Stocks on the Move

Washington Mutual (NYSE:WM) is now officially on sale, with potential acquirers including JP Morgan Chase (NYSE:JPM). The Short Term PowerRatings for WM and JPM are 5 and 4 respectively.
SanDisk (NasdaqGS:SNDK) is the target of an unsolicited takeover bid from Samsung Electronics. Samsung has offered $5.85 billion for the company. The Short Term PowerRating for SNDK is 4.
Among the best performing stocks were those related to gold and mining. Barrick Gold Corporation (NYSE:ABX) was up nearly 13% on the day. Newmont Mining Corporation (NYSE:NEM) gained more than 9%. The Short Term PowerRatings for ABX and NEM are both 3.
Reporting earnings Thursday morning before the market opens, FedEx (NYSE:FDX) is expected to announce earnings per share of $1.21. The Short Term PowerRating for FDX is 5.
Shares of Morgan Stanley (NYSE:MS) fell more than 27% on Wednesday despite beating analyst estimates by more than 50 cents after the close on Tuesday. The Short Term PowerRating for MS is 7.

Labels: ABX, FDX, Morgan Stanley, MS, NEM, SNDK, Stocks, Washington Mutual, WM

The Securities and Exchange Commission announced a preliminary inquiry into the bankruptcy rumor-fueled drop in shares of UAL Corporation (NasdaqGS:UAUA - News) according to a report from MarketWatch. The Short Term PowerRating for UAUA is 5.
General Motors (NYSE:GM) gained more than 11%, emerging as the Dow's biggest gainer on Thursday. The Short Term PowerRating for GM is 2.
The Wall Street Journal reported late in the day that Bank of America (NYSE:BAC) was in talks to buy Lehman Brothers Holdings (NYSE:LEH). The Short Term PowerRating for BAC is 5. The Short Term PowerRating for LEH is 6.
Up more than 10% on Thursday, CSX Corporation (NYSE:CSX), reached a three-day closing high after pulling back to oversold extremes on Tuesday. The Short Term PowerRating for CSX is 5.
Research in Motion (NasdaqGS:RIMM)announced a deal to use Microsoft's (NasdaqGS:MSFT) search engine on its popular Blackberry line of smartphones. The Short Term PowerRatings for RIMM and MSFT are both 4.

Labels: BAC, CSX, GM, LEH, Stocks, Stocks to Watch

CME Group Inc. (NYSE:CME) was the S&P 500's biggest gainer on word that the Justice Department would approve CME's purchase of NYMEX, the New York Mercantile Exchange. The Short Term PowerRating for CME is 1.
Goldman Sachs (NYSE:GSblew away earnings estimates this morning before the open, having largely avoided the worst of the lending crisis that has haunted its Wall Street peers. The Short Term PowerRating for GS is 2.
FedEx (NYSE:FDX) is scheduled to report quarterly earnings Wednesday before the open. Analysts are expecting earnings of $1.47 per share. The Short Term PowerRating for FDX is 5.
Zions Bancorporation (NasdaqGS:ZION) was down more than 10% on Tuesday as a Goldman Sachs report suggested tough times for regional banks through 2009. The Short Term PowerRating for ZION is 5.
Canadian Solar (NasdaqGM:CSIQ) closed up more than 10% on news that the company was boosting its 2008 sales forecast by as much as $220 million. The Short Term PowerRating for CSIQ is 2.
In their earnings announcment Tuesday before the open, Best Buy (NYSE:BBY) topped analyst estimates by six cents per share. The Short Term PowerRating for BBY is 4.
Morgan Stanley (NYSE:MS) reports earnings tomorrow before the bell, with analysts expecting EPS of $0.92. The Short Term PowerRating for MS is 3.

Labels: BBY, CME, CSIQ, FDX, GS, MS, Stocks, ZION

News that the Centro smartphone was taking customers away from the iPhone boosted shares of Palm (NasdaqGS:PALM) which manufactures the Internet-capable device. The Short Term PowerRating for PALM is 3.
An upgrade from Deutsche Bank AG helped oil refiners such as Tesoro (NYSE:TSO) move higher on Monday. The Short Term PowerRating for TSO is 3.
Lehman Brothers (NYSE:LEH) was among a number of Wall Street investment banks that saw its debt rating downgraded by Standard and Poor's on Monday. The Short Term PowerRating for LEH is 6.
Acorda Therapeutics (NasdaqGM:ACOR) was a standout stock on Monday as investors bid shares higher in the wake of positive clinical trial results for the biotech company's multiple sclerosis drug.
Toll Brothers (NYSE:TOL) is scheduled to announce quarterly earnings tomorrow morning before the bell. Analysts are expecting a loss of 0.87 EPS. The Short Term PowerRating for TOL is 5.
The board of directors of Wachovia (NYSE:WB) finally removed CEO Ken Thompson, while Washington Mutual (NYSE:WM) announced that Kerry Killinger would be replaced as chairman - though Killinger will stay on as CEO. The Short Term PowerRating for WM is 6.

Labels: ACOR, Hot Stocks, LEH, PALM, Stocks, TOL, Toll Brothers, TSO, WB, WM

Dow Chemical (NYSE:DOW)announced its decision to raise prices on all products by as much as 20% by the first of June to deal with rising commodity costs. The Short Term PowerRating for DOW is 7.
Hedge fund manager David Einhorn claimed that the $6 billion raised by Lehman Brothers (NYSE:LEH) will not be enough to cover the company's credit-related losses. The Short Term PowerRating for LEH is 5.
Reporting earnings before the bell on Thursday, Costco (NasdaqGS:COST) is expected to announce earnings per share of $0.65. The Short Term PowerRating for COST is 5.
Shares of Dryships (NasdaqGS:DRYS) were up more than 9% on Wednesday as the business of transporting commodities across international waters continues to benefit shippers. The Short Term PowerRating for DRYS is 7.
Fears of sluggish advertising sales growth led investors and traders to sell shares of Viacom (NYSE:VIA) on Wednesday. The stock was down by more than 4% on the day. The Short Term PowerRating for VIA is 5.
Dell (NasdaqGS:DELL) is scheduled to report earnings on Thursday after the close. Analysts are expecting EPS of $0.33. The Short Term PowerRating for DELL is 5.
Expedia (NasdaqGS:EXPE) moved higher by more than 4% on Wednesday as speculation grew that Barry Diller, chairman of the company, would seek to take the company private. The Short Term PowerRating for EXPE is 4.

Labels: COST, DELL, DOW, DRYS, EXPE, LEH, Stocks, VIA

Amazon.com (NasdaqGS:AMZN) soared on news that Goldman Sachs added the company to its "buy" list, citing the potential for growth in the leading online retailer. The Short Term PowerRating for AMZN is 4.
Another day, another upgrade in the semiconductor sector as Citigroup raises Texas Instruments (NYSE:TXN) from "hold" to "buy". The Short Term PowerRating for TXN is 3.
Railroad stocks continued to rally with CSX Corp. (NYSE:CSX)leading the group higher on the day. The Short Term PowerRating for CSX is 3.
Shares of SanDisk (NasdaqGS:SNDK) plunged more than 7% on an analyst downgrade to "market underperform." The Short Term PowerRating for SNDK is 2.
Traders bid shares of Solarfun Power Holdings (NasdaqGM:SOLF) higher on Monday in anticipation of the company's earnings report on Wednesday before the open. The Short Term PowerRating for SOLF is 1.
Home Depot (NYSE:HD), the worlds largest home improvement retailer, reports earnings Tuesday morning before the bell. Analysts expect EPS of $0.37. The Short Term PowerRating for HD is 4.
Oracle (NasdaqGS:ORCL) found its future and Larry Ellison's leadership endorsed by Barron's magazine over the weekend. The stock was up more than 3% on the Monday. The Short Term PowerRating for ORCL is 4.

Labels: AMZN, CSX, HD, ORCL, SNDK, SOLF, Stocks, TXN