Tuesday, December 28, 2004

Tuesday Watch

Earnings of Note
Company/Estimate
None of note.

Splits
None of note.

Economic Data
Consumer Confidence for December estimated at 94.0 versus 90.5 in November.

Recommendations
None of note.

Late-Night News
Asian indices are higher on a better-than-expected industrial production report from Japan and declining energy prices. Deutsche Telekom AG, Europe's biggest telephone company, has ruled out buying regional US companies to expand its T-Mobile USA business, even as two rivals plan to merge, the Financial Times reported. China will take measures to restrict construction of commercial and high-end residential properties, the official Xinhua news agency reported. China Telecom and China Netcom have begun to form strategic alliances with overseas equipment and networking companies including Motorola and Nokia, Beijing Morning Post reported. The US Transportation Dept. Inspector General will begin a review of the nation's airline service triggered by flight and baggage disruptions at US Airways and Comair during Christmas weekend, Bloomberg said. Ford Motor expects to sell a record number of its F-Series large pickup trucks this year, fending off a challenge from Nissan Motor and Toyota Motor in a market that accounts for more than a quarter of the No. 2 US automaker's domestic sales, Bloomberg said. The death toll from the weekend's earthquake and tsunamis in Asia may rise to more than double the current 23,000 estimates as devastation to more remote areas is uncovered and diseases spread, Bloomberg reported.

Late-Night Trading
Asian Indices are +.25% to +.75% on average.
S&P 500 indicated +.13%.
NASDAQ 100 indicated +.12%.

BOTTOM LINE: I expect U.S. equities to open modestly higher on a better consumer confidence reading, declining energy prices, stabilizing US dollar/interest rates, short-covering and year-end positioning. The Portfolio is 100% net long heading into tomorrow.

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