Filed under: Before the bell, Analyst reports, Analyst upgrades and downgrades, Deals, Yahoo! (YHOO), Apple Inc (AAPL), Wal-Mart (WMT), Sirius Satellite Radio (SIRI), Market matters, Johnson and Johnson (JNJ), Merrill Lynch (MER), Research in Motion (RIMM), Washington Mutual (WM), Economic data, Oil, Lehman Br Holdings (LEH)
U.S. stock futures were mixed Friday morning as investors await to hear the fate of Lehman Brothers. While the focus will likely be on Lehman, other Hurricane Ike and economic data could also affect sentiment. Oil rose as Ike approaches the Texas coast. And several weighty economic reports are due today including August producer price index and retail sales and September University of Michigan consumer sentiment.
But the fate of Lehman Brothers (NYSE: LEH) will take center stage. According to reports, the Treasury Department and Federal Reserve have been working with Lehman to help solve its problems, including helping to find potential buyers, with the intention of a bailout that’s not similar to Bear Stearns or Fannie/Freddie. The Wall Street Journal reported that potential suitors include Bank of America (NYSE: BAC) and Britain’s Barclays (NYSE: BCS) among others.
Meanwhile, Washington Mutual Inc. (NYSE: WM) tried to do its ideal to show investors it’s got adequate capital. Late Thursday it said it will take another $4.5 billion write-down for bad bets on mortgage securities but insisted it has adequate capital to fund its operations amid concern about the thrift’s financial stability. WaMu shares, which shed about 80% of their value this year, are up 6% in pre-market trading despite Moody’s Investor Service downgrading its credit rating to below investment grade.
And the question of who’s next is one investors have been asking. Seems many are betting on Merrill Lynch (NYSE: MER), as its shares closed down 16% on Thursday.
Continue reading Before the bell: Stocks mixed; LEH, WM, MER, YHOO, SIRI
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