Jan 06, 2009 (XFN via COMTEX) --
Stocks on the move Real-time Equity news
U.S. stock market report
1229 ET-05Jan2008 Players bet on big price swings in financials-analyst
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Options players are betting on an increase in volatility in the ProShares
Trust Ultra Financial exchange-traded fund. The ETF seeks to produce
twice the daily performance of the U.S. financials index. Its shares fell 4
cents to $6.04 in afternoon trade. The fund is now almost double in value from
its Nov. 21 low of $3.22 and has been increasingly less volatile as it has put
in higher lows and lower highs since that November low, said optionmonster
analyst Chris McKhann in comments on the firm's Web site. "Traders appear to be
betting for a break from this range, as they are buying the Feb $5 and $6 puts
and the Feb $6 and $7 calls," he said. More than 4,000 traded at all strikes
and were above open interest, according to optionmonster. He noted the strikes
traded in size at the same time and appear to be straddle and strangle buying.
Reuters Messaging: doris.frankel.reuters.com@reuters.net
1217 ET 05Jan2009-U.S. stocks fall on profit-taking, telecoms
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U.S. stocks fell on Monday as large telecom companies sank on concerns
about slowing cellphone sales and investors were seeking to capitalize on the
strong gains of the previous week.
Dow components Verizon Communications Inc and AT&T stumbled
after Bernstein Research downgraded both companies, saying it expected slower
wireless growth in 2009. For details, see
The S&P telecom services index fell 4.4 percent.
(Reuters Messaging: rodrigo.campos.reuters.com@reuters.net)
ET-05Jan2008 Players eye JA Solar calls as stock rises
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For the second straight session, Chinese solar company JA Solar Holdings Co
options are on traders' radar screens. Turnover picked up on Friday as
the stock extended its recent advance. JA Solar stock rose nearly 50 percent
last week. Its U.S. listed shares were up 5.58 percent to $5.11 near midday on
Monday and the equity's options volume is five times the average daily levels.
Solar Power Inc and JA Solar on Monday will enter a deal for up to 60
Megawatts of cells in 2009. "The February $5 calls are leading the flow, with
about 75 percent of today's 4,100 contracts traded ask-side," said
WhatsTrading.com option strategist Frederic Ruffy. By midday, about 5,590 calls
and 597 puts traded in JA Solar, with sentiment based on order flow, 64 percent
bullish, according to option analytics firm Trade Alert.
Reuters Messaging: doris.frankel.reuters.com@reuters.net
1137 ET 05Jan2009-Navistar climbs after conference call
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Shares of Navistar International Corp rebounded from earlier lows
on Monday after the company said it sees a slight rebound in North American
sales in 2009 and a bigger one for 2010.
After falling in the wake of the company's 2009 earnings per share guidance
of $5.10 to $5.60, the stock rebounded after Chief Executive Daniel Ustian said
the outlook included $3 per share in pension-related costs.
The stock jumped nearly 21 percent to $29.50 after falling as low as
$22.22 earlier in the session.
Reuters Messaging:rm://Charles.mikolajczak.reuters.com@reuters.net
1120 ET 05Jan2009-Obama expects "sobering" unemployment data on Friday
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U.S. President-elect Barack Obama said he expected "sobering" unemployment
figures at the end of the week during a trip to Capitol Hill on Monday to
campaign for his economic stimulus package.
The Labor Department will release its December employment report on Friday
at 8:30 a.m. (1330 GMT). According to a Reuters poll, economists expect

payrolls to drop by 500,000, bringing losses for 2008 to about 2.5 million.
For details, see
Reuters Messaging: deepa.seetharaman.reuters.com@reuters.net
1109 ET-05Jan2008 Investors eye Genentech puts, spread active
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Drugmaker Genentech Inc January and March $80 puts have turned
busy, after an investor bought the spread 4,800 times for $3.80, said
WhatsTrading.com option strategist Frederic Ruffy. With shares down 61 cents to
$81.99 in morning trade, Ruffy figured it might be a spread built on
expectations of Genentech holding above $80 over the next two weeks and
possibly heading south from that point forward. In all, about 13,000 puts
traded in the company compared to 3,853 calls, according to Trade Alert.
Reuters Messaging: doris.frankel.reuters.com@reuters.net
1036 ET 05Jan2009-Walgreen, Rite Aid up after December sales
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Shares of Walgreen and Rite Aid rose on Monday after the
companies reported sales results for stores open at least a year.
Walgreen said comparable store sales for December rose 4.9 percent while
comparable pharmacy sales increased 8.5 percent. Rite Aid said that same store
sales fell 0.2 percent from the prior year while pharmacy same store sales rose
1.2 percent.
Shares of Walgreen gained 3.1 percent to $26.35 while Rite Aid added 2.9
percent to 35 cents.
(Reuters Messaging:rm://Charles.mikolajczak.reuters.com@reuters.net)
1010 ET 05Jan2009- U.S. construction spending falls less than expected
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Shares of U.S. homebuilders edged up on Monday after news that U.S.
construction spending had fallen a slim 0.6 percent in November, an indication
that building at the end of 2008 was stronger than Wall Street had expected.
Analysts polled by Reuters expected the U.S. Commerce Department to report
a much steeper 1.3 percent drop in spending. Still, private residential
construction, which makes up roughly a third of total spending, fell a sharp
4.2 percent to $328 billion, the lowest annual rate since August 1999.
The Dow Jones U.S. Homebuilders Index was up 1.6 percent, while the rest of
the market was down, led by Pulte Homes and Toll Brothers.
Pulte rose 2 percent to $11.40, while Toll Brothers rose about 2 percent to
$22.
For details, see
Reuters Messaging: deepa.seetharaman.reuters.com@reuters.net
Keywords: MARKETS STOCKSNEWS
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