Wednesday, August 29, 2007

Thursday Watch

Late-Night Headlines
Bloomberg:
- Michael Woolfolk, senior currency strategist at Bank of New York Mellon says the Fed is ready to cut rates at “anytime.”
- Malon Wilkus, CEO of American Capital Strategies, see opportunities in the buyout market.
- Australian business investment climbed three times as much as economists expected. Capital spending on equipment, buildings and plants rose 6.3% in the second quarter from the previous three months, the Bureau of Statistics said in Sydney. Businesses plan to spend 11.5% more in the year ending June 30, 2008, than they predicted three months ago.
- South Korean manufacturers’ confidence rose to a 17-month high, suggesting companies may ramp up production and spur growth in Asia’s third-largest economy.
- Corn fell for the fifth consecutive session on speculation that August rains will boost US production and dry weather in September will aid harvesting of record supplies.

Wall Street Journal:
- Yahoo! Inc.’s(YHOO) head of sales, Gregory Coleman, is resigning as part of a staff reorganization.

MarketWatch.com:
- Those who work at home or remotely report higher levels of satisfaction.
- Shares of US financial stocks rebounded modestly on Wednesday, after taking a pounding in the previous session, with Goldman Sachs(GS) leading gainers in the brokerage sector.

CNNMoney.com:
- Carlyle see credit storm calming. The fund, which invests in mortgage-backed securities, predicts “strong probability” for a dividend in the fourth quarter.

Reuters:
- Apple Inc.(AAPL) shares rose more than 5% on Wednesday on growing expectations that the company will announce a revamped line of iPods next week.

Financial Times:
- Google’s YouTube agreed to a deal with the British societies that collect royalties for 50,000 songwriters, composers and publishers to legitimize the use of their recorded music on the video-sharing Web site.
- Dry bulk freight costs at record high.

Late Buy/Sell Recommendations
Citigroup:
- JC Penney’s(JCP) Back-to-School season is off to a strong start, supported by a fully integrated advertising campaign, improved merchandise flow driving newness, trend-right merchandise, and a multi-channel approach. We believe the company is optimistic on Holiday 2007 based on back-to-school trends thus far.
- Reiterated Buy on (SPSN), target $15.
- Reiterated Buy on (TEX), target $94.
- Reiterated Buy on (ADBE), target $50.

Night Trading
Asian Indices are +1.0% to +1.5% on average.
S&P 500 futures -.13%.
NASDAQ 100 futures -.10%.

Morning Preview
US AM Market Call
NASDAQ 100 Pre-Market Indicator/Heat Map
Pre-market Commentary
Pre-market Stock Quote/Chart
Before the Bell CNBC Video(bottom right)
Global Commentary
WSJ Intl Markets Performance
Commodity Movers
Top 25 Stories

Top 20 Business Stories
Today in IBD
In Play
Bond Ticker
Economic Preview/Calendar
Daily Stock Events
Macro Calls
Upgrades/Downgrades
Rasmussen Business/Economy Polling
CNBC Guest Schedule

Earnings of Note
Company/EPS Estimate
- (BTH)/.12
- (CIEN)/.31
- (CPWM)/-.64
- (DLM)/.02
- (DELL)/.31
- (ESL)/.55
- (FRE)/.99
- (FCEL)/-.34
- (GCO/.30
- (HRB)/-.35
- (OVTI)/.19
- (SHLD)/1.13
- (TIF)/.35
- (WIND)/.04
- (ZLC)/-.08

Upcoming Splits
- (FTI) 2-for-1

Economic Releases
8:30 am EST

-Preliminary 2Q GDP is estimated to rise 4.1% versus a 3.4% prior estimate.
- Preliminary 2Q Personal Consumption is estimated to rise 1.5% versus a 1.3% prior estimate.
- Preliminary 2Q GDP Price Index is estimated to rise 2.7% versus a 2.7% prior estimate.
- Preliminary 2Q Core PCE is estimated to rise 1.4% versus a 1.4% prior estimate.
- Initial Jobless Claims for last week are estimated to fall to 320K versus 322K the prior week.
- Continuing Claims are estimated to rise to 2575K versus 2572K prior.

10:00 am EST
- The 2Q House Price Index is estimated to rise .3% versus a .4% gain in 1Q.

Other Potential Market Movers
- The weekly EIA natural gas inventory report, (NVLS) mid-quarter update and Moody’s Perspective on the State of the Credit Markets could also impact trading today.

BOTTOM LINE: Asian indices are higher, boosted by technology and commodity stocks in the region. I expect US equities to open modestly lower and to rally into the afternoon, finishing mixed. The Portfolio is 100% net long heading into the day.

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