MARKET CURRENTS
real-time news and commentary for investors
MARKET CURRENTS
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Today - Wednesday, May 23, 2012
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9:10 AM Facebook (FB), CEO Mark Zuckerberg, and the IPO underwriters face a class-action suit by shareholders over accusations they concealed from investors "a severe and pronounced reduction" in the company's revenue growth forecasts. 19 Comments
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9:02 AM Emerging from a meeting with Spain's Rajoy, French President Hollande says he's unaware of any call for EU states to come up with contingency plans for a Greek exit. Putting a slight bid into European shares are sketchy comments over the wires about Greece getting more lenient bailout terms from the EU. Stoxx 50 -2%. S&P futures well off session lows, -0.5%. 1 Comment
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7:05 AM MBA Mortgage Applications: +3.8% vs. +9.2% last week. Thirty-year fixed mortgage rate with conforming loan balances ($417,500 or less) decreased to 3.93% from 3.96%. 1 Comment
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4:36 AM Horrible retail figures out of the U.K.: Sales fell 2.3% M/M in April, far exceeding the expected 0.8% drop. Sales -1.1% Y/Y vs. expectations of +1%. Comment!
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4:32 AM BoE minutes show members voted 8-1 to keep QE total at £325B in April; David Miles voted for an increase to £350B. Interest rate vote was 9-0. Comment!
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Tuesday, May 22, 2012
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5:17 PM Massachusetts subpoenas Morgan Stanley over the Facebook IPO amid allegations about leaked negative views. MS -1.4% AH. 11 Comments
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2:59 PM SAP is acquiring cloud spend management software/B2B e-commerce network owner Ariba (ARBA) for $45/share in cash, or $4.3B. The price represents an 18% premium to Ariba's final trade before shares were halted at 2:30 PM ET. The deal will be funded using a combo of SAP's existing cash and a €2.4B term loan facility. SAP expects it to close in Q3, and be accretive to 2013 EPS. (PR) (previous) Comment!
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2:56 PM The SEC and Finra look set to launch separate investigations of the Facebook IPO. Finra Chief Rick Ketchum calls allegations analysts for the lead underwriters leaked negative views about FB to select clients ahead of the IPO, "a matter of regulatory concern." 6 Comments
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2:13 PM Patriot Coal (PCX) says it has entered into a commitment letter for a new revolving credit facility and new term loan facility for a total of $625M. Shares had collapsed -34.5% before the announcement; trading now halted. Comment!
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10:00 AM May. Richmond Fed Mfg. Survey: -10, to 4 (above 0 = growth). Shipments -18 to 0, new orders -12 to 1, jobs +6 to 16. 4 Comments
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5:15 AM The IMF says the U.K. should consider cutting interest rates and more quantitative easing. The country should prepare a Plan B for deficit reduction if those measures don't work. 2 Comments
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5:06 AM Fitch downgrades Japan to A+, outlook negative. "The country's fiscal consolidation plan looks leisurely relative even to other fiscally-challenged high-income countries, and implementation is subject to political risk." 1 Comment
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4:15 AM The OECD cuts its 2012 eurozone GDP forecast to -0.1% from +0.2%; U.S. forecast raised to +2.4% from +2%; China to come in at +8.2% this year, +9.3% next year; Greece -5.3% this year, -1.3% next year; Japan +2% this year, +1.5% next year. Joins calls for eurozone bonds. (OECD economic outlook report) Comment!
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Monday, May 21, 2012
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6:27 AM Barclays (BCS) plans to sell its $6.1B stake in BlackRock (BLK) via an offering and a related buyback by the U.S. asset manager of up to $1B in shares. Barclays' holdings represent a 19.6% economic interest in the firm. (PR) Comment!
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Friday, May 18, 2012
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11:31 AM Facebook (FB) opens for trading at $42, and is currently changing hands at $42.57, up 12% from its $38 IPO price. Update (11:35): Facebook is now trading at $40.20. Over 105M shares have been traded. 12 Comments
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10:56 AM With trading set to begin in minutes, indications are that Facebook (FB) will begin trading at $45, $7 above its $38 offering price. 46M shares have reportedly been paired. 1 Comment
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