The 3 Major Indices Lost Ground Today As Investors Reacted to The Labor Department's Employment Situation Report

All 3 major indexes retreated today as investors reacted to the Labor Department's Employment Situation report for March, 2006: the strong employment numbers may prompt The Fed to raise the benchmark Fed Funds Rate beyond 5% later this year. 1,528,061,230 shares were traded @ The New York Stock Exchange® today.


Shares of aluminum giant and Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) component Alcoa gained $0.34 to close @ $32.50.


Shares of Research In Motion lost $4.60 to close @ $79.78 on news that company projections for new BlackBerry subscribers for this quarter will miss analyst expectations.


Shares of Apple Computer fell by $1.45 to close @ $69.79.


Shares of Constellation lost $1.47 to close @ $23.99. Constellation is the global #1 wine producer.


Shares of ConocoPhillips lost $1.29 to close @ $65.96.


Shares of New York City's Consolidated Edison (ConEd) lost $0.83 to close @ $42.39.

Shares of Exelon Corp fell by $1.37 to close @ $51.95.


Summary of The New York Markets:

----------------------------------------------------------

DJIA: Closed Lower @ 11,120.04 (-96.46)

NASDAQ: Closed Lower @ 2,339.02 (-22.15)

S&P 500: Closed Lower @ 1,295.50 (-13.54)

----------------------------------------------------------

NYMEX Crude Oil Future closed @ $67.43/barrel

NY Spot Gold fell by $6.80 to close @ $587.80/ounce

Currently, The U.S. Dollar buys 0.8269 Euros

Currently, The Euro buys 1.2093 U.S. Dollars

The U.S. Prime Rate (WSJ Prime Rate) is 7.75%

>  SITEMAP  <

February 2006 Consumer Credit Status Report (Preliminary) Released Today

The preliminary Consumer Credit status report for February, 2006 was released by the Federal Reserve earlier this afternoon:

Consensus: +$4,000,000,000
Actual: +$3,300,000,000


The above figures represent the month-to-month change in total outstanding, installment-based consumer credit; includes car loans and credit cards.

The "consensus" is what economists were expecting, while the "actual" is the actual or real figure.

Click here to view the full Federal Reserve report.

>  SITEMAP  <

Employment Situation Report for March, 2006

The Employment Situation report for March, 2006 was released by The U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics this morning:

Average Hourly Earnings (month-to-month change)
Consensus: +0.3%
Actual: +0.2%


Non-farm Payrolls (month-to-month change)
Consensus: +185K
Actual: +211K


Average Workweek
Consensus: 33.8 hrs
Actual: 33.8 hrs


Unemployment Rate
Consensus: 4.8%
Actual: 4.7%

Economist, bankers and investors pay very close attention to the monthly Employment Situation report as it offers penetrating insight as to the current and near-future state of the overall U.S. economy. If Americans are earning more money and unemployment is low, then that typically translates to more money being pumped into the economy (and vice versa.)

If the Employment Situation report indicates wage inflation, then that usually translates to an increased likelihood that The Fed will raise interest rates @ the next FOMC meeting; consequently, stock and bond prices tend to wane, because higher interest rates mean less profits for the banking sector (higher mortgage rates = a slower mortgage / mortgage refinance market) and less consumer spending in general (credit card rates go up, etc.)

The "consensus" is what economists were expecting, while the "actual" is the actual or real figure.

Click here to view the full Department of Labor report.

>  SITEMAP  <

Of The 3 Major Indices, The NASDAQ Composite Was The Only Gainer Today

The NASDAQ Composite was the sole index to advance today of the 3 majors. 1,573,846,480 shares were traded @ The New York Stock Exchange® today.


Shares of Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) component Merck fell by $1.15 to close @ $34.84 on news that a jury sided with a man who claimed that Vioxx gave him a heart attack.

Shares of DJIA component 3M gained $3.92 to close @ $81.38 on news that first quarter profit outperformed company projections.


Shares of Apple Computer gained $4.03 to close @ $71.24.


Shares of Kohl's gained $1.93 to close @ $54.44.

Shares of Bed Bath & Beyond gained $2.50 to close @ $40.82 on news of better-than-expected fourth quarter profits.

Shares of upscale retailer Nordstrom gained $1.87 to $40.71.


Summary of The New York Markets:

----------------------------------------------------------

DJIA: Closed Lower @ 11,216.50 (-23.05)

NASDAQ: Closed Higher @ 2,361.17 (+1.42)

S&P 500: Closed Lower @ 1,309.04 (-2.52)

----------------------------------------------------------

NYMEX Crude Oil Future is currently @ $67.51/barrel

NY Spot Gold gained $7.00 to close @ $594.60/ounce

Currently, The U.S. Dollar buys 0.8197 Euros

Currently, The Euro buys 1.22 U.S. Dollars

The U.S. Prime Rate (WSJ Prime Rate) is 7.75%

>  SITEMAP  <

New Unemployment Insurance Claims for The Week Ending on April 1, 2006

The U.S. Department of Labor this morning released the New Unemployment Insurance Claims report for the week ending on April 1, 2006:

Consensus: 305,000
Actual: 299,000

The above figures represent the number of new claims for unemployment benefits for the entire United States. The "consensus" is what economists were expecting, while the "actual" is the actual or real figure.

Click here to view the full Labor Department report.

>  SITEMAP  <

All 3 Majors Advanced Today, Despite Crude for Future Delivery Crossing the $67 Mark

The 3 major indices gained ground today despite the fact that NYMEX crude oil for future delivery passed the $67 mark and continued upward. 1,614,481,840 shares were traded @ The New York Stock Exchange® today.


Shares of Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) component Alcoa gained $0.81 (2.62%) to close @ $31.67.


Are You Ready for Boot Camp?

Apple announced new software called Boot Camp that can be downloaded and installed on the new, Intel-based Macintosh computers which will allow users to boot to either the Mac operating system, or to Windows XP (you can't have both running at the same time, however.) Users who want to take advantage of these new powers would have to purchase a copy of Windows XP separately.

Shares of Apple gained $6.04 to close @ $67.21 in regular trading; the stock then added an additional $0.19 in after-hours action this evening.

Shares of DJIA component Microsoft gained $0.10 to close @ $27.74 in regular trading; the stock then added an additional $0.10 in after-hours trading.


Shares of PMC-Sierra gained $0.99 to close @ $13.25 on news that the company is planning to purchase semiconductor producer Passave Inc.


Shares of Career Education Corporation gained $5.04 to close @ $41.70. Career Education is the U.S. #2 (by size) operator of for-profit colleges.


Shares of Medtronic fell by $0.82 to close @ $50.58. Medtronic is the global #1 producer of heart devices.

Shares of heart device manufacturer St. Jude Medical fell by $5.05 to close @ $36.25.

Shares of Bausch & Lomb lost $2.39 to close @ $58.02.

Shares of Tenet Healthcare gained $1.12 to close @ $9.02.


Shares of Sears Holdings gained $6.19 to close @ $137.87 on news that the company will buyback $500 million worth of shares. Sears is the U.S. #1 department store chain.


As you might have guessed, many energy stocks did well as the price of crude escalated today.

Shares of ConocoPhillips gained $1.41 to close @ $66.56.

Shares of Valero Energy gained $2.66 to close @ $62.50.


Summary of The New York Markets:

----------------------------------------------------------

DJIA: Closed Higher @ 11,239.55 (+35.70)

NASDAQ: Closed Higher @ 2,359.75 (+14.39)

S&P 500: Closed Higher @ 1,311.56 (+5.63)

----------------------------------------------------------

NYMEX Crude Oil Future is currently @ $67.47/barrel

NY Spot Gold gained $1.90 to close @ $587.60/ounce

Currently, The U.S. Dollar buys 0.8141 Euros

Currently, The Euro buys 1.2284 U.S. Dollars

The U.S. Prime Rate (WSJ Prime Rate) is 7.75%

>  SITEMAP  <

Crude Oil Inventories Report for Week of March 31, 2006

The U.S. Crude Oil Inventories report for the week of March 31, 2006 was released this morning:

Weekly Change: +2,100,000 Barrels

Yearly Change: +25,700,000 Barrels

Current U.S. Crude Oil Stocks: 342,800,000 Barrels

Diminishing crude oil inventories can often translate to higher crude oil prices (and vice versa), but not always.

The report is produced by the Energy Information Administration (EIA).

Click here for a more detailed summary of The Week in Petroleum.

>  SITEMAP  <

The 3 Major Indices Advanced Today As Crude for Future Delivery Got Cheaper

The 3 major indexes gained ground today as crude oil for future delivery got cheaper. 1,512,407,510 shares were traded @ The New York Stock Exchange® today.


Shares of DJIA component Caterpillar climbed $1.80 to close @ $75.30. Keep an eye on Caterpillar: the stock may continue to perform well as the business of separating crude oil from Canadian sand increases.

Shares of DJIA component 3M gained $1.16 to close @ $77.00 on news that the company may be selling a drug-producing unit.


Shares of Apple Computer fell by $1.48 to close @ $61.17.

Shares of Google gained $14.64 to close @ $404.34.


Shares of Biomet gained $3.38 to close @ $38.16.


Shares of Computer Sciences gained $2.51 to close @ $59.80.

Shares of Check Point Software Technologies fell by $1.07 to close @ $18.76.


Shares of Best Buy advanced by $1.56 to close @ $57.00

Shares of Circuit City Stores gained $0.76 to close @ $24.17.


Shares of Lowe's gained $1.33 to close @ $65.51.


Summary of The New York Markets:

----------------------------------------------------------

DJIA: Closed Higher @ 11,203.85 (+58.91)

NASDAQ: Closed Higher @ 2,345.36 (+8.62)

S&P 500: Closed Higher @ 1,305.93 (+8.12)

----------------------------------------------------------

NYMEX Crude Oil Future is currently @ $66.19/barrel

NY Spot Gold fell $3.60 to close @ $585.70/ounce

Currently, The U.S. Dollar buys 0.816 Euros

Currently, The Euro buys 1.2255 U.S. Dollars

The U.S. Prime Rate (WSJ Prime Rate) is 7.75%

>  SITEMAP  <

Redbook Numbers for The Week of April 1, 2006

The Redbook numbers for the week of April 1, 2006 were released this morning:

Actual: -1.1%

The Redbook measures the weekly sales at chain stores, discount stores, and department stores--about 9,000 stores in total--and is therefore an important gauge of current consumer spending in the U.S. The above figure represents the year-to-year change in the Redbook sales figures, so sales are down 1.1% when compared to sales during the corresponding week back in April of 2005.

The weekly Johnson Redbook Index report is produced by Redbook Research.

>  SITEMAP  <

Dow and S&P Closed Up; NASDAQ Lost Ground

The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) and the S&P 500 Index both advanced today, but the NASDAQ Composite retreated. 1,701,354,630 shares were traded @ The New York Stock Exchange® today.


Shares of DJIA component Caterpillar gained $1.69 to close @ $73.50.

Shares of DJIA component General Motors lost $1.13 to close @ $20.14 on news that the company is selling its General Motors Acceptance Corporation (GMAC) unit to a group led by Cerberus Capital Management in a deal worth about $7.4 billion.


Shares of U.S. Steel gained $1.51 to close @ $62.19.

Shares of Joy Global gained $3.34 to close @ $63.11. Joy Global makes equipment for coal mining.

Shares of Terex Corporation gained $7.23 to close @ $86.47.

Shares of Phelps Dodge gained $3.20 to close @ $83.73.


Plenty of merger action so far this week, most notably between Alcatel and Lucent.

Service Corporation International announced plans to buy Alderwoods Group Incorporated in a deal worth about $856 million.

Shares of Alderwoods gained $1.45 to close @ $19.35.

Shares of Service Corporation gained $0.70 to close @ $8.50. Service Corporation is the U.S. #1 proprietor of cemeteries and funeral homes.


Ameristar Casinos has offered to purchase Aztar Corporation for an estimated $1.51 billion.

Shares of Aztar Corporation gained $2.61 to close @ $44.60. Aztar owns the Tropicana casinos in Las Vegas and Atlantic City.

Shares of Ameristar Casinos lost $1.78 to close @ $24.01.


Shares of Archer-Daniels-Midland (ADM) gained $1.56 to close @ $35.21. The stock may continue to make gains this year as the demand for ethanol increases. ADM is the U.S. #1 producer of corn-based ethanol.


Summary of The New York Markets:

----------------------------------------------------------

DJIA: Closed Higher @ 11,144.94 (+35.62)

NASDAQ: Closed Lower @ 2,336.74 (-3.05)

S&P 500: Closed Higher @ 1,297.81 (+2.98)

----------------------------------------------------------

NYMEX Crude Oil Future is currently @ $66.42/barrel

NY Spot Gold gained $7.80 to close @ $589.30/ounce

Currently, The U.S. Dollar buys 0.8235 Euros

Currently, The Euro buys 1.2144 U.S. Dollars

The U.S. Prime Rate (WSJ Prime Rate) is 7.75%

>  SITEMAP  <

U.S. Motor Vehicle Sales Report for March, 2006

The monthly domestic Motor Vehicle Sales report for March, 2006 was released this afternoon:

Consensus: 13,400,000
Actual: 13,100,000

The above figures represent unit sales of U.S.-made cars, minivans, SUV's and light trucks. The "consensus" is what economists were expecting, while the "actual" is the actual or real figure.

>  SITEMAP  <

Construction Spending for February, 2006

The U.S. Census Bureau--which is part of the U.S. Commerce Department--this morning released their monthly Construction Spending report for February, 2006:

Consensus: +0.5%
Actual: +0.8%

The above percentages represent the month-to-month change in new public and private construction activity for the United States. The "consensus" is what Wall Street forecasters were expecting, while the "actual" is the actual or real figure.

Click here to view the full report.

>  SITEMAP  <