Today's Headlines

Bloomberg:
- Russia’s slowing economic growth is threatening President Vladimir Putin’s goal of raising living standards and doubling the size of the economy in the decade to 2010, Prime Minister Mikhail Fradkov said.
- Prime Minister Tony Blair’s government launched a review of the powers it holds to deport people who incite violence in Britain, and started consultations with opposition parties about new laws to curb terrorism.
- Crude oil is plunging almost $3/bbl. as Hurricane Emily was forecast to miss Gulf of Mexico platforms, China’s economy slows and the IEA downgraded global demand for crude.

Wall Street Journal:
- With gasoline prices near records, US carmakers are gearing up to start selling fuel-efficient compact cars again, instead of pushing SUVs and powerful sedans.
- IBM is creating a database of staff, accessible on its internal Web site, which catalogs skills, availability and salaries, aiming to cut labor costs by ensuring all employees are used effectively.
- US authorities are looking into whether the chief executive officer of Berkshire Hathaway’s General Reinsurance unit played a role in a controversial transaction between General Re and AIG.
- US inventors’ purchases of foreign stocks have risen and those of US stocks by investors abroad have declined in the past five years.

NY Times:
- US grandparents are contributing more money for their grandchildren as life spans grow and the elderly have more money.
- US Senator Hillary Clinton of NY and other Democrats want the size of the Army boosted by 80,000 troops.

Chicago Sun-Times:
- Potbelly Sandwich Works, which has 84 restaurants in nine states and the District of Columbia, is ready to sell shares to the public.

Detroit News:
- UnitedHealth Group said it will cover as much as half the cost of corrective laser eye surgeries, including Lasik, for its members, which can cost $1,800 per eye.

Vedomosti:
- Starbucks won the rights to its trademark in Russia, ending a three-year legal dispute that kept the US company out of the $500 million brewed-coffee market.

Svenska Dagbladet:
- Hennes & Mauritz AB is moving Chinese production of some clothes made for the US market to other Asian countries because the company has already filled its US import quotas.

Daily Mirror:
- UK Muslims should “root out” extremists and other British people should avoid criticizing the Muslim community after the July 7 bombings in London, Prince Charles, heir to the British throne wrote.

Inflation Tame, Retail Hot, Employment Stable

- The Consumer Price Index for June was unchanged versus estimates of a .2% increase and a .1% decline in May.
- The CPI Ex Food & Energy for June rose .1% versus estimates of a .2% increase and a .1% gain in May.
- Advanced Retail Sales for June rose 1.7% versus estimates of a 1.0% increase and a upwardly revised .3% decline in May.
- Retail Sales Less Autos for June rose .7% versus estimates of a .6% gain and an unchanged reading in May.
- Initial Jobless Claims for last week rose to 336K versus estimates of 322K and 320K the prior week.
- Continuing Claims rose to 2617K versus estimates of 2600K and 2572K prior.

BOTTOM LINE: US consumer prices were unchanged in June as companies discounted products such as clothing and cars to boost sales. Consumer prices were up 2.5% for the 12 months ended in June. As I predicted at the beginning of the year, inflation will likely rise this year less than the long-term average of 3.0%. The cost of all goods including cars, apparel and food fell .2% last month.

US retail sales rose a greater-than-expected 1.7% in June, led by spending on cars, furniture and gasoline. An improving job market, a rising stock market and booming housing market are helping to boost consumer sentiment and spending. Retail sales account for about half of all consumer spending.

The number of US workers filing jobless claims rose to 336,000 last week, reflecting a temporary shutdown of auto plants. The four-week moving average of claims rose to 320,750 from 320,500. The insured employment rate, which tracks the US jobless rate, rose to 2.1%.

Links of Interest

Market Snapshot
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IBD New America
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Real-time Intraday Chart/Quote

Thursday Watch

Late-Night Headlines
Bloomberg:
- Crude oil is falling a second day in NY after a US government report showed stockpiles of distillates, which include heating oil and diesel, rose more than analysts predicted.
- People who work at the top 50 hedge funds ranked by assets have directed 62% of donations to Democrats since January 2003, a Bloomberg News review of campaign-finance disclosures shows.

Financial Times:
- European financial and commodities markets will today stop to observe a two minutes silence at noon London time in memory of the victims of the July 7 bombing in the UK capital.
- Cnooc's board agreed yesterday to allow its executives to raise the company's $18.5 billion takeover offer for Unocal.

China Daily:
- Philip Morris International, a member of Altria Group, is in talks with manufacturers in China about the possibility of making Marlboro cigarettes in the world's largest nation of smokers.
- China's military is shifting from large fighting divisions to smaller brigades than can be deployed swiftly to upgrade its battle readiness.

Shanghai Daily:
- Wal-Mart Stores plans to open its first store in Shanghai on July 28, its 48th location on China's mainland.

Late Buy/Sell Recommendations
Goldman Sachs:
- Reiterated Outperform on BC, NSM and DNA.

Night Trading
Asian Indices are +.50% to +1.0% on average.
S&P 500 indicated +.11%.
NASDAQ 100 indicated +.19%.

Morning Preview
US AM Market Call
NASDAQ 100 Pre-Market Indicator/Heat Map
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Before the Bell CNBC Video(bottom right)
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Earnings of Note
Company/EPS Estimate
CBH/.46
FCS/.05
FITB/.74
GENZ/.53
IFIN/.59
MAR/.77
MTG/1.52
PII/.68
LUV/.18
TRB/.58
UNH/.60

Upcoming Splits
None of note

Economic Releases
8:30 am EST
- The Consumer Price Index for June is estimated to rise .2% versus a .1% decline in May.
- The CPI Ex Food & Energy for June is estimated to rise .2% versus a .1% gain in May.
- Advance Retail Sale for June are estimated to rise 1.0% versus a .5% decline in May.
- Retail Sales Less Autos for June are estimated to rise .6% versus a .2% decline in May.
- Initial Jobless Claims for last week are estimated to rise to 322K versus 319K the prior week.
- Continuing Claims are estimated to rise to 2600K versus 2581K prior.

BOTTOM LINE: Asian indices are higher, led by technology shares in the region. I expect US equities to open modestly higher and build on gains later in the day. I expect the CPI to rise slightly below estimates tomorrow and retail sales to slightly exceed expectations. The Portfolio is 100% net long heading into the day.

Stocks Finish Mildly Higher as Oil Recedes

Indices
S&P 500 1,223.29 +.09%
DJIA 10,557.39 +.41%
NASDAQ 2,144.11 +.04%
Russell 2000 667.65 -.47%
DJ Wilshire 5000 12,203.30 unch.
S&P Barra Growth 584.87 +.05%
S&P Barra Value 634.16 +.13%
Morgan Stanley Consumer 579.30 +.13%
Morgan Stanley Cyclical 738.26 +.17%
Morgan Stanley Technology 498.46 +.71%
Transports 3,609.62 +.35%
Utilities 396.87 +.13%
Put/Call .78 +1.30%
NYSE Arms .71 -14.56%
Volatility(VIX) 10.84 -1.0%
ISE Sentiment 155.00 -18.85%
US Dollar 89.35 +1.13%
CRB 311.54 -.04%

Futures Spot Prices
Crude Oil 59.56 -1.75%
Unleaded Gasoline 174.05 -1.97%
Natural Gas 8.0 +1.46%
Heating Oil 170.60 -2.60%
Gold 424.50 -.61%
Base Metals 122.76 -.78%
Copper 154.95 +.68%
10-year US Treasury Yield 4.16 +.33%

Leading Sectors
Airlines +2.42%
Computer Hardware +1.08%
Networking +.95%

Lagging Sectors
HMOs -1.01%
Oil Service -1.18%
Hospitals -2.99%

Evening Review
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GuruFocus.com
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In Play

Afternoon Recommendations
Goldman Sachs:
- Reiterated Underperform on RAI.

Afternoon/Evening Headlines
Bloomberg:
- CNOOC’s proposed $18.5 billion purchase of US oil company Unocal is opposed by most Americans, according to a Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll.
- US Chief Justice William Rehnquist, who is fighting thyroid cancer, was admitted to the hospital last night with a fever.
- Apple Computer said third-quarter profit rose fivefold as sales of iPod digital music players surged to a record and Macintosh computer shipments reached a five-year high.
- UK Prime Minister Tony Blair urged Muslim leaders to help root out terrorists in their communities and stop those who “twist” the teachings of their own religion after attacks in London killed at least 52 people.

Xinhua News Agency:
- North Korea leader Kim Jong Il wants to denuclearize the Korean peninsula, he told visiting Chinese presidential envoy Tang Jiaxuan in Pyongyang yesterday.

BOTTOM LINE: The Portfolio finished higher today on gains in my Internet, Semiconductor and Networking longs. I did not trade in the afternoon, thus leaving the Portfolio 100% net long. The tone of the market was neutral today as the advance/decline line finished modestly lower, sector performance was mixed and volume was below average. Measures of investor anxiety were mixed into the close. Overall, today’s market action was slightly positive. The Morgan Stanley Healthcare Providers Index (RXH) was down about 3% today on HCA's (HCA) disappointing results. I would not be a buyer at current levels and expect this group to underperform through year end.