.0600 
AIG        4/13/12          33.0000        2052            0.2000      up 0.1100 
AAPL       4/13/12         630.0000        1989            4.1500      up 0.1500 
FCX        5/19/12          34.0000        1786            4.0000      up 1.0900 
AIG        4/21/12          33.0000        1574            0.5000      up 0.2100 
X          5/19/12          25.0000        1541            4.0000      up 0.8000 
VOD        10/20/12         28.0000        1487            0.7500      dn 0.0500 
AAPL       4/13/12         640.0000        1481            1.0300      dn 0.2200 
AAPL       4/13/12         625.0000        1440            6.8500      up 0.3500 

 -PUTS- 
OPTION    EXP.DATE       STRIKE PRC.     VOLUME        LAST S/PRC.    NET CHANGE 
FCX        5/19/12          34.0000       10391            0.7700      dn 0.2900 
FCX        4/21/12          38.0000       10113            1.4100      dn 1.0600 
INFY       4/21/12          52.5000        2531            0.5000      dn 0.2000 
FSLR       4/13/12          21.0000        1893            0.3200      up 0.1200 
AAPL       4/13/12         620.0000        1422            2.3500      dn 0.9700 
GLD        5/19/12         160.0000        1390            2.5200      dn 0.6700 
AAPL       4/13/12         625.0000        1347            3.8500      dn 1.3500 
BMY        4/21/12          33.0000        1150            0.7100      up 0.0900 
NOK        7/21/12           4.0000        1083            0.5700      up 0.1000 
CSCO       4/13/12          20.0000        1000            0.0900      dn 0.0600 

 -VOLUME- 
 CALLS      PUTS           TOTAL 
255099    268268        523367

-CALLS- 
OPTION    EXP.DATE       STRIKE PRC.     VOLUME        LAST S/PRC.    NET CHANGE 
VZ         7/21/12          39.0000         525            0.5000      dn 0.0200 
VZ         10/20/12         39.0000         525            0.8400      dn 0.0400 
VZ         10/20/12         38.0000         520            1.2400      dn 0.0400 
VZ         7/21/12          38.0000         520            0.8800      up 0.0000 
FCX        5/19/12          37.0000         305            1.9800      up 0.7000 
MSFT       4/21/12          30.0000         293            0.8300      up 0.0600 
HPQ        8/18/12          26.0000         199            1.0500      up 0.4500 
HPQ        8/18/12          30.0000         199            0.2000      up 0.0900 
C          5/19/12          37.0000         169            0.4000      dn 0.0300 
AAPL       4/13/12         630.0000         154            3.6000      dn 0.3000 

 -PUTS- 
OPTION    EXP.DATE       STRIKE PRC.     VOLUME        LAST S/PRC.    NET CHANGE 
SWN        4/21/12          36.0000         179            7.5500      up 0.4500 
HPQ        8/18/12          25.0000         128            2.0400      dn 0.6000 
AAPL       4/13/12         625.0000         119            3.8500      dn 1.5900 
LVS        4/21/12          60.0000         115            0.7000      dn 0.4600 
C          4/13/12          33.0000         109            0.1600      dn 0.1400 
GOOG       4/13/12         600.0000         100            3.7100      dn 2.6100 
SD         4/21/12           8.0000          99            0.7500      dn 0.1200 
SWN        4/21/12          37.0000          98            8.5000      up 0.2000 
AAPL       4/21/12         625.0000          94           11.7800      dn 1.1700 
JPM        4/13/12          43.0000          91            0.2100      dn 0.2000 

 -VOLUME- 
 CALLS      PUTS           TOTAL 
20230    19653        39883

Full article

“NEW YORK (CNNMoney) — Royal Dutch Shell says a sheen of oil, 10 square miles in size, has been spotted in the Gulf of Mexico.

Shell (RDSA) said late Wednesday that it reported the sheen to the National Response Center.

Shell said the sheen is one mile wide and ten miles long and is located in the middle of the Gulf of Mexico, between its Mars and Ursa drilling platforms. The platforms are both located 130 miles southeast of New Orleans.

The oil company also said there is “no current indication that the sheen originates from wells in either the Mars or Ursa projects.”

The company said it activated the Louisiana Responder, an oil spill response vessel that has skimming and boom capabilities….”

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“Investors should bet against Chinese banks because the country is overbuilt, the real estate boom is over and the economy lacks internal demand needed to keep the financial sector healthy amid times of flower growth, says Jim Chanos, founder and president of hedge fund Kynikos Associates.

“If you looked at the performance of the banks over the last two years…they have been great shorts,” Chanos tells CNBC.

“They have been going down — they’re down 30 percent over the last two years.”

Loose monetary policies and strong growth led to a real estate boom in China, but today as growth cools, Beijing is working to ensure a soft landing as the economy corrects.

Meanwhile, the government won’t break up big banks in China, as like in the U.S., talk of such moves is easier said than done.

“I would believe it when I see it to break up the banks,” Chanos says.

“In China, remember, the banks are arms of state policy. They loan because the local party official or regional party official tells them we need a new stadium. They are instruments of state policy. I really doubt the party is going to give up a lever of power by breaking up the banks.”

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“Emerging markets offer investors plenty of sound opportunities but the sector’s guru, Mark Mobius, says if he had to pick a favorite, it would be Russia.

Russian markets are cheaper than other emerging markets that have seen strong rallies recently and are due to grow and reward investors who get in on time, says Mobius, executive chairman of Templeton Emerging Markets Group.

“Russia has been beaten down, has not really performed that well, the valuations are very good. The political picture is getting better. So I might pick Russia,” he tells CNBC.

“And then China after that because the Chinese are now talking about boosting the Asia market to get money into the hands of the small investors in China. So that will feed back into the Hong Kong,” and other markets.
Southeast Asia markets look healthy although strong performances in markets like Indonesia and Thailand may be tough to repeat.

“We can expect more but not the kind of spectacular growth that you would expect in those countries where the market has been beaten down,” Mobius says…”

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“LOS ANGELES – More U.S. homes are entering the foreclosure process, setting the stage for a surge in properties repossessed by lenders this year.

The number of homes that received first-time foreclosure notices rose 7 percent in March from the previous month, foreclosure listing firm RealtyTrac Inc. said Thursday.

That marks the third consecutive monthly increase this year and reflects stepped-up efforts by banks to take action against homeowners who fail to keep up with mortgage payments.

“We’re not out of the woods yet with foreclosures,” said Daren Blomquist, a vice president at RealtyTrac. “There are more batches of foreclosures coming through the pipeline.”

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“US fiscal and monetary policy summarized: Baffle them with B(L)S data. This is what happened most recently this morning, when as we noted the labor data is finally reverting to a far weaker trendline now that the weather effect first written about here in February, has been fully exposed. And if it was only that it would be case closed: more QE is coming, especially with headling PPI coming less than expected. However, we also had trade data that came in $6 billion better than expected, a number we said would result in imminent Q1 GDP hikes. Sure enough, here comes Goldman. “The US trade deficit declined to $46.0 in February following a deficit of $52.5bn in January. Most of the improvement reflected a sharp decline in real goods imports, which fell by 3.9% (month-over-month). We suspect that the weakness reflects in part seasonality related to the Chinese New Year holidays. Real goods exports also declined during the month, falling by 1.0%. On net, the report raised our tracking estimate of Q1 GDP growth to 2.5% from 2.3% previously.” So what is a poor Fed chairman to do to keep the goldilocks illusion going, yet have a QE way out? Well, blame China for a jump in GDP helps. For everything else we have the weather.”

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“(Reuters) – Emboldened energy market regulators are mounting an aggressive new campaign to stamp out a once-common trading practice that crosses physical and paper markets, unnerving traders who fear a backlash over years-old deals.

Away from the contentious debate over Dodd-Frank derivative market reforms that followed the 2008 financial crisis, this new battle takes place in the gray area separating cash markets for commodities like crude oil and power from the swaps or futures contracts that are tied to those prices.

While many companies legitimately trade in both markets, often to hedge their positions, regulators say others are manipulating one market in order to profit in the other.

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), armed in 2005 with expanded powers to tackle manipulation, is leading the charge with advanced enquiries into several big energy firms and banks, its orders show. The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), which gained a broader mandate to pursue price fixing in derivative markets in 2010, joined the fray last year.

A broadside last month reverberated across the industry: FERC accepted a record $245 million settlement with Constellation Energy over allegations the utility’s traders had scheduled physical flows of electricity at a loss in order to reap a greater profit on derivative positions.

Initially viewed by some analysts as a concession from Constellation to win approval of its merger with Exelon Corp, more signs are starting to emerge of a broader effort to address a type of trading activity that in the past had threatened to slip between financial regulators with differing mandates and a history of battling over regulatory turf.

The FERC declined to discuss its enforcement approach on Wednesday, but FERC Chairman Jon Wellinghoff told Reuters in March that the commission has beefed up market enforcement. The Constellation settlement signals “there is no profit to be made in manipulating the market; it will be a huge net loss for you,” he said.

Last week FERC quietly gave notice of “alleged violation” by four former Barclays Capital power traders for deals in California between 2006 and 2008 that were similar to what Constellation did in New York — making uneconomic trades in physical electricity markets to profit from financial swaps on the Intercontinental Exchange….”

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“(Reuters) – Syrian troops held their fire in the hours after a U.N.-backed ceasefire took effect at dawn on Thursday, casting a silence over rebellious towns they had bombarded heavily in recent days.

But the lull did little to convince opposition activists and Western powers of President Bashar al-Assad’s good faith in observing a peace plan agreed with international envoy Kofi Annan. In defiance of that deal, Syrian troops and tanks were still in position inside many towns, activists told Reuters.

The exile opposition, calling the truce “only partially observed” due to that failure to withdraw, urged a renewal of mass protests on Friday. But it warned those taking to the streets, after months when once weekly rallies have been subdued by fear, that they could expect government forces to open fire.

The Interior Ministry urged rebels to surrender, promising to free those who had not killed, and broadcast an appeal to the thousands who fled battered cities like Homs and Hama to return from the havens they found in Turkey, Lebanon and within Syria….”

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“The federal government agreed to pay $1 billion to dozens of American Indian tribes to settle charges that it mishandled money and natural resources held or managed on their behalf.

The settlements announced Wednesday, awarded to 41 tribes, include some claims dating back 100 years and follow nearly two years of negotiations between the tribes and the Obama administration. Attorney General Eric Holder said they mark an important step in the administration’s efforts to resolve decadeslong conflicts between the federal government and the tribes.

“These settlements fairly and honorably resolve historical grievances…that, for far too long, have been a source of conflict between Indian tribes and the United States,” he said.

The settlements will be paid from the Judgment Fund, used to pay settlements or judgments against the U.S. government.

The latest settlement doesn’t resolve all lawsuits by tribes against the government….”

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While the accusations are hilarious, i do not doubt there is a chance….thankfully that chance has shrunk considerably over the past few years.

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