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Gilead Offers Response Data from Phase 2 Study of Idelalisib

Wed, 15 May 2013 18:32:47 -0400

Gilead Sciences, Inc. (Nasdaq: GILD) today announced results from a Phase 2 study (Study 101-08) evaluating idelalisib (formerly GS-1101), an investigational, targeted, oral inhibitor of PI3K delta, in combination with rituximab for older patients with treatment-naïve chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). This regimen achieved a complete response (CR) rate of 19 percent and an

Gilead Sciences, Inc. (GILD) Call Traders Target New Highs

Tue, 14 May 2013 09:18:00 -0400

Calls were the options of choice on Gilead Sciences, Inc. (NASDAQ:GILD) yesterday, with roughly 27,000 contracts crossing the tape during the course of the session...(Read More)

Short Interest in Vertex Rises, in Celgene Falls

Sat, 11 May 2013 10:45:31 -0400

The short interest moves in biotech and emerging pharmaceutical companies were mixed in the latter two weeks of April.

The number of shares sold short in Dendreon (NASDAQ: DNDN), Gilead Sciences (NASDAQ: GILD), Illumina (NASDAQ: ILMN), Onyx Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: ONXX) and VIVUS (NASDAQ:

S&P Highlights Biotech ETFs

Fri, 10 May 2013 07:39:21 -0400

Bolstered by an accommodating Food & Drug Administration and promising recent clinical results for drugs aimed at treating conditions such as hepatitis C and multiple sclerosis, biotechnology stocks and ETFs have been stellar performers in 2013.

Recently, it was an announcement by Vertex (NASDAQ: VRTX) that its cystic fibrosis

In Danish Laboratories, Hope Looms Large for a Permanent HIV Cure

Wed, 08 May 2013 14:42:00 -0400

Following successful in vitro studies, Danish researchers are on the fast track to human clinical trials.

Hot Option Plays: Tech Lags Into The Close After Hours

Tue, 07 May 2013 18:18:04 -0400

Cusick’s Corner 05-07-2013 After Hours The grind higher continues and market averages are again sporting gains heading into the final 90 minutes of trading Tuesday. The economic calendar remains light until jobless claims Thursday morning. On the earnings front, DirectTV (NASDAQ:DTV), Fossil (NASDAQ:FOSL), and EOG Resources (NYSE:EOG) are among a handful of names trading higher [...]

Hot Option Plays: Stocks Rally On Encouraging Numbers After Hours

Mon, 06 May 2013 18:17:54 -0400

Cusick’s Corner 05-02-2013 After Hours Stock market averages scored solid gains on a busy day of economic and earnings news Thursday. A number of large caps, including GM, Facebook (FB), Visa (NYSE:V), Seagate Tech (NASDAQ:STX), and Prudential (NYSE:PRU), were higher in the wake of their respective results. On the economic front, data released early showed [...]

Market Wrap for Friday, May 3: Stocks Jump on Strong Jobs Data

Fri, 03 May 2013 16:28:54 -0400

The U.S. stock market jumped on Friday to end the trading week. The catalyst for the move higher was a strong jobs report, which briefly sent the Dow Jones Industrial Average over 15,000 for the first time in history.

Heading into next week, the markets will be sitting at new year-to-date

The Markets Now: Dow, S&P Hit New Highs on Employment Report

Fri, 03 May 2013 13:27:00 -0400

Plus, the non-manufacturing business sector grew at a slower pace in April.

Closing Bell for Thursday on Wall Street: Markets Rise to New Highs on Jobs Report

Fri, 03 May 2013 12:04:00 -0400

DailyFinance.com: U.S. equity markets opened higher this morning following upward revisions from the Bureau of Labor Statistics on non-farm payrolls in February and March and a larger-than-expected rise in payrolls in April (more coverage here). The S&P 500 index ... Read more

The Markets Now: Stocks Climb Higher After ECB Rate Cut, Jobless Claims Report

Thu, 02 May 2013 14:45:00 -0400

Plus, the US trade deficit shrank in March.

24/7 Wall St. Closing Bell — Thursday: Markets Open Higher, S&P Posts Another All-time High

Thu, 02 May 2013 12:09:00 -0400

DailyFinance.com: U.S. equity markets opened higher this morning, buoyed by a smaller-than-expected total of new claims for unemployment benefits in the U.S. (more coverage here). The U.S. trade deficit also fell while unit labor costs rose by less than analysts ... Read more

New Stock Coverage: T-Mobile Gets Lukewarm Reception

Thu, 02 May 2013 10:22:00 -0400

Wall Street ratings agencies set the tone for today's stock market.

Benzinga Market Primer: Thursday, May 2

Thu, 02 May 2013 06:53:14 -0400

Futures Higher On Central Banks

U.S. equity futures rose slightly in early pre-market trade following the FOMC saying that it is prepared to increase or decrease asset purchases depending on the state of the economy. Today, the European Central Bank is set to release its interest rate decision and is expected

General Motors, AIG are Thursday’s stocks to watch

Thu, 02 May 2013 05:30:48 -0400

General Motors and American International Group will announce quarterly results on Thursday.

(GILD) Gilead Sciences Suffers Double Setbacks

Wed, 01 May 2013 16:52:47 -0400

Gilead Sciences, Inc (GILD) suffered two successive setbacks when the US Food and Drug...

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Illumina and Other Bargain Biotech Stocks Worth a Look Now

Wed, 01 May 2013 12:57:36 -0400

The research team at PropThink, which focuses on emerging growth companies in the health care sector, recently offered a list of bargain biotech stocks worth a look.

The stocks that made the list include Endo Health Solutions (NASDAQ: ENDP), Illumina (NASDAQ: ILMN) and Keryx Biopharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:

Hot Option Plays: S&P 500 Hits Record Close After Hours

Mon, 29 Apr 2013 17:17:52 -0400

Cusick’s Corner 04-29-2013 After Hours Market averages moved solidly higher through midday and most of the gains held into the closing bell. Economic data seemed to help after a report released Monday showed Pending Home Sales up 1.5 percent in March, which was significantly better than the .1 percent that was expected. Separately, Personal Incomes [...]

Hot Option Plays: Equities Hover Near Highs At Midday

Mon, 29 Apr 2013 14:18:06 -0400

Cusick’s Corner Midday 04-29-2013 Market averages are holding gains with help from economic news Monday. A report released a bit earlier showed Pending Home Sales up 1.5 percent in March, which was significantly better than the .1 percent that was expected. Separately, Personal Incomes and Personal Spending were both up .2 percent in March. Economists [...]

Market Forecast + Sector Watch: SPX, Nasdaq, GLD, XME, XLE, BTK, AMGN, BIIB, GILD, REGN, GILD, RIG, SLB, APC, OXY, EOG, CLF, WLT

Mon, 29 Apr 2013 01:26:47 -0400

Last weekend, in my Market Forecat, I said, "This market will need some strong earnings report to bounce back up. SPX 1570 could now become a resistance. The market will need to clear above 1580 to resume its bullish trend. On the downside, if 1540 does not hold, the next support is at 1520. Techs [...]

Earnings Expectations for the Week of April 29

Sun, 28 Apr 2013 17:31:00 -0400

First-quarter results from General Motors (NYSE: GM) will be one of the highlights on the earnings front this week.

Analysts anticipate that the carmaker will say Thursday its revenue slipped about three percent from a year ago to $36.60 billion, but that earnings fell from $0.93 per share

A Look Ahead: This Week's ETFs to Watch

Sun, 28 Apr 2013 17:28:16 -0400

Last week was another fine one for U.S. stocks as the broader market fought off an array of data points that can only be considered mixed at best to again close higher. With last week's 1.4 percent pop, the S&P 500 is now up 0.8 percent this month and has

Weekly Preview: Focus Shifts from Earnings to Economy

Fri, 26 Apr 2013 16:35:00 -0400

In the upcoming week, the focus of markets will gradually shift from earnings to the economy, especially later in the week, as key reports including the ECB rate decision and the U.S. Non-Farm Payrolls report are expected to be released.

Key Earnings In the coming week, key earnings from Facebook (NASDAQ:

Short Sellers Move into Celgene, Regeneron

Fri, 26 Apr 2013 13:25:43 -0400

The short interest moves in biotech and emerging pharmaceutical companies were mixed in the first two weeks of April.

The number of shares sold short in Alexion Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: ALXN), Amgen (NASDAQ: AMGN), Biogen Idec (NASDAQ: BIIB), Dendreon (NASDAQ: DNDN), Gilead Sciences (NASDAQ:

Sector Rotation? + Free 2-Week Trial! CTXS, AKAM, AMGN, BIIB, CELG, ONXX, GILD, ALXN, MDVN, GOOG, CREE, BA, HES, WYNN, PNC, CELG

Wed, 24 Apr 2013 20:36:20 -0400

After a 3-day rally that started on Friday last week, the markets took a breather today. There were big earnings moves and some rotation seems to be happening. This morning, AMGN tumbled almost 7% after missing its earnings estimates. Biotechs have been really strong, making continuous new-highs. AMGN’s miss seemed to have triggered some profit-taking, [...]

(JNJ) Will Johnson & Johnson Miss on Earnings?

Tue, 23 Apr 2013 14:08:31 -0400

Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) is scheduled to report its first quarter 2013 results on Apr 16, 2013...

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Weekly Options Active On Microsoft

Mon, 22 Apr 2013 21:10:03 -0400

Today’s tickers: MSFT, GILD & PWER

MSFT - Microsoft Corp. – Reporting from CNBC’s David Faber this morning that activist fund ValueAct Capital Management LLC has acquired a $2 billion stake in Microsoft Corp. lifted shares in the world’s largest software maker today, with the stock up 3.5% at $30.80 as of 12:10 p.m. ET. Options volume on MSFT is fast approaching the stock’s average daily level, with roughly 210,000 contracts in play as of midday. Fresh interest in weekly call and put options suggests some traders are positioning for the price of the underlying to extend gains in the near term, while others are betting the shares will lose steam by the end of the week. The April 26 ’13 $31 strike is seeing the most volume among the weekly contracts, with around 6,000 calls and roughly 8,000 puts traded so far. Bullish strategists appear to have purchased most of the calls for an average premium of $0.25 each, and may profit at expiration in the event that MSFT’s shares top $31.25. Meanwhile, traders bracing for shares to reverse course snapped up around 6,000 of the $31 strike puts at an average premium of $0.35 apiece. Put buyers make money as long as the price of the underlying settles below the breakeven point at $30.65 by expiration. Overall trading traffic is favoring puts over calls as of the time of this writing, with the call/put ratio hovering around 2.6 as of 12:15 p.m. ET.

GILD - Gilead Sciences, Inc. – Upside call options are changing hands on Gilead Sciences today, with shares in the biotechnology company rising as much as 1.9% to a new 52-week high of $54.20 during the first half of the session. Trading traffic in the weekly options on Gilead suggests some traders anticipate fresh highs leading up to the firm’s first-quarter earnings report on May 2nd after the closing bell. The April 26 ’13 $55 strike calls are seeing the most volume, with upwards of 2,800 contracts changing hands versus open interest of…

Biotech Mutual Funds Show ETFs Are The Place to Be

Mon, 22 Apr 2013 12:41:40 -0400

In March, we compared a a popular energy sector ETF and a comparable mutual fund with the idea being to figure out when relevant factors are considered, which vehicle is best for investors.

That comparison, which involved the Fidelity Energy Advisor Fund Class A (FANAX) and the Energy Select Sector

UPDATE: Morgan Stanley Raises PT on Gilead Sciences on Multiple Positive Factors

Mon, 22 Apr 2013 10:59:17 -0400

In a report published Monday, Morgan Stanley analyst Marshall Urist reiterated an Overweight rating on Gilead Sciences (NASDAQ: GILD), and raised the price target from $46.00 to $65.00.

In the report, Urist noted, “Price target to $65 from $46 driven by 1) rising HCV estimates, 2) strong HIV franchise

A Look Ahead: This Week's ETFs to Watch

Sun, 21 Apr 2013 18:22:30 -0400

Market participants cannot look back on the dour performance turned in by U.S. stocks last week. The one where the S&P 500 slumped 2.1 percent and turned not only its worst weekly performance of 2013, but its worst one week slide since November.

Indeed, those statistics must be put in the

Weekly Preview: Earnings Season Continues, Apple In Focus

Fri, 19 Apr 2013 16:38:35 -0400

Next week, earnings season continues as investors eye key earnings from technology behemoths Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL) and chip maker Texas Instruments (NASDAQ: TXN). Texas Instruments' earnings and guidance is considered a key indicator for the semiconductor, and the broader technology industry by many analysts.

Key Earnings Next

The Markets Now: Stocks Mixed After Tech Company Earnings Reports

Fri, 19 Apr 2013 14:05:00 -0400

Plus, Google and Microsoft beat earnings estimates.

Vertex News Lifts Biotech ETFs

Fri, 19 Apr 2013 10:52:13 -0400

Shares of biotechnology firm Vertex Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: VRTX) are soaring by more than 55 percent early Friday and have touched a new all-time high after the company announced late Thursday that its cystic fibrosis drug Kalydeco and an experimental treatment, VX-661, showed promising results in a mid-stage clinical

(GILD) Gilead Sciences Seeks FDA Approval

Thu, 18 Apr 2013 16:40:52 -0400

Gilead Sciences (GILD) recently submitted a New Drug Application (NDA) to the US Food and Drug...

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Market Slumps Back to Test Monday’s Low: SPX, Nasdaq, AAPL, CRUS, BAC, GS, EBAY, SNDK, BIIB, AMGN, CELG, REGN, GILD

Thu, 18 Apr 2013 02:16:00 -0400

It’s been a few very volatile days: a sharp drop on Monday; a vigorous bounce on Tuesday; then, a quick fall back to Monday’s low in the morning today! For now, the sentiment has shifted. Last week’s strong dip-buying seems not to have as much enthusiasm this week. AAPL led the tech’s decline, falling 5.5%. [...]

24/7 Wall St. Closing Bell — April 17, 2013: Markets Open Down, Track Lower All Day

Wed, 17 Apr 2013 12:05:00 -0400

DailyFinance.com: U.S. equity markets opened lower this morning following a downturn in Europe and mixed markets in Asia. Data releases were limited everywhere today as well. In Asia, a weaker yen boosted the Nikkei, but Japanese consumer confidence barely ticked up. ... Read more

Put Volume Pops In Smithfield Foods

Tue, 16 Apr 2013 13:40:48 -0400

Today’s tickers: SFD, ELLI & GILD

SFD - Smithfield Foods, Inc. – Put options changing hands on pork processor, Smithfield Foods, Inc., this morning look for shares in the name to potentially pull back to the lowest level year-to-date by May expiration. Shares in SFD are up 0.60% on the session to stand at $25.39 as of 11:20 a.m. ET, reversing a portion of Monday’s near 3% decline. The stock is up roughly 25% since this time last year. Overall options volume in excess of 3,750 contracts in play on Smithfield thus far today is substantial versus the stock’s average daily volume or around 635 contracts. Most of the volume is in the May $22 strike puts, with some 3,600 lots trading against open interest of 1,179 lots. Time and sales data indicates one trader purchased the bulk of the put options at a premium of $0.20 apiece. The bearish stance may pay off at expiration next month in the event that Smithfield’s shares drop 14% from the current level to breach the effective breakeven point on the downside at $21.80.

ELLI - Ellie Mae, Inc. – Options on mortgage management software systems and technology provider, Ellie Mae, Inc., are more active than usual today, with volume rising to roughly five times the stock’s average daily volume. Trading traffic in the May expiry put options indicates some traders may be positioning for the price of the underlying to slide following the company’s first-quarter earnings report after the close on April 30th. Shares in ELLI, up 105% since this time last year, gained 0.20% this morning to trade at $24.00 by 11:40 a.m. ET. Options traders bracing for shares in the name to falter exchanged roughly 1,000 puts at the May $20 strike, buying most of these contracts for an average premium of $0.39 apiece. Put buyers profit at expiration if ELLI shares slide 18% from the current level to settle below the breakeven price of $19.61. Shares in Ellie Mae last traded below $19.61 at the end of…

UPDATE: Deutsche Bank Raises PT on Gilead Sciences on Monthly HCV Market Model

Tue, 16 Apr 2013 11:06:11 -0400

In a report published Tuesday, Deutsche Bank analyst Robyn Karnauskas reiterated a Buy rating on Gilead Sciences (NASDAQ: GILD), and raised the price target from $48.00 to $69.00.

In the report, Karnauskas noted, “We built a monthly HCV market model and analyzed prior treatment trends to derive our estimates

Market Forecat + Sector Watch: SPX, Nasdaq, XLF, FDN, XRT, BTK, BIIB, CELG, GILD, AMGN, REGN, ROST, PCLN, EBAY, GOOG, YHOOO, WFC JPM, C, GS, BAC, BK, PNC

Mon, 15 Apr 2013 01:46:54 -0400

Last weekend, in my Market Forecast, I wrote: "For the new week, the market starts from a "neutral" position. You might be thinking, "How can it be ‘neutral’? Especially after Friday’s nasty open!" Well, the Nasdaq is definitely weaker. But, the Dow still closed above its daily MAs. SPX is barely below its 20-day MA." [...]

A Look Ahead: This Week's ETFs to Watch

Sun, 14 Apr 2013 19:52:30 -0400

Last week was another strong one for U.S. stocks as the S&P 500 climbed 2.3 percent in what was benchmark index's best performance since the first week of the year.

The SPDR S&P 500 (NYSE: SPY) is now up 8.7 percent year-to-date. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 2.1

Weekly Wrap-Up April 13, 2013: JOY, HLF, SODA, GLD, FSLR, PCLN, JPM, WFC, BIIB, AMGN, GILD, REGN, INTC, MSFT, IBM, GOOG

Sun, 14 Apr 2013 00:55:38 -0400

Stocks had another amazing week. A non-stop rally that started on Monday took SPX to its new, all-time, record high, hitting 1597.35! Biotechs continued to soar. BIIB, AMGN, GILD, and REGN were just a few that made new all-time highs in the biotech sector! We had some good trades on both sides. SODA calls gave [...]

ETF Showdown: A Pharma Fight

Thu, 11 Apr 2013 16:21:34 -0400

Much has been made of low volatility sectors leading U.S. equities to new all-time highs. Sectors such as consumer staples and utilities are driving the broader market higher.

Health care is certainly in the conversation as well, and it is not just biotech names that are leading this sector's

Under The Hood: An Unheralded Biotech ETF

Thu, 11 Apr 2013 13:53:01 -0400

Another day, another set of fresh all-time highs for the major biotechnology ETFs. Biotech investors were treated to the same feat in late March, but as health care has continued to be a market-leading sector, faster-moving biotech funds have flourished.

Heading into the start of trading Thursday the Market Vectors

Short Sellers Move Out of Amgen, Celgene, Pharmacyclics

Wed, 10 Apr 2013 13:30:35 -0400

The short interest in biotech and emerging pharmaceutical companies was mixed in the final two weeks of March.

The number of shares sold short in Alexion Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: ALXN), Arena Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: ARNA), Illumina (NASDAQ: ILMN), Onyx Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: ONXX), Vertex Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:

These Are the 100 Highest-Paid CEOs in Business Today

Mon, 08 Apr 2013 16:30:51 -0400

The New York Times has published a list of the 100 highest-paid CEOS at U.S. public companies in 2012. Oracle (NASDAQ: ORCL) chief executive Larry Ellison is far and away the highest paid CEO on the list, as his $96.2 million in 2012 compensation dwarfs every other member

Gilead Submits NDA to FDA for Sofosbuvir for Hep C

Mon, 08 Apr 2013 16:30:46 -0400

Gilead Sciences (Nasdaq: GILD) today announced that the company has submitted a New Drug Application (NDA) to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for approval of sofosbuvir, a once-daily oral nucleotide analogue for the treatment of chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. The data submitted in this NDA support the use

(MRK) Pharma & Biotech Stock Outlook – Apr 2013 – Zacks Analyst Interviews

Sun, 07 Apr 2013 14:52:57 -0400

The pharmaceutical industry has been showing signs of recovery from one of the biggest patent...

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Some Companies Aren't Evil... And Some Even Save Lives

Fri, 05 Apr 2013 09:28:44 -0400

Every day, the media is surrounded by stories of companies doing evil, making mistakes, and causing harm to the mass public.

Although it is true that sometimes this is the case, there also many cases of companies doing good for the world and this personal story truly reflects the positives

Benzinga's M&A Chatter for Thursday April 4, 2013

Thu, 04 Apr 2013 17:54:23 -0400

The following are the M&A deals, rumors and chatter circulating on Wall Street for Thursday April 4, 2013:

Report Anheuser-Busch InBev Near Settlement with US DOJ

The Rumor:Anheuser-Busch InBev (NYSE: BUD) and the US DOJ are reportedly close to a settlement, according to Bloomberg. This would pave the way for

Market Forecast + Sector Watch: SPX, Nasdaq, XLF, XLE, BTK, SOXX, INTC, TXN, BRCM, ALTR, ADI, XLNX, CELG, AMGN, BIIB, GILD, INCY, ONXX, APA, APC, OXY, VLO, TSO, JPM, GS, C, V, MA

Mon, 01 Apr 2013 00:14:06 -0400

Happy Easter! Last weekend, in my Market Forecast, I said, "For the new week, if the broader market can push above SPX 1560, we might very well see a new leg up! However, financials have been weak. We’ll need to see how strongly the financials stocks can come back after last week’s slide. Tech stocks [...]