Online Trading

Daily Market Commentary for March 31, 2009

Major U.S. indices hosted another positive trading session today amidst moderate trading volume creating a variety of action for those involved in online trading. (read more at Millennium-Traders.Com)

Economic data released today:

ICSC-Goldman Store Sales:
For week of March 28, chain store sales posted an increase 1.1% week-on-week and a decrease by 0.2% year-on-year for the best readings since the new year. Sales were strong even after taking into account effects surrounding Easter, which falls three weeks later this year. The report still sees full month sales flat to down 1%.

Redbook:
Redbook shows a 0.6% year-on-year rate being the best rate since the end of last December. Warm weather had a positive affect in the week.

S&P Case-Shiller HPI:
January shows steepening rates of price contraction, at -2.5% for the composite 10 index and -2.8% for the composite 20. Year-on-year rates of decline deepened at -19.4% for the 10 index and -19.0% for the 20 index. Developments in the housing sector are being monitored on a month-to-month basis given new efforts to limit foreclosures and the ongoing drop in mortgage rates. Data confirms that home-price contraction was deepening at the outset of the year.

NAPM-Chicago:
U.S. Chicago Purchasing Management adjusted March Index 31.4 versus February 34.2; U.S. Chicago Purchasing Management March Prices Paid Index 34.1 versus February 37.8; U.S. Chicago Purchasing Management March Supplier Deliveries 48.4 versus February 51.0; U.S. Chicago Purchasing Management March Employment Index 28.1 versus February 25.2; U.S. Chicago Purchasing Management March New Orders Index 30.9 versus February 30.6.

Consumer Confidence:
U.S. Conference Board March Consumer Confidence came in at 26.0 versus February reading of 25.3; U.S. Conference Board March Present Situation Index came in at 21.5 versus February reading of 22.3; U.S. Conference Board March Expectations Index came in at 28.9 versus February reading of 27.3. March consumer confidence index remained relatively unchanged in March. February's reading was 25.3, revised up slightly from the originally reported 25.0. The present situation index for March fell to 21.5 from February's upwardly revised 22.3, while the expectations index increased to 28.9, from the prior month's 27.3. It was originally reported at 27.5. Consumers referring to business conditions as "bad" rose to 51.1% of the survey from 50.5% during February. Consumers calling conditions "good" moved lower to 6.8%, from 7% previous month. The Conference Board found increased concerns about hiring with those calling jobs "hard to get" rising to 48.7% of from 46.9% during February. Those deeming jobs as "plentiful" remained unchanged at 4.6%.

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) gain of 86.90 points to end the trading session at 7,608.92
NYSE (New York Stock Exchange) gain of 79.93 points to end the trading session at 4,978.98
National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotations (NASDAQ) gain of 26.79 points to end the trading session at 1,528.59
S&P 500 (SPX) gain of 10.34 points to end the trading session at 797.87
BEL 20 (BEL20) gain of 48.30 points to end the trading session at 1,748.74
CAC 40 (CAC40) gain of 88 points to end the trading session at 2,807.34
FTSE100 (UKX100) triple digit gain of 163.23 points to end the trading session at 3,762.91
NIKKEI 225 (NIK/O) triple digit loss of 126.55 points to end the trading session at 8,109.53

New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) stock market indicators for the trading session today:
Advanced stock prices 2,034, declined stock prices 663, unchanged stock prices 521, stock prices hitting new highs 10 and stock prices hitting new lows 15. 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: Ingersoll-Rand Company Limited (NYSE: IR) stock price shed 0.18 points on the trading session, high on the trading session $14.20, low on the trading session $13.25, with a closing stock price at $13.80; State Street (NYSE: STT) stock price gained 2.80 points on the trading session, high on the trading session $31.71, low on the trading session $28.90, with a closing stock price at $30.78; Watson Pharmaceuticals (NYSE: WPI) stock price gained 2.52 points on the trading session, high on the trading session $32.95, low on the trading session $28.84, with a closing stock price at $31.36; Deutsche Bank AG (NYSE: DB) stock price gained 3.02 points on the trading session, high on the trading session $41.46, low on the trading session $38.88, with a closing stock price at $40.42.

National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotations (NASDAQ) stock market indicators for the trading session today:
Advanced stock prices 1,917, declined stock prices 893, unchanged stock prices 139, stock prices hitting new highs 13 and stock prices hitting new lows 15. 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: TBS International (NasdaqGS: TBSI) stock price gained 0.84 points on the trading session, high on the trading session $8.19, low on the trading session $7.29, with a closing stock price at $7.33; Acorda Therapeutics (NasdaqGS: ACOR) stock price shed 5.09 points on the trading session, high on the trading session $20.98, low on the trading session $19.10, with a closing stock price at $19.81; First Solar (NasdaqGS: FSLR) stock price shed 4.06 points on the trading session, high on the trading session $140.02, low on the trading session $129.78, with a closing stock price at $132.70.

Market trends on the American Stock Exchange (AMEX) and stock market indicators for the trading session today:
Advanced stock prices 350, declined stock prices 175, unchanged stock prices 113, stock prices hitting new highs 3 and stock prices hitting new lows 7.

Chicago Board of Trade Futures Market for the day, at time of this posting:
E-mini S&P 500 (ES) June 09: End of trading session price 790.50; Change for the trading session 6.25
E-mini NASDAQ-100 (NQ) June 09: End of trading session price 1,227.50; Change for the trading session 4.75
E-mini DOW $5 (YM) June 09: End of trading session price 7,518; Change for the trading session 38
E-mini S&P MidCap 400 (MF) June 09: End of trading session price 482.20; Change for the trading session 3.10

World Currencies for the Forex Market, for Forex Trading by active Forex Traders, at time of this posting:
Euro 0.7540 to U.S. Dollars 1.3263
Japanese Yen 98.890 to U.S. Dollars 0.0101
British Pound 0.6979 to U.S. Dollars 1.4329
Canadian Dollar 1.2609 to U.S. Dollars 0.7931
Swiss Franc 1.1387 to U.S. Dollars 0.8782

COMMODITY MARKETS:

Energy Sector - Nymex:
Light Crude (May 09) gained $1.49 on the trading session for a closing price of $49.90 per barrel ($US per barrel)
Heating Oil (May 09) gained $0.02 on the trading session for a closing price of $1.36 a gallon ($US per gallon)
Natural Gas (May 09) gained $0.04 on the trading session for a closing price of $3.78 per million BTU ($US per mmbtu.)
Unleaded Gas (April 09) gained $0.03 on the trading session for a closing price of $1.42 a gallon ($US per gallon)

Metals Markets - Comex:
Gold (June 09) gained $7.30 on the trading session for a closing price of $925.00 ($US per Troy ounce)
Silver (May 09) shed $0.05 on the trading session for a closing price of $12.99 ($US per Troy ounce)
Platinum (July 09) gained $8.00 on the trading session for a closing price of $1,128.80 ($US per Troy ounce)
Copper (May 09) gained $0.08 on the trading session for a closing price of $1.84 ($US per pound)

Livestock and Meat Markets - Chicago Mercantile Exchange (cents per lb.):
Lean Hogs (June 09) gained 1.43 on the trading session for a closing price of 72.40
Pork Bellies (May 09) gained 2.80 on the trading session for a closing price of 86.55
Live Cattle (June 09) gained 1.63 on the trading session for a closing price of 81.70
Feeder Cattle (May 09) gained 1.20 on the trading session for a closing price of 94.25

Other Commodities - Chicago Board of Trade (cents per bushel):
Corn (May 09) gained 18.50 on the trading session for a closing price of 404.75
Soybeans (May 09) gained 47.50 on the trading session for a closing price of 951.50

BOND MARKET:
2 year Bond Closing price 100 4/32, change 4/32, Yield 0.80, Yield change -0.04
5 year Bond closing price of 100 12/32, change 8/32, Yield 1.67, Yield change -0.05
10 year Bond closing price 100 9/32, change 9/32, Yield 2.68, Yield change -0.08
30 year Bond closing price 99 5/32, change 1, Yield 3.54, Yield change -0.07

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