Do You Know The Trading Symbol For The Nasdaq?

Stocks are mixed in low-volume, directionless
action. There’s not much conviction today thus far. The Nasdaq is
underperforming but energy stocks continue to trade at historic highs. 

Jobless claims for the week ended Feb. 5 fell 13,000 to 303,000, a four-year
low. The 4-week moving average fell 16,500 to 315,500. The trade gap for
December narrowed to $56.4 billion; the record November number was revised to
$59.3 billion vs. $60.3 billion. The 2004 deficit was $617.7 billion.

Verizon
(
VZ |
Quote |
Chart |
News |
PowerRating) has made an informal offer to buy MCI
(
MCIP |
Quote |
Chart |
News |
PowerRating),
near the $6.3 billion that Qwest has suggested.

Aetna
(
AET |
Quote |
Chart |
News |
PowerRating) reported better-than-expected earnings, doubed its
dividend and announced a 2:1 split.

Ericson
(
ERICY |
Quote |
Chart |
News |
PowerRating) beat estimates but gross margins fell short.
Shares traded down in Europe.

Today, the Nasdaq begins trading on–the Nasdaq! Symbol: NDAQ. Thomas
Weisel Partners and Sandler O’Neill co-managed the secondary offering, which was
priced at $9.00. NDAQ is trading at 10.42.

Remember, the Google
(
GOOG |
Quote |
Chart |
News |
PowerRating) lock-up period ends on

Valentine’s Day;  177 million shares
become available for sale.

Two IPOs of note today: Syniversa Holdings
(
SVR |
Quote |
Chart |
News |
PowerRating). The talk was
$16-22 and the stock came at $16. Prestige Brands
(
PBH |
Quote |
Chart |
News |
PowerRating) was priced at
$16 after boosting the number of shares by 4.7 million. The company makes Spic
and Span, Comet, Chloraseptic and other household brand name products.

Stocks in the News

GlaxoSmithKline
(
GSK |
Quote |
Chart |
News |
PowerRating) was in-line, posting a 24% rise in Q4
profits. 

Vertex
Pharmaceutical (VRTX)
beat by 0.06, reporting a narrower loss, ex-items.

Napster (NAPS)
missed by 0.03 but had strong subscription growth and raised its forecast.

Whole Foods (WFMI)
beat by 0.05 and beat on revenues.

MetLife (MET)
beat by 0.04, ex-items. Lincoln National (LNC)
beat by 0.09.