STOCKS NEWS US-Economic indicators for Jan 26

Stocks on the move [HOT-RTRS] Real-time Equity news [U E] [RESF/US]

U.S. stock market report [.N]
1823 ET 23Jan2009-Economic indicators for Jan 26
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Economic indicators on tap for Monday include a report on existing home
sales from the National Association of Realtors.

For details, see [ECI/US]

Reuters Messaging: deepa.seetharaman.reuters.com@reuters.net
1815 ET 23Jan2009-US earnings diary for Jan. 26
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Nearly 30 companies will report earnings on Monday including American
Express Co (AXP.N), Caterpillar Inc (CAT.N) and McDonald's Corp (MCD.N).

Next week, 137 companies in the S&P 500 and 12 Dow components will report
earnings, the peak of what is expected to be the weakest quarter in this
six-quarter streak of negative growth. For details, see [RESF/US]

Reuters Messaging: deepa.seetharaman.reuters.com@reuters.net
1725 ET 23Jan2009-S&P 500 gains on financials, Dow falls on GE
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Wall Street ended a difficult week with the broad S&P 500 closing higher on
Friday as investors bought beaten-up financials on hopes of further aid from
Washington, offsetting a disappointing outlook from General Electric (GE.N)
that kept the Dow under water.

The Dow Jones industrial average .DJI lost 45.24 points, or 0.56 percent,
to 8,077.56. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index .SPX gained 4.45 points, or 0.54
percent, to 831.95. The Nasdaq Composite Index .IXIC rose 11.80 points, or
0.81 percent, to 1,477.29.

Reuters Messaging: rodrigo.campos.reuters.com@reuters.net
1447 ET 23Jan2009-Citi sees $3.5 bln in total credit losses for M&T
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Citigroup on Friday forecast $3.5 billion in cumulative credit losses for
M&T Bank Corp (MTB.N) for the period between 2008 and 2011. Provisions for loan
losses will peak for the company in 2009, it wrote, at about $800 million.

Because of the expectation for losses, Citigroup slashed its price target
on the bank by 56.5 percent, dropping it to $40 from $92. It also cut its
earnings estimates on the company, seeing $3.10 a share for 2009 and $4.50 a
share for 2010. It previously saw profits of $5.40 a share for 2009 and $7.40 a
share for 2010. [ID:nWNAB2717]

Reuters Messaging: ryan.vlastelica.reuters.com@reuters.net
1436 ET 23Jan2009-Microsemi plunges after outlook, cut targets
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Shares of Microsemi Corp (MSCC.O) plummeted on Friday, after the company
gave a second-quarter outlook that was below expectations, a forecast that
prompted at least five analysts to cut their targets on the power management
chip company.

The low outlook came on weakness in its analog segment, as well as lower
revenue from its high reliability division, it said.

After the outlook, S&P Equity downgraded the company to hold, while
Jefferies cut its target to $13 from $22, Barclays halved its target to $12,
FBR cut its target by $2 to $21, Caris & Co cut its target to $14 and Wedbush
lowered its target to $17 from $22.

Despite that, some analysts said that the company was "safer and more
defensive" than its peers in a cyclical downturn. [ID:nBNG175077]

The stock slid 20 percent to $8.31.

Reuters Messaging: ryan.vlastelica.reuters.com@reuters.net
1427 ET 23Jan2009-Dow Chemical will sell assets in Rohm deal: FTC
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The U.S. Federal Trade Commission on Friday said that Dow Chemical (DOW.N)
agreed to sell some assets as a condition of its proposed acquisition of Rohm &
Haas ROH.N. The chemical company will sell a range of businesses to an
approved acquirer in order to preserve competition, the FTC said. Among the
assets being sold are Dow's acrylic monomer, hollow sphere particle and acrylic
latex polymer businesses. [ID:nN23316469]

Shares of Dow fell 1 percent to $14.25 on Friday while Rohm & Haas shares
were up 10 percent to $66.60.

Reuters Messaging: ryan.vlastelica.reuters.com@reuters.net
1417 ET 23Jan2009-Stocks extend gains on tech, financial gains
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U.S. stocks rose on Friday, with the Dow Jones industrial average .DJI
briefly turning positive on gains in the financial and tech sectors, the latter
of which was boosted by strong results at Internet company Google Inc (GOOG.O).
[ID:nN23314601]

The Dow Jones industrial average .DJI fell 0.4 percent to 8,092.74 while
the S&P 500 .SPX gained 0.7 percent to 833.53 and the Nasdaq .IXIC was up
1.5 percent to 1,486.95.

Reuters Messaging: ryan.vlastelica.reuters.com@reuters.net
1343 ET 23Jan2009-Nasdaq OMX to launch options trading on TARP
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Nasdaq OMX Group (NDAQ.O) on Friday said it would launch options trading on
its index of companies bailed out by U.S. taxpayers. The options will begin
trading on Monday on the NASDAQ OMX PHLX platform.

The Government Relief Index lists 24 companies that have received at least
$1 billion under the $700 billion government rescue program, as well as other
government aid plans. [ID:nN23299825]

Shares of Nasdaq OMX rose 5.3 percent to $21.62 on Friday.

Reuters Messaging: ryan.vlastelica.reuters.com@reuters.net
1326 ET 23Jan2009-Citigroup slashes price target on Comerica
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Citigroup on Friday slashed its price target on Comerica Inc (CMA.N) by 47
percent, dropping it to $18 from $34. The firm has a cumulative loss estimate
of $3.5 billion for the financial services company, and said it is about 40
percent through the cycle.

Citigroup expects the company to cut its dividend at a board meeting next
week, and forecast a loss of 80 cents a share for the company in 2009.
[ID:nWNAB3000]

Reuters Messaging: ryan.vlastelica.reuters.com@reuters.net
1323 ET 23Jan2009-Crude oil prices turn higher as Wall St turns positive
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March crude futures turned positive on Friday, erasing earlier losses as
Wall Street trimmed its losses. The market was boosted by strength in tech and
financial stocks. [ID:nN23306489]

The contract surged 5.1 percent to $45.91 on Friday.

Reuters Messaging: ryan.vlastelica.reuters.com@reuters.net