Filed under: Forecasts, Industry

After weeks of speculation, the financial damage from the Chile earthquake and Windstorm Xynthia in Europe is starting to emerge. According to a recent report by Moody’s, 16 global reinsurance companies have reported their net insured losses (before taxes) from the catastrophe event, and the damage has already reached $3.5 billion, increasing an already high tally. The firm expects these events to have a noticeable impact on first quarter results for the industry.

According to the report, the first quarter of 2010’s results “will have many moving pieces, including the possibility of favorable loss reserve development.” It continues, though, that “we would expect a number of reinsurers to post both operating and net losses for the quarter.”

Continue reading Q1 Cats Likely to Have Reinsurance Earnings Impact

Q1 Cats Likely to Have Reinsurance Earnings Impact originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sat, 20 Mar 2010 14:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Press Releases, Wal-Mart (WMT), Marketing and Advertising, DreamWorks Animation (DWA)

DreamWorks Animation (DWA) has an animated film coming to the the multiplexes next week. It’s called How to Train Your Dragon. I have no idea what it’s about (aside from the fact that it obviously involves training dragons). But I do know that a marketing transaction with Walmart (WMT) is making headlines.

According to a press release, Walmart and DreamWorks Animation apparently have come up with a very tightly coordinated plan to promote the project. There will be special sections dedicated to Dragon inside the stores. More than 100 licensed items will be lining the shelves. And some sort of event featuring a Viking vessel in Times Square will see what it can do to get potential ticket buyers interested in the flick.

Continue reading DreamWorks Animation Has High Hopes for ‘Dragon’

DreamWorks Animation Has High Hopes for ‘Dragon’ originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sat, 20 Mar 2010 15:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Management, Law, Politics, Federal Reserve, Financial Crisis

In a long standing court battle between the media and the Fed, a decision to release bail out documents was handed down by the US Court of Appeals.

Last year, two reporters from Bloomberg News filed for disclosure of the documents under the Freedom of Information Act. Later a similar suit was filed by Fox News. The Fed countered that such information would cause “competitive and reputational harm” perhaps triggering bank runs and implode the central bank’s ability to effectively manage the current and any future financial crisis.

Continue reading Federal Reserve Ordered to Release Bail Out Documents

Federal Reserve Ordered to Release Bail Out Documents originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 19 Mar 2010 18:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Good news, Boeing Co (BA)

Friday’s good news economic data point comes from the world’s best commercial airplane manufacturer, The Boeing Company (BA), which announced it will boost production of its largest airplane to meet increasing demand.

Boeing said the production rate of the 777 will return to seven per month in mid-2011, instead of early-2012. Further, production of the jumbo jet standard, the 747, will increase to two a month, from about 1 ½ per month, starting in mid-2012, instead of mid-2013.

Continue reading Ray of Light: Boeing to Boost 747, 777 Production to Meet Rising Demand

Ray of Light: Boeing to Boost 747, 777 Production to Meet Rising Demand originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 19 Mar 2010 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Competitive Strategy, Microsoft (MSFT)

Readers of this space may recall that about two weeks ago I wrote about an intriguing turn of events for Microsoft Corp. (MSFT). Pursuant to an agreement with the European Commission, Microsoft has made available to it’s new European customers a web page which provides those customers download utilities for a choice of twelve different web browser applications. As I suggested then, It appears that the reign of Windows Internet Explorer may come to a screeching halt.

According to a report from BBC News, a web browsing application known as Opera is knocking Internet Explorer back on it’s heels in Europe. Opera Software of Norway states that downloads of it’s web browsing software have doubled in some countries since the Microsoft provided selection page came on line. Anywhere from 60% to 75% of the new download requests for Opera have come via the new Microsoft provided service.

Continue reading Microsoft Customers Go to Opera

Microsoft Customers Go to Opera originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 19 Mar 2010 11:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Competitive Strategy, Microsoft (MSFT)

Readers of this space may recall that about two weeks ago I wrote about an intriguing turn of events for Microsoft Corp. (MSFT). Pursuant to an agreement with the European Commission, Microsoft has made available to it’s new European customers a web page which provides those customers download utilities for a choice of twelve different web browser applications. As I suggested then, It appears that the reign of Windows Internet Explorer may come to a screeching halt.

According to a report from BBC News, a web browsing application known as Opera is knocking Internet Explorer back on it’s heels in Europe. Opera Software of Norway states that downloads of it’s web browsing software have doubled in some countries since the Microsoft provided selection page came on line. Anywhere from 60% to 75% of the new download requests for Opera have come via the new Microsoft provided service.

Continue reading Microsoft Customers Go to Opera

Microsoft Customers Go to Opera originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 19 Mar 2010 11:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: International Markets

Thursday’s key developments in “As The Eurozone Turns”:

Investors should have known better. A couple days after European finance ministers adopted a bailout framework for debt-plagued Greece, a rift opened in the European Union after Germany signaled that International Monetary Fund assistance should be included in any package.

Michael Meister, financial affairs spokesman for Chancellor Angela Merkel’s Christian Democratic Union, said a Greece rescue “without the IMF would be a very daring experiment,” Bloomberg News reported Thursday.

Continue reading In Reversal, Germany Now Wants IMF Involved in Greece Aid Plan

In Reversal, Germany Now Wants IMF Involved in Greece Aid Plan originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 18 Mar 2010 16:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: International Markets

Thursday’s key developments in “As The Eurozone Turns”:

Investors should have known better. A couple days after European finance ministers adopted a bailout framework for debt-plagued Greece, a rift opened in the European Union after Germany signaled that International Monetary Fund assistance should be included in any package.

Michael Meister, financial affairs spokesman for Chancellor Angela Merkel’s Christian Democratic Union, said a Greece rescue “without the IMF would be a very daring experiment,” Bloomberg News reported Thursday.

Continue reading In Reversal, Germany Now Wants IMF Involved in Greece Aid Plan

In Reversal, Germany Now Wants IMF Involved in Greece Aid Plan originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 18 Mar 2010 16:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: FedEx Corp (FDX), NIKE, Inc’B’ (NKE), Palm Inc (PALM)

How many days in a row can stocks rise? Now we are seeing the panic buying or a melt-up, as some in the media are calling it. A stronger Philly Fed index helped, as did CPI and weekly jobless claims. Today was either 8 or 9 days up for the DJIA. Rumors of Greece needing to go the IMF and even a rumor that the Fed might lift the discount rate again did not even kill the market.

Here were today’s unofficial closing bell levels:

Dow 10,779.17 +45.50 (0.42%)
S&P 500 1,165.82 -0.39 (-0.03%)
Nasdaq 2,391.28 +2.19 (0.09%)

Continue reading Closing Bell: Does The Market Ever Drop? (TSL, PALM, FDX, NKE, TEVA)

Closing Bell: Does The Market Ever Drop? (TSL, PALM, FDX, NKE, TEVA) originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 18 Mar 2010 16:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Earnings Reports, Forecasts, Good news, FedEx Corp (FDX), Options, Technical Analysis

FedEx (FDX - option chain) shares are rising slightly today after the company reported Q3 2010 earnings this morning before the market open. EPS of 0.76 beat analyst estimates of 0.72, plus the company provided an improved outlook, lifting its full-year earnings forecast. If you think that the stock won’t fall by too much in the coming months, then now could be a good time to look at a bullish hedged trade on FDX.

FDX opened this morning at $87.85. So far today the stock has hit a low of $87.00 and a high of $90.39. As of 11:55, FDX is trading at $90.36 up 0.49 (0.6%). The chart for FDX looks bullish and S&P gives AGN its highest 5 STARS (out of 5) strong buy ranking.

Continue reading FedEx Q2 Earnings Beat Estimates

FedEx Q2 Earnings Beat Estimates originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 18 Mar 2010 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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