Executive Pay

[MTnews]

Daily Market Commentary for February 4, 2009 from

The president ordered the $500,000 cap on salaries and require that companies receiving "exceptional assistance" disclose all executive perks. ()

Economic data released today:

ADP (Automatic Data Processing (ADP)/Macroeconomic Advisers) Employment Report:
Sees January U.S. Private Sector Jobs down 522,000; January U.S. Private Sector Jobs Expected lower by 508,000.

ISM (Institute for Supply Management) Non-Manufacturing Index:
U.S. ISM January Non-Manufacturing Composite Index came in at 42.9 versus December 40.1; U.S. ISM January Non-Manufacturing Composite Index Expected to come in at 39.0; U.S. ISM January Non-Manufacturing Business Index came in at 44.2 versus December 38.9; U.S. ISM January Non-Manufacturing Employment Index came in at 34.4 versus December 34.5; U.S. ISM January Non-Manufacturing Prices Index came in at 42.5 versus December 36.1; U.S. ISM January Non-Manufacturing New Orders Index came in at 41.6 versus December 38.9.

EIA Petroleum Status Report provided by Department Of Energy:
U.S. Refineries ran at 83.5% capacity, seen down by 0.5 points at 82.0%; U.S. Distillate Stockpiles fell by 1.4 Million Barrels in the week, was seen lower by 1.4 Million Barrels; U.S. Crude Oil Stockpiles increased by 7.2 Million Barrels in the week, was seen increasing by 2.9 Million Barrels; U.S. Gasoline Stockpiles increased by 300,000 Barrels in the week, was seen increasing by 600,000; U.S. Refineries ran at 83.5% capacity versus 82.5% a week ago; U.S. Distillate Stockpiles fell by 1.4 Million Barrels at 142.6 Million Barrels; U.S. Gasoline Stockpiles increased by 0.3 Million Barrels at 220.2 Million Barrels; U.S. Crude Oil Stockpiles increased by 7.2 Million Barrels at 346.1 Million Barrels.

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 121.70 points to end the trading session at 7,956.66
NYSE (New York Stock Exchange) loss of 25.27 points to end the trading session at 5,242.75
National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotations (NASDAQ) loss of 1.25 points to end the trading session at 1,515.05
S&P 500 (SPX) loss of 6.28 points to end the trading session at 832.23
BEL 20 (BEL20) gain of 22.68 points to end the trading session at 1,906.49
CAC 40 (CAC40) gain of 86.60 points to end the trading session at 3,068.99
FTSE100 (UKX100) gain of 64.14 points to end the trading session at 4,228.60
NIKKEI 225 (NIK/O) triple digit gain of 213.43 points at the end the trading session at 8,038.94

New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) stock market indicators for the trading session today:
Advanced stock prices 1,340, declined stock prices 1,746, unchanged stock prices 104, stock prices hitting new highs 5 and stock prices hitting new lows 86. 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: Edwards Lifesciences Corporation (NYSE: EW) stock price gained 2.61 points on the trading session, high on the trading session $60.35, low on the trading session $56.65, with a closing stock price at $60.01; ITT Corporation (NYSE: ITT) stock price shed 0.26 points on the trading session, high on the trading session $46.34, low on the trading session $43.38, with a closing stock price at $44.79; Alliance Data Systems Corporation (NYSE: ADS) stock price gained 1.47 points on the trading session, high on the trading session $41.20, low on the trading session $37.56, with a closing stock price at $40.82; Arthur J. Gallagher & Company (NYSE: AJG) stock price shed 5.31 points on the trading session, high on the trading session $21.00, low on the trading session $18.30, with a closing stock price at $18.45.

National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotations (NASDAQ) stock market indicators for the trading session today:
Advanced stock prices 1,088, declined stock prices 1,659, unchanged stock prices 141, stock prices hitting new highs 11 and stock prices hitting new lows 108. 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: Costco Wholesale Corporation (NasdaqGS: COST) stock price shed 3.06 points on the trading session, high on the trading session $43.50, low on the trading session $41.83, with a closing stock price at $43.06; Cephalon Incorporated (NasdaqGS: CEPH) stock price gained 0.65 points on the trading session, high on the trading session $81.35, low on the trading session $78.67, with a closing stock price at $79.34; Google Incorporated (NasdaqGS: GOOG) stock price gained 7.04 points on the trading session, high on the trading session $354.44, low on the trading session $339.17, with a closing stock price at $347.49; Baidu Incorporated (NasdaqGS: BIDU) stock price gained 4.34 points on the trading session, high on the trading session $134.25, low on the trading session $126.04, with a closing stock price at $129.51.

Market trends on the American Stock Exchange (AMEX) and stock market indicators for the trading session today:
Advanced stock prices 271, declined stock prices 296, unchanged stock prices 58, stock prices hitting new highs n/a and stock prices hitting new lows 9.

Chicago Board of Trade Futures Market for the day, at time of this posting:
E-mini S&P 500 (ES) Mar 09: End of trading session price 829.50; Change for the trading session -2.00
E-mini NASDAQ-100 (NQ) Mar 09: End of trading session price 1,214.75; Change for the trading session 7.00
E-mini DOW $5 (YM) Mar 09: End of trading session price 7,922; Change for the trading session -64
E-mini S&P MidCap 400 (MF) Mar 09: End of trading session price 502.30; Change for the trading session 3.90
E-mini S&P Small Cap 600 (HS) Mar 09: End of trading session price 7,990; Change for the trading session 95

World Currencies for the Forex Market, for Forex Trading by active Forex Traders, at time of this posting:
Euro 0.7789 to U.S. Dollars 1.2838
Japanese Yen 89.420 to U.S. Dollars 0.0112
British Pound 0.6923 to U.S. Dollars 1.4445
Canadian Dollar 1.2322 to U.S. Dollars 0.8116
Swiss Franc 1.1601 to U.S. Dollars 0.8620

COMMODITY MARKETS:

Energy Sector - Nymex:
Light Crude (March 09) shed $0.46 on the trading session for a closing price of $40.32 per barrel ($US per barrel)
Heating Oil (March 09) no change on the trading session for a closing price of $1.33 a gallon ($US per gallon)
Natural Gas (March 09) gained $0.08 on the trading session for a closing price of $4.64 per million BTU ($US per mmbtu.)
Unleaded Gas (March 09) gained $0.05 on the trading session for a closing price of $1.22 a gallon ($US per gallon)

Metals Markets - Comex:
Gold (April 09) gained $9.70 on the trading session for a closing price of $902.20 ($US per Troy ounce)
Silver (March 09) gained $0.17 on the trading session for a closing price of $12.47 ($US per Troy ounce)
Platinum (April 09) gained $6.20 on the trading session for a closing price of $973.00 ($US per Troy ounce)
Copper (March 09) gained $0.01 on the trading session for a closing price of $1.53 ($US per pound)

Livestock and Meat Markets - Chicago Mercantile Exchange (cents per lb.):
Lean Hogs (April 09) shed 1.28 on the trading session for a closing price of 60.88
Pork Bellies (March 09) shed 0.85 on the trading session for a closing price of 81.15
Live Cattle (April 09) shed 0.18 on the trading session for a closing price of 85.95
Feeder Cattle (March 09) no change on the trading session for a closing price of 93.43

Other Commodities - Chicago Board of Trade (cents per bushel):
Corn (March 09) shed 3.50 on the trading session for a closing price of 358.25
Soybeans (March 09) shed 3.50 on the trading session for a closing price of 949.50

BOND MARKET:

2 year Bond Closing price 99 25/32, change 1/32, Yield 0.97, Yield change 0.00
5 year Bond closing price of 99 9/32, change 9/32, Yield 1.92, Yield change 0.06
10 year Bond closing price 107 9/32, change 9/32, Yield 2.91, Yield change 0.03
30 year Bond closing price 115 23/32, change 23/32, Yield 3.66, Yield change 0.04

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