STOCKS NEWS US-Protective Life plunges after stock offer

Stocks on the move [HOT-RTRS] Real-time Equity news [U E] [RESF/US]
U.S. stock market report [.N]
1406 ET 13May2009-Protective Life plunges after stock offer
------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Protective Life Corp (PL.N) shares plunged on Wednesday after the company
announced plans to offer 12.5 million shares of common stock, with proceeds to
be used for general corporate purposes.

Shares of the insurer fell 22 percent to $9.09. The SPDR KBW Insurance ETF
(KIE.P) dropped 4.6 percent.

Reuters Messaging:rm://Charles.mikolajczak.reuters.com@reuters.net)
1334 ET 13May2009-Earnings continue to surprise to the upside
------------------------------------------------------------------------------

With 90 percent of the companies in the S&P 500 having reported
first-quarter earnings, the majority have posted results that topped Wall
Street expectations, according to the Thomson Reuters Director's Report.

Of the 447 companies that have posted results, 65 percent have beat
analysts' expectations, 8 percent matched estimates and 27 percent fell shy of
analysts' forecasts.

The best-performing sectors were healthcare stocks, with 79 percent of
companies topping expectations, and materials, with 75 percent of companies
reporting better-than-expected results.

Among the worst-performing groups were financial stocks, with only 47
percent of companies topping estimates, and industrials, with 59 percent
reporting earnings that were above Wall Street estimates.

Reuters Messaging:rm://Charles.mikolajczak.reuters.com@reuters.net
1316 ET 13May2009 UnitedHealth draws bullish option players
------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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
------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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
------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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
------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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
----------------------------------------------------------------------------

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
------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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