Markets Friday, 04/25/2008

Date: Fri, 25 Apr 2008 17:31:09 -0400

| Dow : 12891.86 up 42.91

| S & P : 1397.84 up 9.02

| NASDAQ: 2422.93 down 5.99

| Bond (10Y): 3.87%, 97.00

MARKETS:
Dow at nearly 4-month high
Blue chips bounce back, as investors look beyond rising commodity prices
and scoop up financial stocks.

U.S. stock indexes close with weekly gains

Date: Fri, 25 Apr 2008 21:06:03 (GMT)

U.S. stock indexes close with weekly gains

U.S. stocks pull off a late-session turnaround, with financials paving
the way higher, and only the Nasdaq ending in the red in the wake of
Microsoft's profit drop.

The Fed: Fed rate cut not a sure thing

WASHINGTON
Although many commentators are talking as if the Federal Reserve has
already decided to cut interest rates by a quarter-point rate cut next
week followed by a pause over the summer, there is a chance the Fed
could instead decide to just pause right here, Fed watchers said.

Futures Movers: Oil jumps after report U.S. fires on boats in Persian
Gulf

SAN FRANCISCO
Crude-oil futures spike more than $2 a barrel after news reports that
personnel on a U.S. ship fired at an unidentified boat in the Persian
Gulf.

Economic Report: U.S. consumer sentiment sinks to 26-year low, survey
shows

High fuel and food prices, coupled with "shrinking" income gains and
falling home values, tugs an index tracking U.S. consumer sentiment
index to the lowest level in 26 years.

Mattel CEO sells stock in nick of time

Through a preset stock-trading plan, Mattel's CEO sells about a million
shares as price hovers near quarter's peak -- just before earnings
report triggers decline.

Oil jumps over $3 after report on U.S. shots at Iran boat

Date: Fri, 25 Apr 2008 16:01:04 (GMT)

Oil jumps over $3 after report on U.S. shots at Iran boat

SAN FRANCISCO
Crude-oil futures spiked more than $3 a barrel in mid-morning trading on
Friday after news reports that U.S. military force fired at an Iranian
boat.

Economic Report: U.S. consumer sentiment sinks to 26-year low, survey
shows

High fuel and food prices, coupled with "shrinking" income gains and
falling home values, tugs an index tracking U.S. consumer sentiment
index to the lowest level in 26 years.

Microsoft shares fall on disappointing revenue, forecast

SAN FRANCISCO
Microsoft Corp. saw its shares slide Friday morning after the software
behemoth posted fiscal third-quarter results that revealed weakness in
its core Windows and Office businesses.

Market Snapshot: U.S. stocks lag as consumer confidence hits 26-year
low

U.S. stocks tumble after data showing consumer confidence at a 26-year
low and reports of shots fired in the Gulf propel oil prices higher.
Meanwhile, software giant Microsoft Corp.'s profit drop weighs on
technology.

American Express feeling pinch from economy, analysts say

American Express is feeling the pinch from a worsening U.S. economy as
financially stressed consumers make fewer payments less often, analysts
said Friday.

Crude surges after report that U.S. fired toward Iranian ship in Gulf

Date: Fri, 25 Apr 2008 11:26:25 -0400

Crude surges after report that U.S. fired toward Iranian ship in Gulf
4/25/2008 11:24:02 AM

Stocks waffle at the open as Wall Street reacts to Microsoft earnings and volatile oil prices.

Date: Fri, 25 Apr 2008 09:32:09 -0400

Stocks waffle at the open as Wall Street reacts to Microsoft earnings
and volatile oil prices.

Markets Thursday, 04/24/2008

Thursday, 4/24/2008

| Dow : 12848.95 up 85.73

| S & P : 1388.82 up 8.89

| NASDAQ: 2428.92 up 23.71

| Bond (10Y): 3.82%, 97.38

MARKETS:
Big advance on Wall Street
Stocks surge as investors welcome falling oil and gold prices, a
stronger dollar and strong earnings from Ford and others.

Microsoft tops profit estimates, but sales fall short

Date: Thu, 24 Apr 2008 21:06:04 (GMT)

Microsoft tops profit estimates, but sales fall short

SAN FRANCISCO
Microsoft Corp. said Thursday its fiscal third-quarter profit generally
topped analysts' expectations, though sales came in lighter than
expected.

Market Snapshot: U.S. stocks close with gains after financials pave the
way up

U.S. stocks extend gains into a second session as insurer earnings top
estimates and brokerage Merrill Lynch & Co. says it will maintain its
dividend.

Ford's CEO stuns Wall Street and raises goodwill

In the face of flagging sales, soaring gasoline prices and an
increasingly cowed consumer, Ford threw down a first-quarter report card
that showed a profit. No one saw it coming.

Gasoline could hit $7, oil could double in four years, CIBC says

Surging crude prices, which could surpass $200 a barrel in four years on
tight supplies, could push gasoline prices to as high as $7 a gallon,
CIBC World Markets analysts say.

How a tiny startup may help amplify the Web

A skeletal device from Adaptrum is thrusting the tiny company into a
high-profile campaign alongside the likes of Google and Microsoft, while
drawing fire from the politically powerful broadcasting and
telecommunications industries.

U.S. stocks finish with solid gains as financials lend support

Date: Thu, 24 Apr 2008 16:04:42 -0400

U.S. stocks finish with solid gains as financials lend support
4/24/2008 4:02:26 PM

U.S. stocks fall on economic woes; Amazon outlook weighs

Date: Thu, 24 Apr 2008 16:01:04 (GMT)

U.S. stocks fall on economic woes; Amazon outlook weighs

U.S. stocks fell on Thursday, with a bearish outlook from online
retailer Amazon.com weighing on the technology sector, while the market
digested more cloudy forecasts from Whirlpool, Starbucks and others.

ConocoPhillips profit rises 17% despite refining squeeze

ConocoPhillips said first-quarter net income topped $4 billion as the
No. 3 U.S. integrated oil giant powered past analyst estimates as
record-high crude prices offset shrinking refining margins.

Economic Report: New-home sales sink 8.5% to 17-year low in March

U.S. home builders have slashed their prices by a record amount, but
sales still plunged by 8.5% to a 17-year low in March.

David Callaway: China flips the switch and market bolts; investors
should beware

Dusk is the best time of day in Hong Kong, as the gray, polluted skies
and thick humidity that rule the office hours of this workaholic city
give way to a skyline wave of neon lights, pulsing to life seemingly
with the flip of a switch. Like everything else in China these days, the
change is sudden, and filled with expectation. But when it comes to the
country's nascent stock market, investors need to be wary about being
blinded by the lights of excitement and possibility.

3M quarterly earnings get a boost from overseas

3M Co. says first-quarter earnings continue to benefit from its overseas
exposure.

New home sales fall a surprising 8.5% in March to 526,000 annual rate - lowest level in over 16 years, Dow Jones reports.

Date: Thu, 24 Apr 2008 10:05:25 -0400

New home sales fall a surprising 8.5% in March to 526,000 annual rate -
lowest level in over 16 years, Dow Jones reports.

Durable goods orders fell 0.3% in March signaling a slowdown in the manufacturing sector.

Date: Thu, 24 Apr 2008 08:35:12 -0400

Durable goods orders fell 0.3% in March signaling a slowdown in the
manufacturing sector.

U.S. first-time jobless claims drop sharply in latest week

Date: Thu, 24 Apr 2008 08:35:04 -0400

U.S. first-time jobless claims drop sharply in latest week
4/24/2008 8:31:59 AM

Is Microsoft's Ballmer a bad dealmaker?

Date: Thu, 24 Apr 2008 05:44:33 -0500

NEWS

Warming shifts gardeners' maps
---------------------------------------------
A growing number of meteorologists and horticulturists say that because
of the warming climate, the 1990 U.S. climate zone map doesn't reflect a
trend that home gardeners have noticed for more than a decade: a gradual
shift northward of growing zones for many plants.

Study: Divorce may not cause kids' bad behavior
---------------------------------------------
Divorce often gets blamed for a host of troubles faced by children whose
parents split, and much past research has focused on the damage to
children's well-being. But new research suggests that at least in one
segment of overall well-being bad behavior divorce doesn't appear to be
the reason for some behavior problems.

Marketing of youth boot camps under investigation
---------------------------------------------
Youth boot camps and their referral services are using deceptive
marketing practices when trying to convince parents of troubled kids to
try the programs, a federal investigation has found.

MONEY
Is Microsoft's Ballmer a bad dealmaker?
---------------------------------------------
The bid for Yahoo that helped sink the market value of Microsoft by more
than $20 billion in one day in early February is one of the latest in a
string of acquisitions and major investment stakes Microsoft has
initiated since CEO Steve Ballmer took over in 2000 that have been
punished by the stock market as misjudgments.

Sam's Club limiting amount of rice you can buy
---------------------------------------------
Wal-Mart Stores' Sam's Club warehouse division said Wednesday that it is
limiting sales of Jasmine, Basmati and long grain white rices "due to
recent supply and demand trends."

Some car-stereo makers see drivers ditching CDs for iPods
---------------------------------------------
First eight-track players slid off into history. Then that unruly stack
of cassette tapes disappeared from glove compartments. Now, car-stereo
makers are marketing units that threaten to boot compact discs into the
auto audio graveyard.

Markets Wednesday, 04/23/2008

Wednesday, 4/23/2008

| Dow : 12763.22 up 42.99

| S & P : 1379.93 up 3.99

| NASDAQ: 2405.21 up 28.27

| Bond (10Y): 3.73%, 98.06

MARKETS:
Stocks close higher on boost from Boeing, tech
Wall Street rises at the end of mixed day as investors welcome
stronger-than-expected earnings.

Apple earnings rise 36% behind strong Mac sales

Date: Wed, 23 Apr 2008 18:00:52 -0400
Apple earnings rise 36% behind strong Mac sales

Apple Inc.'s second-quarter profit rises 36% from a year ago as revenue
climbs above $7 billion on strong sales of Macintosh PCs and iPhones.

FundWatch: 'Worst is over' for stocks, Legg Mason's Miller says

SAN FRANCISCO
The "panic phase" of the credit meltdown is over -- ending with the
collapse last month of brokerage Bear Stearns -- and stocks are poised
to post strong gains in coming months, veteran mutual-fund manager Bill
Miller says.

Market Snapshot: U.S. stocks gain altitude with lift from Boeing
results

U.S. stocks turn higher with better-than-forecast profit at aircraft
manufacturer Boeing Co. helping fuel investor optimism after two
sessions of losses.

Steel prices defy slump in transportation, housing sectors

A surge in steel prices to record highs this year has defied a slump in
the auto and construction
sectors, setting up better times for producers but adding to steep
costs squeezing industrial users.

Capitol Report: In Indiana, Obama must out-Clinton Clinton

WASHINGTON
Barack Obama's concession speech after he lost Pennsylvania's primary on
Tuesday was chock-full of references to the economy. Smart move. In
Pennsylvania, more voters who said they were concerned about the economy
voted for Hillary Clinton. Now, with Indiana's May 6 primary on the
horizon, Obama has a chance to win those kinds of voters.

Stocks close higher as strong results from Boeing offset a steep loss at Ambac Financial, and oil prices steady.

Date: Wed, 23 Apr 2008 16:03:05 -0400

Stocks close higher as strong results from Boeing offset a steep loss at
Ambac Financial, and oil prices steady.

stocks gain altitude with lift from Boeing results

Date: Wed, 23 Apr 2008 16:01:04 (GMT)
U.S. stocks gain altitude with lift from Boeing results

U.S. stocks turn higher thanks in part to better-than-forecast profits
at aircraft manufacturer Boeing Co.

Caution simmers ahead of Apple's earnings report
Apple Inc. will take the earnings spotlight with its second-quarter
report, scheduled for after the market closes Wednesday, with Macintosh
computer and iPhone sales expected to claim much of the attention from
investors and analysts.

Yahoo shares dip on flat earnings numbers

Shares of Yahoo slide after the company reports relatively flat
first-quarter profit that are unlikely to give the company any wiggle
room to stave off an increasingly agressive bid from Microsoft.

Buyout sends Safeco shares soaring about 50%

Shares of Safeco Corp. jump almost 50% after the insurer said it's
being bought by Liberty Mutual for $68.25 a share, or $62 billion, in a
deal that would create the nation's fifth-largest property and
casualty insurer.

Economists say euro-zone may be losing decoupling fight

On the surface, economic activity across the euro-zone appeared to
defiantly pick up the pace in April despite a strong euro and continued
global financial turmoil.

Stocks rise at the open as bulls and bears mull a mixed bag of corporate earnings.

Date: Wed, 23 Apr 2008 09:32 ET

Stocks rise at the open as bulls and bears mull a mixed bag of corporate
earnings.

Clinton boosted by big win in Pa.

Date: Wed, 23 Apr 2008 05:40:37 -0500

NEWS

Clinton boosted by big win in Pa. primary
---------------------------------------------
Democratic presidential hopeful Hillary Rodham Clinton soundly defeated
Barack Obama in the Pennsylvania primary Tuesday, a victory that keeps
her uphill nomination bid alive as their battle heads into the final six
weeks of contests.

Syrian, N. Korean nuke deal suspected
---------------------------------------------
Members of Congress will be told this week about intelligence suggesting
that North Korea was helping Syria build a nuclear reactor similar to
one it has constructed, a government official familiar with the matter
said Tuesday.

Justices split over campaign financing
---------------------------------------------
Supreme Court justices appeared closely divided Tuesday during arguments
over the constitutionality of the "millionaires' amendment" in federal
campaign-finance law, underscoring long-standing tensions over
congressional latitude to regulate election financing.

MONEY

Study: Help for subprime borrowers falls short
---------------------------------------------
Efforts to aid beleaguered borrowers are still falling short as 70% of
homeowners who are two months behind on their mortgages still aren't
getting help, a new report released Tuesday found.

Women business founders rising, but slowly
---------------------------------------------
Few fledgling businesses founded by men or women ever grow into giant
corporations, but with women launching twice as many businesses as men,
some meaningful percentage of the new giants might be expected to have a
woman as keystone.

Poll: Food costs a major worry for consumers
---------------------------------------------
According to the April 18-20 poll of 1,016 adults, food prices rank just
below record-high gasoline prices in consumer angst. Eighty percent of
those polled also noted energy prices as a concern.

Clinton projected to win Pennsylvania Democratic primary: Fox

Date: Tue, 22 Apr 2008 20:50:54 -0400

Clinton projected to win Pennsylvania Democratic primary: Fox
4/22/2008 8:47:38 PM

Markets Tuesday, 04/22/2008

Tuesday, 4/22/2008

| Dow : 12720.23 down 104.79

| S & P : 1375.94 down 12.23

| NASDAQ: 2376.94 down 31.10

| Bond (10Y): 3.69%, 98.44

MARKETS:
Stocks slump as oil surges
Wall Street steps back as investors react to record oil and gas prices
and weaker forecasts from Texas Instruments and DuPont.

DuPont adds a few miles to road to recovery

Date: Tue, 22 Apr 2008 21:06:03 (GMT)
DuPont adds a few miles to road to recovery

bad news on the housing front, the market desperately needs not just
good news from the recent past, but a glimmer of hope for the future.
They didn't get that from DuPont's first-quarter report.

Crude hits new high of $119.90 a barrel

Crude-oil futures rise to a new high of $119.90 a barrel as lingering
worries over oil-supply disruptions and the dollar's new low against the
euro provided support for prices.

The Ratings Game: Apple shares fall almost 5% as analyst cuts rating

SAN FRANCISCO
While much of the tech sector has struggled during the last quarter,
Apple Inc. has seen its shares quietly rise more than 45% over the last
two months as anticipation grows over the company's second fiscal
quarter earnings report, which is due Wednesday.

AT&T 1st-quarter net up 22%; adds net 1.3 mln wireless users

AT&T Inc. says first-quarter earnings jumped 22%, as the phone giant
added 1.3 million net wireless customers and was largely unaffected by a
slowing U.S. economy.

Home resales fall 2% to 4.93 million in March

Date: Tue, 22 Apr 2008 16:01:04 (GMT)
Home resales fall 2% to 4.93 million in March

The U.S. housing market weakened slightly in March, as resales of U.S.
homes fell, inventories climbed, and prices continued to decline, the
National Association of Realtors reports.

Futures Movers: Crude hits new intraday high of $118.47 a barrel

Crude-oil futures rise Tuesday to a new high of $118.47 a barrel as
lingering worries over oil-supply disruptions provided support for
prices.

McDonald's profit rises 24% on strong international sales

McDonald's posts a higher first-quarter profit as the fast-food giant
shows the benefits of strong international sales and a weaker dollar.

DuPont shares in retreat on lackluster U.S. forecast for 2008

E.I. du Pont de Nemours & Co. reports stronger-than-expected profit
growth of 26% for the first quarter, as management affirms its earnings
estimate for the year, but it's blue-chip shares weaken on a company
forecast calling for lackluster U.S. business conditions to continue
through 2008.

Bank of Canada cuts interest rates in face of slowing U.S. growth

The Bank of Canada cuts its benchmark interest rate by half a percentage
point as expected and also revises its growth estimate downward in line
with slowing U.S. growth.

Stocks fall at the open as Wall Street digests a deluge of corporate earnings and oil hits record high.

Date: Tue, 22 Apr 2008 09:32:09 -0400
Stocks fall at the open as Wall Street digests a deluge of corporate
earnings and oil hits record high.

Iraqi refugees find renewal in U.S.

Date: Tue, 22 Apr 2008

NEWS
Iraqi refugees find renewal in U.S.
---------------------------------------------
In more than 130 U.S. cities that have embraced a federal push to
welcome refugees, there is peace and a place to start a new life.

Tactics, training spur cop deaths drop
---------------------------------------------
A new emphasis on defensive tactics and weapons training is contributing
to a dramatic reduction in police officer fatalities across the country
after one of the deadliest years in two decades, law enforcement
officials say.

Strict EPA rules tag unlikely areas
---------------------------------------------
Smaller metropolitan areas not gritty urban centers are the most likely
to be labeled as smoggy under a strict definition that the Environmental
Protection Agency announced last month, an analysis by USA TODAY found.

MONEY
Drivers cut back as gas prices hit all-time high
---------------------------------------------
The average price for regular gasoline across the USA was a record
$3.508 a gallon Monday, eclipsing the inflation-adjusted peak of $3.413
set in March 1981 $1.417 back then according to the U.S. Energy
Information Administration.

Report: 'Wall Street Journal' top editor stepping down
---------------------------------------------
The top editor of The Wall Street Journal is planning to step down after
less than a year on the job and four months after the paper was taken
over by Rupert Murdoch's News Corp., according to a person familiar with
the situation.

Renters can't escape housing foreclosure crisis
---------------------------------------------
The most brutal real estate slump in decades is reverberating through
the rental market. Renters in properties that are being foreclosed on
are being evicted.

Breaking News Mon., April 21, 2008

Date: Mon, 21 Apr 2008 13:49:03 -0700 (PDT)

AVERAGE PRICE OF GASOLINE HITS $3.51, BREAKING RECORD SET IN 1981, THE
ENERGY DEPARTMENT REPORTS

Markets Monday, 04/21/2008

Monday, 4/21/2008

| Dow : 12825.02 down 24.34

| S & P : 1388.17 down 2.16

| NASDAQ: 2408.04 up 5.07

| Bond (10Y): 3.72%, 98.13

MARKETS:
Stocks shake off bigger losses
Dow and S&P 500 end lower after Bank ofAmerican
earnings disappoint, and oil and gas prices spike to new records. But
Nasdaq manages gains.

Bank of America profit falls 77%; loan-loss reserve bolstered

Date: Mon, 21 Apr 2008 21:06:04 (GMT)

Bank of America profit falls 77%; loan-loss reserve bolstered

Bank of America Corp.'s first-quarter profit falls 77% as credit-loss
provisions jump $4.78 billion.

Yahoo battle steps up rivalry between Microsoft, Google chiefs

The intense rivalry between tech chiefs Steve Ballmer and Eric Schmidt
has drawn greater attention with Microsoft's bid to take over Yahoo
Inc., a bold move that many believe would make the software giant more
competitive against Google. .

Shares of Novartis rise as first-quarter profit tops forecast

Novartis posts a forecast-beating 10% increase in first-quarter profit,
a reflection of the Swiss pharmaceutical giant's tight lid on costs as
well as the benefit to be derived from the weaker dollar.

Bank of England seeks to thaw frozen U.K. mortgage market

The Bank of England said it will swap up to 50 billion pounds worth of
Treasury bills for high-rated mortgage-backed securities with commercial
banks in an effort to unthaw frozen credit markets and ensure lower
interest rates are passed on to consumers.

World map of metabolism finds blood pressure clues

SCIENCE NEWS
World map of metabolism finds blood pressure clues

April 20, 2008 02:14 PM ET
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Researchers creating a map of human metabolism
around the world have found compounds in urine that point to
some surprising differences affecting blood pressure, based not on genes
but on what people eat and their gut bacteria.

Nasdaq finishes with gains; financials pressure Dow industrials, S&P

Date: Mon, 21 Apr 2008 16:04:29 -0400

Nasdaq finishes with gains; financials pressure Dow industrials, S&P
4/21/2008 4:01:15 PM

U.S. stocks lower as Bank of America disappoints

Date: Mon, 21 Apr 2008 12:09:41 -0400
U.S. stocks lower as Bank of America disappoints

NEW YORK
U.S. stocks decline after Bank of America Corp. reported earnings that
fell short of expectations and after National City Corp. said it would
offer shares at a discount.

Bank of America profit falls 77%; loan-loss reserve bolstered

Bank of America Corp.'s first-quarter profit falls 77% as credit-loss
provisions jump $4.78 billion.

Shares of Novartis rise as first-quarter profit tops forecast

Novartis posts a forecast-beating 10% increase in first-quarter profit,
a reflection of the Swiss pharmaceutical giant's tight lid on costs as
well as the benefit to be derived from the weaker dollar.

Bank of England seeks to thaw frozen U.K. mortgage market

The Bank of England said it will swap up to 50 billion pounds worth of
Treasury bills for high-rated mortgage-backed securities with commercial
banks in an effort to unthaw frozen credit markets and ensure lower
interest rates are passed on to consumers.

Merck reports profit spike on accounting gain

Despite largely flat worldwide sales, Merck & Co. reports dramatically
higher first-quarter earnings Monday, largely due to an accounting gain
related to its partnership with U.K. drug maker AstraZeneca plc.