Merck

Daily Market Commentary for March 9, 2009

A major deal in the pharmaceutical business announced today with New Jersey-based drug maker Merck (NYSE: MRK) agreeing to buy Schering-Plough (NYSE: SGP) for $41.1 Billion. (read more at Millennium-Traders.Com)

Economic data released today: n/a

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) loss of 79.89 points to end the trading session at 6,547.05
NYSE (New York Stock Exchange) loss of 58.18 points to end the trading session at 4,226.31
National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotations (NASDAQ) loss of 25.21 points to end the trading session at 1,268.64
S&P 500 (SPX) loss of 6.85 points to end the trading session at 676.53
BEL 20 (BEL20) gain of 24.88 points to end the trading session at 1,553.05
CAC 40 (CAC40) loss of 21.74 points to end the trading session at 2,519.29
FTSE100 (UKX100) gain of 11.67 points to end the trading session at 3,542.40
NIKKEI 225 (NIK/O) loss of 87.07 points at the end the trading session at 7,086.03

New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) stock market indicators for the trading session today:
Advanced stock prices 897, declined stock prices 2,227, unchanged stock prices 72, stock prices hitting new highs 2 and stock prices hitting new lows 596. 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: Apache (NYSE: APA) stock price shed 2.00 points on the trading session, high on the trading session $54.31, low on the trading session $51.03, with a closing stock price at $51.38; Rohm and Haas Company (NYSE: ROH) stock price gained 10.20 points on the trading session, high on the trading session $75.80, low on the trading session $57.21, with a closing stock price at $74.00; HSBC Holdings plc (NYSE: HBC) stock price shed 1.24 points on the trading session, high on the trading session $24.74, low on the trading session $22.89, with a closing stock price at $24.26; Hess (NYSE: HES) stock price shed 0.78 points on the trading session, high on the trading session $56.80, low on the trading session $53.28, with a closing stock price at $53.96; Goldman Sachs Group (NYSE: GS) stock price shed 1.70 points on the trading session, high on the trading session $77.40, low on the trading session $72.78, with a closing stock price at $73.95; ProShares Ultrashort Financials (NYSE: SKF) stock price shed 6.12 points on the trading session, high on the trading session $262.23, low on the trading session $230.15, with a closing stock price at $243.95; CME Group (NYSE: CME) stock price gained 1.41 points on the trading session, high on the trading session $185.00, low on the trading session $177.61, with a closing stock price at $183.86; Rio Tinto plc (NYSE: RTP) stock price shed 6.31 points on the trading session, high on the trading session $100.59, low on the trading session $95.49, with a closing stock price at $96.14; Potash (NYSE: POT) stock price gained 3.00 points on the trading session, high on the trading session $69.74, low on the trading session $63.65, with a closing stock price at $69.31; Direxion Financial Bear 3X (NYSE: FAZ) stock price shed 4.90 points on the trading session, high on the trading session $111.86, low on the trading session $91.80, with a closing stock price at $99.17.

National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotations (NASDAQ) stock market indicators for the trading session today:
Advanced stock prices 798, declined stock prices 1,978, unchanged stock prices 179, stock prices hitting new highs 1 and stock prices hitting new lows 498. 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: First Solar (NasdaqGS: FSLR) stock price shed 0.13 points on the trading session, high on the trading session $112.01, low on the trading session $106.72, with a closing stock price at $108.36; Baidu (NasdaqGS: BIDU) stock price shed 0.15 points on the trading session, high on the trading session $163.35, low on the trading session $152.78, with a closing stock price at $156.87.

Market trends on the American Stock Exchange (AMEX) and stock market indicators for the trading session today:
Advanced stock prices 196, declined stock prices 361, unchanged stock prices 68, stock prices hitting new highs 3 and stock prices hitting new lows 55.

Chicago Board of Trade Futures Market for the day, at time of this posting:
E-mini S&P 500 (ES) Mar 09: End of trading session price 675.25; Change for the trading session -12.25
E-mini NASDAQ-100 (NQ) Mar 09: End of trading session price 1,046.25; Change for the trading session -30.25
E-mini DOW $5 (YM) Mar 09: End of trading session price 6,525; Change for the trading session -149
E-mini S&P MidCap 400 (MF) Mar 09: End of trading session price 405.90; Change for the trading session -6.60
E-mini S&P Small Cap 600 (HS) Mar 09: End of trading session price 6,975; Change for the trading session -175

World Currencies for the Forex Market, for Forex Trading by active Forex Traders, at time of this posting:
Euro 0.7937 to U.S. Dollars 1.2600
Japanese Yen 98.820 to U.S. Dollars 0.0101
British Pound 0.7258 to U.S. Dollars 1.3777
Canadian Dollar 1.2992 to U.S. Dollars 0.7697
Swiss Franc 1.1588 to U.S. Dollars 0.8630

COMMODITY MARKETS:

Energy Sector - Nymex:
Light Crude (April 09) gained $1.55 on the trading session for a closing price of $47.07 per barrel ($US per barrel)
Heating Oil (April 09) shed $0.01 on the trading session for a closing price of $1.22 a gallon ($US per gallon)
Natural Gas (April 09) shed $0.08 on the trading session for a closing price of $3.87 per million BTU ($US per mmbtu.)
Unleaded Gas (March 09) no change on the trading session for a closing price of $1.34 a gallon ($US per gallon)

Metals Markets - Comex:
Gold (April 09) shed $24.70 on the trading session for a closing price of $918.00 ($US per Troy ounce)
Silver (May 09) shed $0.39 on the trading session for a closing price of $12.94 ($US per Troy ounce)
Platinum (April 09) shed $15.00 on the trading session for a closing price of $1,066.30 ($US per Troy ounce)
Copper (May 09) shed $0.05 on the trading session for a closing price of $1.64 ($US per pound)

Livestock and Meat Markets - Chicago Mercantile Exchange (cents per lb.):
Lean Hogs (April 09) shed 0.08 on the trading session for a closing price of 62.43
Pork Bellies (May 09) shed 2.48 on the trading session for a closing price of 80.73
Live Cattle (April 09) gained 0.75 on the trading session for a closing price of 83.20
Feeder Cattle (April 09) gained 0.30 on the trading session for a closing price of 90.93

Other Commodities - Chicago Board of Trade (cents per bushel):
Corn (May 09) gained 4.00 on the trading session for a closing price of 365.50
Soybeans (May 09) shed 2.00 on the trading session for a closing price of 865.00

BOND MARKET:
2 year Bond Closing price 99 26/32, change 0, Yield 0.96, Yield change 0.01
5 year Bond closing price of 99 29/32, change -1/32, Yield 1.89, Yield change 0.01
10 year Bond closing price 98 27/32, change -3/32, Yield 2.88, Yield change 0.01
30 year Bond closing price 98 12/32, change -1 18/32, Yield 3.58, Yield change 0.08

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