Daily Market Commentary for April 18, 2011

S&P Slashes U.S. Outlook

S&P slashes U.S. Outlook to negative, causing major indexes to plummet as much as 2%. (Read more at Millennium-Traders.Com)

Economic data released today:

NAHB Housing Market Index:
U.S. NAHB April Housing Index 16 versus 17 in March.

At the NYSE closing bell on the New York Stock Exchange, here is how the major world indices and major U.S. stock indices ended the trading session on the world markets as well as the emerging markets including the stock market closing bell price:
DOW (Dow Jones Industrial Average) shed 135.55 points, EOD 12,206.28
NYSE (New York Stock Exchange) shed 123.29, EOD 8,277.02
National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotations (NASDAQ) shed 29.45 points, EOD 2,735.20
S&P 500 (SPX) shed 14.59 points, EOD 1,305.09
BEL 20 (BEL20) shed 36.16 points, EOD 2,675.30
CAC 40 (CAC40) shed 93.24 points, EOD 3,881.24
FTSE100 (UKX100) shed 125.93 points, EOD 5,870.08
NIKKEI 225 (NIK/O) shed 34.87 points, EOD 9,556.65

New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) stock market indicators for the trading session today:
Advanced stock prices 600, declined stock prices 2,482, unchanged stock prices 86, stock prices hitting new highs 25 and stock prices hitting new lows 31. NYSE quotes for volatile stocks and market trends, as well as stock quotes, stock prices and stock symbols of Day Trading Stock Picks on the New York Stock Exchange stock market for Day Trading online and active Day Trading for those who are or would like to be Day Trading for a living: CME shed 2.51, HOD 306.05, LOD 302.84, EOD 304.29; CDE shed 0.66, HOD 31.24, LOD 29.73, EOD 30.64; BLK shed 2.67, HOD 192.99, LOD 189.06, EOD 190.57; MCP gain 0.98, HOD 76.18, LOD 73.25, EOD 75.20; CF gain 3.10, HOD 133.19, LOD 127.62, EOD 133.08; CYH shed 1.45, HOD 30.92, LOD 27.35, EOD 30.45; AGQ gain 7.82, HOD 298.07, LOD 279.63, EOD 296.89.

National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotations (NASDAQ) stock market indicators for the trading session today:
Advanced stock prices 567, declined stock prices 2,108, unchanged stock prices 79, stock prices hitting new highs 45 and stock prices hitting new lows 53. NASDAQ quotes, volatile stocks and market trends, as well as stock quotes, stock prices and stock symbols of Day Trading Stock Picks on the NASDAQ stock market for Day Trading online and active Day Trading for those who are or would like to be Day Trading for a living: AMRN gain 8.33, HOD 17.44, LOD 14.21, EOD 17.10; NFLX shed 2.16, HOD 234.17, LOD 228.02, EOD 233.33; HTWR shed 11.01, HOD 74.96, LOD 66.15, EOD 72.90.

Market trends on the American Stock Exchange (AMEX) and stock market indicators for the trading session today:
Advanced stock prices 160, declined stock prices 325, unchanged stock prices 23, stock prices hitting new highs 11 and stock prices hitting new lows 11.

Chicago Board of Trade Futures Market for the day, at time of this posting:
E-mini S&P 500 (ES) Mar 10: EOD 1301.25; Change -17.50
E-mini NASDAQ-100 (NQ) Mar 10: EOD 2,287.25; Change -22.50
E-mini DOW $5 (YM) Mar 10: EOD 12,143; Change -160
Nikkei 225 (Yen) Mar 10: EOD 9480; Change -110

World Currencies for the Forex Market, for Forex Trading by active Forex Traders, at time of this posting:
Euro 0.7024 to U.S. Dollars 1.42
Japanese Yen 82.6400 to U.S. Dollars 0.0121
British Pound 0.6149 to U.S. Dollars 1.6300
Canadian Dollar 0.9644 to U.S. Dollars 1.04
Swiss Franc 0.8964 to U.S. Dollars 1.12

COMMODITY MARKETS:
Energy Sector - Nymex:
Light Crude (May 11) shed $2.54, EOD $107.12 per barrel ($US per barrel)
Heating Oil (May 11) shed $0.04, EOD $3.18 a gallon ($US per gallon)
Natural Gas (May 11) shed $0.06, EOD $4.14 per million BTU ($US per mmbtu.)
Unleaded Gas (May 11) shed $0.03, EOD $3.25 a gallon ($US per gallon)

Metals Markets - Comex:
Gold (June 11) gain $6.90, EOD $1,492.90 ($US per Troy ounce)
Silver (May 11) gain $0.38, EOD $42.96 ($US per Troy ounce)
Platinum (July 11) shed $12.00, EOD $1,782.80 ($US per Troy ounce)
Copper (May 11) shed $0.05, EOD $4.20 ($US per pound)

Livestock and Meat Markets - Chicago Mercantile Exchange (cents per lb.):
Lean Hogs (June 11) gain $0.22, EOD $101.30
Pork Bellies (February 12) unchanged, EOD $120.00
Live Cattle (June 11) gain $0.52, EOD $115.82
Feeder Cattle (August 11) gain $0.35, EOD $136.88

Other Commodities - Chicago Board of Trade (cents per bushel):
Corn (July 11) gain $10.00, EOD $759.50
Soybeans (November 11) gain $9.50, EOD $1,349.25

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