US PRE-OPEN
CFD traders are looking at a 220 point mark up for the Dow as the remain buoyed up by massive amounts of Government money to prop up the financial sector. The latest US tranche of this is $250bn to recapitalise banks.
The US Treasury outlined a plan to inject $250 billion of the government's $700 billion rescue plan into U.S. banks.
Banks set to receive money from the government include J.P. Morgan Chase & Co., Bank of America Corp., Citigroup Inc., Wells Fargo & Co., Bank of New York Mellon Corp, Morgan Stanley and Goldman Sachs Group Inc.
PepsiCo sees Q4 pretax charge of about $550 mln-$600 mln, Q3 earnings $1.58 billion vs $1.74 billion, to eliminate about 3,300 jobs worldwide
Banco Santander said late on Monday it would buy the three-quarters of Sovereign Bancorp it does not already own for $1.9 billion in its own stock, or about $3.81 a share.
Upgrades / Downgrades:
Fitch downgrades LeasePlan's individual rating to 'B/C'; affirms IDR 'A'; outlook stable.
Jefferies cuts Adobe Systems price target to $33 from $44, rating hold.
Jefferies raises Blackstone Group to hold from underperform.
Friedman cuts Intel Corp price target to $23 from $26
For Friday’s session:
Johnson & Johnson and Intel after the close.
ECB's Trichet Speaking in New York.
Trades for the day:
Sell: Intel
Blue Index