Fertilizers & Agricultural Chemicals

Following the rejection of the buy-out offer made by the Australian mining giant, BHP Billiton Ltd. (BHP) for Canada's Potash Corp. of Saskatchewan Inc. (POT), the world's biggest fertilizer manufacturer for $38.56 in total or $130 per share, we believe that BHP will increase its offer price...

The overall market is faltering today after a horrific Philly Fed number; currently, the S&P 500 (NYSE: SPY) is lower by 18 points, trading at 1,076. If we cannot hold 1,078 on a closing basis, then it’s a given that we trade down to 1,065. Here are your mid-day options volume leaders… 1....

Everyone’s favorite bullseye-themed discount store, Target Corporation (NYSE:TGT), has been in a short-term slump.  From its August 9 high of $53.70, the shares have retreated nearly 7%. This decline has brought the shares below its 50-day and 200-day simple moving averages, which themselves are...

US stock futures for the NASDAQ are up 7.25 points to 1,850.8; for S&P 500 is up 5.1 points to 1,094.16; for DOW is up 41.00 points to 10,415.54 on Wednesday 6.27 AM EST. At 8:30 AM EST, the US Department of Labor will release first-time claims for jobless benefits for the week ended August 14...

Cusick’s Corner Not much has changed since the Midday, so I will keep this Corner short and sweet. The Claims data that comes out tomorrow morning could add some volatility pre-market, but at this stage it looks like an orderly expiration week. I spent some time looking at straddles today (option...

One must really get a good laugh when looking at all the shenanigans played during options expiration week. Yesterday the Dow Jones Industrial Average rallied higher by more than 170.00 points only close the session higher by 103.00 points. This tells us that the large institutions took care of...

One must really get a good laugh when looking at all the shenanigans played during options expiration week. Yesterday the Dow Jones Industrial Average rallied higher by more than 170.00 points only close the session higher by 103.00 points. This tells us that the large institutions took care of...

Standpoint Research downgrades Mosaic (NYSE: MOS) from Buy to Hold.

If, after reading the blog content you might have an interest in participation for the mutual fund, please consider reading why this blog exists. Conditional launch date should be late October to mid November 2010. [Jan 2008: Reader Pledges Toward Mutual Fund Launch] [May 2008: Frequently Asked...

Shares of Potash Corporation of Saskatchewan Inc. (POT), the world’s largest fertilizer company by capacity, shot up 28% and closed at $143.17 on August 17, 2010 after rebuffed mining giant BHP Billiton Ltd’s (BHP) hostile acquisition proposal. It was a $38.6 billion (all in cash) offer, which...

Cusick’s Corner Walking into the Midday, all major Equity Indices are positive with clear leadership to the upside in Tech, QQQQ, Commodities, MOO/COW, and Retail, XRT/TGT. We want to see if the rest of the market starts to exhibit this strength to the upside into the After Hours. We are still...

Yesterday, BHP Billiton (NYSE: BHP), the world's largest mining company, made an unsolicited bid for fertilizer heavyweight Potash (NYSE: POT), which has been rejected by POT's board. This M&A activity, however, sparked a rally in U.S. equities which is continuing on Wednesday with the Dow up...

The overall market is flirting with the flat-line this morning; currently the S&P 500 (NYSE: SPY) is lower by less than one point, trading at 1,091. The NASDAQ is performing slightly better, higher by 6.50 points on the session. Energy stocks are weak; the sector is lower by 1.3% at the moment...

At 11:18 am, the Dow lost 0.28% to 10,376.34, the broader Standard & Poor's 500 index moved down 0.14% to 1,090.96 and the NASDAQ composite index rose 0.11% to 2,211.81. The industries that are driving the market today are: Education & Training Services: This industry jumped 2.53% by 11:18...