STOCKS NEWS US-Option bulls emerge in UnitedHealth Group

Stocks on the move [HOT-RTRS] Real-time Equity news [U E]
[RESF/US]
U.S. stock market report [.N]
1316 ET 13May2009 UnitedHealth draws bullish option players
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Shares of UnitedHealth Group Inc (UNH.N) rose 20 cents to
$27.52 in afternoon trade. But in the options market, players
appear to be showing a high degree of optimism on the largest
U.S. health insurer.

"Options traders are taking bullish positions, especially
in the June contracts where there were large blocks of June $28
and $29 calls purchased and 20,000 June $24 puts sold," said
WhatsTrading.com option strategist Frederic Ruffy. There was no
apparent catalyst for the unusual activity. In all, about
42,000 calls and 29,000 puts traded in UNH, five times the
typical combined volume, according to Trade Alert.

Reuters Messaging: doris.frankel.reuters.com@reuters.net
1151 ET 13May2009-Wall Street slides further on retail data
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U.S. stocks slid further on Wednesday, with major indexes
dropping 2 percent as retail sales data came in worse than
expected, blurring the economic outlook.

The Dow Jones industrial average .DJI dropped 164.87
points, or 1.95 percent, to 8,304.24. The Standard & Poor's 500
Index .SPX fell 18.77 points, or 2.07 percent, to 889.58. The
Nasdaq Composite Index .IXIC shed 37.99 points, or 2.21
percent, to 1,677.93.

Reuters
Messaging:rm://Charles.mikolajczak.reuters.com@reuters.net
1134 ET 13May2009-Dr Pepper Snapple climbs on earnings,
outlook
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Dr Pepper Snapple Group Inc (DPS.N) shares rose on
Wednesday after the soft-drink maker reported a
higher-than-expected quarterly profit and raised its 2009
profit forecast.

Shares rose 3.1 percent to $21.92. Rivals Coca-Cola Co
(KO.N) slid 1.3 percent to $43.84 while PepsiCo Inc (PEP.N)
added 0.4 percent to $49.44.

Reuters
Messaging:rm://Charles.mikolajczak.reuters.com@reuters.net
1052 ET 13May2009-Medicines Co cancels trial, shares plunge
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Medicines Co (MDCO.O) shares plunged on Wednesday after the
company said it is discontinuing late-stage trials of its
antiplatelet agent cangrelor in patients undergoing a procedure
to widen narrow arteries, as it does not expect the drug to
meet its goal. [IDnBNG412444]

The drug was licensed exclusively in December 2003 from
AstraZeneca (AZN.L)

Medicines Co shares plummeted 37 percent to $7.00 while
U.S.-traded shares of AstraZeneca (AZN.N) gained 1.1 percent to
$39.83.

Reuters
Messaging:rm://Charles.mikolajczak.reuters.com@reuters.net
1020 ET 13May2009-Retail shares fall after data
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Shares of retailers fell on Wednesday after government data
showed retail sales fell for a second straight month in April
as cash-strapped consumers curbed their spending.

The S&P retail index .RLX slipped 2.2 percent, while Dow
component Wal-Mart Stores Inc (WMT.N) was down 1.4 percent at
$49.93. For details, see [ID:nN13384420].

Macy's Inc (M.N) fell 5.5 percent to $11.67 after the
department store chain reported a smaller-than-expected
quarterly loss as cost cuts offset declining sales.
[ID:nN13384420].

Reuters Messaging: leah.schnurr.reuters.com@reuters.net
0924 ET 13May2009-Goldman ups engineering & construction
sector
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Goldman Sachs upgraded its view on the engineering and
construction sector to "neutral" from "cautious" and adjusted
its rating on several stocks in the group. [ID:nBNG123527]

The firm cited a more constructive outlook on crude oil and
China for the second half of 2009 and 2010, the belief that
major downward revisions are past and the possibility of a
rally over the next six months along with oil.

Goldman upgraded Jacobs Engineering Group Inc (JEC.N) to
"buy" from "sell" and removed it from its conviction sell list.
The firm also upgraded Fluor Corp (FLR.N) to "neutral" from
"sell" but downgraded Emcor Group (EME.N) to "sell" from
"neutral."
Reuters
Messaging:rm://Charles.mikolajczak.reuters.com@reuters.net