Investment Banking & Brokerage

Here's what Benzinga's reading on our friend, TheStreet.com. What's Hot On TheStreet Goldman Sachs Sells Its 'Conviction Buys' A so-called Chinese Wall is supposed to exist between investment banks' research and asset-management divisions, but recent calls, especially coming from subprime-...

Finding a great chart is often better than making love. While both give you pleasure, a great chart setup will pay you hundreds, if not thousands. On the other hand, making love means we often end up paying dearly for the hot passion desired, either monetarily, nagging or other means. At least...

KBW is out with its report today on Lazard (NYSE: LAZ), reiterating Outperform. In a note to clients, KBW writes, "LAZ shares are down 8.4% MTD and trade at just 15.6x our 2011E & less than 12x 2012E; we strongly reiterate our Outperform rating and $52 SOTP price target. There have been 14...

The creator of Famville and other popular Facebook games, Zynga Inc., is planning its initial public offering, according to a person familiar with the matter. Zynga has met with representatives of Morgan Stanley (NYSE: MS) and Goldman Sachs Group Inc. (NYSE: GS) and is close to choosing bankers to...

In a report filed with Fox Business, Charlie Gasparino is reporting that Goldman Sachs (NYSE: GS) CEO Lloyd Blankfein's fate may be decided not by him, but by the Department of Justice. Despite reports that Blankfein wants to stay on for a few more years, and he has no plans to step down currently...

The markets have slowly faded off the opening highs as fears about the global economy continue. This market is not just worried about the European debt crisis which has bubbled up again, but also the debt ceiling issue in the U.S., inflation, jobs and the end of QE2. There is a ton of gray in the...

This morning, the leading energy sector is bouncing higher helping to lift the S&P 500 Index. It is important to note that the energy sector accounts for roughly 16.0 percent of the S&P 500 Index. WTI oil is trading higher this morning by $1.60 to $98.30 a barrel. Leading financial firms...

Love 'em or hate 'em, Goldman Sachs (GS) is widely followed on Wall Street, so when they talk, people (at minimum) pay attention.  About 6 weeks ago Goldman turned bearish near term on their recommended basket of commodities [Apr 12, 2011:  Goldman Sachs Turns Near Term Bearish on Their Recommended...

Oppenheimer released a report yesterday in which they characterized banking stocks as being "cheap". Oppenheimer has a price target of $59 on Citigroup (NYSE: C), $205 on Goldman Sachs (NYSE: GS), $62 on J.P. Morgan (NYSE: JPM), $31.50 on Morgan Stanley (NYSE: MS), $30 on US Bancorp (NYSE: USB),...

Shares of Morgan Stanley (NYSE: MS) are higher on the session by 0.59%, trading at $23.97. Overall call volume is now running at 2.33x the daily average, with 2% of all calls traded being purchases on the offer. 21,919 contracts have traded on the session so far. Morgan Stanley is a global...

Shares of LinkedIn (NYSE: LNKD) surged again today, as the professional social network went public yesterday. I haven't seen people this giddy since Laffy Taffy was handed out on the corner of Wall & Broad. Goldman Sachs Group (NYSE: GS) executives expect to get subpoenaed soon from U.S....

BP (NYSE: BP) has received a deal to get more than $1 billion from one of its partners in the Gulf of Mexico disaster last year. The ECB said it may stop lending to banks using Greek government bonds as collateral. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. (NYSE: GS) executives are expecting to receive subpoenas...

The Wall Street Journal is reporting that Goldman Sachs (NYSE: GS) expects to be soon served with subpoenas from the U.S. government related to its mortgage-related business. Citing people familiar with the matter, the Journal notes that executives from the bank expect the Justice Department to...

You know it is option week when: 1. The U.S Oil Fund (NYSE: USO) drops with the U.S. Dollar Index and trades in an 0.80 cents intra-day trading range. 2. Apple Inc.(NASDAQ: AAPL) opened at $342.40 and found an intra-day bottom at $338.67 which was an hour and twenty minutes later. 3. The U.S....

The bank stocks continue to perform poorly in the market action today. Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. (NYSE: GS) is trading $139.09, -1.75 (-1.24%). The price action in the bank stocks of late tells of further downside. Goldman Sachs will likely hit support at $135.75. This looks to be a level that can...