Reply #45: 2:25 EST numbers and blather

[UpInArms]

Dow 10,841.97 -5.44 (-0.05%)
Nasdaq 2,254.25 +10.51 (+0.47%)
S&P 500 1,269.40 +0.60 (+0.05%)
10-Yr Bond 4.366 -0.04 (-0.09%)

NYSE Volume 1,697,867,000
Nasdaq Volume 1,373,267,000

2:00 pm : Tight range-bound trading persists. Each of the three major auto manufacturers have now disclosed December same-store sales. At Ford (F 7.97 +0.14), sales declined a slightly less than expected 9%; the Briefing.com consensus estimate had been pegged at a 10.5% fall. DaimlerChrysler (DCX 53.39 -0.36) reported a 5% drop in December sales, versus the -5.3% consensus. Last and in this case least, General Motors (GM 19.19 +0.29) announced a 10% drop in sales during November, slightly worse than the expected 9.6% drop.DJ30 +9.79 NASDAQ +15.76 SP500 +2.40 NASDAQ Dec/Adv/Vol 1168/1828/1.27 bln NYSE Dec/Adv/Vol 1054/2226/1.12 bln

1:30 pm : Blue chips continue to float just above the flat line; the Nasdaq, meanwhile, remains comfortably ahead of it. Crude's return from the red, and hurdle over the $63.00 per barrel mark, serves as a bearish backdrop for the broader market. Although the Energy sector managed to rise alongside crude's morning decline, the sector has not benefited from the commodity's reversal. Perhaps behind the action is the fact that Russia surprised many investors by quickly ending the gas dispute with Ukraine. The move caused momentum traders to lock in gains after yesterday's run-up in crude oil. At the same time, natural gas continues to trade at levels not seen since August. Note that Volume is not very heavy on the NYMEX, as traders square positions ahead of tomorrow's inventory data (which was postponed due to the holiday). DJ30 +2.80 NASDAQ +15.19 SP500 +2.27 NASDAQ Dec/Adv/Vol 1169/1786/1.66 bln NYSE Dec/Adv/Vol 1019/2226/1.03 bln