2010 Economic Calendar





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Stock futures inch higher ahead of GDP reading
Stock futures rise slightly as investors await reading on 1st-quarter economic growth


Buzz up! 0 Print..Companies:Goldman Sachs Group Inc..Related Quotes
Symbol Price Change
GS 160.24 0.00


{"s" : "gs","k" : "a00,a50,b00,b60,c10,g00,h00,l10,p20,t10,v00","o" : "","j" : ""} Stephen Bernard, AP Business Writer, On Friday April 30, 2010, 6:54 am
NEW YORK (AP) -- Stock futures inched higher Friday as investors take a cautious approach to trading before the government reports on economic growth in the first quarter.

The report is expected to provide the surest sign yet that the economy is recovering. Economic reports and earnings results in recent months have shown consistent improvement as the nation tries to bounce back from recession.

Economists polled by Thomson Reuters forecast the gross domestic product grew at a 3.4 percent annual rate during the first three months of the year. A bounce back in consumer spending likely helped drive growth during the first quarter. A strong consumer is considered vital to a sustained rebound.

It would be the third straight quarterly gain in GDP. The economy grew by 5.6 percent during the fourth quarter as businesses restocked inventories and the government spent heavily to stimulate the economy.

Until the report comes out later Friday, however, investors are keeping a lid on any big moves.

Ahead of the opening bell, Dow Jones industrial average futures rose 5, or less than 0.1 percent, to 11,140. Standard & Poor's 500 index futures rose 1.30, or 0.1 percent, to 1,206.60, while Nasdaq 100 index futures rose 3.75, or 0.2 percent, to 2,044.75.

Signs of an improving domestic economy have pushed stocks higher the past two days, after fresh concerns about European debt problems sent shares plummeting on Tuesday. The Dow jumped 122 points Thursday, its biggest jump since March 5, after another batch of strong earnings and a Labor Department report that showed initial claims for jobless benefits fell last week.

In the last trading session of April, the Dow is again set to post a monthly gain. However, unless the Dow can rise by at least 37 points Friday, the index would snap a streak of eight straight weekly gains.

Despite the gains the past two days, investors are still keeping an eye on the European debt problems. The biggest concerns are in Greece, where the country faces loan repayments in a couple of weeks. If it is unable to tap a joint European Union and International Monetary Fund bailout package before May 19, the country could default on its debt.

Analysts fear that debt problems will spread across the continent and stunt a global economic recovery.

Greece, Portugal and Spain all saw their debt ratings slashed by Standard & Poor's earlier this week. Greece's was cut to junk status. Lower ratings make it more expensive to borrow money, which would only add to debt burdens already facing some European nations.

European markets were mixed Friday. Britain's FTSE 100 fell 0.4 percent, Germany's DAX index rose 0.3 percent, and France's CAC-40 fell 0.1 percent.

The euro rose against the dollar, but analysts remain cautious about its long-term future. Some have said that the debt problems could further drive down its value or lead to a split among the 16 countries that share the currency.

In corporate news, Goldman Sachs Group Inc. is again facing scrutiny. The big Wall Street bank -- which is already facing civil fraud charges for misrepresenting details about subprime mortgage securities -- is now also facing a criminal investigation.

The Justice Department has opened a criminal investigation against the bank over the mortgage securities deals it arranged. Many blame the credit crisis on the collapse of similar securities which were traded by many banks around the world.

Goldman shares fell $4.44, or 2.8 percent, to $155.80 in pre-opening trading.

Meanwhile, bond prices dipped. The yield on the benchmark 10-year Treasury note, which moves opposite its price, rose to 3.74 percent from 3.73 percent late Thursday.

Gold and oil both rose.

World stocks rise amid Greek bailout hopes
World markets push higher amid Greek bailout hopes; focus on US growth data later


Buzz up! 0 Print..Topics:International.
Pedestrians wait to cross a street in front of a Tokyo securities office's electronic stock board indicating the Nikkei 225 stock average rose 132.61 points, or 1.2 percent, to close at 11,057.40 in Tokyo, Japan, Friday, April 30, 2010. Asian stocks advanced Friday, following overseas markets higher as signs the U.S. economy was healing and debt-ridden Greece might soon be rescued eased anxiety about the global outlook. (AP Photo/Koji Sasahara)
Pan Pylas, AP Business Writer, On Friday April 30, 2010, 6:49 am
LONDON (AP) -- European stocks traded in a narrow range Friday as investors warily awaited the completion of a Greek support package and looked ahead of U.S. economic figures set to show the world's largest economy continuing to grow solidly.

In Europe, the FTSE 100 index of leading British shares was down 11.42 points, or 0.2 percent, at 5,606.42 while France's CAC-40 index fell 13.08 points, or 0.3 percent, to 3,827.54. Germany's DAX was up 26.95 points, or 0.4 percent, at 6,171.86.

Once again, most attention in the markets remains on the Greek debt crisis -- while most investors expect a bailout loan package to be agreed by this weekend, there have been so many shocks and delays in this crisis that they remain reluctant to get too euphoric.

"The situation remains tense with bonds and equities likely to whipsaw until a formal arrangement has been negotiated," said Jeremy Batstone-Carr, director of private client research at stockbrokers Charles Stanley.

Greece has to find euro8.5 billion to pay off debtors on May 19 and the way the bond markets are at the open -- especially after Standard & Poor's downgraded the country's debt to junk status earlier this week -- Greece is relying on getting the money from its 15 partners in the eurozone and the International Monetary Fund.

Mounting fears that Germany might hold up its share of the overall euro45 billion bailout package agreed earlier this month was the catalyst to this week's market turmoil.

The consensus in the markets now is that a much more extensive package will be offered to Greece than the original one-year euro45 billion deal agreed -- that has helped to shore up confidence in the markets and Europe's main stock indexes have advanced while the euro has clambered off its recent lows.

Confirmation of a deal could well come over the long weekend -- Europe's main markets are closed Monday for the May Day holiday.

Even if Greece gets the money, it has years of painful austerity ahead.

Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou said Friday that more needs to be done.

"There is still a long way to go before Greece's ails are healed," said Jane Foley, research director at Forex.com.

"Given that the already announced doses of austerity will ensure Greece remains in recession this year, there is no guarantee that Greece will be able to tolerate continued belt tightening over the next couple of years," said Foley.

For now though, hopes of an imminent agreement has helped ease the pressure on the euro, which earlier this week slid to a one-year low against the dollar -- by late morning London time, the euro rose 0.5 percent to $1.3306.

Away from Greece, investors will have one major news release to digest this afternoon before wrapping up for the weekend -- the first estimate of U.S. economic growth for the first quarter of 2010.

The consensus in the markets is that the U.S. economy grew at a 3.4 percent annual rate -- that would mark the third straight quarterly gain as the United States heals from the longest recession since the 1930s.

Ahead of the data, Wall Street was poised for a solid opening after gains on Thursday, when stocks rallied after a series of upbeat earnings reports and a reading on unemployment that suggested layoffs might be slowing.

Analysts pointed out that a sharp deviation from the consensus could alter expectations for Wall Street's open.

Dow futures were up 9 points, or 0.1 percent, at 11,144 while the broader Standard & Poor's 500 futures rose 1.3 point, or 0.1 percent, at 1,206.60.

Earlier in Asia, Japan's Nikkei 225 stock average rose 132.61 points, or 1.2 percent, at 11,057.40, while Hong Kong's Oil prices rose, with benchmark crude for June delivery up 60 cents to $85.77 a barrel. The contract rose $1.95 to settle at $85.17 on Thursday.

AP Business Writer Jeremiah Marquez in Hong Kong contributed to this report.

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Jobless claims fall to lowest level in 4 weeks
Unemployment claims fall by 11,000 to 448,000, as job market slowly improves


Buzz up! 0 Print..Companies:Caterpillar Inc.EI DuPont de Nemours & Co.Estee Lauder Companies Inc.Topics:Industrial Goods.
In this April 27, 2010 photo, job-seekers wait in line to attend a job fair in Tacoma, Wash. The number of Americans filing claims for unemployment benefits dropped for a second consecutive week, further evidence that the job market is slowing improving.(AP Photo/Ted S. Warren)

Related Quotes
Symbol Price Change
CAT 68.97 0.00

DD 39.46 0.00

EL 66.60 0.00

F 13.25 0.00

WHR 110.68 0.00


{"s" : "cat,dd,el,f,whr","k" : "a00,a50,b00,b60,c10,g00,h00,l10,p20,t10,v00","o" : "","j" : ""} Martin Crutsinger, AP Economics Writer, On Thursday April 29, 2010, 8:57 am
WASHINGTON (AP) -- The number of Americans filing claims for unemployment benefits dropped for a second consecutive week, further evidence that the job market is slowing improving.

The Labor Department said Thursday that initial applications for jobless benefits dropped by 11,000 to 448,000, the lowest level in four weeks. The new total was slightly higher than economists had expected.

The four-week average for claims edged up slightly to 462,500, still above the level that economists believe signals sustained improvements in the job market.

Claims have been on a rollercoaster in recent weeks, posting sharp increases in the first two weeks of April and then falling for the past two weeks. Part of those swings reflected troubles that the government has in seasonally adjusting the figures around Easter which falls at different times each year.

However, economists said the uneven declines in claims also reflect the fact that the labor market is still struggling to emerge from the country's worst recession since the 1930s.

The unemployment rate has been stuck at 9.7 percent for three consecutive months. Many economists believe that the 10.1 percent jobless rate hit in October may turn out to be the peak for unemployment in this slump but they are not forecasting a rapid improvement given all the headwinds still facing the economy. The economy did add 162,000 jobs in March, the largest increase in three years.

Sal Guatieri, senior economist at BMO Capital Markets, said the new claims report showed that "U.S. labor markets continue to heal, slowly."

Guatieri predicted that payrolls should show a moderate gain in April. The consensus view of economists surveyed by Thomson Reuters is that payroll jobs increased by 175,000 in April while the unemployment rate will remain stuck at 9.7 percent. The Labor Department will release the April jobless report on May 7.

Many analysts believe that the four-week moving average needs to fall below 425,000 to signal sustained job growth. Applications for jobless benefits peaked during the recession at 651,000 in March 2009.

The number of people continuing to claims benefits fell by 18,000 to 4.65 million.

That figure lags the initial claims by one week. It doesn't include millions of people who have used up the regular 26 weeks of benefits typically provided by states and are receiving extended benefits of up to 73 additional weeks paid by the federal government.

About 5.4 million people were receiving extended benefits for the week ending April 10, the latest data available.

The department said that 43 states and territories had declines in claims for the week ending April 17 while 10 states saw increases.

The states with the largest declines were New York, a drop of 21,000 which was attributed to fewer layoffs in the service and transportation industries, and California, which saw claims fall by 15,380.

The states and territories with the largest increases in claims for the week of April 17 were Puerto Rico, up 3,549; Iowa, up 1,606, and Georgia, up 1,412.

There have been some hopeful signs recently in the economy. Many companies are reporting strong first-quarter profits as consumers, who account for 70 percent of the total economy, spend more.

While the profit turnaround has not yet produced a dramatic increase in hiring, it at least provides hope that the worst of the economic slump is over.

Companies in the Standard & Poor's 500 index have reported 76 percent higher operating earnings than a year ago -- on pace to be the biggest year-over-year increase ever, according to S&P analyst Howard Silverblatt. Nearly half the companies in the index have reported earnings so far.

Part of the reason for the big jump is that the economy was hitting the depths of the recession a year ago, making the rebound look more impressive.

Among the winners was Ford Motor Co. which reported a $2.1 billion profit on 15 percent higher revenue for the first quarter this year and said it plans to boost production. Caterpillar Inc. also reversed a loss from a year ago and said demand for its construction and mining equipment is surging.

A number of major corporations have boosted their full-year profit forecasts this month. This week alone, the list includes DuPont Co., Estee Lauder Cos. and Whirlpool Corp.

Stock futures rise, point to higher opening
Stock futures climb ahead of jobs report; European debt problems remain in focus


Buzz up! 0 Print..Topics:Stocks.Stephen Bernard, AP Business Writer, On Thursday April 29, 2010, 6:47 am
NEW YORK (AP) -- Stock futures are rising as investors again turn their attention to signs of an improving domestic economy.

Hewlett-Packard says that it is buying Palm. Acquisitions are a sign that the economy is recovering and companies are comfortable spending cash reserves to build their businesses.

Plenty of earnings will also be released throughout the day to provide insight on how strong the economy is rebounding. And the Labor Department's weekly report on initial jobless claims is expected to show a drop in newly unemployed workers seeking unemployment benefits.

Dow Jones industrial average futures are up 40, or 0.4 percent, at 11,055. Standard & Poor's 500 index futures are up 6.60, or 0.6 percent, at 1,196.70, while Nasdaq 100 index futures are up 9.50, or 0.5 percent, at 2,016.25.

European markets steady as Greek debt fears ease
European markets steady as Greek debt fears ease amid hopes of a bigger bailout


Buzz up! 0 Print..Topics:International.
Brokers work under the panel of the German stock index DAX in Frankfurt, central Germany, Wednesday, April 28, 2010. (AP Photo/Michael Probst)
Pan Pylas, AP Business Writer, On Thursday April 29, 2010, 6:31 am
LONDON (AP) -- European stock markets rose modestly Thursday as investors hoped for a quicker -- and perhaps bigger -- bailout for debt-ridden Greece and after a fairly upbeat assessment of the U.S. economy by the Federal Reserve.

In Europe, the FTSE 100 index of leading British shares was up 20.08 points, or 0.4 percent, at 5,606.69 while Germany's DAX rose 13.16 points, or 0.2 percent, to 6,097.50. The CAC-40 in France was 16.71 points, or 0.4 percent, higher at 3,803.71.

Wall Street was poised for a fairly perky opening following Wednesday's late rally into positive territory -- Dow futures were up 19 points, or 0.2 percent, at 11,034 while the broader Standard & Poor's 500 futures rose 3.7 points, or 0.3 percent, to 1,193.80.

Markets are less jittery Thursday following two days of turmoil stoked by Standard & Poor's decision to downgrade its ratings on Portugal, Spain and Greece -- the latter's bonds are now junk status.

With stocks sinking -- along with markets' faith in the eurozone's ability to deal with the debt crisis enveloping some of its members, notably Greece -- policymakers stepped up their commitment on Wednesday. There are now hopes that Germany has finally accepted it has to act fast in handing over its euro8.4 billion share of a Greek bailout package agreed earlier this month involving the eurozone and the International Monetary Fund.

There is growing talk that Greece could be offered up to euro130 billion over three years -- thereby giving the country much needed breathing space to get a handle on its debt.

Whatever materializes, markets are now more confident that Greece will get enough money to pay off euro8.5 billion to debtors on May 19.

"The knee jerk panic following the Greek downgrade to junk status from S&P has unwound a little as the market has begun to speculate that any support package would now be notably higher," said Stuart Bennett, an analyst at Calyon Credit Agricole.

However, investors remain on edge, given that the Greek debt crisis has shown to be a persistent problem.

"Whenever the major EU nations and the IMF seem willing to dole out bailout cash markets react well, but any hesitancy, or indeed the prospect of further candidates for default, could see a return to the red," said Anthony Grech, market strategist at IG Index.

Solid economic data also helped to support stocks and the single currency -- by late morning London time, the euro was trading 0.5 percent higher at $1.3271. On Wednesday, the euro had tumbled to a one-year low as the Greek crisis escalated.

The European Commission said economic sentiment in the 16 countries that use the euro rose above its long-term average during April despite mounting concerns about the debt crisis afflicting Greece.

Its main economic sentiment indicator rose by 2.7 points to a 25-month high of 100.6 in the eurozone during April, with the majority of countries posting across-the-board improvements -- Germany, the eurozone's biggest economy, showed a substantial rise.

Also supporting stocks in Europe were reassuring comments from the Fed.

The central bank, at the end of a two-day policy meeting, said the labor market is "beginning to improve" and noted that housing starts have edged up. Crucially for investors, it continues to expect to keep rates low for an "extended period" to help strengthen the economy.

"Fortunately the Fed threw a much needed cold bucket of water on the frayed nerves of many debt and equity traders by reassuring them that rates would remain near zero for some months to come," said David Buik, markets analyst at BGC Partners.

Earlier in Asia, Hong Kong's Hang Seng fell 170.48 points, or 0.8 percent, to 20,778.92, and South Korea's Kospi shed 5.49 points, or 0.3 percent, to 1,728.42.

Elsewhere, Shanghai's market dropped 1.1 percent and Australian stocks retreated 0.8 percent.

Japan's market was closed for a holiday.

In the oil markets, benchmark crude for May delivery was up 68 cents at $83.90 a barrel.

AP Business Writer Jeremiah Marquez in Hong Kong contributed to this report.

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egt has a little ah action...the first in quite sometime



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Fed keep rates at record lows; upbeat on economy
Fed pledges to keep rates at record lows, confident in recovery will be lasting


Buzz up! 0 Print..Topics:Economy, Government & Policy.Jeannine Aversa, AP Economics Writer, On Wednesday April 28, 2010, 2:17 pm
WASHINGTON (AP) -- The Federal Reserve is sounding a more confident note that the economy is strengthening and pledges to hold rates at record lows to make sure it gains even more traction.

Wrapping up a two-day meeting Wednesday, the Fed in a 9-1 decision retained its pledge to hold rates at historic lows for an "extended period." Doing so will help energize the recovery.

The Fed offers a more upbeat view of the economy, even as it notes that risks remain.

The Fed says the job market is "beginning to improve" and notes that consumer spending has "picked up." Both observations were brighter than when the Fed last met in mid-March.

THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP's earlier story is below.

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Federal Reserve policymakers are likely to deliver a fresh vote of confidence in the staying power of the recovery as signs multiply the economy is strengthening.

Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke and his colleagues resumed their two-day meeting Wednesday morning and are all but certain to keep holding rates at record lows to help the economy grow. However, they'll also expected to discuss when and how they'll reverse course and start boosting rates once the recovery is firmly rooted.

The Fed meets as the economy flashes growing signs of improvement.

Employers are creating jobs. Americans' confidence is rising and they are spending more. Manufacturers are boosting production. And an increasing number of companies -- such as Ford, Caterpillar and UPS -- are seeing their profits grow. By those measures, the economy is in better shape now than when the Fed last met in mid-March.

Still, there are continuing strains: high unemployment at 9.7 percent, loans are hard for people and businesses to obtain, and the housing and commercial real-estate markets are fragile. Greece's debt crisis also is roiling Wall Street. U.S. stocks lost 2 percent on Tuesday.

"The Fed's confidence in the recovery has clearly improved, and they'll communicate that," said Bill Cheney, chief economist at John Hancock. "But they are still going to be cautious because certainly nothing about the economy is cast in stone. I don't think the Fed wants to create any image that it's ready to boost rates," he added.

For now, the Fed is poised yet again to leave its key bank lending rate between zero and 0.25 percent, where it's remained since December 2008.

Assuming the Fed leaves rates alone, commercial banks' prime lending rate, used to peg rates on certain credit cards and consumer loans, will stay about 3.25 percent. That's its lowest point in decades.

Rock-bottom rates serve borrowers who qualify for loans and are willing to take on more debt. But they hurt savers. Low rates are especially hard on people living on fixed incomes who are earning scant returns on their savings.

Still, if super-low rates spur Americans to spend more, they will help invigorate the economy. That's why the Fed also is expected to repeat its pledge -- in place for more than a year -- to keep rates at record lows for an "extended period."

Some concern has emerged inside the Fed that that pledge could limit its ability to quickly raise rates when necessary. Thomas Hoenig, president of the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City, for two straight meetings has opposed the Fed's decision to retain the "extended period" pledge.

Hoenig said he fears keeping rates too low for too long could lead to excessive risk-taking by investors, feeding new speculative bubbles. He's also expressed concern that low rates could eventually unleash inflation.

Yet Bernanke and other Fed officials in recent weeks have made clear that the Fed's pledge to keep rates at record lows for an "extended period" is linked to the economy's performance -- not to a specific period. The Fed will raise rates whenever it decides it's necessary, Bernanke has said.

Higher rates for millions of American borrowers are still months away at best, many economists predict.

The timing and execution of a Fed policy shift is a high-stakes game.

The Fed needs to hold rates at record lows long enough to make sure the recovery is lasting, especially once the bracing effects of the government's massive fiscal stimulus fades later this year.

On the other hand, the Fed must be nimble to start tightening credit to prevent inflation from becoming a problem or sowing the seeds of new speculative excesses such as in the prices of stocks, bonds or commodities.

One tricky question is when the Fed should start selling some of its vast portfolio of mortgage securities. The Fed bought $1.25 trillion of these securities to drive down mortgage rates and aid the housing market. Its challenge is to sell those assets in a way that doesn't weaken home prices and push up mortgage rates.

"My expectation is that sales would be slow, gradual, announced in advance, and would not create undue market impacts," Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke told Congress recently.

The Fed's balance sheet has exploded, reflecting the central bank's action to fight the financial crisis. It stood at $2.3 trillion for the recent week, more than double the level before the crisis struck.

"I think we would like to bring the balance sheet back to something consistent with where it was before the crisis," Bernanke told lawmakers. "And that would suggest something under a trillion dollars, I think, would be appropriate."

Besides selling securities outright, the Fed has a number of other tools to shrink its balance sheet when it moves to tighten credit. Those include selling securities from its portfolio with an agreement to buy them back later. Those operations are called reverse repurchase agreements. The Fed also is moving forward on a plan to let banks set up the equivalent of certificates of deposit at the central bank. That would give banks an incentive to park money at the Fed, rather than lending it out.

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Fed likely to sound confident note on recovery
Fed likely to show confidence in recovery's staying power; signs grow economy is strengthening


Buzz up! 0 Print..Topics:Economy, Government & Policy.Jeannine Aversa, AP Economics Writer, On Wednesday April 28, 2010, 9:07 am
WASHINGTON (AP) -- Federal Reserve policymakers are likely to deliver a fresh vote of confidence in the staying power of the recovery as signs multiply the economy is strengthening.

Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke and his colleagues resumed their two-day meeting Wednesday morning and are all but certain to keep holding rates at record lows to help the economy grow. However, they'll also expected to discuss when and how they'll reverse course and start boosting rates once the recovery is firmly rooted.

The Fed meets as the economy flashes growing signs of improvement.

Employers are creating jobs. Americans' confidence is rising and they are spending more. Manufacturers are boosting production. And an increasing number of companies -- such as Ford, Caterpillar and UPS -- are seeing their profits grow. By those measures, the economy is in better shape now than when the Fed last met in mid-March.

Still, there are continuing strains: high unemployment at 9.7 percent, loans are hard for people and businesses to obtain, and the housing and commercial real-estate markets are fragile. Greece's debt crisis also is roiling Wall Street. U.S. stocks lost 2 percent on Tuesday.

"The Fed's confidence in the recovery has clearly improved, and they'll communicate that," said Bill Cheney, chief economist at John Hancock. "But they are still going to be cautious because certainly nothing about the economy is cast in stone. I don't think the Fed wants to create any image that it's ready to boost rates," he added.

For now, the Fed is poised yet again to leave its key bank lending rate between zero and 0.25 percent, where it's remained since December 2008.

Assuming the Fed leaves rates alone, commercial banks' prime lending rate, used to peg rates on certain credit cards and consumer loans, will stay about 3.25 percent. That's its lowest point in decades.

Rock-bottom rates serve borrowers who qualify for loans and are willing to take on more debt. But they hurt savers. Low rates are especially hard on people living on fixed incomes who are earning scant returns on their savings.

Still, if super-low rates spur Americans to spend more, they will help invigorate the economy. That's why the Fed also is expected to repeat its pledge -- in place for more than a year -- to keep rates at record lows for an "extended period."

Some concern has emerged inside the Fed that that pledge could limit its ability to quickly raise rates when necessary. Thomas Hoenig, president of the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City, for two straight meetings has opposed the Fed's decision to retain the "extended period" pledge.

Hoenig said he fears keeping rates too low for too long could lead to excessive risk-taking by investors, feeding new speculative bubbles. He's also expressed concern that low rates could eventually unleash inflation.

Yet Bernanke and other Fed officials in recent weeks have made clear that the Fed's pledge to keep rates at record lows for an "extended period" is linked to the economy's performance -- not to a specific period. The Fed will raise rates whenever it decides it's necessary, Bernanke has said.

Higher rates for millions of American borrowers are still months away at best, many economists predict.

The timing and execution of a Fed policy shift is a high-stakes game.

The Fed needs to hold rates at record lows long enough to make sure the recovery is lasting, especially once the bracing effects of the government's massive fiscal stimulus fades later this year.

On the other hand, the Fed must be nimble to start tightening credit to prevent inflation from becoming a problem or sowing the seeds of new speculative excesses such as in the prices of stocks, bonds or commodities.

One tricky question is when the Fed should start selling some of its vast portfolio of mortgage securities. The Fed bought $1.25 trillion of these securities to drive down mortgage rates and aid the housing market. Its challenge is to sell those assets in a way that doesn't weaken home prices and push up mortgage rates.

"My expectation is that sales would be slow, gradual, announced in advance, and would not create undue market impacts," Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke told Congress recently.

The Fed's balance sheet has exploded, reflecting the central bank's action to fight the financial crisis. It stood at $2.3 trillion for the recent week, more than double the level before the crisis struck.

"I think we would like to bring the balance sheet back to something consistent with where it was before the crisis," Bernanke told lawmakers. "And that would suggest something under a trillion dollars, I think, would be appropriate."

Besides selling securities outright, the Fed has a number of other tools to shrink its balance sheet when it moves to tighten credit. Those include selling securities from its portfolio with an agreement to buy them back later. Those operations are called reverse repurchase agreements. The Fed also is moving forward on a plan to let banks set up the equivalent of certificates of deposit at the central bank. That would give banks an incentive to park money at the Fed, rather than lending it out.

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Stock futures climb, point to higher opening
Stock futures climb as Federal Reserve wraps up meeting; Europe debt problems remain


Buzz up! 0 Print..Companies:Comcast CorporationEI DuPont de Nemours & Co.The Dow Chemical CompanyTopics:Industrial Goods.Related Quotes
Symbol Price Change
CMCSA 18.46 0.00

DD 39.40 0.00

DOW 30.07 0.00

F 13.57 0.00

GLW 20.12 0.00


{"s" : "cmcsa,dd,dow,f,glw,mmm,noc","k" : "a00,a50,b00,b60,c10,g00,h00,l10,p20,t10,v00","o" : "","j" : ""} Stephen Bernard, AP Business Writer, On Wednesday April 28, 2010, 8:40 am
NEW YORK (AP) -- Stock futures rose Wednesday as the market tries to bounce back after steep declines a day earlier.

Investors are edging back into stocks after European debt problems have spooked traders globally in recent days. There is concern that the debt crisis in Greece will spread across the continent and stunt an economic recovery.

Another batch of strong earnings and the end of a Federal Reserve Board meeting are likely to help sway U.S. trading throughout the day.

Overseas markets plunged, a day after Standard & Poor's slashed its debt ratings on Greece and Portugal. Greece's debt was slashed to junk status.

Unlike European and Asian markets, U.S. investors had nearly a full day of trading Tuesday to react to the ratings cuts. That has limited the impact on futures trading Wednesday, though trading was lower earlier in the morning.

European market losses began to moderate as leaders have tried to provide reassurances that Greece will receive bailout money in time to cover $11.3 billion in debt payments on May 19. The European Union and International Monetary Fund have offered a bailout package worth up to nearly $60 billion, though the country hasn't been able to tap the funds yet.

The ratings cuts came shortly before European markets closed Tuesday and after Asian trading had ended for the day, which is why there has been a bigger impact on those markets Wednesday.

Fears of excessive government debt could drive up borrowing costs for many of the 16 nations using the euro and hurt the value of the common currency. Market rates for Greece's two-year notes have spiked as high as 21 percent. U.S. rates for two-year notes are around 1 percent.

The euro rose slightly against the dollar Wednesday, a day after plunging to its lowest level in about a year.

Ahead of the opening bell, Dow Jones industrial average futures rose 39, or 0.4 percent, to 10,994. Standard & Poor's 500 index futures rose 4.90, or 0.4 percent, to 1,185.90, while Nasdaq 100 index futures rose 10.75, or 0.5 percent, to 2,019.50.

The Fed is wrapping up a two-day meeting Wednesday afternoon where it is expected to hold a key interest rate at historic lows. The group, though, is expected to reassure the market that an economic recovery has taken hold.

The Fed isn't expected to raise rates at this meeting, so investors will keep a close eye on the language of the committee's statement. Traders will want to see if the Fed provides further insight into when it might raise rates, which is expected to happen later in the year as the economy continues to get stronger.

Another round of better-than-expected profit reports could also help stocks, even though strong earnings did little to blunt Tuesday's steep declines. Cable company Comcast Corp., Corning Inc., Northrop Grumman Corp. and Dow Chemical Co. were the latest companies to top earnings expectations.

Stocks are trying to bounce back after the Dow tumbled 213 points Tuesday. The Dow's biggest drop in three months ended a run of six straight sessions of gains.

The debt troubles more than outweighed another round of strong earnings and a report showing consumer confidence rose this month. On Tuesday, 3M Co., DuPont Co. and Ford Motor Co. all reported better-than-expected profit. Upbeat earnings and outlooks from across all sectors had been bolstering the stock market in recent weeks.

Analysts had said, however, that much of the strong earnings is priced into stocks and the recent run-up was losing momentum. The European debt problems might have given investors reason to pause and take some profit.

Meanwhile, bond prices dipped Wednesday after surging higher a day earlier. The yield on the benchmark 10-year Treasury note, which moves opposite its price, rose to 3.73 percent from 3.69 percent late Tuesday.

Gold inched higher, while oil fell.

Overseas, Britain's FTSE 100 fell 0.1 percent, Germany's DAX index fell 0.9 percent, and France's CAC-40 tumbled 1.5 percent. Japan's Nikkei stock average dropped 2.6 percent.

Stock futures slightly lower ahead of opening
Stock futures dip slightly as Europe debt problems remain; Federal Reserve wraps up meeting


Buzz up! 0 Print..Companies:EI DuPont de Nemours & Co.Ford Motor Co.3M Co..Related Quotes
Symbol Price Change
DD 39.40 0.00

F 13.57 0.00

MMM 87.97 0.00


{"s" : "dd,f,mmm","k" : "a00,a50,b00,b60,c10,g00,h00,l10,p20,t10,v00","o" : "","j" : ""} Stephen Bernard, AP Business Writer, On Wednesday April 28, 2010, 6:58 am
NEW YORK (AP) -- Stock futures fell slightly Wednesday as European debt problems continue to overshadow signs of an improving economy and the Federal Reserve Board's latest policymaking meeting.

Overseas markets plunged again, a day after Standard & Poor's slashed its debt ratings on Greece and Portugal. Greece's debt was slashed to junk status.

There is concern that the debt crisis will spread further through the continent and stunt a global economic recovery.

The ratings cuts came shortly before European markets closed Tuesday, so the reaction has carried over into a second day. Asian markets fell sharply in their first trading since the downgrades. U.S. investors had nearly a full day of trading after the ratings cut on Tuesday, which could be why futures are just slightly lower.

Fears of excessive government debt could drive up borrowing costs for many of the 16 nations using the euro and hurt the value of the common currency. Market rates for Greece's two-year notes have spiked to 21 percent. U.S. rates for two-year notes are around 1 percent.

The euro rose slightly against the dollar Wednesday, a day after plunging to its lowest level in about a year.

The Fed is wrapping up a two-day meeting Wednesday afternoon where it is expected to hold a key interest rate at historic lows. The group, though, is expected to reassure the market that an economic recovery has taken hold.

The Fed isn't expected to raise rates at this meeting, so investors will keep a close eye on the language of the committee's statement. Traders will want to see if the Fed provides further insight into when it might raise rates, which is expected to happen later in the year as the economy continues to get stronger.

Ahead of the opening bell, Dow Jones industrial average futures fell 12, or 0.1 percent, to 10,943. Standard & Poor's 500 index futures dipped 1.50, or 0.1 percent, to 1,179.50, while Nasdaq 100 index futures were unchanged at 2,008.75.

Trading is often muted leading into the Fed's regular interest rate-setting committee meetings.

Stocks are trying to bounce back after the Dow tumbled 213 points Tuesday. The biggest drop in three months ended a run of six straight sessions of gains for the Dow.

The debt troubles more than outweighed another round of strong earnings and a report showing consumer confidence rose this month. On Tuesday, 3M Co., DuPont Co. and Ford Motor Co. all reported better-than-expected profit. Upbeat earnings and outlooks from across all sectors had been bolstering the stock market in recent weeks.

Analysts had said, however, that much of the strong earnings is priced into stocks and the recent run-up was losing momentum. The European debt problems might have given investors reason to pause and take some profit.

Meanwhile, bond prices dipped Wednesday after surging higher a day earlier. The yield on the benchmark 10-year Treasury note, which moves opposite its price, rose to 3.71 percent from 3.69 percent late Tuesday.

Gold inched higher, while oil fell.

Overseas, Britain's FTSE 100 fell 1.1 percent, Germany's DAX index tumbled 1.9 percent, and France's CAC-40 fell 1.7 percent. Japan's Nikkei stock average dropped 2.6 percent.

gotta be in the mood to post tunes...lol

Warren Haynes - Simple Man




http://www.youtube.com/user/livingonlemondrops

spanish harlem~~aretha franklin







http://www.myspace.com/arethafranklin/music/albums/aretha-s-best-24780

Ball and Chain

boogie shoes~~kc and the sunshine band






http://music.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=music.artistalbums&artistid=18036773&albumid=10401066

it's holding it's own !

Home price index shows 1st annual gain in 3 years
Key home price index shows first gain in 3 years, though metro results were mixed


Buzz up! 0 Print..On Tuesday April 27, 2010, 9:15 am
MIAMI (AP) -- Home prices in February posted their first annual increase in more than three years, though it's too early to say the housing market is recovering.

Despite the 0.6 percent increase on a non-seasonally adjusted basis, 11 of the 20 cities in the Standard & Poor's/Case-Shiller home price index showed declines.

The last time prices rose on a year-over-year basis was December 2006. But economists polled by Thomson Reuters had predicted prices to rise 1.2 percent in February.

Home prices are up more than 3 percent from the bottom in May 2009, but still are 30 percent below the May 2006 peak.

Las Vegas saw the largest annual drop at almost 15 percent. San Francisco posted the biggest gain, at about 12 percent.

"These data point to a risk that home prices could decline futher before experiencing any sustained gains," David Blitzer, chairman of the S&P index committee, said in a statement.

A recovery in prices is considered necessary to boost consumer optimism and help revive the economy. A home is the largest and most important financial asset for most Americans, so as values climb, homeowners feel wealthier and more comfortable spending.

For homeowners who owe more on their mortgages than their properties are worth, rising prices rebuild equity

Major Holders

http://finance.yahoo.com/q/mh?s=ACLS+Major+Holders

earnings may 4th...


http://finance.yahoo.com/q/ce?s=ACLS+Company+Events



http://chart.ly/3955dk

they usually signal something....

you must be pms'ing...

acls...


what does "seq" stand for?


http://ih.advfn.com/p.php?pid=trades&symbol=N%5eACLS&cb=1272371474

acls...




bid $1.79 ask $2,000.00

%$^&...set egt (bigcharts) for 3 years to see the gaps

sorry, that was for egt...






i see 2 gaps...$.75 and $4.00 ?



http://bigcharts.marketwatch.com/interchart/interchart.asp?symb=egt&time=&freq=

MAJOR DIRECT HOLDERS (FORMS 3 & 4)

Holder Shares Reported
CHUNG CLARENCE YM 1,097,727 12-Mar-10




UPCOMING EVENTS

Date Event Reminder
12-May-10 Earnings announcement

egt...





http://ih.advfn.com/p.php?pid=webchart&btn=s_ok&ihsymbol=&ihpagelist=Quote&idtddm=&symbol=AMEX%3AEGT&s_ok=Get+Chart&period=6&drawmode=2&size=19&volume=1

rtk...


on the move

20-Apr-10 Dawson James Initiated Buy



http://finance.yahoo.com/q/ud?s=CXM

wow ! is that avg vol going on?