Stocks Slide as Credit Worries Persist

Stocks closed lower on Tuesday, as concerns about the credit crunch weighed on investor’s minds. Financial stocks were out of favor again, after J.P. Morgan Chase downgraded a number of brokerages.

Bloomberg reported a senior company executive at Citigroup
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said the bank “lost more money than it made from financial instruments based on U.S. subprime mortgages” (read more).

Merck
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reaffirmed its 2007 outlook and forecast earnings growth in 2008 (read more).

Nokia
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said it currently estimates operating margin in the range of 16-17% targeted within the next one to two years (read more).

Dell
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announced a $10 billion share buyback (read more).

Dow Chemical
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announced it is cutting 1000 jobs, or 2.3% of its work force (read more).

AutoZone
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shares are surging after the company reported profit increased 7% on higher sales and improved profit margins (read more). AZO gained more than 18%.

CMGI Inc.
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is also surging after reporting a 17% drop in net earnings and backing its full-year 2008 outlook (read more). CMGI rose nearly 30%.

Sanderson Farms
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reported Q4 profit more than doubled (read more). SAFM shares jumped by almost 7%.

Market Snapshot

Dow

-65.84 13248.73

NASDAQ

-17.30 2619.83

S&P 500

-9.63 1462.79

  NYSE NASDAQ

Volume

1,331,719,250 2,031,966,942

Up Volume

405,541,280 580,963,174

Down Volume

915,553,200 1,430,393,454

Advances

1158 1025

Declines

2091 1936

New Highs

47 30

New Lows

143 240

Strongest/Weakest Industry Groups

Strongest Industries

% Change

Weakest Industries

% Change
Auto Parts Stores
+10.26%
Farm & Construction Machinery
-12.51%
Farm Products
+2.10%
Auto Parts Wholesale
-12.16%
Department Stores
+1.57%
Mortgage Investment
-3.30%


Economic
News

None Today