Stocks Slated To Open Up

Stocks appeared set to open higher
Monday.

Humana
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reported Q2 earnings,
which increased 32%. The health insurance company’s earnings were reported at 15
cents a share in line with analysts’ estimates according to Thomson
Financial/First Call.

Retailer Tommy Hilfiger
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announced Q1 earnings of 10 cents per, share beating analysts’ estimates.
According to a poll taken by Thomson Financial/First Call, Wall Street’s
estimates for the company were for 8 cents a share.

General Electric
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announced
that the company has made a cash bid to acquire Heller Financial
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for
$5.3 billion.

UBS Warburg stated that it continues
to maintain the Buy rating on Celera Genomics
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CRA |
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, but has cut the genomic
company’s price target from $89 to $41.

Goldman Sachs downgraded Lehman
Brothers
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to Market Perform from Market Outperform.

Williams Company
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reported Q2
earnings of 60 cents per share beating analysts’ consensus by 6 cents. The
company also reaffirmed that it is comfortable with full-year estimates of
$2.32.

Robertson Stephens maintains the buy
rating on Brocade Communications
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, but has lowered estimates on the
company, who is due to report numbers in mid-August.

Cisco Systems
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has chosen
Motorola’s
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MPC 7450 to be host processor for some of its routers.

United Airlines
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UAL |
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has selected
BEA Systems
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BEA platform to improve and enhance the airline’s
operations and customer service.

Cable provider Charter Communications
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reported an increase Q2 operating cash flow of 14% to $428.1 million
from $375.3 million.

Cisco Systems
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reported
that it has been chosen by China United Telecommunications
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to expand
the company’s communications network.

The Nikkei Average has made new 16-year lows since the stock market bubble burst.

The FDA voted against recommending
approval of Aviron’s
(
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FluMist due to safety issues. The biotech
stock was halted from trading all day Friday during the regulatory panel’s
discussion.

Adobe Systems
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reported
that the company should meet Q3 earnings targets, but warned it could experience
a loss in revenues due to weak conditions and slower demand on its products.
According to Thomson Financial/First Call, analysts polled expect the company
to earn 28 cents a share.

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