Investing

CHICAGO, June 1 -- CME Group Inc., a derivatives exchange, today announced the launch of clearing services for a new Mont Belvieu ethylene futures contract, scheduled to launch on June 14 for trade date June 15.

Clearing services will be available through CME ClearPort®, a set of flexible clearing services open to over the counter (OTC) market participants to substantially mitigate counterparty risk and provide capital efficiencies across asset classes.

These contracts are listed for trading by NYMEX through CME ClearPort, and are subject to NYMEX rules and regulations.    » read more »

Morgan Stanley Smith Barney Is New Industry-Leading Franchise With Over 18,500 Financial Advisors;

June 1, 2009 -- New York -- Morgan Stanley (NYSE: MS) and Citi (NYSE: C) today announced the closing of their Morgan Stanley Smith Barney joint venture, which will create a new global leader in wealth management. Originally targeted for the third quarter of 2009, the closing was achieved ahead of schedule.

As previously announced, Morgan Stanley Smith Barney combines Morgan Stanley's Global Wealth Management Group with Citi's Smith Barney in the U.S., Quilter in the UK, and Smith Barney Australia retail units into a new wealth management firm with over 130 years of experience.    » read more »

Online Equity Research Of NYSE- and NYSE Amex-Listed Issuers Accessible to All Investors

NEW YORK , May 28, 2009 – NYSE Euronext (NYX) and Virtua Research today announced they initiated a project to facilitate more independent research of NYSE- And NYSE Amex-listed companies.

Under the arrangement, NYSE Euronext enables Virtua Research to offer independent research coverage for an initial group of NYSE- and NYSE Amex-listed companies through interactive financial modeling tools that are accessible to all investors.    » read more »

Washington, DC - 05/27/2009 - The Pew Charitable Trusts today announced the launch of a new project that will provide objective, fact-based, economic analysis to debates in Congress over financial reform.

The Pew Financial Reform Project will examine specific regulatory proposals and convene regular meetings with members of Congress and their senior staff to share and discuss findings. It will also support a Task Force of academics, financial industry representatives and policy experts, chaired by Martin Baily of the Brookings Institution and Peter Wallison of the American Enterprise Institute, which will issue recommendations for broader financial reform.    » read more »

Amsterdam, Brussels, Lisbon, London, New York, Paris, Wednesday 27 May 2009 – NYSE Euronext (NYX) today announced that NYSE Liffe, its international derivatives business, has received approval in principle from the Financial Services

Authority (FSA) to launch NYSE Liffe Clearing, its central clearing counterparty for its London derivatives market, LIFFE Administration and Management. NYSE Liffe Clearing is due to begin operating on 27 July 2009, subject to a period of review by members of the proposed documentation (i.e. amendments to Rules and Clearing Arrangements) which incorporates the new arrangements and the finalisation of tax relief with HM Treasury.    » read more »

New York, May 27, 2009 --The NYSE Group, Inc. today reported short interest as of the close of business on the settlement date of May 15, 2009.

Based on information received from members and member organizations, short interest decreased to 15,146,124,765 shares from 15,173,139,551 (revised) shares on April 30, 2009. This was an decrease of 27,014,786 shares.

The short interest on May 15 was equal to 3.96 percent of the total shares outstanding.

The short interest in warrants as of May 15 amounted to 37,406 warrants, compared to 30,157 warrants the previous period.    » read more »

New York, May 27, 2009 -- NYSE Amex (formerly known as NYSE Alternext US) today reported short interest as of the close of business on the settlement date of May 15, 2009.

Based on information received from member and non-member organizations, short interest decreased to 162,979,538 shares from 164,187,232 shares (revised) on April 30, 2009.

This reflects short interest reported by all broker-dealers (not only NYSE Amex member firms) in NYSE Amex-listed securities. A short position of 5,000 or more shares existed in 346 issues. Some short position was shown in 636 issues.    » read more »

CHARLOTTE, N.C., May 27 -- Bank of America Corporation today said it has raised almost $26 billion in its capital plan since the stress test results were announced and is well on its way to reaching the $33.9 billion indicated Supervisory Capital Assessment Program (SCAP) buffer set by the Federal Reserve.

The company announced last week that it raised $13.5 billion through issuing 1.25 billion shares in an at-the-market common stock offering. It has also sold part of its holdings in China Construction Bank, generating a capital gain. Contributing to the capital plan, these initiatives also benefit Tier 1 common capital by $1.8 billion by reducing the deferred tax asset deduction.    » read more »

SAN RAMON, Calif., May 27, 2009 - Record performance in 2008 helped enable Chevron Corporation (NYSE: CVX) to reward its investors, fund a robust capital program and position the company to capitalize on the increase in demand for energy that will come with the global economic recovery, attendees were told today at the company's 2009 Annual Meeting of Stockholders.    » read more »

ExxonMobil to invest between $25 and $30 billion annually over the next 5 years

May 27, 2009 -- DALLAS -- Exxon Mobil Corporation’s (NYSE:XOM) financial strength and industry-leading performance continues to provide shareholders with superior value while delivering energy to fuel economic growth and protecting the environment, the corporation said today at its Annual Meeting of Shareholders.

“Despite the volatile economic times, ExxonMobil remains committed to investing in integrated solutions to the energy challenge,” said Rex W. Tillerson, chairman and chief executive officer.    » read more »

BankUnited Sale to Private Equity Sets Dangerous Precedent, Increases Economic Risk at the Wrong Time

May 26, 2009 -- WASHINGTON, DC - The Service Employees International Union is raising a red flag on last week's FDIC deal to sell Florida's BankUnited to a consortium of private equity firms.

"After last fall's economic collapse and the revelation of the true extent of the problems in the banking industry, one thing is clear: we need to ask a lot more questions before the barbarians storm the gate," said Anna Burger, SEIU's Secretary Treasurer and a member of the President's Economic Recovery Advisory Board.    » read more »

Index futures on MSCI USA, EM and EAFE Indices to begin trading on NYSE Liffe US in Q3 2009

New York, May 26, 2009 – NYSE Liffe US, the new U.S. futures exchange of NYSE Euronext (NYX), today announced that it has signed a license agreement with MSCI Inc. (NYSE: MXB), a provider of investment decision support tools worldwide, to introduce a suite of domestic and international index futures products built on a range of MSCI Equity Indices.

This portfolio of MSCI linked stock index futures will provide broad and efficient market coverage of U.S. and European equity markets, including style and sector exposures as well as coverage of flagship MSCI indices such as the MSCI Emerging Markets (EM), MSCI EAFE, and MSCI BRIC Indices.    » read more »

May. 19, 2009 Northbrook, Ill. - The Allstate Corporation (NYSE: ALL) today announced a quarterly dividend of 20 cents on each outstanding share of the Corporation's common stock, payable in cash on July 1, 2009 to stockholders of record at the close of business on May 29, 2009.

The company also announced that it completed its review of the U.S. Treasury's Capital Purchase Program, a component of the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP). "We applaud the Administration's decision to include insurers in the U.S. Treasury's programs. Given Allstate's strong capital and liquidity positions, however, we will not participate in this program," said Chairman, President and CEO Thomas J. Wilson.    » read more »

New index reflects all U.S. publicly-traded ADRs, Offers key tool to separately managed account (SMA) managers

NEW YORK, May 26 — The Bank of New York Mellon (NYSE: BK) announced last week the launch of The Bank of New York Mellon Classic ADR Index(SM) and 34 subindices, including two market, three regional, 10 sector and 19 country indices.

The Bank of New York Mellon Classic ADR Index comprises all American depositary receipts (ADR), New York Shares and Global Registered Shares that trade on the New York Stock Exchange, NYSE Alternext US, NASDAQ and over-the-counter (OTC). All indices are calculated on a continuous basis throughout the trading day, are capitalization-weighted and adjusted for free-float, using Dow Jones' current methodology.    » read more »

Access to Late-Stage, First-in-Class Prostate Cancer Treatment Strengthens Presence in Oncology

New Brunswick, NJ, and Los Angeles, CA. (May 21, 2009) – Johnson & Johnson (NYSE: JNJ) and Cougar Biotechnology, Inc. (NASDAQ: CGRB), a development stage biopharmaceutical company with a specific focus on oncology, today announced a definitive agreement whereby Cougar Biotechnology will be acquired for approximately $1.0 billion in a cash tender offer.

Cougar Biotechnology, which has compounds in development for the treatment of prostate cancer, as well as breast cancer and multiple myeloma, will work with Ortho Biotech Oncology Research & Development, a unit of Centocor Research & Development, Inc., a Johnson & Johnson company.    » read more »