BIGGEST JUMP IN 3 WEEKS
The headline: Dow Closes Higher After S&P Affirms “AAA” Ratings
Stocks advanced late in the session after S&P affirmed its rating of bond insurers MBIA(MBI) and Ambac Financial Group (ABK) . S&P said it appears the insurers will raise enough cash to pay claims they are likely to face, explains Dylan Ratigan.
S&P affirmed its "AAA" rating on Ambac and MBIA, though Ambac remains under scrutiny for a possible downgrade in the next few months.
Also, the company will be eliminating its dividend, Ratigan adds.
I don’t know what to make of this. It seems to me the market is just looking for any reason to go up, says Karen Finerman.
I think around March 1st the volatility lightens up, says Pete Najarian.
Read More:
>Ambac Still Needs Ratings Firms To Approve Rescue
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SWEET AND LOWE
The headline: Lowe's (LOW) Shares Pop After Profit Falls Less Than Expected.
Home improvement retailer Lowe's reported that profits would fall less than expected which the Street interpreted as positive news and shares gained 4%, explains Dylan Ratigan.
I think they set the bar low, says Karen Finerman. I guess investors think they probably can’t do worse.
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THE RAW MATERIALS OF A RALLY
The headline: Energy ETF (XLE), Materials ETF (XLB) Lead Market As Commodities Continue Run.
I like nat gas, says Guy Adami, Schlumberger (SLB) and Baker Hughes (BHI) are worth a look. And stay away from the gold miners, he adds. Also check out Alcoa (AA).
I recommend coal stocks such as Arch Coal (ACI), Massey (MEE), and Peabody Energy (BTU), adds Pete Najarian. Buy them on any dip. And keep your eye on Alpha Natural Resources (ANR).
Alcoa scares me here, says Jeff Macke. So do the coal names for that matter.
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LIFE TAKES VISA...BUT DO BROKERS?
The headline: Visa's Possible $17B Stock Offering Would Be Largest IPO In U.S. History.
Visa said Monday it expects to raise almost $19 billion from an initial public offering, which would easily become the largest IPO in U.S. history, explains Dylan Ratigan.
San Francisco-based Visa Inc. said in a Securities and Exchange Commission filing it will offer 406.6 million shares at $37 to $42 per share. There will be an option for its underwriters to buy an extra 40.6 million shares to cover any excess demand.
I think Visa and Mastercard (MA) will trade closely, says Karen Finerman.
I’d buy Mastercard on any dip, adds Pete Najarian.
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AN INFLATED SENSE OF IMPORTANCE
The headline: All Eyes On Inflation Report Tuesday After CPI Last Week Stoked Stagflation Fears.
I think the numbers will make the week exciting, but I don’t see a trade here, says Pete Najarian.
Inflation and the jobs numbers are the two numbers I fear, adds Karen Finerman.
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OPTIONS ACTION:IT'S ALL ABOUT NETWORKING
The headline: Pete Seeing Unusual Options Activity In Network Appliance (NTAP)