This Online Giant Is Down In After-Market Trading

Stocks were
lower Thursday.
The market was early
green, but sell programs at 2:10 PM sent the indices plummeting. Several companies, including AT&T
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, American International Group
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,
Bristol Myers Squibb
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, Biogen
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, Computer Associates
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,
Electronic Arts
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, International Paper
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, Jet Blue
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,
Pulte Homes
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, and Symantec
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all reported
better-than-expected results. In another positive sign, AT&T, American
International Group, and MBNA boosted their quarterly dividends. One of the
weakest parts of the economy, the job market, may be showing signs of life, as
first-time jobless claims fell below the critical 400,000 level for the first
time in more than five months. Bonds were lower today after the
positive claims report, giving back the majority of the gains from the
counter trend rally of the last two sessions.


Microsoft
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said they will add as many as 5000 jobs and
increase R&D spending.

The Dow Jones Industrial
Average

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$INDU.X |
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slid 81.73 to 9,112.51. The S&P 500
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$SPX.X |
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fell 7.01 to 981.60. The Nasdaq
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lost 17.73 to 1701.45.

The day’s leading sectors were
Gold
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$HUI.X |
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+2.61%, Healthcare
(
$HMO.X |
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+2.30%, Internet Commerce

(
$ECM.X |
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, +1.96%, Chemicals
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$CEX.X |
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,
+1.87%, and Insurance
(
$IUX.X |
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, +1.10%.

Weak today were Semiconductors
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$SOX.X |
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,
-2.29%, Computer Technology
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$XCI.X |
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, -1.75%, Biotech
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$BTK.X |
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,
-1.65%, Health Providers
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$RXH.X |
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, -1.19%, and Oil
Services

(
$OSX.X |
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, -1.65%

In economic news, Initial
Jobless Claims fell by 29,000 to 386,00. Economists had expected claims to come
in at 415K. It was the first time since the week of February 8 that claims have
been below 400,000.

The 10-year U.S. Note
was -125 at 113 090.

The dollar was -.01 at
95.59.

Gold was +2.4 at 362.7.

Crude Oil was +0.55 at
30.22.

Volume is
1,553,550,000 on
the NYSE, and
1,895,976,000 on the Nasdaq.

Market breadth was negative,
with NYSE declining issues over advancing issues by 1.06, and down volume over
up volume by 1.39. Nasdaq declining issues over advancing issues, 1.08, and down
volume over up volume, 1.47.

Top Dow stock(s) were:

AT&T
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, +0.47 at 20.00,
Dupont

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DD |
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, +0.77 at 43.45, Alcoa
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AA |
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, +0.19 at 25.84,
Walt Disney

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DIS |
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, +0.24 at 20.85 and General Motors
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GM |
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,
+0.07 at 36.27.

Stocks in the news:

After the close eBay
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beat
estimates and guided higher, posting revenues up 91% from a year ago. The
company also said they will split the shares 2:1. The stock traded down in the
after market.

Priceline.com
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reported
.20 vs. .14, and also traded up after the close. Starbucks
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came in at .17 vs. 16, Nortel
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NT |
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was in-line. KLA-Tencor
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matched, but year over year figures were down substantially. Zoran
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beat by .04 and guided higher.

After reporting
better-than-expected second quarter earnings and revenues, AFLAC
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traded lower today. For the second quarter, the company earned 40
cents a share compared to 40 cents a share during the same period a year ago.
The results topped analysts’ estimates by 3 cents. Revenues of $2.9 billion also
topped estimates of $2.8 billion. AFL closed at 30.97, down 0.02.

AT&T
(
T |
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is higher by
6.4% after the Dow component reported second-quarter results that easily topped
estimates. Ma Bell earned 68 cents a share compared to a loss a year ago.
Analysts had expected the company to earn 53 cents a share. The company also
announced that it would raise its quarterly dividend by 5 cents. In addition,
the company announced plans to buy back up to $2 billion in debt.

Biotech giant Biogen
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BGEN |
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reported second-quarter results of 38 cents a share compared to 29 cents during
the year-ago quarter. The results topped expectations by 2 cents. Biogen also
reaffirmed full-year estimates of $1.72 to $1.85. However the shares are under
pressure today after results of a Phase III trial of its Crohn’s disease drug,
Antegren, did not meet expectations. BGEN closed down 2.57 to 38.61.

Shares of chip maker Cirrus
Logic

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CRUS |
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was lower after the company posted a
wider-than-expected first-quarter loss. Cirrus reported a loss of 29 cents a
share compared to a loss of 19 cents a share in the year-ago quarter. Analysts
had been looking for a loss of 14 cents a share. CRUS fell .15 to 4.55.

Shares of Citrix Systems
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CTXS |
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fell after the company reported second-quarter
results excluding items of 18 cents a share compared to 7 cents a share in the
year-ago quarter. The results were a penny better than consensus estimates.
However the company also warned that third-quarter results could come in below
estimates. Citrix is expecting to post third-quarter results between 15 to 17
cents a share compared to analysts’ estimates of 17 cents a share. CTXS fell
5.00 to 18.25.

Computer Associates
(
CA |
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traded higher after the company unexpectedly returned to
profitability in its latest quarter. The company reported first-quarter results
of 2 cents a share compared to a loss of 11 cents a share in the year-ago
quarter. Excluding charges, the company earned 14 cents a share, beating
estimates of 9 cents a share.

Video game maker Electronic
Arts

(
ERTS |
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was higher after the company reported a 148% jump
in quarterly profits. Due to strong sales of titles such as “NBA Street Vol. 2”
and Def Jam Vendetta, the company earned 12 cents a share compared to 5 cents a
share in the year-ago quarter. The company also raised second-quarter guidance
to between 35 to 42 cents a share compared to consensus estimates of 40 cents a
share. ERTS gained 4.02 to 81.68.

Homebuilder Pulte Homes
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PHM |
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rose after the company reported
better-than-expected second-quarter results and raised full-year guidance. For
the second quarter, the company earned $1.95 a share compared to $1.45 in the
year ago quarter. The company also raised full year projections to $9 to $9.25
from $8.37. PHM rose 1.17 to 61.18.

Delta Airlines
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announced they are cutting their dividend to save money.

If you have any comments or
questions, please feel free to email me.


Vincent Mao

vincentm@tradingmarkets.com