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Dow May Open Higher, but HP Could Plunge

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By Roland Head, The Motley Fool

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LONDON — Stock index futures at 7 a.m. EDT indicate that the Dow Jones Industrial Average may open up by 0.11% this morning, while the S&P 500 may open a single point higher. Investors are cautious ahead of today’s jobs figures, but yesterday’s gains helped drive the CNN Fear & Greed Index back into “greed” territory: The sentiment indicator closed at 62 yesterday, up from 53 the previous day.

In Europe, markets edged slightly higher this morning, as the absence of new economic data meant that investors focused on corporate news and renewed hopes for Chinese growth. At 7 a.m. EDT, the FTSE 100 was up 0.32%, Germany’s DAX was up 0.51% and the French CAC 40 was 0.49% higher.

Thursday is jobless-claims day, and last week’s disappointing jobs figures mean investors will be focusing more closely than usual on this key metric when it is published at 8:30 a.m. EDT. Consensus forecasts indicate that 360,000 new jobless claims may have been made last week, down slightly from 385,000 in the previous week. Also due at 8:30 a.m. EDT, March’s import price index is expected to show a 0.5% fall in import prices following a 1.1% rise in February.

Companies due to update the market this morning include Costco Wholesale, which said this morning that like-for-like sales for the five weeks to April 7 rose by 4%, missing a Reuters forecast of 5.2%. Costco’s total sales rose by 7% over the same period to $9.67 billion from $9.07 billion last year. Before the opening bell, quarterly results are expected from Commerce Bancshares, iGate Corporation, Pier 1 Imports, and Rite Aid, among others.

Stocks that could be actively traded this morning include Intel, Hewlett-Packard, and Microsoft, which all fell heavily in after-hours trading last night following news that global PC sales dropped by 14% during the last quarter. HP shares were 4.1% lower in premarket trading, while Microsoft was down by 3.4% and Intel was 1.9% lower. Housewares retailer Bed Bath & Beyond may also be actively traded after it posted earnings growth of 6.5% in its fiscal fourth quarter but said that earnings for the current quarter would be between $0.88 and $0.94 per share, below consensus forecasts of $0.95 per share. Bed Bath & Beyond shares closed 1.6% higher yesterday and were 1.5% higher in premarket trading this morning.

Finally, let’s not forget that the Dow’s daily movements can add up to serious long-term gains. Indeed, Warren Buffett recently wrote, “The Dow advanced from 66 to 11,497 in the 20th Century, a staggering 17,320% increase that materialized despite four costly wars, a Great Depression and many recessions.” If you, like Buffett, are convinced of the long-term power of the Dow, you should read “5 Stocks to Retire On.” Your long-term wealth could be transformed, even in this uncertain economy. Simply click here now to download this free, no-obligation report.

The article Dow May Open Higher, but HP Could Plunge

From: http://www.dailyfinance.com/2013/04/11/dow-may-open-higher-but-hp-could-plunge/

Business, Finance, Occupation & Industry

Dow May Open Higher After Chinese Imports Beat Expectations

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By Roland Head, The Motley Fool

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LONDON — Stock index futures at 7 a.m. EDT indicate that the Dow Jones Industrial Average may open up by 0.29% this morning, while the S&P 500 may open 0.26% higher. The Dow closed at a new record high of 14,673.46 yesterday, but the CNN Fear & Greed Index remained almost unmoved at 53, or “neutral.”

European markets moved strongly higher this morning after Chinese import and export figures beat analysts’ forecasts. Imports rose by 14.1% in March, while exports rose by 10%, boosting trade hopes for European companies. At 7:20 a.m. EDT, the German DAX was up 1.16%, and the French CAC 40 was 1.18% higher. In London, the FTSE 100 was up 0.76%, helped by a strong showing from mining firms and financial stocks, which collectively make up the majority of the index’s capitalization.

In the U.S. today, investors are likely to focus closely on the minutes of March’s Federal Open Markets Committee meeting, which may provide some insight into the current thinking of the Fed’s interest rate-setting committee. The minutes are due to be published at 2 p.m. EDT, when details of March’s federal budget are also due to be released.

In other news, the Mortgage Bankers Association reported earlier this morning that its weekly mortgage-applications index increased 4.5% following a 4% decline the previous week. The EIA weekly petroleum status report is due at 10:30 a.m. EDT.

Companies due to report quarterly earnings before markets open this morning include Constellation Brands, CarMax, MSC Industrial Direct, and Bed Bath & Beyond. Earlier this morning, Fastenal reported quarterly earnings of $0.37 per share, an 8.8% increase on the same period in 2012. Fastenal also announced a $0.20 cash dividend for the second quarter of 2013.

Stocks that may be actively traded today include Herbalife, which slid nearly 4% before markets closed yesterday after it revealed that its auditor, KPMG, was to resign. The decision is the result of insider-trading allegations against the KPMG partner responsible for auditing the nutritional-supplements company, which is already the subject of a war of words between activist investors Carl Icahn and William Ackman. Trading in J.C. Penney shares may also be heavy after the retailer’s share price slid a further 12% in trading yesterday. The company’s shares have now fallen almost 60% over the last year.

Finally, let’s not forget that the Dow’s daily movements can add up to serious long-term gains. Indeed, Warren Buffett recently wrote, “The Dow advanced from 66 to 11,497 in the 20th Century, a staggering 17,320% increase that materialized despite four costly wars, a Great Depression and many recessions.” If you, like Buffett, are convinced of the long-term power of the Dow, you should read “5 Stocks To Retire On.” Your long-term wealth could be transformed, even in this uncertain economy. Simply click here now to download this free, no-obligation report.

The article Dow May Open Higher After Chinese Imports Beat Expectations originally appeared on Fool.com.

…read more

Source: FULL ARTICLE at DailyFinance

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Cigna Continues Expansion of Collaborative Accountable Care to Improve Health and Lower Costs

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By Business Wirevia The Motley Fool

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Cigna Continues Expansion of Collaborative Accountable Care to Improve Health and Lower Costs

  • Program expands to Maryland, Washington state, southern California
  • Consumers benefit from improved care coordination and greater emphasis on preventive care
  • Primary care doctors are rewarded for improving patient health and lowering medical costs
  • Program includes clinical care coordinators aligned to Cigna case managers

BLOOMFIELD, Conn.–(BUSINESS WIRE)– Cigna continues to expand its collaborative accountable care (CAC) program through seven new initiatives with physician groups in eight states, including the company’s first CACs in Maryland, Washington state and southern California. With the addition of these initiatives, Cigna now has 58 collaborative accountable care programs in 24 states covering more than 650,000 customers, and remains on track to reach its goal of 100 initiatives for one million customers in 2014. Cigna launched its first collaborative accountable care program in 2008.

These programs focus on improving patient access to health care, enhancing care coordination, and achieving the “triple aim” of improved health, affordability and patient experience. Collaborative accountable care is Cigna’s approach to accomplishing the same population health goals as accountable care organizations, or ACOs, with a strong focus on high-risk individuals, including people with chronic health conditions such as diabetes or heart disease.

In places where it’s been introduced, collaborative accountable care is helping to improve the health of Cigna customers while holding the line on medical costs. The programs are helping to close gaps in care, such as missed health screenings or prescriptions refills, and they’re reducing unnecessary use of hospital emergency rooms, increasing the number preventive health visits and improving follow-up care for people transitioning from the hospital to home.

As of April 1, the newest members of Cigna’s network of collaborative accountable care initiatives are:

In California: HealthCare Partners Medical Group, a network of primary care physicians and specialists with medical clinics throughout the Los Angeles Metro area. http://www.healthcarepartners.com

In Maryland: Greater Baltimore Health Alliance, an Accountable Care Organization of employed and community based providers, serving Central Maryland. http://www.gbha.org

In Missouri: Meritas Health, a physician …read more
Source: FULL ARTICLE at DailyFinance

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Xplore Introduces the New iX104C5-M2 Rugged Tablet for Military and Government Personnel

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By Business Wirevia The Motley Fool

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Xplore Introduces the New iX104C5-M2 Rugged Tablet for Military and Government Personnel

Integrated common access card makes mobile computing safe and secure

AUSTIN, Texas–(BUSINESS WIRE)– Xplore Technologies Corp. (NAS: XPLR) , the manufacturer of the world’s most powerful, longest-lasting and rugged tablet in the market, has announced the newest addition to its rugged tablet portfolio, the iX104C5-M2. The new rugged tablet is an upgrade to Xplore Technologies‘ current iX104C5-M, and is made to specifically meet the specialized security needs of military and government personnel.

Xplore Technologies‘ new DMSR-M2 fully rugged tablet, specially developed for the military and government. (Photo: Business Wire)

The new iX104C5-M2 introduces additional hardware security with a fully integrated common access card (CAC) reader, which provides a secure and more trusted platform experience for military personnel. An ISO 7816 smart card issued by the U.S. government must be inserted into the device to access information appropriate to the user’s security clearance on the tablet. The CAC reader ensures that critical data is only accessible by the appropriate, qualified user. Since the CAC card is completely contained within the iX104C5-M2 CAC reader, it poses no threat of possible damage resulting from foreign objects.

“With the addition of an integrated CAC reader, military personnel will know that mission-critical information is contained securely on their mobile device,” said Dan Morris, director of military programs for Xplore Technologies. “And like all of our other products, the new iX104C5-M2 is a wholly field upgradable rugged tablet that makes military and government organizations nimble and effective, no matter what conditions they might find themselves in.”

The iX104C5-M2 rugged tablet is outfitted with an Intel® Core™ i7 processor, is Windows 8 compatible, and offers the most advanced performance platform in its class. The speed and efficiency of Xplore’s military tablets allows federal and Department of Defense users to deploy high-end enterprise level applications with confidence and reliability.

“We work closely with our military and government customers to provide products that meet their very specialized needs,” said Mark Holleran, president and chief operating officer for Xplore Technologies. “This next generation of our military-grade tablets provides added safety and security when our clients need it the most.”

Xplore Technologies‘ iX104C5-M2 rugged tablet is designed for frontline personnel as well as fixed forward base operations, and is built …read more
Source: FULL ARTICLE at DailyFinance

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Novant Health and Cigna Start Accountable Care Program to Improve Health and Lower Costs

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By Business Wirevia The Motley Fool

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Novant Health and Cigna Start Accountable Care Program to Improve Health and Lower Costs

  • Consumers benefit from improved care coordination and greater emphasis on preventive care
  • Primary care doctors are supported to improve patient health and lower medical costs
  • Program includes registered nurse care coordinators aligned with Cigna case managers

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. & BLOOMFIELD, Conn.–(BUSINESS WIRE)– Cigna (NYS: CI) and Novant Health, an integrated system of hospitals and physician practices, have launched a collaborative accountable care initiative to improve patient access to health care, enhance care coordination, and achieve the “triple aim” of improved health, affordability and patient experience. The program is effective April 1.

Collaborative accountable care (CAC) is Cigna’s approach to accomplishing the same population health goals as accountable care organizations, or ACOs. The program will benefit more than 60,000 individuals covered by a Cigna health plan who receive care from a Novant Health physician in communities throughout the Carolinas, making it Cigna’s largest CAC nationally. The program with Novant Health is Cigna’s fourth such collaboration in the Carolinas.

“At Novant Health, what’s most important is improving the health of our communities, one person at a time,” said Carl Armato, chief executive officer of Novant Health. “We are committed to quality care that delivers superior results for our patients. We are dedicated to making their health care experience remarkable so that patients may focus on what really matters: getting better and staying healthy.

“Coupled with the high number of Novant Medical Group practices that are certified as patient-centered medical homes by the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA), the Cigna CAC is a complementary pairing to keep our focus on patient care and coordination,” stated Armato.

“We’re aiming to fundamentally change the health care delivery system by rewarding physicians for results,” said Edward Hunsinger, M.D., Cigna’s senior medical director for the Carolinas. “A patient-centered system that’s focused on prevention and wellness, combined with the right incentives for physicians, will ultimately result in a healthier population and lower medical costs. That’s good for individuals, families, employers and doctors.”

Under the program, Novant Health monitors and coordinates all aspects of an individual’s medical care. Patients continue to go to their current physician and automatically receive the benefits of the …read more
Source: FULL ARTICLE at DailyFinance

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Dow Jones Flat Ahead of Fed Meeting and Housing Starts

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By Roland Head, The Motley Fool

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LONDON — Stock index futures at 7 a.m. EDT indicate that the Dow Jones Industrial Average may open up by 0.07% this morning, while the S&P 500 may open 0.1% lower.

No decision has yet been made on the final terms of the Cypriot bailout, but reports this morning suggest that savers with deposits of less than 20,000 euros may end up being exempt from the bank levy. Any decision has to be voted on in Cyprus‘ parliament, and as yet policymakers have not agreed upon an acceptable deal.

At home, today’s economic reports may provide more detail on the housing-market recovery. At 8:30 a.m. EDT, housing starts in February are expected to have risen slightly to 913,000, up from 890,000 in January. Similarly, an increase in housing permits to 925,000 is expected, up from 904,000 in January. The Federal Reserve’s Federal Open Market Committee begins a two-day meeting today but is not expected to change its current commitment to monetary easing.

In corporate news, Adobe Systems is due to report earnings after the closing bell tonight, while shoe retailer DSW is expected to report fourth-quarter earnings of $0.72 per share on sales of $601.9 million before markets open this morning. Other stocks that could be actively traded include Electronic Arts after the video game maker announced that its CEO, John Riccitiello, has resigned and will leave the company on March 30. EA also announced that earnings for the current quarter are likely to be “at the lower end of, or slightly below” its previous guidance, which suggested earnings of between $0.92 and $1.12 for the current quarter on revenue of $1.12 billion to $1.23 billion. A poll of analysts by Thomson Reuters suggested that EA‘s earnings may now be as low as $0.65 on revenue of $1.08 billion. EA shares are 0.75% higher in premarket trading.

European markets
European markets drifted lower this morning, but there were no dramatic sell-offs despite the ongoing uncertainty in Cyprus, which has extended Monday’s bank holiday until Wednesday to prevent the risk of a bank run. Although there are fears that a similar solution could be applied in Spain or Greece, the situation in Cyprus is slightly different because the tiny nation’s banking system is eight times annual GDP and has almost no debt — it is entirely funded by deposits. This means that a haircut for bondholders would not raise sufficient funds to meet the bailout requirements.

At 7:40 a.m. EST, the DAX was down 0.3%, the CAC 40 was down 0.59%, the FTSE MIB was down 0.32%, and the IBEX 35 was down 0.62%. In London, the FTSE 100 was down 0.09% as mining stocks fell heavily due to a combination of broker downgrades and lower iron-ore price forecasts from key players such as Rio Tinto. Smartphone chip designer ARM Holdings was also lower, down 3.3% after announcing the retirement of its CEO, Warren East.

If you’re looking for …read more
Source: FULL ARTICLE at DailyFinance

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Dow May Slide Ahead of Cyprus Savings Tax Vote

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By Roland Head, The Motley Fool

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LONDON — Stock index futures at 7 a.m. EDT indicate that the Dow Jones Industrial Average may open 0.61% lower this morning, while the S&P 500 may open down 0.87%.

The big story this morning involves EU member state Cyprus, where the government is planning to impose a one-off tax on all bank deposits in order to partially fund the country’s $13 billion bailout. The original plan called for a tax of 6.75% on deposits below 100,000 euros and 9.9% on deposits above 100,000 euros, but these proportions look likely to be renegotiated ahead of a parliamentary vote expected to take place later today.

Cyprus‘ banking sector is unusually large for such a small country, thanks to its status as a tax haven, and it’s thought that at least one of Cyprus‘ biggest banks would have collapsed without a bailout deal, leaving the country’s deposit guarantee scheme unable to meet its obligations. Since EU member states, led by Germany, refused to accept a partial default on Cypriot debt, the Cypriot government was left with no alternative but to introduce this unprecedented tax on savers’ deposits. The move has raised fears that a similar solution could be implemented in Spain or Italy and may undermine investors’ confidence in the euro.

Today’s domestic economic calendar starts with March’s homebuilders’ index at 10 a.m. EDT. Consensus forecasts suggest a reading of 47, up slightly from 46 in February. Companies including Ameresco, KiOR, and Cumulus Media are expected to report earnings before the opening bell this morning, but there is little doubt that most investors’ attention will be focused on events in Cyprus.

Stocks that may be actively traded today include Transocean , which was 2.1% lower in premarket trading after it announced its opposition to the dividend and director nominees proposed by activist investor Carl Icahn. Icahn has proposed a $4 per-share dividend, nominated three candidates for election to Transocean’s board, and submitted a proposal to modify the company’s staggered board structure. In a statement issued late on Sunday evening, Transocean said Icahn’s dividend proposal “is in direct conflict with Transocean’s disciplined capital allocation strategy” and that it would “adversely affect the company’s ability to operate and compete effectively.”

Banking stocks were also lower in premarket trading, with Citigroup down 2.4% and Bank of America down 2%.

European markets
European markets dropped this morning in response to news of the Cyprus bailout deal, although losses were fairly modest and mostly restricted to banking stocks.

At 7:15 a.m. EDT, the DAX was down 1.05%, the CAC 40 was down 1.43%, the FTSE MIB was down 2.15%, and the IBEX 35 was down 2.12%. In London, the FTSE 100 was down 0.83%, with Barclays and Royal Bank of Scotland Group both down by 4.5%. One company that did beat the trend was chain retailer Marks & Spencer Group, which rose 7.7% this morning after a weekend report in the Sunday Times newspaper suggested that the …read more
Source: FULL ARTICLE at DailyFinance

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Dow May Pause After 10 Record-Breaking Days

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By Roland Head, The Motley Fool

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LONDON — Stock index futures at 7 a.m. EDT indicate that the Dow Jones Industrial Average may open down by a nominal five points this morning. The index has closed higher for the last 10 trading days — a streak it hasn’t matched since 1996. Meanwhile, the S&P 500 may open a single point lower after closing within two points of its all-time closing high yesterday.

After jobless claims came in lower than expected yesterday, will today’s data provide another boost to the markets? First up, at 8:30 a.m. EDT, is February’s consumer price index, which is expected to be up 0.6% after remaining unchanged in January. Also due at 8:30 a.m. EDT is the Empire State index for March, which is expected to remain unchanged at 10. At 9:15 a.m. EDT, industrial-production data is expected to show that output rose by 0.6% in February after falling by 0.1% in January. Finally, at 9:55 a.m. EDT, the University of Michigan Consumer Sentiment Index for March is expected to edge higher to 78, up from 77.6 in February.

Cruise ship giant Carnival is due to report earnings before the markets open this morning, but investors’ attention may also be focused on U.S. banks, which have recently completed a round of stress tests. Bank of America and Morgan Stanley were both higher in premarket trading after the Federal Reserve approved their capital plans. However, JPMorgan Chase and Goldman Sachs were lower after the Fed provided only conditional approval for their plans.

European markets
In Europe, markets were mixed this morning as investors waited for news from the EU leaders’ summit after preliminary comments yesterday suggested deficit targets might be relaxed in an effort to increase growth and reduce unemployment in the eurozone.

At 7:20 a.m. EDT, the DAX was down 0.12%, the CAC 40 was down 0.76%, the FTSE MIB was down 0.11%, and the IBEX 35 was down 0.61%. In London, the FTSE 100 was down 0.45%, dragged lower by the two largest companies in the index, HSBC Holdings and Royal Dutch Shell — both companies fell by around 1.4%, outweighing gains on broker upgrades for International Consolidated Airlines and ARM Holdings.

If you’re looking for shares that can outperform the wider market, you need to look beyond the news headlines. This free Motley Fool report, “The Top Growth Share For 2013,” highlights a share that gained 38% in 2012, during which time the wider market rose just 6%. The company is a household name, and its earnings per share have risen by 44% since 2009 — so click here now to download your free copy of this report while it is still available.

The article Dow May Pause After 10 Record-Breaking Days originally appeared on Fool.com.

Roland Head owns shares in Royal Dutch Shell and HSBC Holdings but does not own shares in any of the other companies mentioned …read more
Source: FULL ARTICLE at DailyFinance

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Dow May Open Higher as S&P 500 Nears 2007 High

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By Roland Head, The Motley Fool

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LONDON — After closing at a record high for the last nine days, can the Dow extend the streak to 10? Stock index futures at 7 a.m. EDT indicate that the Dow Jones Industrial Average may open up by 0.12% this morning, while the S&P 500 may open 0.16% higher, bringing it to within 20 points of its October 2007 intraday high of 1,576.09.

Yesterday’s five-point closing gain for the Dow Jones may suggest that the bull run is slowing, but today’s economic data could provide a further boost if it comes in ahead of expectations. At 8:30 a.m. EDT, the latest weekly jobless-claims figures are due, with consensus forecasts suggesting 350,000 new claims from March 3 to March 9, up slightly from 340,000 the previous week. Also due at 8:30 a.m. EDT is February’s producer price index, which is expected to show a rise of 0.8%, up from 0.2% in January.

In corporate news, companies expected to report earnings before markets open include AAON, Diana Shipping, Dynegy, and Ebix, while Krispy Kreme Doughnuts, and Molycorp are expected to report results after the closing bell tonight.

Stocks that may be actively traded include Blackberry after the company reported that it had received a 1 million-unit order for its Blackberry 10 phone from an unnamed partner. Blackberry stock was up 2.6% in premarket trading. Meanwhile, Apple may also be in focus as competitor Samsung launches its latest Galaxy smartphone in New York later today. Finally, E*TRADE may sink after a major shareholder said it planned to sell its entire stake in the company, whose stock was down 4.6% in premarket trading.

European markets
Markets edged higher in Europe this morning as investors welcomed the growing strength of the U.S. recovery and were encouraged by a draft statement from today’s EU leaders’ summit, which indicated that they may consider extending deficit-reduction deadlines for countries including Spain, Portugal, and France.

At 7:40 a.m. EDT, the DAX was up 0.69%, the CAC 40 was up 0.62%, the FTSE MIB was up 1.36%, and the IBEX 35 was up 1%. In London, the FTSE 100 was 0.33% higher, helped by a 6.2% gain for temporary-power specialist Aggreko, which announced a 122 MW new contract to supply power to Mozambique and Namibia as part of the cross-border Southern Africa Power Pool project. Wm. Morrison Supermarkets was also higher after announcing that it will move into online retailing in 2014 through a joint venture with online-only supermarket Ocado.

If you’re looking for shares that can outperform the wider market, you need to look beyond the news headlines. This free Motley Fool report, “The Top Growth Share For 2013,” highlights a share that gained 38% in 2012, during which time the wider market rose just 6%. The company is a household name, and its earnings per share have risen by 44% since 2009 — so click here now to download your free copy of …read more
Source: FULL ARTICLE at DailyFinance

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Dow May Open Lower as Investors Target 9th Day of Gains

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By Roland Head, The Motley Fool

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LONDON — After hitting record closing highs for the last eight days, will the Dow extend its winning streak to nine days? Stock index futures at 7 a.m. EDT indicate that the Dow Jones Industrial Average may open down by 0.2% this morning, while the S&P 500 may open 0.24% lower.

Retail data will be in focus this morning when February’s retail sales figures are released at 8:30 a.m. EDT. Consensus forecasts suggest that sales rose by 0.7% in February after gaining 0.1% in January. Also due at 8:30 a.m. EDT, import prices are expected to have risen by 0.5% in February after rising 0.6% in January, while at 10 a.m. EDT, analysts expect that inventories may have risen by 0.6% in January after gaining 0.1% in December.

The retail industry will also be the main focus of today’s corporate earnings announcements. Guess?, Vera Bradley, and Men’s Wearhouse are all due to report after the close tonight, while Express is due to report before the opening bell this morning. Aircraft manufacturer Boeing may also be actively traded after the FAA approved the company’s plans to fix the battery issues that have been behind the global grounding of its 787 Dreamliner aircraft.

European markets
Markets moved lower in Europe this morning as investors took profits and reacted to the latest eurozone industrial-production figures, which showed that output fell by 0.4% across the single-currency zone in January, missing expectations for a 0.1% fall. Meanwhile, reports indicated that the EU parliament is likely to vote against last month’s EU budget deal later today, which could trigger months of further negotiations.

At 7:10 a.m. EDT, the DAX was down 0.25%, the CAC 40 was down 0.47%, the FTSE MIB was down 1.57%, and the IBEX 35 was down 0.79%. In London, the FTSE 100 was down 0.86% despite a 2.9% gain for Asia-focused life insurance company Prudential, which reported a 25% increase in operating profit in 2012. The index was dragged back by security-outsourcing specialist G4S, which fell 2.7% after it reported the departure of its chief financial officer, despite a 10% rise in revenue last year. Other big fallers included Standard Chartered and British American Tobacco, both of which went ex-dividend today.

If you’re looking for shares that can outperform the wider market, you need to look beyond the news headlines. This free Motley Fool report, “The Top Growth Share For 2013,” highlights a share that gained 38% in 2012, during which time the wider market rose just 6%. The company is a household name, and its earnings per share have risen by 44% since 2009 — so click here now to download your free copy of this report while it is still available.

The article Dow May Open Lower as Investors Target 9th Day of Gains originally appeared on Fool.com.

Roland Head does not own shares in any of the companies …read more
Source: FULL ARTICLE at DailyFinance

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Dow Poised for New Highs as Staples and Big Lots Beat the Street

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By Roland Head, The Motley Fool

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LONDON — Stock index futures at 7 a.m. EST indicate that the Dow Jones Industrial Average may continue its record-breaking run and open up by 0.31% this morning, while the S&P 500 may open 0.34% higher. Yesterday’s all-time high helped drive a big improvement in sentiment, and the CNN Fear & Greed Index swung higher to close at 71, up from a previous close of 60.

Today’s economic reports begin at 8:15 a.m. EST with the latest ADP employment figures, which are expected to show that 175,000 new private-sector jobs were created in February, down from 192,000 in January. At 10 a.m. EST, January’s factory-order data is expected to show a 2.2% fall in orders during the first month of 2013 following a 1.8% increase in December 2012. Finally, at 2 p.m. EST, the latest Federal Reserve Beige Book will provide further insight into the state of the economy.

In an earnings release this morning, Staples beat analysts’ expectations with adjusted Q4 earnings of $0.46 per share, ahead of consensus forecast for $0.45. The office supplies company also announced a 9% increase to its quarterly dividend. However, including one-time charges, Staples earned just $0.12 per share, and the company gave downbeat guidance for 2013. Shares are down 5.2% in premarket trading.

Big Lots also beat expectations, reporting fourth-quarter adjusted earnings of $2.09, ahead of consensus estimates of $1.99 per share. Other companies expected to release quarterly earnings before the markets open this morning include American Eagle Outfitters, Fresh Market, and Hovnanian Enterprises, while PetSmart is due to report earnings after the closing bell tonight.

European markets
Most markets were broadly unchanged in Europe this morning as investors took stock of recent gains and awaited further developments in Europe — particularly in Italy, where a new government has still not been formed following the country’s recent elections.

At 7:30 a.m. EST, the DAX was up 1%, the CAC 40 was up 0.15%, the FTSE MIB was up 0.1%, and the IBEX 35 was up 0.34%. In London, the FTSE 100 was up 0.28%, led by telecom heavyweight Vodafone , which surged 6.8% higher after Bloomberg reported last night that the firm has been in discussions with Verizon over a possible merger. The report suggested that merger discussions had failed, leaving a sale to Verizon of Vodafone’s 45% stake in Verizon Wireless as a more likely option.

If you’re looking for shares that can outperform the wider market, you need to look beyond the news headlines. This free Motley Fool report, “The Top Growth Share For 2013,” highlights a share that gained 38% in 2012, during which time the wider market rose just 6%. The company is a household name, and its earnings per share have risen by 44% since 2009 — so click here now to download your free copy of this report while it is still available.

The article Dow Poised for New …read more
Source: FULL ARTICLE at DailyFinance

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Dow to Open Within Reach of Record High

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By Roland Head, The Motley Fool

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LONDON — The Dow Jones Industrial Average closed at 14,127 yesterday, just 37 points short of its highest-ever close of 14,164, which was set in 2007. Stock index futures at 7 a.m. EST indicate that the Dow may open 0.21% higher this morning, leaving it within touching distance of a new closing record. The S&P 500 is also expected to open up by 0.21% today, although it remains well below its all-time high of 1,576.

Today’s main economic report will be February’s ISM nonmanufacturing index at 10 a.m. EST. The index is expected to remain unchanged at 55.2, suggesting that the U.S. service sector is continuing to recover strongly. Other data due for release this morning includes the ICSC-Goldman Sachs same-store sales index at 7:45 a.m. and the Johnson Redbook retail-sales index, due at 8.55am.

In corporate news, Smith & Wesson and VeriFone are both expected to report earnings after the markets close tonight, while companies due to report before markets open include Checkpoint Systems and H&E Equipment Services. Of more interest to many investors will be Apple, which is likely to be actively traded this morning after the tech giant’s shares closed at a 52-week low of $420.05 on Monday. Apple shares were flat in premarket trading, but shares in J. C. Penney fell a further 2% in early trading following news that a major shareholder had sold 10 million shares in the store at a price of $16.40, below yesterday’s closing price of $16.74.

European markets
The main European markets moved firmly higher this morning ahead of this week’s round of central bank monetary-policy committee meetings. Investors are betting that the Bank of England and the European Central Bank will show support for further monetary easing — reducing the risk of a market dip — following the latest eurozone data, which shows that the region is still firmly in recession.

The eurozone composite PMI, which indicates business activity across the 17-country single-currency zone, fell to 47.9 in February, down from 48.6 in January. Readings below 50 indicate contraction, although the result was ahead of forecasts.

At 7:10 a.m. EST, the DAX was up 1.65%, the CAC 40 was up 1.29%, the FTSE MIB was up 1.76%, and the IBEX 35 was up 1.28%. In London, the FTSE 100 was up 0.84%, led by public-sector outsourcing specialist Serco Group, which climbed 8.4% after announcing that its earnings per share rose by 40% during 2012, enabling the company to provide a 20% dividend increase for shareholders. Oil services firm John Wood Group was also a big riser, gaining 7.2% after its 2012 results were well received by investors.

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Asian shares recover from steep loss, growth worry caps

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Visitors cast their shadows prior to a ceremony marking the end of trading in 2012 at the Tokyo Stock Exchange

TOKYO (Reuters) – Asian shares recouped some of the previous session's steep falls as investors reassessed fears of the Federal Reserve ending its ultra-soft monetary policy earlier than expected, but weak U.S. and European data capped Friday's recovery. European markets are seen rebounding, with financial spreadbetters predicting London's FTSE 100 , Paris's CAC-40 and Frankfurt's DAX would open up as much as 0.6 percent. U.S. stock futures were up 0.3 percent to suggest a solid Wall Street start. The dollar lost 0. …

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Fed, liquidation talk, push jumpy markets to 2013 lows

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Visitors cast their shadows prior to a ceremony marking the end of trading in 2012 at the Tokyo Stock Exchange

TOKYO (Reuters) – Most risk assets slid to 2013 lows on Thursday with sentiment rattled by overnight market talk of a hedge fund liquidating big positions in commodities, as well as worries the U.S. Federal Reserve could prematurely wind down its bond buying program. European markets are seen following Asia lower, with financial spreadbetters predicting London's FTSE 100 , Paris's CAC-40 and Frankfurt's DAX would open down as much as 0.7 percent. U.S. stock futures were down 0.1 percent to suggest a weak Wall Street start. …

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