Mortgage Assistance

[MTnews]

Daily Market Commentary for December 9, 2008 from

In addition, close to 51 percent of mortgages modified during 2Q 2008 were over 60 days past due. ()

Economic data released today:

Institute for Supply Management (ISM):
Further U.S. Factory Recession expected in 2009; Revenues Expected to Decrease 1.1 percent in 2009; Capital Expenditures expected to Drop 6.7 percent; Prices Paid Expected to Fall 2.6 percent in 2009.

Redbook:
U.S. December Retail Season per Johnson Redbook Index show Adjusted Sales Down 0.8 percent versus December 2007, compared with a targeted gain of 0.6%.

Pending Home Sales Index as Presented by the National Association for Realtors (NAR):
U.S. Pending Home Sales Index fell 0.7 percent in October; U.S. October Pending Home Sales fell 1.0 percent from October 2007.

Energy Information Administration:
2009 U.S. Oil Use revised down to 19.28M B/D, down 1 percent versus 2008; 2009 Global Oil Use Seen lower by 450,000 B/D versus 85.75M B/D In 2008; 2009 Global Oil Use Revised lower by 630,000 B/D to 85.3M B/D; U.S. Heating Oil to average $2.35/Gal in 2009; Crude Oil Price Echoes 'Rapid Decline' in World Demand; U.S. Diesel to average $2.47/Gal in 2009; 2008 U.S. Oil Use Revised down to 19.48M B/D, down 5.8 percent on the year; U.S. Retail Gasoline to average $2.03/Gal in 2009; Industrial Natural Gas Demand seen falling 2.4 percent in 2009; Drilling Cuts mean 2009 Onshore Gas Output Growth of 0.8 percent; Revises OPEC Surplus Capacity up to average 4M B/D in 2009; Revises 2009 U.S. Crude Price Forecast down $12.33/Bbl, 19 percent; 2008 Global Oil Use seen down by 50,000 B/D on the year at 85.75M B/D; U.S. Crude Oil to average $51.17/Bbl in 2009; OPEC Crude Output 30.6M B/D in 1Q 2009 versus 32.6M B/D 3Q 2008; 2009 U.S. Marketed Natural Gas Production seen up 0.9 percent; Global Oil Use in 2008 to Fall for first time since 1983; 2008 U.S. Marketed Natural Gas Production seen up 5.4 percent; Unclear if OPEC Output Cuts will Prevent 4Q Stock Build; Weak Oil Market will Prompt high OPEC cut Compliance.

Companies in the news today:
Texas Instruments (NYSE: TXN) reported that earnings and revenue would be short of guidance, for 4Q; FedEx Corporation (NYSE: FDX) offered a grim outlook and lowered guidance for fiscal year.

At the NYSE closing bell on the New York Stock Exchange, here is how the major world indices and major U.S. stock indices ended the trading session on the world markets as well as the emerging markets including the stock market closing bell price:
DOW (Dow Jones Industrial Average) triple digit loss of 242.85 points to end the trading session at 8,691.33
NYSE (New York Stock Exchange) triple digit loss of 116.47 points to end the trading session at 5,523.21
National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotations (NASDAQ) loss of 24.40 points to end the trading session at 1,547.34
S&P 500 (SPX) loss of 21.03 points to end the trading session at 888.67
FTSE All-World Index data excluding U.S. (AW01UK) loss of 1.11 points to end the trading session at 143.86
FTSE RAFI 1000 loss of 93.92 points to end the trading session at 3,430.74
BEL 20 (BEL20) loss of 17.13 points to end the trading session at 1,885.83
CAC 40 (CAC40) gain of 50.32 points to end the trading session at 3,297.80
FTSE100 (UKX100) gain of 81.20 points to end the trading session at 4,381.26
NIKKEI 225 (NIK/O) gain of 66.82 points to end the trading session at 8,395.87

New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) stock market indicators for the trading session today:
Advanced stock prices 983, declined stock prices 2,182; unchanged stock prices 70; stock prices hitting new highs 6 and stock prices hitting new lows 40. NYSE quotes for volatile stocks and market trends, as well as stock quotes, stock prices and stock symbols of Day Trading Stock Picks on the New York Stock Exchange stock market for Day Trading online and active Day Trading for those who are or would like to be Day Trading for a living: Texas Instruments Incorporated (NYSE: TXN) stock price gained 0.73 points on the trading session, high on the trading session $16.14, low on the trading session $14.30 with a closing stock price at $15.55; Merck & Company Incorporated (NYSE: MRK) stock price shed 0.69 points on the trading session, high on the trading session $27.46, low on the trading session $26.16 with a closing stock price at $26.31; Con-way Incorporated (NYSE: CNW) stock price shed 3.60 points on the trading session, high on the trading session $22.93, low on the trading session $20.59 with a closing stock price at $22.17; FedEx Corporation (NYSE: FDX) stock price shed 10.78 points on the trading session, high on the trading session $67.42, low on the trading session $62.31 with a closing stock price at $63.65; Danaher Corporation (NYSE: DHR) stock price shed 2.18 points on the trading session, high on the trading session $51.56, low on the trading session $48.90 with a closing stock price at $49.78.

National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotations (NASDAQ) stock market indicators for the trading session today:
Advanced stock prices 956; declined stock prices 1,923; unchanged stock prices 120; stock prices hitting new highs 4 and stock prices hitting new lows 89. NASDAQ quotes, volatile stocks and market trends, as well as stock quotes, stock prices and stock symbols of Day Trading Stock Picks on the NASDAQ stock market for Day Trading online and active Day Trading for those who are or would like to be Day Trading for a living: Google Incorporated (NasdaqGS: GOOG) stock price gained 3.87 points on the trading session, high on the trading session $318.00, low on the trading session $297.01 with a closing stock price at $305.98; First Solar Incorporated (NasdaqGS: FSLR) stock price shed 17.49 points on the trading session, high on the trading session $130.70, low on the trading session $116.78 with a closing stock price at $117.35; Intuitive Surgical Incorporated (NasdaqGS: ISRG) stock price shed 7.10 points on the trading session, high on the trading session $140.33, low on the trading session $130.02 with a closing stock price at $133.28.

Market trends on the American Stock Exchange (AMEX) and stock market indicators for the trading session today:
Advanced stock prices 287; declined stock prices 371; unchanged stock prices 47; stock prices hitting new highs 2 and stock prices hitting new lows 31.

Chicago Board of Trade Futures Market activity for the day, at time of this posting for December 2008 Contracts:
E-mini S&P 500 (ES): End of trading session price 888.50; Change for the trading session -16.25
E-mini NASDAQ-100 (NQ): End of trading session price 1,215.50; Change for the trading session 3.50
E-mini DOW $5 (YM): End of trading session price 8,699; Change for the trading session -176
E-mini S&P MidCap 400 (MF): End of trading session price 503.70; Change for the trading session -13.80
E-mini S&P Small Cap 600 (HS): End of trading session price 249.70; Change for the trading session -7.70

World Currencies for the Forex Market, for Forex Trading by active Forex Traders, at time of this posting:
Euro 0.7739 to U.S. Dollars 1.2922
Japanese Yen 92.070 to U.S. Dollars 0.0109
British Pound 0.6782 to U.S. Dollars 1.4744
Canadian Dollar 1.2654 to U.S. Dollars 0.7903
Swiss Franc 1.2047 to U.S. Dollars 0.8301

COMMODITY MARKETS:

Energy Sector - Nymex:
Light Crude (January 09) shed $1.64 on the trading session for a closing price of $42.07 per barrel ($US per barrel)
Heating Oil (January 09) shed $0.05 on the trading session for a closing price of $1.44 a gallon ($US per gallon)
Natural Gas (January 09) gained $0.01 on the trading session for a closing price of $5.58 per million BTU ($US per mmbtu.)
Unleaded Gas (December 08) shed $0.03 on the trading session for a closing price of $0.94 a gallon ($US per gallon)

Metals Markets - Comex:
Gold (February 09) gained $4.90 on the trading session for a closing price of $774.20 ($US per Troy ounce)
Silver (March 09) shed $0.13 on the trading session for a closing price of $9.85 ($US per Troy ounce)
Platinum (January 09) shed $30.80 on the trading session for a closing price of $812.50 ($US per Troy ounce)
Copper (March 09) shed $0.05 on the trading session for a closing price of $1.44 ($US per pound)

Livestock and Meat Markets - Chicago Mercantile Exchange (cents per lb.):
Lean Hogs (October 09) gained 0.00 on the trading session for a closing price of 64.13
Pork Bellies (February 09) shed 1.95 on the trading session for a closing price of 87.50
Live Cattle (February 09) shed 0.43 on the trading session for a closing price of 82.25
Feeder Cattle (January 09) shed 1.35 on the trading session for a closing price of 86.55

Other Commodities - Chicago Board of Trade (cents per bushel):
Corn (March 09) shed 2.25 on the trading session for a closing price of 327.75
Soybeans (January 09) shed 7.00 on the trading session for a closing price of 813.50

BOND MARKET:
2 year Bond closing price 100 25/32, +6/32, Yield 0.84, Yield change -0.09
5 year Bond closing price of 101 26/32, +17/32, Yield 1.61, Yield change -0.11
10 year Bond closing price 109 17/32, +27/32, Yield 2.64, Yield change -0.06
30 year Bond closing price 127 31/32, +2 31/32, Yield 3.05, Yield change -0.10

Thanks for reading