Daily Market Commentary for December 16, 2009

Intel

Federal Trade Commission issued a statement saying that it is suing Intel, saying the tactics they are using is making it impossible for other companies to compete. (Read more at Millennium-Traders.Com)

Economic data released today:

MBA [Mortgage Bankers Association] Mortgage Applications:
U.S. MBA Refinance Index rose 0.9% at 3214.0; Last Week 3185.9; U.S. MBA Purchase Index fell 0.1% at 241.2; Last Week 241.5; U.S. MBA Market Index rose 0.3% at 667.3; Last Week 665.6.

Building Permits:
Building Permits rose 6.0% to 584,000 Rate in November.

CPI [Consumer Price Index]:
U.S. November Consumer Prices rose 0.4%; compared to consensus of an increase by 0.4%; U.S. November CPI Excluding-Food & Energy Unchanged; compared to consensus of an increase by 0.1%; U.S. November CPI Unrounded rose 0.400%; U.S. November CPI Core rose 0.034%; U.S. November CPI Energy Prices rose 4.1%; U.S. November CPI Food Prices rose 0.1%.

Current Account:
U.S. Real Average Weekly Earnings rose 0.1% in November; U.S. 3Q Current Account Deficit $108.0B; Deficit was seen at $107.0B; U.S. 2Q Current Account Revised to Deficit $98.0B versus Deficit of $98.8B.

Housing Starts:
U.S. November Housing Starts rose 8.9% to 574,000 ; compared to consensus of an increase by 7.7%; October Housing Starts Revised to fall 10.1% from a decrease by 10.6%.

Crude Oil Inventories released by DOE [Department of Energy]:
U.S. Crude Oil Stockpiles fell 3.689 Million Barrels at 332.387 Million Barrels; U.S. Crude Oil Stockpiles fell 3.689 Million Barrels in Week; Was Seen decreasing by 1.7 Million Barrels; U.S. Gasoline Stockpiles rose 0.879 Million Barrels at 217.213 Million Barrels; U.S. Gasoline Stockpiles rose 0.879 Million Barrels in Week; Was Seen increasing by 1.4 Million Barrels; U.S. Distillate Stockpiles fell 2.954 Million Barrels at 164.363 Million Barrels; U.S. Distillate Stockpiles fell 2.954 Million Barrels in Week; Was Seen decreasing by 0.6 Million Barrels; U.S. Refineries Ran at 79.95% capacity versus 81.05% Week Ago; U.S. Refineries Ran at 79.95% capacity; Was Seen 81.40%.

Interest Rate Decision by FOMC [Federal Open Market Committee]:
Fed keeps Fed funds range unchanged at 0.0% to 0.25%; economic activity has continued to pick up; voted 10-0 for Fed funds rate action; Fed leaves discount rate unchanged at 0.50%; deterioration in labor market abating; economic activity likely to remain weak for a time; economy slack likely to continue to dampen cost pressures; longer-term inflation expectations stable; most special liquidity facilities to expire February 2010; Fed to close foreign swap arrangements by February 1; Fed to continue scaling back term auction offerings; Fed still to purchase up to $1.25T in agency MBS; Fed still to purchase about $175B in agency debt; sees exceptionally low Fed funds rate for extended period; inflation to remain subdued for some time; financial market conditions more supportive of growth.

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 trading session on the world markets as well as the emerging markets including the stock market closing bell price:
DOW (Dow Jones Industrial Average) shed 6.50 points, EOD 10,445.50
NYSE (New York Stock Exchange) gain 39.32, EOD 7,180.76
National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotations (NASDAQ) gain 5.93 points, EOD 2,206.98
S&P 500 (SPX) gain 1.67 points, EOD 1,109.60
BEL 20 (BEL20) gain 18.91 points, EOD 2,527.67
CAC 40 (CAC40) gain 41.73 points, EOD 3,875.82
FTSE100 (UKX100) gain 34.49 points, EOD 5,320.26
NIKKEI 225 (NIK/O) gain 18.67 points, EOD 10,177.41

New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) stock market indicators for the trading session today:
Advanced stock prices 1,993 declined stock prices 1,106, unchanged stock prices 97, stock prices hitting new highs 285 and stock prices hitting new lows 7. 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: CME shed 0.71, HOD 332.92, LOD 326.82, EOD 330.54; RTP gain 4.84, HOD 210.56, LOD 206.99, EOD 208.88; ROP gain 1.76, HOD 55.50, LOD 54.65, EOD 55.04; FLR gain 0.31, HOD 44.17, LOD 43.15, EOD 43.79; HON shed 0.88, HOD 41.50, LOD 40.36, EOD 40.37; CF gain 4.30, HOD 92.99, LOD 89.16, EOD 92.59; BA shed 0.54, HOD 56.14, LOD 54.45, EOD 55.13; GS gain 2.25, HOD 165.89, LOD 163.07, EOD 164.99; ACL shed 1.41, HOD 163.36, LOD 161.13, EOD 161.78; AIR gain 3.82, HOD 24.96, LOD 21.43, EOD 24.85.

National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotations (NASDAQ) stock market indicators for the trading session today:
Advanced stock prices 1,598, declined stock prices 1,149, unchanged stock prices 132, stock prices hitting new highs 164 and stock prices hitting new lows 24. 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: FSLR shed 2.25, HOD 141.50, LOD 136.51, EOD 136.74; TWTC gain 0.99, HOD 17.09, LOD 16.46, EOD 16.74; GIII shed 1.68, HOD 20.38, LOD 19.04, EOD 19.57; ACHN gain 1.04, HOD 3.89, LOD 3.13, EOD 3.19; AAPL gain 0.86, HOD 196.50, LOD 194.55, EOD 195.03; XLNX gain 0.87, HOD 24.88, LOD 23.90, EOD 24.77; AMED shed 1.29, HOD 46.16, LOD 42.50, EOD 45.65; AMZN shed 1.87, HOD 131.45, LOD 127.65, EOD 128.36.

Market trends on the American Stock Exchange (AMEX) and stock market indicators for the trading session today:
Advanced stock prices 291, declined stock prices 219, unchanged stock prices 51, stock prices hitting new highs 14 and stock prices hitting new lows 3.

Chicago Board of Trade Futures Market for the day, at time of this posting:
E-mini S&P 500 (ES) Dec 09: EOD 1105.00; Change 1.00
E-mini NASDAQ-100 (NQ) Dec 09: EOD 1,798.50; Change 3.50
E-mini DOW $5 (YM) Dec 09: EOD 10,383; Change -15
E-mini S&P MidCap 400 (MF) Mar 10: EOD 716.20; Change 3.50
Nikkei 225 (Yen) Mar 10: EOD 10,230; Change 110

World Currencies for the Forex Market, for Forex Trading by active Forex Traders, at time of this posting:
Euro 0.6881 U.S. Dollars 1.4533
Japanese Yen 89.7700 to U.S. Dollars 0.0111
British Pound 0.6121 to U.S. Dollars 1.6337
Canadian Dollar 1.0604 to U.S. Dollars 0.9430
Swiss Franc 1.0384 to U.S. Dollars 0.9630

COMMODITY MARKETS:
Energy Sector - Nymex:
Light Crude (January 10) gain $1.97, EOD $72.66 per barrel ($US per barrel)
Heating Oil (January 10) gain $0.06, EOD $1.99 a gallon ($US per gallon)
Natural Gas (January 10) shed $0.08, EOD $5.50 per million BTU ($US per mmbtu.)
Unleaded Gas (January 10) gain $0.03, EOD $1.87 a gallon ($US per gallon)

Metals Markets - Comex:
Gold (February 10) gain $13.00, EOD $1,136.00 ($US per Troy ounce)
Silver (March 10) gain $0.24, EOD $17.69 ($US per Troy ounce)
Platinum (January 10) gain $5.10, EOD $1,457.60 ($US per Troy ounce)
Copper (March 10) gain $0.07, EOD $3.21 ($US per pound)

Livestock and Meat Markets - Chicago Mercantile Exchange (cents per lb.):
Lean Hogs (February 10) shed $0.60, EOD $66.83
Pork Bellies (February 10) shed $1.05, EOD $90.55
Live Cattle (February 10) shed $0.03, EOD $84.90
Feeder Cattle (January 10) shed $0.18, EOD $92.85

Other Commodities - Chicago Board of Trade (cents per bushel):
Corn (march 10) gain $2.75, EOD $410.25
Soybeans (January 10) gain $5.00, EOD $1,067.00

BOND MARKET:
2 year EOD 99 26/32, change 1/32, Yield 0.83, Yield change -0.02
5 year EOD 99 1/32, change 0, Yield 2.32 Yield change 0.00
10 year EOD 98 5/32, change -2/32, Yield 3.59 Yield change 0.01
30 year EOD 97 18/32, change 0, Yield 4.52, change 0.00

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