Market Currents

• Monday, November 23, 2009

• 12:39 PM Even after committing $1.88B to buying part of Sara Lee's (SLE) business, Unilever's (UN +1.6%) still got cash for a shopping spree - as much as €2B ($3B) - and plans to find "bolt-on" acquisitions for growth, CFO Jim Lawrence said. He previously said the company was not looking at Cadbury (CBY). 1 Comment

• Friday, September 25, 2009

• 09:44 AM “We’re not convinced that this is the greatest collection of assets," Credit Suisse says of Unilever's (UN -0.4%) decision to pick up Sara Lee's (SLE +5.6%) personal care line for $1.9B. "But another acquisition shows Unilever is still moving from the back foot (cost cutting, disposals) to the front foot - volume growth, acquisitions." Comment!
• 04:16 AM Unilever (UN) to buy Sara Lee's (SLE) personal care business for $1.88B. The unit generates annual sales of more than $1.1B. (PR) UN -0.4% in Amsterdam. Comment!

• Thursday, August 6, 2009

• 09:00 AM Premarket gainers: RTK +161%. SXCI +27%. MBI +20%. CSIQ +19%. ABK +18%. FNM +18%. AIG +15%. AIB +14%. THOR +11%. GNW +11%. CIT +9%. CBEY +9%. CRIS +9%. UDR +9%. CYTR +8%. M +9%. BZ +7%. UN +7%. LYG +7%. PMI +6%. ETFC +6%. WEN +5%. FIG +5%. BCS +5%. KFN +5%. HIG +5%. BEAT +4%. SOL +4%. GPS +4%. DRL +4%. YGE +4%. CHK +4%. CETV +4%. TLAB +4%. BCE +4%. C +5%. ONNN +4%. LDK +4%. HBAN +4%. Comment!

• Tuesday, April 14, 2009

• 09:01 AM Premarket losers: AIB -11%. QGEN -8%. ABK -8%. RBS -7%. SXL -6%. MT -4%. AXA -5%. TS -4%. MS -4%. AXP -3%. GS -3%. IFX -4%. CS -3%. TOT -3%. USB -3%. BP -3%. UN -3%. AAUK -3%. RDS.A -3%. Comment!

• Thursday, February 5, 2009

• 09:01 AM Premarket losers: CNQR -19%. NCR -14%. AIB -10%. DB -6%. BKC -5%. UN -5%. DELL -5%. UBS -5%. NVLS -5%. TXT -4%. DLTR -4%. Comment!

• Wednesday, January 28, 2009

• 13:23 PM Sales of supermarket own-brand products are surging as savvy shoppers look to save money. Safeway (SWY) is even selling its healthy own-label range through other retailers. Something branded companies like Unilever NV (UN) and Nestle (NSRGY.PK) should be thinking about. 1 Comment

• Thursday, September 4, 2008

• 04:29 AM Unilever (UN) is hiring Nestle (NSRGF.PK) executive Paul Polman to take over as CEO. "Polman is probably the best candidate in the world to become CEO," food industry consultant James Amoroso says. Investors agree: shares are up 5.7% in Amsterdam. Comment!

• Monday, July 21, 2008

• 09:01 AM Unilever NV (UN) sells Bertolli olive oil for €630M - part of a plan to sell off non-core assets that produce about €2B/year. Comment!