STOCKS NEWS US-Blackstone Group call options draw interest

Stocks on the move Real-time Equity news U.S. stock market report 1002 ET 29Oct2009 Players eye Blackstone Group call options ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ A number of option investors appear to be positioning for extended gains in private equity firm Blackstone Group LP as its shares rose 5.9 percent to $13.66 this morning. There was notable upside call buying in Blackstone. The focus is on March 2010 $16 calls, where a customer paid $1.20 to $1.25 for a total of nearly 3,500 contracts to open a new position, said Trade Alert president Henry Schwartz. In all, 5,322 calls and 917 puts traded in the first 30 minutes of trade. Directional sentiment based on order flow was 61 percent bullish, according to Trade Alert data. Reuters Messaging: [e-mail] 0941 ET 29Oct2009-Markets open higher after positive GDP data ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ U.S. stocks opened higher on Thursday, lifted after data showed that the U.S. economy grew for the first time in a year in the third quarter, unofficially ending a deep recession. For details, see The Dow Jones industrial average rose 0.6 percent to 9,817.10 while the S&P 500 gained 0.7 percent to 1,050.52 and the Nasdaq was up 0.8 percent to 2,076.90. Reuters Messaging: [e-mail] 0848 ET 29Oct2009-Jobless claims edge down in latest week ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ The number of U.S. workers filing new claims for jobless benefits dipped by 1,000 last week, while the number collecting long-term aid fell to the lowest reading in seven months as the job market steadied. Initial claims for state unemployment insurance declined, though the number was higher than expected, to a seasonally adjusted 530,000 in the week ended Oct. 24, the Labor Department said. Analysts polled by Reuters had forecast claims to fall to 521,000 last week from 531,000. For details, see Reuters Messaging: [e-mail] 0840 ET 29Oct2009-U.S. economy grows in Q3, lifts futures ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ The U.S. economy grew in the third quarter for the first time in a year as consumer spending and investment in new home-building rebounded, data showed on Thursday, unofficially ending the worst recession in 70 years. The Commerce Department, in its first estimate of third-quarter gross domestic product, said the economy grew at a 3.5 percent annual rate. Analysts, on average, were expecting a rise of 3.3 percent. For details, see Reuters Messaging: [e-mail] 0822 ET 29Oct2009-Exxon shares fall after Q3 results ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Shares of Exxon Mobil Corp fell in premarket trading on Thursday after the oil giant reported third-quarter earnings that fell from the prior year and were below expectations. The profit was hurt as the recession weighed on fuel demand, and as crude oil prices fell from the prior year. For details, see Reuters Messaging: [e-mail] 0731 ET 29Oct2009-P&G reports Q1 results, raises rev outlook ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Procter & Gamble Co on Thursday reported its first-quarter results and raised its revenue outlook for the current quarter and full year. The consumer products giant also raised the low end of its 2010 profit view. The Dow component said it has modestly higher expectations for growth in the industry, even as consumers continue to remain cautious. For details, see Reuters Messaging: [e-mail] 0717 ET 29Oct2009-Transcept Pharma drug denied approval ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Transcept Pharmaceuticals on Thursday said the Food and Drug Administration didn't approval its experimental sleep disorder drug Intermezzo, citing safety issues. The FDA requested additional data that could require more studies. For details, see Reuters Messaging: [e-mail] 0650 ET 29Oct2009-AIG recoups billions of dollars in collateral-WSJ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ American International Group Inc has received billions of dollars in payments in recent months from banks to which it had made collateral payments, the Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday. The newspaper, citing people familiar with the matter, reported that it was not clear how much cash AIG had received, but it said that in the second quarter the amount may have topped $3 billion. Goldman Sachs Group Inc has sent AIG at least $1 billion, according to the report. For details, see Reuters Messaging: [e-mail] Keywords: MARKETS STOCKSNEWS COPYRIGHT Copyright Thomson Reuters 2009. All rights reserved.

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