Daily Market Blog

The Daily Market Blog from Bernie Schaeffer and the traders at Schaeffer's Investment Research is very regularly updated during the trading day with the latest stock market briefs. This blog contains discussions on stock and options trading; technical, fundamental and sentiment analysis; finance and investing.

• Microsoft (MSFT) Reportedly Increases Bid for Yahoo! (YHOO) by Several Dollars
  While there are warnings that the talks could "collapse entirely," The New York Times is reporting that Microsoft (MSFT: sentiment, chart, options) has increased its bid for Yahoo! (YHOO: sentiment, chart, options) "by several dollars." The Times cites the infamous "unnamed source." Today's silence from the 2 technology giants had many on Wall Street speculating that a deal was imminent, due to last-minute talks to keep the deal on friendly terms and avoid a potential hostile takeover by MSFT.Traders put their dollars to work speculating on the pending deal, as YHOO shares vaulted nearly 7% higher in today's trading...(Read More)

  

• Triumph Group (TGI) Triumphant in Fourth-Quarter Earnings
  Aircraft-parts manufacturer Triumph Group (TGI: sentiment, chart, options) soared more than 17% higher today, after the company reported better-than-expected fourth-quarter earnings and boosted its 2009 guidance...(Read More)
• Philip Morris Urges Shareholders to Reject Mini-Tender Offer
  Philip Morris International (PM: sentiment, chart, options) shares are fractionally higher after the company recommended that its shareholders reject an unsolicited mini-tender offer from TRC Capital Corp...(Read More)
• Weyerhaeuser Swallows a First-Quarter Loss on Housing Weakness
  Forest-products firm Weyerhaeuser (WY: sentiment, chart, options) is down at midday after the company reported a first-quarter loss of %24148 million, or 70 cents per share...(Read More)
• Intel to Take $250-Million Charge in the Second Quarter
  Dow component Intel (INTC: sentiment, chart, options) dipped into the red today after the company said it expects to take a restructuring and asset-impairment charge of %24250 million in the second quarter...(Read More)
• Turkish Attacks Spark a Gain in Oil
  It certainly appears as if crude futures will put an end to 3 straight losing days, and Turkish planes are to thank...(Read More)
• Chesapeake Energy (CHK) Inches Higher on Strong Earnings
  Last week, I wrote about a strangle position that might have been initiated on Chesapeake Energy (CHK: sentiment, chart, options) ahead of its earnings report...(Read More)
• Cephalon (CEPH) Slips Despite Stronger-Than-Expected Earnings
  After the close on Thursday, Cephalon (CEPH: sentiment, chart, options) announced first-quarter earnings came in at %2438.9 million, or 52 cents per share, down from its year-ago profit of %2475.2 million, or 99 cents per share...(Read More)
• Gap Inc. (GPS) Downgraded on Weakness at Old Navy
  Banc of America Securities downgraded trendy clothier Gap Inc. (GPS: sentiment, chart, options) to "neutral," with analyst Dana Cohen stating the benefit of expenses and inventory control that has boosted profit recently may run out in the near future...(Read More)
• Nonfarm Payrolls Fall in April as Unemployment Rate Drops
  The Labor Department reported that nonfarm payrolls fell by 20,000 in April - far fewer than economists' predictions of a 78,000-job loss...(Read More)