Tuesday, November 02, 2004

Tuesday Watch

Earnings of Note
Company/Estimate
ABC/.76
ADBL/.02
BJS/.55
BMC/.14
CLX/.54
EMR/.79
IGT/.33
MBI/1.32
PCLN/.27
THC/-.05
UNA/.03

Splits
VIDE 2-for-1

Economic Data
None of note.

Recommendations
Goldman Sachs reiterated Outperform on DDR, GILD and KRB.

Late-Night News
Asian indices are higher on optimism over falling energy prices and better economic growth in the region. EchoStar Communications' Dish Network is showing Michael Moore's "Fahrenheit 9/11" tonight, ahead of tomorrow's U.S. presidential election, Reuters reported. China will need to add 2,194 new planes in the next two decades to meet demand for air travel, the China Daily newspaper reported. As many as 121 million people may vote tomorrow, surpassing the record of 106 million set in the 2000 election, the NY Times reported. The U.S. government issued a travel alert for its citizens in the Philippines, saying the terrorist threat in the country "remains high," Bloomberg said. North Korea poses a "serious challenge" to UN efforts to control the spread of nuclear weapons, said Mohamed ElBaradei, director general of the IAEA, Bloomberg reported. PNC Financial Services proposed acquisition of Riggs National may fall through, the Washington Post reported. The European Union is "failing" to meet its economic goals and needs to become more urgent, the Wall Street Journal reported. Advisers and directors of the Federal Reserve's 12 regional banks and branches gave $1.4 million to federal campaigns and political action committees in this year's election. Those who gave to one party favored Republicans over Democrats by a 2-to-1 margin, Bloomberg reported.

Late-Night Trading
Asian Indices are +.25% to +1.75% on average.
S&P 500 indicated +.05%.
NASDAQ 100 indicated -.07%

BOTTOM LINE: I expect U.S. equities to open modestly higher in the morning and move higher into the afternoon on falling energy prices, diminishing domestic terrorism fears, short-covering, improving sentiment and optimism over future U.S. economic growth. The Portfolio is trading at its highs for the year and is 125% net long heading into tomorrow.

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