FDIC

After a slightly negative open, the major U.S. indices moved higher into positive territory with the DOW sporting a triple digit gain during the first half of the trading session. Tropical Storm Gustav is still tracking toward the shores of the Gulf of Mexico. The storm left behind heavy damage in the area of Haiti and Cuba. Forecasters are indicating that Gustav could increase into strength to turn into a Category 5 Hurricane. Oil companies have begun evacuating non-essential personnel from oil and gas platforms in the Gulf, as the storm moves closer to the coast. The financial sector moved higher on the trading session today including, Freddie Mac (NYSE: FRE) and Fannie Mae (NYSE: FNM). The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) stated late Tuesday that banks' earnings for the 2Q were $5 billion which is a whopping 86% plunge from the $36.8 billion banks earned during same quarter of 2007.  "Quite frankly, the results were pretty dismal and we don't see a return to the high earnings levels of previous years anytime soon," FDIC Chairwoman Sheila Bair said at a news conference. The FDIC added that that the number of banks on its "problem list" rose approximately 30% from 90 to 117, during the 1Q of 2008.

Durable Goods Orders:
U.S. July Durable Goods Orders rose 1.3% as compared to consensus of a drop by 0.4%; July Durable Goods Orders, Excluding Transportation rose 0.7%; July Durable Goods Orders, Excluding Defense, rose 2.8%; July Durable Goods Orders revised to increase by 1.3% from increase by 0.8%.

Energy Information Association (EIA) Petroleum Status Report: per the Department Of Energy:
U.S. Crude Oil Stockpiles fell by  0.177 Million Barrels at 305.76 Million Barrels;  U.S. Gasoline Stockpiles fell by 1.179 Million Barrels at 195.441 Million Barrels; U.S. Distillate Stockpiles increased by 0.057 Million Barrels at 132.125 Million Barrels; U.S .Refineries Ran at capacity of 87.3% versus capacity of 85.7% a week ago; U.S. Crude Oil Stockpiles fell by 177,000 Million Barrels in the week compared to expectations of an increase by 1 Million Barrels.

Comments from President Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond, Jeffrey M. Lacker:
Must act as needed to anchor inflation expectations; Fed's central concern evidence of price pressures; weak growth, financial market strains should help 2008, 2009 inflation; data, tips suggest inflation expectations up modestly; no certainty commodity prices to continue declining; sees 2008 PCE index at more than 3.5%, CPI above 4%; aggregate inflation `uncomfortably high'; global inflation also higher in recent months; CPI, PCE measures both useful inflation measures; alternative inflation measures also helpful; core inflation alone inadequate overall gauge; inflation ease from oil drop likely only be partial; always the potential of severe energy price shock; home prices will continue to decline; both Fed and ECB monetary policy structures sound; tight oil supply and demand outside of Fed control; on balance, recent Fannie, Freddie news positive; can't be too sure of oil stabilization; oil of around $115 or lower can help inflation; dollar stabilization has helped price pressures; financial markets remain strained, fragile; supports Fed's Bear Stearns move, other interventions; financings are getting done; some financial markets have appeared to stabilize; Fed's liquidity programs should help quarter end; comfortable with rates where they are.

Hot Stock picks on the move today for day trading:
AFLAC Incorporated (NYSE: AFL) had a slow but steady ride higher that began during the pre-market trading session. With a trading range of over 3 points on the trading session, AFLAC hosted a gain of over 2 1/2 points. Amylin Pharmaceuticals Incorporated (NasdaqGS: AMLN) tumbled today after four more deaths were reported among users of its diabetes drug Byetta. Last week there were reports that two users if Byetta died from complications of pancreatitis which is a severe inflammation of the pancreas. At the closing bell, Amylin hosted a loss of over 6 1/2 points on the trading session.

At the NYSE closing bell on the New York Stock Exchange, here is how the major world indices and major U.S. stock indices ended the session on the world market as well as the emerging markets including the stock market closing bell price:
DOW (Dow Jones Industrial Average) gain of 89.72 points on the day to end the trading session at 11,502.59
NYSE (New York Stock Exchange) gain of 86.12 points to end the trading session at 8,349.84
NASDAQ gain of 20.49 points to end the trading session at 2,382.46
S&P 500 gain of 10.15 points to end the trading session at 1,281.66
FTSE All-World excluding - U.S. gain of 1.58 points to end the trading session at 218.31
FTSE RAFI 1000 gain of 43.84 points to end the trading session at 5,015.88
BEL 20 (BEL20) gain of 8.53 points to end the trading session at 3,033.67
CAC 40 (CAC40) gain of 4.53 points to end the trading session at 4,373.08
FTSE100 (UKX100) gain of 57.4 points to end the trading session at 5,528.10
NIKKEI 225 (NIK/O) loss of 99.95 points on the day to end the trading session at 12,778.71

New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) stock market indicators for the day:
Advanced stock prices 2,318; declined stock prices 846; unchanged stock prices 90; stock prices hitting new highs 17 and stock prices hitting new lows 43.NYSE quotes for volatile stocks and market trends, as well as stock quotes, stock prices and stock symbols of Day Trading Stock Picks on the New York Stock Exchange stock market for Day Trading online and active Day Trading for those who are or would like to be Day Trading for a living: Goldman Sachs Group Incorporated (NYSE: GS) stock price shed 0.43 points on the trading session, high on the trading session $155.88, low on the trading session $153.41 with a closing stock price at $155.48; Devon Energy Corporation (NYSE: DVN) stock price gained 1.53 points on the trading session, high on the trading session $109.60, low on the trading session $105.89 with a closing stock price at $106.78; J. Crew Group Incorporated (NYSE: JCG) stock price shed 0.77 points on the trading session, high on the trading session $25.99, low on the trading session $23.97 with a closing stock price at $25.87; AFLAC Incorporated (NYSE: AFL) stock price gained 2.64 points on the trading session, high on the trading session $56.44, low on the trading session $53.87 with a closing stock price at $56.24; Dycom Industries Incorporated (NYSE: DY) stock price shed 0.79 points on the trading session, high on the trading session $16.99, low on the trading session $15.02 with a closing stock price at $15.92; United States Steel Corporation (NYSE: X) stock price gained 2.34 points on the trading session, high on the trading session $133.14, low on the trading session $130.02 with a closing stock price at $132.19; CF Industries Holdings Incorporated (NYSE: CF) stock price gained 0.92 points on the trading session, high on the trading session $152.66, low on the trading session $149.40 with a closing stock price at $150.16; LDK Solar Corporation Limited (NYSE: LDK) stock price gained 2.81 points on the trading session, high on the trading session $50.03, low on the trading session $46.20 with a closing stock price at $50.03; Walter Industries Incorporated (NYSE: WLT) stock price gained 2.83 points on the trading session, high on the trading session $95.78, low on the trading session $92.22 with a closing stock price at $95.45; Rio Tinto plc (NYSE: RTP) stock price gained 6.10 points on the trading session, high on the trading session $388.77, low on the trading session $379.34 with a closing stock price at $388.25; Ultrashort Financial Corporation (NYSE: SKF) stock price shed 3.96 points on the trading session, high on the trading session $131.81, low on the trading session $125.59 with a closing stock price at $126.50; CME Group Incorporated (NYSE: CME) stock price gained 8.06 points on the trading session, high on the trading session $334.28, low on the trading session $312.00 with a closing stock price at $330.50; Potash Corporation Saskatchewan (NYSE: POT) stock price gained 3.15 points on the trading session, high on the trading session $184.18, low on the trading session $180.00 with a closing stock price at $182.10.

National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotations (NASDAQ) stock market indicators today:
Advanced stock prices 1,814; declined stock prices 1,018; unchanged stock prices 149; stock prices hitting new highs 23; stock prices hitting new lows 59.
NASDAQ quotes, volatile stocks and market trends, as well as stock quotes, stock prices and stock symbols of Day Trading Stock Picks on the NASDAQ stock market for Day Trading online and active Day Trading for those who are or would like to be Day Trading for a living: Amylin Pharmaceuticals Incorporated (NasdaqGS: AMLN) stock price shed 6.99 points on the trading session, high on the trading session $24.00, low on the trading session $19.91 with a closing stock price at $20.24; Google Incorporated (NasdaqGS: GOOG) stock price shed 6.15 points on the trading session, high on the trading session $474.83, low on the trading session $464.84 with a closing stock price at $468.00.

Market trends on the American Stock Exchange (AMEX) and stock market indicators for today:
Advanced stock prices 759; declined stock prices 410; unchanged stock prices 89; stock prices hitting new highs 17; stock prices hitting new lows 25.

Chicago Board of Trade Futures Market activity for the day, at time of this posting for September 2008 Contracts:
E-mini S&P 500 (ES) end of day price 1,280.25 change 8.50
E-mini NASDAQ-100 (NQ) end of day price 1,897.75, change 6.25
E-mini S&P SmallCap 600 (SMP) end of day price 384.20, change 3.40
$5 DJIA (YM) end of day price 11,478, change 66

World Currencies for the Forex Market, for Forex Trading by active Forex Traders, at time of this posting:
Euro 0.6790 to U.S. Dollars 1.4728
Japanese Yen 109.510 to U.S. Dollars 0.0091
British Pound 0.5448 to U.S. Dollars 1.8354
Canadian Dollar 1.0470 to U.S. Dollars 0.9551
Swiss Franc 1.0968 to U.S. Dollars 0.9117

Commodity Markets:
Energy Sector: Light Crude (NYMEX: NYM) gained $1.88 on the day for a closing price of $118.15 a barrel ($US per barrel)
Heating Oil (NYMEX: NYM) gained $0.05 on the day for a closing price of  $3.28 a gallon ($US per gallon)
Natural Gas (NYMEX: NYM) gained $0.22 on the day for a closing price of $8.61 per million BTU ($US per mmbtu.)
Unleaded Gas (NYMEX: NYM) gained $0.10 on the day for a closing price of $3.07 a gallon ($US per gallon) 

Metals Markets:
Gold Market Price (COMEX: CMX) gained $5.90 on the day for a closing price of $834.00 ($US per Troy ounce)
Silver (COMEX: CMX) shed $0.11 on the day for a closing price of $13.57 ($US per Troy ounce)
Platinum (NYMEX: NYM) gained $19.60 on the day for a closing price of $1,440.70 ($US per Troy ounce)
Copper (COMEX: CMX) gained $0.03 on the day for a closing price of $3.45 ($US per pound) 

Livestock and Meat Markets (cents per lb.):
Lean Hogs (Chicago Mercantile Exchange: CME) shed 3.00 on the day for a closing price of 70.50
Pork Bellies (Chicago Mercantile Exchange: CME) shed 2.98 on the day for a closing price of 91.05
Live Cattle (Chicago Mercantile Exchange: CME) shed 1.98 on the day for a closing price of 103.78
Feeder Cattle (Chicago Mercantile Exchange: CME) shed 1.18 on the day for a closing price of 110.43 

Other Commodities (cents per bushel):
Corn (Chicago Board of Trade: CBT) gained 2.00 on the day for a closing price of 596.00
Soybeans (Chicago Board of Trade: CBT) gained 3.50 on the day for a closing price of 1,347.00

Bond Market:
2 year bond gained 2/32 on the day for a closing price of 100 27/32 with a Yield of 2.28, Yield Change -0.05
5 year bond gained 3/32 on the day for a closing price of 101 20/32 with a Yield of 3.01, Yield Change -0.02
10 year bond gained 3/32 on the day for a closing price of 101 30/32 with a Yield of 3.76, Yield Change -0.01
30 year bond gained 3/32 on the day for a closing price of 101 29/32 with a Yield of 4.38, Yield Change -0.01

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