Stock Market News March 17, 2009 3/17/09

The following is a summary of the top stock market news moving the market in today's trading action. I will highlight events that could potentially move the stock market in the next day or two and report things that I am watching.


Stock Market Report - 3.17.09

Building Permits: This morning we got building permits data that was a bit better then expected. Building permits, which are less volatile than the housing starts data, rose 3% in February to a 547,000 annual rate. Permits for single-family units rose 11% to a 373,000 rate, the largest percentage gain in 18 years. So this news was good news this morning.

Aloca ( AA ) - $5.56 Down 9.17% - Alcoa (NYSE:AA) announced today a series of operational and financial actions to significantly improve the Company’s cost structure and liquidity. The operational actions will reduce costs by more than $2.4 billion annually, reduce capital expenditures an additional $1.0 billion in 2010, and improve working capital by $800 million in 2009. The Company is reducing the quarterly common stock dividend from $0.17 to $0.03 per share, saving more than $400 million annually, and launching a public offering of common stock and convertible notes planned to yield proceeds of approximately $1.1 billion

Oil Prices - $48.38 - Oil going up toward resistance at $50.50 - If Oil starts trading above $50 for a few days, you could see a quick move toward $60. This would actually be good for the stock market as oil prices take the temperature of the economy.

Dow Jones 30 Leaders - Wal Mart ( WMT ), ExxonMobile ( XOM ), Home Depot ( HD ), Citigroup ( C ). XOM - Exxon Mobil to build tech center in Shanghai - HD - Home Depot up on the good housing data above.

General Electric ( GE ) - $9.77 Up 1.14% - GE Transportation Signs 47 Million Agreement with Trenitalia

Fed Meeting - Two day Fed meeting starts today, we will get a Fed statement out tomorrow afternoon at 2:15pm Est. This could be a market mover.

Today's Biggest Stock Market Gainers - Top 2009 Stock Gainers - Top 2009 Penny Stocks

For the latest updates on the stock market, visit, http://daytradingstockblog.blogspot.com/ or Subscribe for Free

General Electric GE Stock 3/12/09 March 12, 2009

General Electric ( GE ) stock is up on a rating change that was anticipated for over a week now. The positive thing is, the rating change was better then expected. GE's credit rating was dropped to AA+ with a stable outlook. Wall Street was pricing in a negative outlook when they were selling at $6 last week.

GE stock is now trading at $9.40 up 10.72% today
4:00pm est Update - GE stock closes at $9.57 up 12.72%

See Bill Gross Comments - he nailed it!


GE Statement on S&P Ratings Action

FAIRFIELD, CT – March 12, 2009 – Standard & Poor’s (S&P) today announced a single-notch downgrade of General Electric Company’s and General Electric Capital Corporation’s (GECC) long-term ratings from AAA to AA+, with a “stable” outlook. The ratings downgrade does not affect GE’s and GECC’s short-term funding ratings of A-1+, which was affirmed by S&P. The action follows a thorough review of GE’s portfolio by S&P. Full Article

For the latest updates on the stock market, visit, http://daytradingstockblog.blogspot.com/ or Subscribe for Free

General Electric GE Dividend Cut 2/27/09 - Haynesville Shale

General Electric ( GE ) will cut their dividend from .31 cents per quarter to .10 cents per quarter starting in the 3rd quarter of 2009. GE hasn't officially announced this but David Faber of CNBC has announced this.

GE will save 9 billion dollars a year with this dividend cut as it will come down from $1.24 per year to $0.40 per year.

GE stock spiked to $9.00 on this news but has since tanked to around $8.60 per share. Right now the stock appears to be all over the place but the spike to $9 brought the Dow Jones back to even on the trading day.

In other General Electric news today, February 27, 2009, GE is getting into the Haynesville Shale:

Natural gas processor and transporter Regency Energy Partners LP on Friday said that it, along with Alinda Capital Partners LLC and an affiliate of GE Energy Financial Services, are forming a joint venture to finance and construct Regency's Haynesville expansion project.

Dallas-based Regency will contribute to the joint venture its Regency Intrastate Gas System in North Louisiana, valued at $400 million, in exchange for a 38 percent general partnership stake in the venture. GE Energy Financial Services and Alinda Capital Partners LLC will contribute to the joint venture $126.5 million and $526.5 million in cash for a 12 percent and a 50 percent stake, respectively.

The North Louisiana pipeline will transport gas from the Haynesville shale formation, one of the fastest growing U.S. natural gas fields, which stretches through parts of Texas, Oklahoma and Louisiana.

Being the founder of www.oilshalegas.com, I have done extensive research on all the energy shale plays in the USA and Canada. The haynesville shale, located in Louisiana and East Texas, has the potential to be the biggest natural gas field in America. If one day we convert our vehicles to compressed natural gas, the haynesville shale has enough gas to support this. The Marcellus Shale is up there as well!

For the latest updates on the stock market, visit, http://daytradingstockblog.blogspot.com/ or Subscribe for Free