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XLF

Financial Select Sector SPDR ETF

5/25/2013, 8:17 PM ET

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Thursday, May 23, 1:13 PM The "Too Big To Fail" subsidy is a myth, according to Goldman research which shows the banking industry (XLF) is about the only one in the U.S. where the larger firms pay higher funding costs than the smaller ones. It may be so now, but the TBTFs had a large funding advantage amid the financial crisis and have paid an average of 31 basis points less than their smaller brethren over the last decade. 1 Comment [Financials]
Tuesday, May 21, 8:49 AM Exponential rapidly rising or falling markets usually go further than you think, but they do not correct by going sideways," is #4 of Bob Farrell's "Market Rules to Remember." Channeling that, BAML's Steve Suttmeier sees stocks continuing their run with risks of a topping-out not arriving unti late summer. He's most bullish on industrials (XLI) - particularly "oversold" EXPD, DE, CAT, FDX - and also thinks financials (XLF) will remain market leaders. 4 Comments
Friday, May 17, 4:49 PM The week's ETF movers - Gainers: TAN +9.6%. XLF +3.7%. UNG +3.4%. GAZ +3.2%. EWJ +3.0%.
ETF Losers: GDXJ -14.2%. GDX -11.5%. PSLV -7.3%. SLV -6.9%. SIVR -6.7%. 1 Comment [On the Move]
Friday, May 17, 8:13 AM Thomas Lee lifts his year-end S&P 500 (SPY) forecast to 1,715 from 1,580 as the bull has already outrun his expectations. His team sees clues economic performance is picking up, including the outperformance of semiconductors (XSD) vs. transports (IYT), and the steepening of the 10 year/30 year Treasury curve. Risk/reward is particularly appealing in tech (XLK), healthcare (XLV), and financials (XLF). Comment!
Friday, May 17, 5:56 AM UBS upgrades global financials to Overweight from Underweight on a healing global economy, rebuilt capital, and the sector's shift "from being a net issuer to a net distributor of cash." Furthermore, the U.S. banking sector (XLF) is taken to Overweight as balance sheet strength and attractive valuations play well with the housing market recovery to create compelling opportunities. European banks (EUFN) are lifted to Neutral "with a preference towards Nordic and U.K. banks." Financials respond in London with LLoyds Banking Group (LYG) +2.3%, Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) +3.3%, and Barclays (BCS) up 0.5%. 5 Comments [Financials, Global & FX]
Wednesday, May 15, 12:18 PM Stocks resolve a meandering early part of the session to turn decidedly green midday, the Dow +0.5%, the S&P +0.6%, the Nasdaq (weighed by a 3% decline in Apple) +0.3%. Also notably lower are H-P -2.7%, Deere -4.9%, and Energy (XLE -0.2%). Leading higher are the financials (XLF +1%), with Citigroup +2.5% and notching a new 52-week high. Comment!
Wednesday, May 15, 7:54 AM "You're getting cost cuts as a means of sustaining performance and that's not a great sign," says analyst Simon Maughan. "What HSBC (HBC) is showing you (job cuts earlier) is that there is very little growth in the banking industry (XLF) for years to come." CEO Stuart Gulliver notes HSBC has met its savings target, but hasn't met a goal to reduce costs as a percentage of revenue because revenue hasn't grown. 1 Comment [Financials]
Wednesday, May 8, 12:05 PM Stocks begin to move higher midday with tech (QQQ +0.5%) leading the way as Apple resumes its post-earnings, post-debt offering move upwards. Also notably green are the financials (XLF +0.9%), led by Bank of America and Citigroup, both up more than 2% and both at 52-week highs. The Dow (DIA +0.2%) underperforms as Disney slides 1.3% post-earnings. Comment!
Wednesday, April 24, 3:58 PM Richard Pzena (PZN) - still heavily overweight financials (XLF) and mature tech (XLK) - makes his case for global banks in today's earnings call (transcript): With capital levels of 11-13% at JPM, C, and BCS double what they were pre-crisis, will regulators allow banks to earn a decent return on said capital? A definite "yes," says Pzena, seeing no reason demand for financial products won't continue to grow faster than GDP, and noting bank managers' "laser-like focus" on improving returns. An average price-to-book ratio of 0.7x combined with a modest ROE of 12-13% suggests fair value more than double current prices. Comment! [Financials, Tech, Quick Ideas]
Wednesday, April 24, 12:44 PM Stocks take more of a negative tone at midday, the DJIA (DIA) -0.3%, led by 5% declines in both AT&T and Procter & Gamble. Also notably in the red is the healthcare (XLV -1.2%) sector, but financials (XLF +0.5%), energy (XLE +1.4%), and materials (XLB +1.2%) are posting gains. The Nasdaq -0.4%, led by the aforementioned AT&T, Cisco, and Apple. 1 Comment
Tuesday, April 23, 10:27 AM Stocks continue higher, SPY +0.9% as Europe soars (FEZ +2%) following economic data (there, here, and in China) that on balance was pretty weak. Leading the gains in the states is the banking sector - XLF +1.3% - following a big upgrade for Bank of America (up 3%). 2 Comments
Thursday, April 18, 7:37 AM Coming alongside a rise in lender earnings are calls for tougher regulation, including even more stringent capital requirements. Bank profits have thrived the past few years even with all the new rules, but maybe at the expense of economic growth. "The government aimed a Stinger missile at the banking industry and missed and hit the consumer as well," says Dick Bove. The XLF has about matched the S&P's 120% rise since the March 2009 bottom. 1 Comment [Financials]
Monday, April 15, 12:28 PM The Brown/Vitter bill being rolled out in Congress is essentially Armageddon to the TBTF banks, says Goldman, seeing it as mandating another $1.1T in equity for the banking system. Banks would need 12 years of earnings to build this amount organically, though the bill would give just 5 - say goodbye to lending. Break up the banks? BAC, C, JPM, and WFC all have multiple divisions with more than $400M in assets - the level at which the bill gets tough on lenders. 22 Comments [Financials]
Monday, April 15, 11:24 AM A 2.5% move up in Citigroup following earnings is allowing the banks (XLF) to tread water or even move higher in an otherwise bright red tape. Leading the S&P on the downside is the resources sector, XLE -2.9%, XLB -2.5%. S&P 500 (SPY) -0.7%. Comment! [Financials]
Friday, April 12, 12:09 PM "Expect more pronounced slowing" in mortgage banking and loan demand, says Sterne Agee's Todd Hagerman after this morning's earnings from Wells Fargo and JPMorgan. Mortgage banking income fell as expected, but both banks reported slowing application volumes as well, suggesting future cuts to earnings estimates. XLF -0.8%. 7 Comments [Financials]
Wednesday, April 10, 3:59 PM In comments with potential implications for the banking sector, CLSA analyst Mike Mayo says he sees a rebirth of shareholder rights in the sector with institutional investors taking control of their ownership stake. A "country club sort of attitude" has been prevalent for too long among bank boards, with directors getting fired one out of 3,000 times, Mayo says. (video) Comment! [Financials]

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