Stocks Set To Open Lower

Stocks appeared set to open lower
Thursday.

Apple Computer
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will be
halting production of the Power Mac G4 Cube due to slow sales. The company
announced that the halt in production will be indefinite.

Asyst Technology
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has
completed an offering of $86.25 million of 5.75% convertible notes. The proceeds
from the offering will be used for general corporate purposes and as working
capital.

Knight Trading
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revised Q2
earnings to be between 7 cents to 10 cents. Previously the company was
projecting 15 cents to 20 cents with an analyst mean of 10 cents according to
Thomson Financial/First Call.

European Central Bank announced that it will leave interest rates unchanged.

Clothing line Guess
(
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lowered
their Q2 earnings outlook to be between 2 cents to 4 cents. Estimates were for 7
cents.

WebEx
(
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was selected by
Coldwell Banker Real Estate to be the provider of real-time web communication
services for the companies training and continuing ed programs.

Dollar Tree Stores
(
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reported a 14.5% increase in net sales for Q2.

According to a report from the LA
Tribune, Alcatel SA
(
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has lowered the amount they are willing to pay for
Lucent’s
(
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fiber optic cable unit by 25%.

Chinese concept restaurant P.F.
Chang’s Chinese Bistro
(
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reported Q2 revenues were up 43% to $76.5
million.