Filed under: Before the bell, Earnings reports, Deals, Google (GOOG), Microsoft (MSFT), Yahoo! (YHOO), General Motors (GM), Employees, Market matters, Citigroup Inc. (C), Amer Intl Group (AIG), Economic data
Stock futures were once again lower this morning, setting up stocks for a sharp decline after AIG reported a large $7.8 billion loss and oil set a record above $125 a barrel. With credit crunch concerns resurfacing and inflation worries on investors’ minds, futures point to heavy losses today.
On Thursday, U.S. stocks ended higher despite another surge in oil prices following better-than-expected April sales reports from many retailers including Wal-Mart and Costco. The Dow industrials ended 52 points, or 0.41%, higher, the S&P 500 rose 5 points, or 0.37% and the Nasdaq Composite rose 12 points, or 0.52%.
Without much economic news set for today except for the March U.S. trade gap, investors will focus on AIG’s results and their implication on the financial and credit market as well as on oil prices.
American International Group (NYSE: AIG) reported a quarterly $7.8 billion loss after the market close Thursday. AIG also said it will raise $12.5 billion in the coming months as its capital base has deteriorated due to the crisis in the credit markets. Shares of AIG have declined over 7.2% in premarket trading, but the real affect of its results can seen across the financials as fears have resurfaced once again about the impact of the credit crunch on financial firms.
As if that wasn’t enough, adding to the negative sentiment is oil. Crude oil for June delivery climbed as much as $1.43, or 1.3%, to $125.12 a barrel. While prices have retreated somewhat, they remained near $125 at around $124.8 a barrel. For the week, oil has risen 7.4%, making Wall Street nervous about inflation. Mind you, 55%of 372 petroleum industry executives surveyed by KPMG LLP stated they think the price of a barrel of crude will drop below $100 by the end of the year.
Among news headlines today is Citigroup (NYSE: C) and its CEO Vikram Pandit who is set to reveal a strategic plan to turnaround Citigroup from the damage it suffered due to the subprime crisis.
And after a bitter, 10-week strike at auto parts supplier American Axle and Manufacturing Holdings Inc., General Motors Corp. (NYSE: GM) has concurred to kick in up to $200 million to help settle the dispute.
And returning for a moment to the Microsoft, Yahoo! saga, the former is no longer expected to reverse its decision regarding the Yahoo! acquisition and is seen growing its own advertising and Internet search business. Meanwhile, Google has proposed an advertising partnership with Yahoo following a two-week test program between the firms that apparently succeeded.
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