Markets Friday, 02/9/2007

2/9/2007

| Dow : 12580.83 down 56.80

| S & P : 1438.06 down 10.25

| NASDAQ: 2459.82 down 28.85

| Bond (10Y): 4.78%, 98.75

MARKETS:
Stocks finish lower as techs slide Nasdaq declines as chips,
computer networkers slide; the Dow also drops on hawkish comments from
Fed officials, near $60-a-barrel oil and jump in Treasury yields.

In 網上互動: “去蔣”、“去中國化”，民進黨政府要走多遠？

Date: 9 Feb 2007 21:31:24 -0000

“去蔣”、“去中國化”，民進黨政府要走多遠？

台灣當局力主“去中國化”的同時，有必要“去蔣”嗎？
More...go to
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Midday Report: U.S. stocks mixed; St. Louis Fed official warns on inflation

11:40 am ET Feb 9, 2007

DJIA

12,659

+22.03

S&P

1,449

+1.49

NASDAQ

2,485

-3.24

10Yr

4.77%

+0.042

U.S. stocks mixed; St. Louis Fed official warns on inflation

NEW YORK -- U.S. stocks traded mixed Friday morning, as an inflation
warning from a Federal Reserve official dented market sentiment and as
investors took in an analyst's upgrades of Ford Motor Co. and General
Motors Corp. and tried to assess forward earnings as the fourth
quarter's reporting season drew to a close.

Fortress hedge fund IPO shares surge 89% to $35 at opening trade, Reuters reports.

Date: Fri, 9 Feb 2007

Fortress hedge fund IPO shares surge 89% to $35 at opening trade,
Reuters reports.

Violence breaks out at disputed Jerusalem holy site

Date: Fri, 09 Feb 2007 06:38:33 -0600

NEWS

Violence breaks out at disputed Jerusalem holy site
---------------------------------------------
Hundreds of angry Islamic worshippers threw stones and scuffled with
police on
Friday in an eruption of outrage over contentious Israeli renovation
work at a
disputed Old City holy site.

5 charged with plotting to kidnap British soldier
---------------------------------------------
Prosecutors charged five men Friday with violating anti-terror laws in
connection with an alleged plot to kidnap and kill a Muslim member of
the British armed forces.

MONEY

Consumer confidence hits 2-year high
---------------------------------------------
Consumer confidence climbed to a 2-year high with people feeling even
better
about job prospects, the current economic climate and investment
opportunities.

Stocks may be overdue for a pullback
---------------------------------------------
Stock investors haven't had a scary day in a long time. And that run of
good
luck is scaring some people on Wall Street. The market has gone almost
straight up since summer, fueling fears that investors have grown
complacent
and stocks may be ripe for a short-term slump.

Time change could catch businesses snoozing
---------------------------------------------
It doesn't boast the doomsday drama of the Y2K computer bug, but a
looming new software snafu could become a nuisance for consumers and
costly for some businesses. Call it Baby Y2K.

SPORTS

No. 1 Duke wins battle of unbeatens with No. 2 North Carolina 64-53
---------------------------------------------
Abby Waner scored six of her 16 points during a key second-half spurt,
and No.
1 Duke held off No. 2 North Carolina 64-53 in a meeting of unbeatens
Thursday.
Wanisha Smith had all 17 of her points in the first half and Lindsey
Harding
added 16 points for the Blue Devils, who improved to 8-0 against ranked
teams
and snapping a five-game losing streak to the Tar Heels.

Chinese couple are pairs winners
---------------------------------------------
China's Shen Xue and Zhao Hongbo wrapped up the pairs crown at Four
Continents
on Friday, with Pang Qing and Tong Jian finishing second and Rena Inoue
and
John Baldwin taking third.Meantime, Americans Kimmie Meissner, Emily
Hughes
and Alissa Czisny all fell on their opening jumps in the women's short
program.

Canadian takes partner's skate in face
---------------------------------------------
Canadian pairs skater Jessica Dube underwent surgery Thursday to repair
a
laceration on her left cheek and nose after being hit by partner Bryce
Davison's skate during competition at Four Continents. International
Skating
Union medical advisor Jane Moran said Dube's eye was not affected and
nothing
was broken.

LIFE

Death won't end legal battles
---------------------------------------------
Anna Nicole Smith is dead, but the Anna Nicole Smith litigation will
live on
and multiply. Smith's long legal battle to gain some of the millions
from her
billionaire late husband's estate a case that went to the Supreme Court
and
produced an important ruling in 2006 will continue despite her sudden
and
mysterious death Thursday in Florida.

Daughter, cause of death are big questions
---------------------------------------------
Florida officials hope to know today the cause of Anna Nicole Smith's
tragic
death, while Los Angeles lawyers expect to have some concrete decisions
about
the destiny of Smith's 5-month-old daughter. Smith, 39, died Thursday
after
collapsing in a hotel room in Hollywood, Fla.

HSBC's warning highlights gloom for sub-prime lenders

4:30 pm ET Feb 8, 2007

DJIA

12,637

-29.24

S&P

1,448

-1.71

NASDAQ

2,488

-1.83

10Yr

4.73%

-0.035

HSBC's warning highlights gloom for sub-prime lenders

LONDON -- HSBC Holdings, the world's third-largest bank and one of the
most aggressive players in the U.S. market for low-quality mortgages,
has sent a chill through the financial world with news that its bad-debt
charges will be 20% higher than forecast.
Winter helped drive sales,
but not enough for some retailers

CHICAGO - The late arrival of winter in January helped U.S. retailers
spring back from disappointing sales as shoppers loaded up on heavy
coats, snow-removal equipment and home-entertainment merchandise - much
of which was purchased with gift cards.

Breaking News: Anna Nicole Smith dies

Date: Thu, 08 Feb 2007

HOLLYWOOD, Fla. (AP) - Anna Nicole Smith, the formerPlayboyplaymate
whose
bizarre life careened from marrying an octogenarian billionaire to the
untimely death of her son, died at the age of 39 on Thursday after
collapsing
at a South Florida hotel, one of her lawyers said.

In 網上互動: 如何看中國球員場上暴力？

Date: 8 Feb 2007 19:42:38 -0000
如何看中國球員場上暴力？

中國國家奧運隊到歐洲拉練，但與歐洲球隊發生了集體毆斗事件。你如何看中國球員的場上暴力？More...go
to
http://www.bloglines.com/blog/johnDispatch
or go to LINKS and click 'John's Journal'

Wal-Mart's January sales up 2.2%, topping view

11:40 am ET Feb 8, 2007

DJIA

12,593

-73.46

S&P

1,444

-5.48

NASDAQ

2,483

-6.52

10Yr

4.74%

-0.027

Wal-Mart's January sales up 2.2%, topping view

NEW YORK -- Wal-Mart Stores Inc. on Thursday posted a 2.2% increase in
January same-store sales, as robust sales of home electronics and
cold-weather items helped offset sluggish traffic.

HSBC's bad-debt charge to top $10 billion as U.S. market slows

LONDON -- Banking giant HSBC Holdings warned that bad-debt charges are
set to exceed forecasts by about $1.76 billion, as higher interest rates
and a lack of refinancing options in the slowing U.S. housing market
leave customers unable to pay their mortgages.

Markets Wednesday, 02/7/2007

Wednesday, 2/7/2007

| Dow : 12666.87 up 0.56

| S & P : 1450.02 up 2.02

| NASDAQ: 2490.50 up 19.01

| Bond (10Y): 4.74%, 99.03

MARKETS:
Nasdaq follows Cisco's lead Strong earnings from the tech bellwether
lifts the composite, but Dow gives up gains after hitting an intraday
record; oil prices slip; after hours, Disney impresses.

In 網上互動: 人民幣何價？

Date: 7 Feb 2007 20:19:55 -0000
人民幣何價？

人民幣持續升值，會否帶來金融危機？對民生、國計有什麼影響？More...go
to
http://www.bloglines.com/blog/johnDispatch
or go to LINKS and click 'John's Journal'

U.S. stocks rise on Cisco's upbeat earnings

11:41 am ET Feb 7, 2007

DJIA

12,692

+26.52

S&P

1,452

+4.38

NASDAQ

2,493

+21.58

10Yr

4.74%

-0.022

U.S. stocks rise on Cisco's upbeat earnings

NEW YORK -- U.S. stocks were higher on Wednesday, sending the Dow Jones
Industrial Average to a new record high, as crude oil prices turned
lower while the technology sector received a boost from upbeat earnings
and forecasts from Cisco Systems Inc.

Oil prices rally after inventory drawdowns.

Date: Wed, 7 Feb 2007 10:31:29 -0500

Oil prices rally after inventory drawdowns.

Productivity up 3% in fourth quarter, Reuters reports, topping forecasts; labor costs up 1.7%.

Date: Wed, 7 Feb 2007 08:31:24 -0500

Productivity up 3% in fourth quarter, Reuters reports, topping
forecasts; labor costs up 1.7%.

News: Wider death penalty sought

Date: Wed, 07 Feb 2007

NEWS

Wider death penalty sought
---------------------------------------------
At least a half-dozen states are considering broadening the death
penalty,
countering a national trend toward scaling back its use. Lawmakers have
proposed legislation that would increase the range of crimes eligible
for
execution. In Texas and Tennessee, for example, legislators want to
include
certain child molesters who did not murder their victims.

Bremer admits errors in rebuilding Iraq
---------------------------------------------
The former head of the U.S.-led occupation in Iraq testified at a
congressional hearing Tuesday that he and the Bush administration made
mistakes, including inadequate planning.

Costly bypass medication may raise death risk later
---------------------------------------------
An expensive drug given to prevent excessive bleeding in coronary
artery
bypass surgery patients is linked to an increased risk of dying as long
as
five years after the operation, researchers report Wednesday.

MONEY

New dollar coins about to put a jingle in your pocket
---------------------------------------------
In most government buildings, workers and visitors have to walk through
metal
detectors on their way in. While that's also the case at the
Philadelphia
Mint, the biggest scrutiny comes when it's time to leave the building.

Burger King ads a royal success
---------------------------------------------
Burger King is desperately seeking pop culture's holy grail: to be cool.
So
cool it can sell more than 3 million Burger-King-branded Xbox video
games in
two months. So cool that The King, its masked icon-with-attitude, showed
up in
Jay Leno skits 17 times in two months. So cool that The King's got an
ultra-
popular profile on MySpace.com.

SEC pores over trading data to see if hedge funds are being tipped off
---------------------------------------------
Federal regulators have embarked on a fact-finding mission on Wall
Street to
determine if hedge funds are being routinely tipped off about buy and
sell
orders placed by mutual funds.

SPORTS

His season of discontent done, Daly starting over
---------------------------------------------
Long John Daly's list of calamities in 2006 was more extensive than one
of his
colossal drives: domestic difficulties, torn hand ligaments, a broken
pinkie,
a sore left hip, sciatic nerve problems and plenty of missed cuts.

Nationwide alums poised for wins
---------------------------------------------
The Nationwide Tour is a place where no golfer wants to be, but it has
become
almost a required stop for success on the PGA Tour. Entering this week's
AT&T
Pebble Beach Pro-Am, which begins Thursday, three of the five PGA Tour
events
have been won by Nationwide alums Paul Goydos, Charley Hoffman and Aaron
Baddeley.

Succeeding Keller, Howard faces first test as new starter tonight
against Mexico
---------------------------------------------
Early in his career, Tim Howard made more of a soccer splash in Europe
than he
did in his country. His time to make his mark on U.S. soil has arrived,
as he
is expected to start in goal tonight when the U.S. national team faces
bitter
rival Mexico.

Market Briefing Newsletter for Tuesday, 02/6/2007

Tuesday, 2/6/2007

| Dow : 12666.31 up 4.57

| S & P : 1448.00 up 1.01

| NASDAQ: 2471.49 up 0.89

| Bond (10Y): 4.76%, 98.88

MARKETS:
Mixed day on Wall Street Major gauges end choppy session little changed
after mild comments from Fed chair; oil prices seesaw; treasury bond
prices rise, lowering yields.

In 網上互動: 共產黨能否主導中國政改？

Date: 6 Feb 2007 18:36:08 -0000

共產黨能否主導中國政改？

筆名皇甫平的中共文膽周瑞金日前表示，解決中國當前的社會矛盾要靠共產黨主導的政治體制改革。您有何高見？More...go
to
http://www.bloglines.com/blog/johnDispatch
or go to LINKS and click 'John's Journal'

U.S. stocks turn lower as techs weigh

11:41 am ET Feb 6, 2007

DJIA

12,658

-3.44

S&P

1,445

-1.69

NASDAQ

2,458

-12.28

10Yr

4.80%

-0.012

U.S. stocks turn lower as techs weigh

NEW YORK - U.S. stocks turned lower on Tuesday, as weakness in
technology affected sentiment, with investors cautiously awaiting the
release of earnings from Cisco Systems Inc. after the close.

Fresh floods bring more misery to Indonesian capital; 36 dead

Date: Tue, 06 Feb 2007
NEWS

Fresh floods bring more misery to Indonesian capital; 36 dead
---------------------------------------------
Overnight downpours sent storm waters coursing back into some low-lying
areas
of Indonesia's capital on Tuesday, as authorities warned of the threat
of
diseases and anger mounted at the government's response to the disaster
that
has killed at least 36 people..

Below-zero temps close schools
---------------------------------------------
A bone-chilling cold wave with temperatures as low as 42 below zero shut
down
schools for thousands of youngsters Monday, sent homeless people into
shelters
and put car batteries on the disabled list from the northern Plains
across the
Great Lakes. At least six deaths were linked to the cold weather.

Caution: Marijuana may not be lesser evil
---------------------------------------------
Millions of baby boomers smoked marijuana the country's most popular
illicit
drug in their youth and quit with little effort. But studies have shown
that
when regular pot smokers quit, they do experience withdrawal symptoms,
a
characteristic used to predict addictiveness.

MONEY

Bush plan would raise grants to low-income students
---------------------------------------------
The budget President Bush proposed Monday would increase federal grants
to low-income college students by 33% over five years and pay for it by
reducing subsidies to private lenders.

Super Bowl viewers didn't run to Web
---------------------------------------------
For all the hoopla about Super Bowl marketers and the gazillions of Web
hits
they were expecting off their pricey ads, reality appears to have
stepped
smack in the way.

SPORTS

Texas A&M has its way with Texas
---------------------------------------------
Sophomore Josh Carter scored 24 points and freshmen Donald Sloan and
Bryan
Davis combined for 19 to lead the seventh-ranked Aggies past No. 25
Texas 100-
82 on Monday. A&M, coming off a big win at then-No. 6 Kansas on
Saturday, won
its 21st straight home game and maintained the Big 12 lead alone.

Super 25 boys basketball rankings
---------------------------------------------
After a hectic week, the Super 25 boys basketball rankings have a new
look,
with 23 teams switching rank, including St. Patrick (Elizabeth, N.J.)
taking
the No. 1 spot. The top 19 teams were shuffled after a series of
head-to-head
games among ranked teams. No. 19 Boys and Girls (Brooklyn, N.Y.) and No.
25
Campbell Hall (North Hollywood, Calif.) make their debuts.

Bell's NFL Replay delivers Super Bowl honors
---------------------------------------------
The long wait is over for Peyton Manning, Tony Dungy and the Colts. Now,
with
a championship under their belt after Super Bowl XLI, Indianapolis
players
head a long list of honors from Jarrett Bell's Super Bowl edition of
NFL
Replay. From Peyton's MVP management of the contest to little-known
Kelvin
Hayden's championship-icing interception return for a touchdown, the
Colts are
on top of the NFL world.

Oil reaches $60 a barrel for 1st time since Jan. 3, Reuters reports.

Date: Tue, 6 Feb 2007 09:04:11 -0500

Oil reaches $60 a barrel for 1st time since Jan. 3, Reuters reports.

U.S. stocks close mixed amid tech weakness

4:30 pm ET Feb 5, 2007

DJIA

12,661

+8.25

S&P

1,446

-1.40

NASDAQ

2,470

-5.28

10Yr

4.81%

-0.019

U.S. stocks close mixed amid tech weakness

NEW YORK-- U.S. stocks closed mixed Monday, with better-than-expected
sales at Wal-Mart Stores Inc. providing mild support for the Dow Jones
Industrial Average, while a bearish report on Microsoft Corp. weighed on
the stock and the technology sector.

Study: Children Bombarded With Online Porn

Date: Mon, 5 Feb 2007 16:00:03 -0500
Study: Children Bombarded With Online Porn

Forty-two percent of Internet users aged 10 to 17 surveyed said they had
seen online pornography in a recent 12-month span. Of those, 66 percent
said they did not want to view the images and had not sought them out,
researchers found. 

In 網上互動: 印度崛起對中國的利弊？

Date: 5 Feb 2007
印度崛起對中國的利弊？

印度的崛起喀正在瓃鵁的中盔嬌窺有什麼影燤呢？是利？嚦是弊？More...go
to
http://www.bloglines.com/blog/johnDispatch
or go to LINKS and click 'John's Journal'

U.S. stocks lower as investors consolidate gains

11:41 am ET Feb 5, 2007

DJIA

12,662

+9.13

S&P

1,447

-0.92

NASDAQ

2,472

-3.67

10Yr

4.81%

-0.017

U.S. stocks lower as investors consolidate gains

NEW YORK - U.S. stocks were mixed on Monday, with upbeat news for
Boeing Co. and better-than-expected sales at Wal-Mart Stores Inc.
providing mild support for the Dow Jones Industrial Average, while
technology shares fell after a downgrade of Micron Technology Inc.

Turner To Pay $2M For Boston Bomb Scare

Date: Mon, 5 Feb 2007 11:30:03 -0500

Turner To Pay $2M For Boston Bomb Scare

Turner Broadcasting Systems and Interference Inc. will pay $2 million
for a Cartoon Network publicity stunt that caused a widespread bomb
scare in Boston last week. Half the settlement will reimburse costs and
half will fund homeland security. 

Bush budget boosts Iraq funds

Date: Mon, 05 Feb 2007

NEWS

Bush plan seeks billions more for Iraq
---------------------------------------------
President Bush will send Congress a $2.9 trillion spending request
Monday that
seeks billions of dollars more to fight the Iraq war and tries to
restrain the
spiraling cost of the government's big health care programs.

25 dead in Indonesia flood; 340,000 homeless
---------------------------------------------
Horse-drawn carts rescued residents from flood-stricken districts in
the
Indonesian capital on Monday after flooding burst riverbanks, killing at
least
25 people and forcing some 340,000 to flee from their homes in recent
days.

'Speed bumps' deadly on Iraqi roads
---------------------------------------------
A type of homemade bomb that can include parts commonly found in Iraqi
kitchens and that is easy to hide on desert roads has proliferated in
Anbar
province and spread to other parts of Iraq. Troops in armored vehicles
are
endangered by the bomb, which U.S. military officials call a "speed
bump."

MONEY

Hyundai chief convicted on all charges, sentenced to three years in
prison
---------------------------------------------
Hyundai Motor Chairman Chung Mong-koo was convicted Monday of
embezzlement and
other charges and sentenced to three years in prison over a slush fund
scandal
that has weighed on the world's sixth-largest automaker.

President's speech shows CEO pay has hit the big time
---------------------------------------------
Excessive executive compensation, an issue shareholder activists and
labor
unions have ridden for years, has suddenly become a hot topic in
Washington,
D.C. Even President Bush weighed in on the subject last week in New
York.

Renters will dig deeper in 2007
---------------------------------------------
Renters be warned: Landlords are expected to raise apartment rents for a
third-
straight year in 2007, forcing tenants to turn over a growing chunk of
their
pay and making it harder to save for a home, a report to be issued today
by
Marcus & Millichap finds.

SPORTS

Colts reign supreme over Bears
---------------------------------------------
The Indianapolis Colts won their first Super Bowl Sunday, beating the
Chicago Bears 29-17. Tony Dungy became the first black coach to win the
NFL title, beating protege Lovie Smith. Peyton Manning won MVP honors
after going 25-for-38 for 247 yards, with one touchdown and one
interception.

20 Dead In Indonesia From Raging Flo

Breaking News
February 4, 2007

20 Dead In Indonesia From Raging Flood

Boats carried emergency supplies to desperate residents of Indonesia's
flood-stricken capital on Sunday as overflowing rivers again burst their
banks following days of rain. More than 340,000 are homeless.

20 Dead In Indonesia From Raging Flo

Breaking News
February 4, 2007

20 Dead In Indonesia From Raging Flood

Boats carried emergency supplies to desperate residents of Indonesia's
flood-stricken capital on Sunday as overflowing rivers again burst their
banks following days of rain. More than 340,000 are homeless.

In 網上互動: 氣候變暖 您有沒有責任？

氣候變暖 您有沒有責任？

政府間氣候變化專門委員會(IPCC)在巴黎的會議作
出總結，人類活動是過去半世紀氣溫上升的主因。
More...go to
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or go to LINKS and click 'John's Journal'