Morning Report

Vital Statistics:

  Last Change Percent
S&P Futures  1394.8 -3.7 -0.26%
Eurostoxx Index 2318.5 -25.6 -1.09%
Oil (WTI) 104.2 -0.8 -0.71%
LIBOR 0.466 0.000 0.00%
US Dollar Index (DXY) 78.91 0.199 0.25%
10 Year Govt Bond Yield 1.91% -0.02%  
RPX Composite Real Estate Index 173 -0.4  

 

World equity markets are down slightly this morning as Spain officially entered a recession, although the GDP report was better than expected. Merger Monday is back, with a deal in the energy space (Sunoco) and the healthcare space (Gen-Probe). Bonds and MBS are up small.

 

Personal income came in at +.4%, and personal consumption came in at +.3%.  The Personal Consumption Expenditure (PCE) indices indicate inflation is well under control. The National Association of Purchasing Managers – Milwaukee showed business conditions are improving slightly overall for companies in the Northern Midwest. 

 

No, they didn’t just do a reverse split. Barnes and Noble has doubled this morning on a strategic deal with Microsoft. The new company (NewCo – clever name) will involve the digital and College businesses of B&N and involve a Nook application for Windows 8. This looks like the culmination of B&N’s strategic alternative review announced earlier this year.

 

Tomorrow (May 1) is New Year’s Eve for the Left. Expect disruptions in the City and overseas.

 

No M.R. tomorrow as I will be traveling. Wed and Thurs MRs will be late.

9 Responses

  1. Brent:

    Any idea of how the merger will affect Sunoco’s proposed sale of its Philly-area refineries? Also, I thought Gen-Probe was getting bought out by Novartis? I’d better ask Mr. Google …

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  2. Mike, according to the PR, this won’t change Sunoco’s planned exit of the refining business.

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  3. Thanks, Brent.

    Looks like Novartis pulled out of talks for Gen-Probe last July. I’m way behind the times in the pharma/diagnostics space apparently.

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  4. Worth a read:

    “The Tea Party’s Inner ACLU
    A left-right alliance against military detention of terrorists.

    The tea party movement has generally been constructive, but every so often it runs off the road. A case in point is its emerging condominium with the anti-antiterror left to block terrorist detentions.”

    http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702303513404577355682588675176.html?mod=WSJ_Opinion_LEADTop

    The WSJ Editorial board views this as a negative. I take the opposite position.

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  5. Few things are as enjoyable to read as Glenn Greenwald on a tear about press collusion with the administration.

    “Monday, Apr 30, 2012 07:52 AM EDT
    Dog-training the press corps

    Journalists who heap the most lavish praise on the White House are rewarded with the most valuable treats

    By Glenn Greenwald”

    http://www.salon.com/2012/04/30/dog_training_the_press_corps/singleton/

    Like

  6. Also worth a read:

    “The Limits to Environmentalism
    By Keith Kloor”

    http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/crux/2012/04/27/the-limits-to-environmentalism/

    Like

  7. ” The WSJ Editorial board views this as a negative.”

    They’re good establishment/authoritarian conservatives.

    Personally, I think its a thing of beauty when the left & right find common ground while questioning the establishment. Another example is when conservationists & environmentalists join forces to protect critical habitat.

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  8. Re: the greenwald column — there was a Gawker link that specifically criticized the Correspondents dinner in Gawker’s own special way

    http://gawker.com/5905698/fuck-the-white-house-correspondents-association-dinner?

    Like

  9. Worth a read:

    “Former CIA spy boss made an unhesitating call to destroy interrogation tapes
    By Dana Priest, Published: April 24 ”

    http://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/former-cia-spy-boss-made-an-unhesitating-call-to-destroy-interrogation-tapes/2012/04/24/gIQAkdTXfT_print.html

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