Despite Derivatives Losses, Berkshire Hathaway Makes Billions (BRK-A) (BRK-B)

Posted: August 6, 2010 at 5:28 pm

Warren Buffett is still making billions for Berkshire Hathaway Inc. (NYSE: BRK-A).  The conglomerate just reported operating earnings of $3.074 billion versus $1.78 billion in the second quarter of 2...
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    • Mark Hurd Out At H-P Over Sexual Harassment (HPQ)

    Posted: August 6, 2010 at 4:23 pm

    Hewlett-Packard Co. (NYSE: HPQ) just made an announcement that many will be shocked about.  Chairman and CEO Mark Hurd has decided to resign his positions from H-P effective immediately.  The reason...
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    Consumer Credit Keeps Drying Up

    Posted: August 6, 2010 at 3:10 pm

    Consumer credit Keeps Going Lower and lower in the U.S.  The Fed reported that June's credit was down 0.7% on a seasonally adjusted basis with a $1.3 billion drop down to $2.42 trillion.  We had pen...
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    Ag, Fertilzer, Potash Benefiting From Russia’s Wheat Woes (ADM, DE, MON, POT, SYT, MOS, TNH, MOO)

    Posted: August 6, 2010 at 1:58 pm

    News related to the reduced wheat crop in Russia, followed by a ban on Russian wheat exports, have been sending wheat prices along a steeply rising trajectory. Rising prices for wheat have also had an...
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    Next Week’s Can’t Miss Earnings (CSCO, DIS, RAX, M, DV, JWN, LDK, SPWRA)

    Posted: August 6, 2010 at 1:10 pm

    If you cover earnings, the ongoing earnings season seems to be coming to an end.  We still have major earnings on deck next week from some large companies.  Cisco Systems Inc. (NASDAQ: CSCO) and Wal...
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    Over $8 Billion in New Stock Buyback Plans (RL, APEI, DTV, EMN, SWKS, WBMD, ATML, GD, OC, PCL, AUTC, DISCA, FMCN, CVLT, WRB, WMS, VRSN)

    Posted: August 6, 2010 at 11:36 am

    2010 has been called the year of dividend by us, but it seems that share buybacks in earnings season are still alive and well.  Of the buybacks we have tracked in various earnings releases or new aut...
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    Apple’s Billions, Gaming, and China (AAPL, NTDOY, 7974)

    Posted: August 6, 2010 at 10:33 am

    Apple Inc. (NASDAQ: AAPL) is reportedly (Reuters) in talks to buy a Chinese software maker named Handseeing, a company that designs online games based on Chinese folklore. If this deal comes true, it ...
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    Top Day Trader Alerts (ATVI, ATPG, APEI, CROX, GNVC)

    Posted: August 6, 2010 at 9:07 am

    Day traders have a few big movers to choose from this Friday morning.  While many stocks are moving after earnings, there are several percentage gainers and losers that stand out in the pack for day ...
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    Unemployment & Job Destruction Continues

    Posted: August 6, 2010 at 8:45 am

    The economic recovery continues.  At least it is continuing for about 5 of every six workers in America.  The Unemployment rate and non-Farm Payrolls data is showing the continuation of a jobless re...
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    AIG Back to Making Billions, Sort Of (AIG)

    Posted: August 6, 2010 at 8:28 am

    American International Group, Inc. (NYSE: AIG) is making money on an operating basis.  Joe Public, a.k.a. the Taxpayer, is making money then rightg?  Maybe.  Uncle Sam Insurance reported earnings o...
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    Top Analyst Upgrades & Downgrades (ARO, AEO, APEI, AWR, ADSK, CECO, COCO, DV, KLIC, RTP, RIG)

    Posted: August 6, 2010 at 8:15 am

    These are some of the top analyst upgrades, downgrades, and initiations seen from Wall Street research calls this Friday morning: Aeropostale, Inc. (NYSE: ARO) Cut to Market Perform at Wells Fargo....
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    Today’s Best Market Rumors (8/6/2010)

    Posted: August 6, 2010 at 8:14 am

    Updated throughout the day. Coal India, the nation's largest producer will have a $3 billion IPO.  (Reuters) Diasorin shares moved up in Milan on rumors KKR may invest in the company (Bloomberg...
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    The Twitter-24/7 Wall St. Market Watch (8/6/2010)

    Posted: August 6, 2010 at 8:01 am

    Twitter has, by most estimates, 100 million members, which makes it one of the largest social networks in the world. All major media companies are on Twitter and some have more than one million Twitte...
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    Friday Morning Market Outlook

    Posted: August 6, 2010 at 7:54 am

    Stocks are directionless again this morning ahead of the key unemployment and non-Farm Payrolls data.  DJIA and S&P futures are flat this morning in early indications. In Europe, the FTSE is up 0...
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    The BlackBerry Debate And National Sovereignty

    Posted: August 6, 2010 at 5:42 am

    The US and Canadian governments and Blackberry maker Research In Motion (NASDAQ: RIMM) are on a crusade to make certain that the device and its service are not restricted in parts of the Middle East. ...
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    The Stimulus Debate Gets Ugly

    Posted: August 6, 2010 at 5:23 am

    The debate about whether the Congress and the Administration should push through another stimulus bill has gotten uglier. Some of the president's advisers, including Christina Romer, the departing Cha...
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    With Rise In Wheat Prices, Food Prices Threatened

    Posted: August 6, 2010 at 5:04 am

    Wheat prices continue to rise as Russia has set a ban on the exports of the crop. White hit a 23-month high of $8.25 and the price could go higher. It is not clear if yields from farms, particularly i...
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    Government Employment In Most States Is Above 15%

    Posted: August 6, 2010 at 4:45 am

    The number of government employees in Washington DC is 38% when all federal, state, and local workers are taken into account. That is really no surprise. Most of the people are on the US payroll. I...
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    Media Digest (8/6/2010) Reuters, WSJ, NYTimes, FT, Bloomberg

    Posted: August 6, 2010 at 3:44 am

    Reuters:   Romer left her job as a top Obama economic adviser. Reuters:  BP plc (NYSE: BP) has cemented its leak in advance of a permanent plug. Reuters:   Saudi Arabia continued talks with...
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    Oust Steve Ballmer? Why?

    Posted: August 5, 2010 at 8:31 pm

    Last month,  Peter Lauria of the Daily Beast wrote an intrigue-filled story chock full of anonymous Tweets and anonymous sniping from competitors arguing that there was a "coup" in the works against ...
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