Citigroup Profitable, Stocks Explode Up, Bernanke Optimistic

Great news of Citigroup posting profits in the first two months of 2009 triggered an upward explosion in the stock market. This optimistic report combined with Ben Bernanke appearing positive as he laid out his plan for regulatory oversight triggered a massive rally. Stocks surged toward the sky, closing on the high of the day. The DJIA advanced +379.44 to 6926.49, the tech heavy Nasdaq jumped up +89.64 to 1358.28, and the broad based S&P 500 climbed +43.07 to 719.60.

Newmont Mining
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– Followed gold downward dropping 7.22% or $2.73 to $35.09/share being the 2nd biggest loser in the S&P 500.

Apple
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– Announced the release of a touch screen notebook computer triggering buying in the shares. The stock advanced 6.64% or $5.52 to $88.63/share on the news.

Casey’s General Stores
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– Soared 27.07% or $5.11 to $23.99/share upon crushing analysts profits estimates by 49%.

Dr. Pepper Snapple
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– Climbed 12.77% or $1.52 to $13.42/share after Goldman Sachs upgraded it to a buy rating.

Oil fell $1.38 to $45.77, Gold plummeted $22.10 to $895.90 and the fear index VIX gave back 10.69% to 44.37 as confidence returns to the market.

Market Snapshot

Dow

+379.44 6926.49

NASDAQ

+89.64 1358.28

S&P 500

+43.07 719.60

Economic
News

Wholesale Inventories (Jan): Consensus: -1.0%, Prior: -1.4%

Crude Inventories (March 06): Consensus: NA, Prior: -757K

Treasury Budget (Feb): Consensus:-$200B, Prior: NA

Initial Claims (March 07): Consensus: 640K, Prior: 639K

Retail Sales (Feb): Consensus: -0.4%, Prior: 1.0%

Retail Sales ex-auto (Feb): Consensus: -0.2%, Prior: 0.9%

Business Inventories (Jan): Consensus: -1.1%, Prior: -1.3%

Export Prices ex-ag. (Feb): Consensus: NA, Prior: 0.0%

Import Prices ex-oil (Feb): Consensus: NA, Prior: -0.8%

Trade Balance (Jan): Consensus: -$38.2B, Prior: -$39.9B

Mich Sentiment-Prel (Mar): Consensus: 56.3, Prior: 56.3