Stocks Are Near Their Highs. So Why Is This Making A 9-Year Low?

Stocks are lower after two chip warnings and a downgrade.

Advanced Micro Devices
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warned on revenues. The company cited
a “competitive and challenging” flash memory environment.   

ST Microelectronics
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said margins for December were 31%, less
than the forecast 38-39%.The company blamed the shortfall on the weak dollar.

Morgan Stanley downgraded Hewlett Packard
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to ‘underweight.’

A NYSE seat fell below $1 million for the first time in nine years, selling
for $975,000. The record high was $2.6 million in 1999. Some speculate that the
NYSE trading floor may go away with proposed changes to accelerate electronic
trading. The price has fallen 50% over the past year.

Strong sectors are: Gold
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XAU.X |
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+1.03%, Natural Gas
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XNG.X |
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+0.11%, Oil Services
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OSX.X |
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+0.05%.

Weak sectors are: Semis
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SOX.X |
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-0.33%, Brokers
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XBD.X |
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-1.55%,
Biotech
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XTC.X |
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-1.43%,

 

Dow -65.03 10,556
S&P 500 -7.71 1182.54
Nasdaq -18.36 2,078.68

The dollar is -0.45 at
82.84

Crude Oil is +0.52 at
45.85

Gold is +1.00 to 421.80

ce=”Arial” size=”2″ face=”Arial”>Volume is 699 million on the NYSE and
1.0 billion on the Nasdaq.

Market breadth is negative.

NYSE Issues
Advancing 1091 Up Vol 160
Declining 2064 Down Vol 462
1.89 2.88
Nasdaq
Advancing 828 Up Vol 230
Declining 2133 Down Vol 746
2.57 3.24

Stocks in the News

Genentech’s
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DNA |
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Q4 profits fell short of expectations even after
reporting a 63% increase in Q4 profit.

Unisys
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is now forecasting a Q4 loss.

Taser
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said some orders may be delayed in the first half of year
due to testing.

QLogic
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raised its Q3 outlook.

Williams Sonoma
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said sales will be below expectations.

DR Horton
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reported a 31% rise in Q4 sales and guided higher.

Brice Wightman

 

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