STOCKS NEWS US-Akamai draws put sellers, analyst

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1025 ET 25June2009 Akamai attracts put sellers, analyst
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Shares of Web content delivery service company Akamai Technologies Inc
(AKAM.O) rose 1.2 percent to $19.76 in morning trade. In the option patch, the
February 2010 puts at the $15 line traded 6,472 contracts compared to 2
contracts of open interest, Reuters data show. The top trade of the day was
5,372 contracts on the bid for a premium of $1.40 in that strike. It looked
like opening put sellers might be initiating the early trades, said
WhatsTrading.com option strategist Frederic Ruffy. There was no apparent news
on the stock. Akamai was also the subject of bullish order flow on Monday, he
said. Put selling is viewed as a neutral to bullish strategy.

Reuters Messaging: doris.frankel.reuters.com@reuters.net
0949 ET 25June2009-Homebuilders rise on Lennar results, outlook
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Shares of homebuilders rose on Thursday, after Lennar Corp (LEN.N) reported
its second-quarter results and forecast a sequential rise in new home sales and
orders.

"While we are sensing pent-up demand in the market, rising unemployment,
increased foreclosures and tighter credit standards continue to present
challenges for the industry," CEO Stuart Miller said in a statement.

For details, see [ID:nBNG21059]

Shares of Lennar rose 12.9 percent to $8.83 while the Dow Jones U.S. Home
Construction index .DJUSHB gained 3.2 percent to 212.64. Among other
companies, Toll Brothers (TOL.N) added 2.4 percent to $16.63, Beazer Homes
(BZH.N) climbed 6.8 percent to $1.88 and D.R. Horton (DHI.N) added 1.6 percent
to $9.28.

Reuters Messaging: ryan.vlastelica.reuters.com@reuters.net
0944 ET 25June2009-Citigroup starts coverage on Alcoa at buy
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Citigroup on Thursday started coverage on Alcoa Inc (AA.N) with a buy
rating and $14 price target. The firm cited an expected manufacturing recovery
and easing output costs in its decision.

"Citi economists expect U.S. industrial production to grow by 0.7 percent
in 2010," the firm wrote. "Yet, signs of a near term manufacturing recovery are
evident with the May ISM PMI pointing to new orders growth, the first in 17
months.

"Transportation, which drove 37 percent of aluminum demand in 2008, should
provide a demand tailwind as US auto sales improve to an estimated to 12.9
million units (18 percent growth year-over-year) in 2010."

Shares of Alcoa, a Dow component, rose 1 percent to $10.31 in premarket
trading.

Reuters Messaging: ryan.vlastelica.reuters.com@reuters.net
0930 ET 25June2009-Markets open lower after initial claims data
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Major U.S. indexes opened lower on Thursday, dropping after the release of
data that showed the number of workers filing new jobless claims rose
unexpectedly, as jitters continued to nag that an economic recovery could be
tepid.

The Dow Jones industrial average .DJI fell 0.3 percent to 8,277.56 while
the S&P 500 .SPX lost 0.3 percent to 898.38 and the Nasdaq .IXIC was off
0.5 percent to 1,783.19.

Reuters Messaging: ryan.vlastelica.reuters.com@reuters.net
0850 ET 25June2009-Jobless claims rose 15,000 in latest week
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The number of U.S. workers filing new claims for jobless benefits
unexpectedly rose last week and the number staying on the rolls after
collecting an initial week of aid also edged higher, government data on
Thursday showed.

Initial claims for state unemployment insurance increased by 15,000 to a
greater-than-expected seasonally adjusted 627,000 from a revised 612,000 the
week before, the Labor Department said. Analysts polled by Reuters had forecast
claims to drop to 600,000 from a previously reported 608,000.

Reuters Messaging: ryan.vlastelica.reuters.com@reuters.net
0840 ET 25June2009-GDP contracts less in Q1, demand still soft
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The U.S. economy shrank slightly less in early 2009 than previously
thought, the government reported on Thursday, though there was widespread
weakness in activity and demand was soft.

Gross domestic product, which measures total output within U.S. borders,
dropped at a 5.5 percent annual rate in the first quarter after shrinking 6.3
percent in the fourth quarter of last year and 0.5 percent in the third
quarter.

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