Here’s What’s Holding Us

The indexes are mixed
mid-session, with technology issues attempting to lead the overall markets
higher. Negative earnings news from across the sectors had price action opening
lower, though a double bottom is now holding to support the longs in the second
half. Today is light on the economic front, with no potential market-moving data
foreseen.

The Dow Jones Industrial
Average

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$INDU.X |
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is -0.52% at 8,399.02 The S&P 500
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$SPX.X |
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is -0.37% at 884.32. The Nasdaq
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is -0.70%
at 1,373.85.

The day’s biggest gainers are
Internet
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$GIN.X |
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, +2.54%, gold and silver
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,
+1.67%, and networking
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$GIP.X |
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, +1.59%.

The biggest losers for the day
are airlines
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$XAL.X |
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, -4.31%, broker/dealers
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$XBD.X |
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, -4.31%, and the utilities 
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, -1.04% at 212.95.

Today’s only economic release
will be the treasury budget at 2:00 pm ET.

The 10-year U.S. Note
is +115 at 114 135.

The Dollar is +0.02 at
100.50.

Gold is +2.10 at 359.60.

Crude Oil is +0.10 at
33.20.

Volume is at 740,000,000
on the NYSE, and at 753,220,000 on the Nasdaq.

Market breadth is mostly
negative
, with NYSE declining issues over advancing issues by a ratio of
1.45, and down volume over up volume by a 1.66 ratio. Nasdaq advancing issues
over declining issues came in at 1.35, and down volume is over up volume by a
1.92 ratio.

Leading the Dow down are:

Eastman Kodak
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,
-10.14% at 33.78, Caterpillar
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, -3.76% at 44.34, General
Motors

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, -2.09% at 38.80, United Technologies
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, -1.75% at 63.85, JP Morgan
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, -1.61% at 25.01,
and American Express
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, -1.56% at 35.39.

Stocks in the news:

Conglomerate Tyco
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,
-3.10% at 16.58, said that their profit fell 47% for the first fiscal quarter
due to weakness across most of its businesses. The company said it expects
fiscal earnings for the year to be at the low end of expectations.

Drug maker Pfizer
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,
+1.21% at 30.86, announced that their fourth-quarter earnings were up 46% from a
year ago, with revenues up 14%.

In the airline business, American
Airlines

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AMR |
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, -14.29% at 4.20, sold off after reporting a smaller loss
than expected, though said continuing losses are “unsustainable.” Also,
Southwest Airlines

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, -1.01% at 12.70, was down after it announced
it had lower profits with higher revenue.

Defense contractor General
Dynamics

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GD |
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, -8.86% at 67.45, has missed its fourth-quarter earnings by
$0.21 with profits of $1.23 per share.

In the chip biz, Motorola
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, -1.71% at 8.60, beat its fourth-quarter earnings expectations by
$0.03 with profits of $0.13 per share.

Photo giant Eastman Kodak
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EK |
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, -10.14% at 33.78, missed its fourth-quarter earnings expectations by
$0.02 with profits of $0.65 per share.

Investment services companies
Merrill Lynch
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MER |
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, -2.72% at 38.99, beat its fourth-quarter
earnings expectations by $0.01 with profits of $0.64 per share. JP Morgan
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, -1.61% at 25.01, reported fourth-quarter earnings in line with
consensus expectation with a loss of $0.20 per share. And Legg Mason
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LM |
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, -2.70% at 47.85, beat its third-quarter earnings expectations by $0.01
with profits of $0.70 per share.

Oil services company
Schlumberger

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, -4.02% at 37.19, missed its fourth-quarter earnings
expectations by $0.05 with profits of $0.25 per share.

danielb@tradingmarkets.com