Market Currents

• Today - Thursday, December 24, 2009

• 10:25 AM Dow leaders: AA +1.8%. TRV +1.4%. DD +1.2%. UTX +1.1%. BA +1%. INTC +0.9%. MMM +0.9%. AXP +0.8%.
  Laggards: MRK -0.5%. DIS -0.4%. Comment!

• Wednesday, December 23, 2009

• 13:12 PM Dow leaders: MCD +0.7%. KFT +0.5%. TRV +0.4%. AA +0.4%. VZ +0.4%.
  Dow laggards: MRK -1.5%. HD -1.4%. JPM -0.9%. BAC -0.9%. Comment!
• 10:30 AM Dow leaders after one hour: BA +0.7%. CAT +0.6%. PFE +0.5%.
  Laggards: HD -1.6%. MRK -0.8%. JPM -0.8%. DIS -0.7%. PG -0.7%. AA -0.7%. Comment!
• 08:56 AM Merck's (MRK) cholesterol drugs, Vytorin and Zestia, probably don't increase the risk of cancer or cancer-related death, the FDA said late yesterday, but added an association cannot be definitively ruled out. The FDA previously warned of an increased risk of cancer in patients taking Vytorin compared with those given a placebo. 1 Comment

• Tuesday, December 22, 2009

• 10:23 AM Winners in the Senate healthcare reform:
  - Drug and device makers (PFE, MRK, BSX, MDT)
  - Hospitals (UHS, THC)
  - Biologics (AMGN)
  - Cosmetics (JNJ, AGN)
  - Home healthcare providers (AMED, ADUS, GTIV)
  Losers:
  - Health insurers (WLP, UNH, AET)
  - Generic drugmakers
  - Pharmacy benefit managers (MHS, CVS, ESRX)
  - Nursing homes (SKH, KND) 12 Comments

• Monday, December 21, 2009

• 11:53 AM Former CDC head Dr. Julie Gerberding takes over Merck's (MRK +2.6%) vaccine division. Gerberding led the federal agency from 2002-2009, tackling such issues as the 2001 anthrax attacks, H5N1 and SARS, among others. Comment!
• 10:02 AM Dow leaders early on: AA +6.6%. JPM +2.7%. INTC +2.6%. BAC +2.1%. PFE +1.9%. MRK +1.8%. TRV +1.3%.
  Laggards: PG -0.3%. Comment!

• Monday, December 14, 2009

• 15:18 PM Dow leaders: JPM +2.2%. HD +1.8%. MRK +1.6%. DD +1.6%. CAT +1.6%.
  Dow laggards: XOM -4.7%. WMT -1.2%. CVX -0.8%. VZ -0.4%. PFE -0.3%. Comment!
• 10:30 AM Dow leaders after one hour: AA +1.3%. MRK +1.2%. HPQ +1.1%. CSCO +0.9%. DIS +0.9%. KFT +0.9%.
  Laggards: XOM -3.9%. WMT -1.3%. BAC -0.8%. Comment!

• Thursday, December 10, 2009

• 11:00 AM Dow leaders: AA +3.3%. DIS +2.7%. MRK +1.9%. UTX +1.9%. CAT +1.6%. WMT +1.4%. HD +1.3%.
  Laggards: BAC -0.9%. JPM -0.9%. Comment!
• 09:36 AM Pfizer's (PFE) takeover of Wyeth, and Merck's (MRK) acquisition of Schering-Plough are two of at least nine transactions under investigation by the SEC for insider-trading violations, sources say. The SEC is trying to understand how people swap information; hedge-fund managers are being asked to hand over appointment books and business-contact lists, as well as phone and email records. Comment!

• Wednesday, December 9, 2009

• 15:33 PM Dow leaders: MMM +3.6%. PFE +2.7%. HPQ +1.9%. MRK +1.9%.
  Dow laggards: UTX -1.4%. VZ -0.7%. BA -0.6%. GE -0.5%. T -0.5%. Comment!
• 11:00 AM Dow leaders: MMM +2.8%. PFE +2.2%. AA +1.2%. MRK +0.9%.
  Laggards: UTX -1.4%. DD -0.9%. INTC -0.9%. Comment!

• Tuesday, December 1, 2009

• 10:30 AM Dow leaders after one hour: PFE +2.5%. HD +2.1%. MRK +1.7%. INTC +1.6%. CAT +1.6%. CSCO +1.4%. AA +1.3%.
  Laggards: JPM -1.3%. AXP -1.1%. Comment!

• Monday, November 30, 2009

• 10:30 AM Dow leaders after one hour: BAC +1.9%. JPM +1.9%. CAT +1.5%. AXP +1.3%. MMM +1.2%. AA +0.8%. PFE +0.8%. TRV +0.8%.
  Laggards: MRK -0.8%. KFT -0.5%. T -0.5%. 1 Comment

• Tuesday, November 24, 2009

• 15:17 PM Merck (MRK -0.1%) announces a new $3B share repurchase program. (PR) 1 Comment