Breaking News Sat., May 17, 2008

Date: Sat, 17 May 2008 11:22:16 -0700 (PDT)

SEN. TED KENNEDY HOSPITALIZED IN BOSTON AFTER SUFFERING APPARENT
SEIZURE, FAMILY SPOKESWOMAN SAYS

Markets Friday, 05/16/2008

Friday, 5/16/2008

| Dow : 12986.80 down 5.86

| S & P : 1425.35 up 1.78

| NASDAQ: 2528.85 down 4.88

| Bond (10Y): 3.84%, 100.56

MARKETS:
Stocks recover poise after earlier slip
Wall Street erases most of the day's losses as investors consider a rise
in commodity prices and a stronger-than-expected housing market report.

U.S. stocks end lower but book solid weekly gains

Date: Fri, 16 May 2008 17:04:47 -0400
U.S. stocks end lower but book solid weekly gains

U.S. stocks remain on track for Friday losses but full-week gains, as
crude-oil prices probe another record high and persistently weak
consumer confidence overshadow a surprising rise in April home
construction.

Transportation Dept. proposes slot auctions at JFK, Newark

The U.S. Transportation Department is proposing to require carriers to
auction off some of their existing takeoff and departure slots at two
major airports in an effort to relieve chronic air-traffic congestion in
the New York area.

Commodities Corner: Cheap oil may be history as $100 becomes the new
norm

The oil market hasn't had a lot of time to get used to triple-digit
prices, let alone the idea that $100 a barrel just might be a new price
floor and the concept that cheap oil is a thing of the past.

Economic Report: April housing starts surge on condo construction

U.S. home builders broke ground on 8.2% more homes in April, led by a
36% increase in multi-family units, the Commerce Department estimates.

Race would be Clinton's in winner-take-all format

The question gets asked from time to time: why don't Democrats abandon
their presidential selection process for a more decisive -- and swifter
-- winner-take-all system? And it's probably something Hillary Clinton
is asking right now, because under such a system, the Democratic
nomination probably would be hers now.

Nasdaq paces weekly advance, up 3.4%; S&P is Friday session's lone gainer

Date: Fri, 16 May 2008 16:13:57 -0400

Nasdaq paces weekly advance, up 3.4%; S&P is Friday session's lone
gainer
5/16/2008 4:10:18 PM

News Alert!

Date: Fri, 16 May 2008 16:00:02 -0400

Saudis Rebuff Bush As Oil Hits New High
President's Appeal For Increased Oil Production Again Rejected; Price Of
Crude Tops $127

Crude oil settles over $126 a barrel for the first time as geopolitical events sent prices on wild swings.

Date: Fri, 16 May 2008 15:09:03 -0400

Crude oil settles over $126 a barrel for the first time as geopolitical
events sent prices on wild swings.

Correction: Energy Department will cancel oil shipments to government reserves in July, not August.

Date: Fri, 16 May 2008 13:19:03 -0400

Correction: Energy Department will cancel oil shipments to government
reserves in July, not August.

AP reports Energy Department will cancel shipments to government reserves in August. Oil prices fall below $126.

Date: Fri, 16 May 2008 13:02:08 -0400

AP reports Energy Department will cancel shipments to government
reserves in August. Oil prices fall below $126.

Treasury Secretary Paulson says he expects 'faster pace of growth' by the end of the year, despite housing market challenges.

5/16/08

Treasury Secretary Paulson says he expects 'faster pace of growth' by
the end of the year, despite housing market challenges.

U.S. consumer sentiment at lowest level since 1980

Date: Fri, 16 May 2008 10:04:49 -0400

U.S. consumer sentiment at lowest level since 1980
5/16/2008 10:01:33 AM

U.S. housing starts jump 8.2% in April, much higher than anticipated

Date: Fri, 16 May 2008 08:34:19 -0400

U.S. housing starts jump 8.2% in April, much higher than anticipated
5/16/2008 8:31:09 AM

Stocks open mixed as investors consider soaring oil prices and a better-than-expected housing report.

Date: Fri, 16 May 2008 09:32:08 -0400

Stocks open mixed as investors consider soaring oil prices and a
better-than-expected housing report.

GE confirms it's considering sale of appliance business

Date: Fri, 16 May 2008 08:43:50 -0400

GE confirms it's considering sale of appliance business
5/16/2008 8:38:49 AM

Markets Thursday, 05/15/2008

Thursday, 5/15/2008

| Dow : 12992.66 up 94.28

| S & P : 1423.57 up 14.91

| NASDAQ: 2533.73 up 37.03

| Bond (10Y): 3.84%, 99.81

MARKETS:
Stocks surge on tech advance
Wall Street advances as investors weigh fluctuating oil prices, mixed
economic news, corporate deals and speculation.

U.S. stocks rise on activity on deal-making front

Date: Thu, 15 May 2008 17:03:57 -0400
U.S. stocks rise on activity on deal-making front

U.S. stocks shift higher as deal-making in the online media space
bolsters expectations of more merger activity, helping investors shrug
off rising energy costs and a slew of economic reports.

Icahn plans to take on Yahoo and replace board

Wealthy investor activist Carl Icahn is launching a proxy fight to
replace the board of Yahoo, saying the Net bellwether acted
'irrationally' in rejecting a buyout offer from Microsoft recently.

Oil futures end slightly lower as natural gas prices drop 2%

Crude-oil futures turn lower, retreating from an earlier climb of as
much as $2 a barrel, as a bigger-than-expected climb in U.S. natural gas
supplies pushes prices for natural gas to their lowest level in more
than a week.

CBS to buy CNet Networks for $1.8 billion

CBS will buy CNet Networks Inc. at a 45% premium, as the TV broadcasting
giant moves to tap into the Internet to grow its business.

Breaking News: Calif. overturns gay marriage ban

Date: Thu, 15 May 2008 12:17:43 -0500

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - The California Supreme Court has overturned a gay
marriage ban in a ruling that would make the nation's largest state the
second one to allow gay and lesbian weddings.

Icahn plans to take on Yahoo board

Date: Thu, 15 May 2008 12:03:00 -0400
Icahn plans to take on Yahoo board

Wealthy investor activist Carl Icahn says he plans to launch a proxy
fight to replace the board of Yahoo, saying the Net bellwether acted
'irrationally' in rejecting a buyout offer from Microsoft recently.

CBS to buy CNet Networks for $1.8 billion

CBS will buy CNet Networks Inc. at a 45% premium, as the TV broadcasting
giant moves to tap into the Internet to grow its business.

Charlotte dethrones Asheville, N.C., as best place to live

Apparently, there's just something about North Carolina. For the second
year in a row, America's best city in which to live lies within its
borders, according to Relocate-America.com's annual list.

French, German economies accelerated growth in first quarter

France and Germany showed no signs of an economic slowdown in the first
three months of the year, with growth in gross domestic product
accelerating in the euro-zone's two largest countries, according to data
released Thursday.

IntercontinentalExchange trading platform is down, ICE exec confirms

Date: Thu, 15 May 2008 11:03:37 -0400

IntercontinentalExchange trading platform is down, ICE exec confirms
5/15/2008 11:00:16 AM

Fewer Americans will travel this Memorial Day due to surging fuel prices, AAA reports.

Date: Thu, 15 May 2008 10:05:06 -0400

Fewer Americans will travel this Memorial Day due to surging fuel
prices, AAA reports.

Stocks tiptoe lower at the open as investors analyze the latest readings on unemployment and manufacturing.

Date: Thu, 15 May 2008 09:33:04 -0400

Stocks tiptoe lower at the open as investors analyze the latest readings
on unemployment and manufacturing.

News Alert!

Date: Thu, 15 May 2008 08:30:02 -0400

China: Quake Death Toll Could Hit 50,000

State TV Says Cabinet Members Predicted Deaths From 7.9 Earthquake Could
More Than Double

Icahn seeks FTC antitrust clearance to buy $2.5 billion Yahoo stock, pushes Microsoft deal

Date: Thu, 15 May 2008 08:55:48 -0400

Icahn seeks FTC antitrust clearance to buy $2.5 billion Yahoo stock,
pushes Microsoft deal
5/15/2008 8:52:33 AM

Markets Wednesday, 05/14/2008

Wednesday, 5/14/2008

| Dow : 12898.38 up 66.20

| S & P : 1408.66 up 5.62

| NASDAQ: 2496.70 up 1.58

| Bond (10Y): 3.91%, 99.81

MARKETS:
Stocks manage slim gains
Wall Street closes off session highs as relief about mild inflation
report peters out.

U.S. stocks close ahead as data points to tame inflation

Date: Wed, 14 May 2008 17:04:19 -0400

U.S. stocks close ahead as data points to tame inflation

U.S. stocks rallyafter April data calm worries about inflation, helping
lift financial and consumer discretionary stocks, and Freddie Mac
reports smaller losses than expected, offsetting credit-market jitters.

MarketWatch First Take: Whole Foods reality check

Whole Foods is up against some serious macroeconomics. Like Starbucks,
the high-end purveyor of organic foods with the killer cheese counter
has seen growth in its same-store sales slowly erode as it taps out its
core market of customers.

Economic Report: Consumer inflation tame in April

Growth in U.S. consumer prices moderates in April, up 0.2%, with
decelerating energy prices offsetting rising food prices. Labor
Department data show growth in food prices rising at the sharpest rate
in 18 years.

Analysts cast doubts on Icahn's reported Yahoo move

SAN FRANCISCO
Some Wall Street analysts are expressing doubt that billionaire activist
investor Carl Icahn would be successful in putting Yahoo back into
merger talks with Microsoft if he decides to mount a proxy battle for
control of the Web portal's board.

Election Notebook: Look for Clinton to exit after last primary,
strategists say

Her overwhelming victory in West Virginia notwithstanding, Hillary
Clinton will likely exit the Democratic race shortly after Montana and
South Dakota voters go to the polls on June 3.

Breaking News Wed., May 14, 2008

Date: Wed, 14 May 2008 14:13:54 -0700

FORMER CANDIDATE JOHN EDWARDS HAS ENDORSED BARACK OBAMA FOR PRESIDENT.

China quake toll could reach 20,000

Date: Wed, 14 May 2008 05:49:36 -0500

NEWS

W.Va. blowout bolsters Clinton's resolve
---------------------------------------------
Hillary Rodham Clinton crushed Barack Obama by more than 2-1 in the West
Virginia primary Tuesday a victory that was surely personally satisfying
but came as the Democratic presidential nomination is nearly in the
grasp of her rival.

China earthquake death toll could reach 20,000
---------------------------------------------
China began airlifting aid to the areas worst hit by a massive
earthquake Wednesday, while state media reported several thousand deaths
near the epicenter that accounted for 80% of one town's population. The
new figures appeared certain to push the death toll well beyond the
reported 12,000.

Bush opens Mideast tour, marks Israel's 60 years
---------------------------------------------
President Bush on Wednesday opened a celebratory visit to Israel where
he'll make a new push for peace in the long-troubled Middle East. "We
consider the Holy Land a very special place, and we consider the Israeli
people our close friends," Bush said.

MONEY

Taco Bell's new menu goes for a cheap fill
---------------------------------------------
Taco Bell may be emerging from taco hell. It hasn't been easy. There was
the E. coli outbreak in late 2006 that sickened 70 and closed dozens of
restaurants. Then, the rat infestation at a New York City unit in 2007
that became an Internet must-see.

Smart puts 'high level of safety into very small package'
---------------------------------------------
The tiniest car sold in the USA posted some of the best crash-test
results, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety will announce
today.

FBI warns of escalating mortgage fraud
---------------------------------------------
The sinking housing market is fertile ground for mortgage fraud, the FBI
warns in a new report. The agency said Tuesday that reports of suspected
mortgage fraud rose 31% to 46,717 from 35,617 in the previous fiscal
year ending Oct. 31.

China quake toll could reach 20,000

Date: Wed, 14 May 2008 05:49:36 -0500

NEWS

W.Va. blowout bolsters Clinton's resolve
---------------------------------------------
Hillary Rodham Clinton crushed Barack Obama by more than 2-1 in the West
Virginia primary Tuesday a victory that was surely personally satisfying
but came as the Democratic presidential nomination is nearly in the
grasp of her rival.

China earthquake death toll could reach 20,000
---------------------------------------------
China began airlifting aid to the areas worst hit by a massive
earthquake Wednesday, while state media reported several thousand deaths
near the epicenter that accounted for 80% of one town's population. The
new figures appeared certain to push the death toll well beyond the
reported 12,000.

Bush opens Mideast tour, marks Israel's 60 years
---------------------------------------------
President Bush on Wednesday opened a celebratory visit to Israel where
he'll make a new push for peace in the long-troubled Middle East. "We
consider the Holy Land a very special place, and we consider the Israeli
people our close friends," Bush said.

MONEY

Taco Bell's new menu goes for a cheap fill
---------------------------------------------
Taco Bell may be emerging from taco hell. It hasn't been easy. There was
the E. coli outbreak in late 2006 that sickened 70 and closed dozens of
restaurants. Then, the rat infestation at a New York City unit in 2007
that became an Internet must-see.

Smart puts 'high level of safety into very small package'
---------------------------------------------
The tiniest car sold in the USA posted some of the best crash-test
results, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety will announce
today.

FBI warns of escalating mortgage fraud
---------------------------------------------
The sinking housing market is fertile ground for mortgage fraud, the FBI
warns in a new report. The agency said Tuesday that reports of suspected
mortgage fraud rose 31% to 46,717 from 35,617 in the previous fiscal
year ending Oct. 31.

U.S. food prices rise 0.9% -- their largest monthly increase in 18 years

Date: Wed, 14 May 2008 08:36:51 -0400

U.S. food prices rise 0.9% -- their largest monthly increase in 18
years
5/14/2008 8:33:39 AM

The consumer price index, a key inflation gauge, rose 0.2% in April - less than expected - despite surging food prices.

Date: Wed, 14 May 2008 08:35:09 -0400

The consumer price index, a key inflation gauge, rose 0.2% in April -
less than expected - despite surging food prices.

Stocks edge up at the open as Wall Street parses a CPI report showing inflation grew at a slower than expected pace.

Date: Wed, 14 May 2008 09:32:08 -0400

Stocks edge up at the open as Wall Street parses a CPI report showing
inflation grew at a slower than expected pace.

Breaking News: Hillary Clinton wins W. Va. primary, AP projects

Date: Tue, 13 May 2008 18:32:37 -0500

Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton has won the West Virginia Democratic
presidential primary, according to Associated Press projections.

Markets Tuesday, 05/13/2008

Tuesday, 5/13/2008

| Dow : 12832.18 down 44.13

| S & P : 1403.04 down 0.54

| NASDAQ: 2495.12 up 6.63

| Bond (10Y): 3.92%, 99.63

MARKETS:
Stocks end mixed on record oil prices
Wall Street slips just a bit as investors weigh oil's record price, the
stronger dollar and the Fed's upbeat statements about economy.

U.S. stocks end mostly off with financials weighing

Date: Tue, 13 May 2008 17:06:38 -0400
U.S. stocks end mostly off with financials weighing

U.S. stocks try but mostly fail to reverse course on an earlier slide,
with only the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite Index remaining higher,
following a report that Carl Icahn might try to take over the board of
Yahoo.

Toll Brothers CEO says home buyers remain on the sidelines

The chief executive of Toll Brothers, the nation's largest builder of
luxury homes, says buyers didn't materialize this spring as sales and
prices continued to plunge in the company's latest quarter.

Food Futures: Wheat falls for third day on rising output expectations

Wheat futures fall for a third day on expectations that next year's
world wheat production will rise to a record.

Hewlett-Packard to buy EDS for $13.9B to create IT giant

Hewlett-Packard Co. will buy information-technology giant for $13.9
billion in a deal that will significantly expand its services business
and help it challenge IBM.

The Fed: Inflation has peaked, Fed's Yellen says

Seeking to ease fears that rising oil and food prices will spark an
inflation brushfire, San Francisco Fed President Janet Yellen says
prices have probably peaked.

Dow industrials dip, pressured by financials, H-P shares; Nasdaq clings to gain

Date: Tue, 13 May 2008 16:05:10 -0400

Dow industrials dip, pressured by financials, H-P shares; Nasdaq clings
to gain
5/13/2008 4:01:51 PM

Senate votes 97-1 to force President Bush to stop adding to Strategic Petroleum Reserve - Dow Jones reports.

Date: Tue, 13 May 2008 12:08:03 -0400

Senate votes 97-1 to force President Bush to stop adding to Strategic
Petroleum Reserve - Dow Jones reports.

Senate votes 97-1 to force President Bush to stop adding to Strategic Petroleum Reserve - Dow Jones reports.

Date: Tue, 13 May 2008 12:08:03 -0400

Senate votes 97-1 to force President Bush to stop adding to Strategic
Petroleum Reserve - Dow Jones reports.

U.S. stocks slide after early flood of economic data

Date: Tue, 13 May 2008 12:03:13 -0400
U.S. stocks slide after early flood of economic data

NEW YORK
U.S. stocks struggle in mixed action after the government said soaring
fuel prices did not prevent consumers from shopping as much as
expected.

The Fed: Financial markets 'still far from normal,' Fed's Bernanke says

Despite some signs of improvement, Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke
says financial markets remain severely stressed.

Hewlett-Packard to buy EDS for $13.9B to create IT giant

Hewlett-Packard Co. will buy information-technology giant for $13.9
billion in a deal that will significantly expand its services business
and help it challenge IBM.

Economic Report: U.S. retail sales drop; April weakness is concentrated
in autos

U.S. retail sales fall for the third time in the past five months in
April, led by a big decline in auto sales. But the overall drop of 0.2%
isn't as much as many recession-minded economists had been looking for.

Wal-Mart net rises 6.9%, but company cautions uncertain outlooks

Wal-Mart Stores Inc., the world's largest retailer and discounter, says
its first-quarter profit rose 7%, driven by international growth and
penny-pinching U.S. consumers seeking value.

Home prices dropped 7.7% in 1st quarter, marking the largest year-over-year decline since 1982, Realtors' group says.

Date: Tue, 13 May 2008 10:04:02 -0400

Home prices dropped 7.7% in 1st quarter, marking the largest
year-over-year decline since 1982, Realtors' group says.

Stocks open higher after better-than-expected retail sales and somewhat calming words from Fed chief Bernanke about the economy.

Date: Tue, 13 May 2008 09:31:02 -0400

Stocks open higher after better-than-expected retail sales and somewhat
calming words from Fed chief Bernanke about the economy.

U.S. retail sales for April down 0.2%, not as much as expected

Date: Tue, 13 May 2008 08:35:08 -0400

U.S. retail sales for April down 0.2%, not as much as expected
5/13/2008 8:31:49 AM

Breaking News

Date: Mon, 12 May 2008 19:23:03 -0400

The number of people killed by a 7.9-magnitude earthquake in China has
risen to nearly 10,000, state-run media report.

Breaking News

Date: Mon, 12 May 2008 19:23:03 -0400

The number of people killed by a 7.9-magnitude earthquake in China has
risen to nearly 10,000, state-run media report.

Markets Monday, 05/12/2008

Monday, 5/12/2008

| Dow : 12876.31 up 130.43

| S & P : 1403.58 up 15.30

| NASDAQ: 2488.49 up 42.97

| Bond (10Y): 3.79%, 100.66

MARKETS:
Stocks stage recovery
Wall Street gains as investors eye falling commodity prices and scoop up
equities after last week's decline.

H-P in talks to acquire EDS; deal could be worth up to $13B

Date: Mon, 12 May 2008 17:08:35 -0400
H-P in talks to acquire EDS; deal could be worth up to $13B

SAN FRANCISCO
Hewlett-Packard Co. confirmed Monday that it is in "advanced
discussions" to acquire technology services giant Electronic Data
Systems Corp. The deal could be wroth up to $13 billion, according to a
report in the Wall Street Journal.

Chinese authorities push up death toll from Sichuan quake

China is reeling from its most severe earthquake in more than 30 years,
with authorities ratcheting up the death toll in the hours after the
quake hit the Sichuan province to more than 8,500, at last count.

Market Snapshot: U.S. stocks pull solidly higher amid reports of HP deal
for EDS

U.S. stocks step firmly higher, gaining on news that bond insurer MBIA
revised its first-quarter earnings report to show positive revenue, and
with investors also taking heart from oil coming off record highs.

RIM shares hit all-time high on launch of 3G BlackBerry

Research in Motion unveiled its first 3G version of its popular
BlackBerry device Monday, following weeks of speculation about how the
mobile-phone maker would broaden its product line to compete against a
potential onslaught from the iPhone.

Overseas growth, value-hunting to lift Wal-Mart: analysts

International growth and penny-pinching U.S. consumers seeking value are
expected to help bolster first-quarter results at the world's largest
retailer and discounter.

Nasdaq's 1.7% surge leads U.S. indexes to higher close

Date: Mon, 12 May 2008 16:07:55 -0400

Nasdaq's 1.7% surge leads U.S. indexes to higher close
5/12/2008 4:04:43 PM

U.S. stocks pull solidly higher as oil retreats from highs

Date: Mon, 12 May 2008 12:02:46 -0400
U.S. stocks pull solidly higher as oil retreats from highs

U.S. stocks step firmly higher, with investors heartened by gains in the
dollar and as oil retreats from record highs, helping offset a profit
warning from FedEx Corp. .

7.8-magnitude quake in China's Sichuan kills thousands

An earthquake measuring 7.8 on the Richter scale hit China's southwest
Sichuan province Monday afternoon, killing up to 5,000 people, according
to Chinese news reports.

Research in Motion launches first 3G BlackBerry

Research in Motion unveiled its first 3G version of its popular
BlackBerry device Monday, following weeks of speculation about how the
mobile-phone maker would broaden its product line to compete against a
potential onslaught from the iPhone.

Metals Stocks: Gold futures fall, pressured by dollar gains

Gold futures sink toward $880 an ounce, pressured by strength in the
dollar and by declining crude-oil prices.

Tornado season deadliest in a decade

Date: Mon, 12 May 2008 05:50:34 -0500

NEWS

U.S. first airlift relief arrives in Burma
---------------------------------------------
The first U.S. relief airlift has arrived in Burma carrying emergency
supplies for last week's cyclone victims.

Tornado season deadliest in a decade
---------------------------------------------
A near-record number of tornadoes that has pushed the U.S. death toll --
including 47 killer twisters over the weekend -- to a 10-year high.

Gates praises MRAPs as lifesavers
---------------------------------------------
Few troops have been killed or wounded by roadside bomb attacks in Iraq
while riding in new armored vehicles, Defense Secretary Robert Gates
said, evidence of the value of the vehicles he made the military's top
priority.

MONEY

Hybrids recoup higher cost in less time
---------------------------------------------
Rising fuel prices and competition among a proliferation of
gasoline-electric hybrids have sliced the payback period for hybrids to
two or three years in some cases, instead of five years or more that
made hybrids harder to justify at lower fuel prices.

States remove local barriers to eco-friendly homes
---------------------------------------------
States eager to promote renewable energy are increasingly passing laws
that allow homeowners to overcome local opposition to home solar panels
and wind turbines.

Bush, Congress set for clash over $300B farm bill
---------------------------------------------
Congress and the White House this week head toward a collision over a
five-year, $300 billion farm bill that the Bush administration says is
stuffed with wasteful handouts to wealthy growers, but that supporters
defend as a needed rural safety net that also expands nutrition aid for
the poor.

Breaking news: Up to 5,000 feared dead in China earthquake

Date: Mon, 12 May 2008 08:28:32 -0500

BEIJING - A powerful earthquake struck central China on Monday and state
media reported that as many as 5,000 people were killed in a single
county. Nearly 900 students were trapped after their school collapsed.

Breaking News: Massive earthquake rocks China

BREAKING NEWS

May 12, 2008

Breaking News: Massive earthquake rocks China

State media says the strong earthquake that struck China today has
buried nearly 900 students in Sichuan province.