Here’s An Interesting Sentiment Figure…

Stocks are off their highs on good reports from
several companies.

Lehman Bros.
(
LEH |
Quote |
Chart |
News |
PowerRating) beat by 0.27. The company had record investment
banking business. Best Buy
(
BBY |
Quote |
Chart |
News |
PowerRating) beat by a penny at 0.45 for Q3.
Margins were 5.8%.

Homebuilders are making new highs after Lennar reported better than
expected results and raised guidance.

Sprint and Nextel will merge in a $35 billion deal, creating
the 3rd largest wireless provider.

Las Vegas Sands IPO (LVS) debuted at $29; it is trading at 44.95. It
owns the Venetian, the Sands Expo and the Macau Casino in China; 1 billion
people live within an hour of this casino.

Investor’s Intelligence Bulls are 62.1%, the highest level since
January 1987.

The EIA said crude fell inventories 100,000 barrels,  distillates were
unchanged, but the expectations were for a build of 1 million barrels.

The October trade flow numbers are in and they’re disappointing: $48 billion
vs.a $63-65 billion estimate.

Remember: options and futures expire on Friday.

Strong sectors were: Gold
(
XAU.X |
Quote |
Chart |
News |
PowerRating) +1.94%, Oil
(
XOI.X |
Quote |
Chart |
News |
PowerRating)
+1.21%, Natural Gas
(
XNG.X |
Quote |
Chart |
News |
PowerRating) +0.48%.

Weak sectors are: Biotech
(
BTK.X |
Quote |
Chart |
News |
PowerRating) -1.44%, Airlines
(
XAL.X |
Quote |
Chart |
News |
PowerRating)
-0.67%, Computer Tech
(
XTC.X |
Quote |
Chart |
News |
PowerRating) -0.54%.

Dupont
(
DD |
Quote |
Chart |
News |
PowerRating) was upgraded at Smith Barney

Lennar
(
LEN |
Quote |
Chart |
News |
PowerRating) beat estimates and raised 2005 estimates.

Carl Icahn has become the largest shareholder in Blockbuster
(
BBI |
Quote |
Chart |
News |
PowerRating).

Today in History

1939  “Gone
With The Wind” premiered in Atlanta

Brice Wightman