Traders-Blog.com

Friday’s shows were repeats of highlights from previous shows,
with no current stock picks. In the meantime, check out this
terrific trading course, being offered only between now and
August 15, 2006:

Discover the ‘DNA’ of the stock market…

Dear Trader and Investor,

If you had a stock trading method that let you discover when a
stock was about to make a massive move UP or DOWN, and then
showed you, step-by-step, how to take advantage of that move to
potentially pull profits out of the markets… would you be
interested?

I was among a select group of traders who was lucky enough to
get a “preview copy” of the TWICE SOLD-OUT profit pulling
trading course that has the trading market chomping at the bit.
And for just the next 14 days, you have a pretty good chance at
getting one, too.

It’s called Quantum Swing Trader, and was created by 30+ year
trading veteran Bill Poulos. The trading community’s been
waiting for the re-release of this course for over a month, and
over 30,000 traders have visited Bill’s website in just the past
several weeks hoping to catch a glimpse of his new course.

http://www.quantumswingtrader.com/z/?i=422435&l=q8

Why all the excitement? I’ll tell you why.

The “sweet spot” of Quantum Swing Trader is that Bill shows you
how to take just a few common indicators, but use them in an
uncommon way to “pinpoint” the spot in any stock where it has a
high probability of making a massive move UP or DOWN, but not
stay the same.

This is a big deal, because traders have the potential to make
the really big money when the market makes these kinds of moves.
And Bill shows you how easy it is to take advantage of these
situations, again and again.

This course is HUGE. Heck, the box that it arrived in weighed
about 5 or 6 pounds. But Here are some of the highlights that
really stood out for me:

** Bill’s “Fre e Trade” strategy which is the goal of every
trade he teaches you to place. This lets you get into a position
and lock in some early profits. Every trade should be like this!

** How to quickly scan over 8,000 stocks every night in seconds
with Bill’s search criteria to find the stocks that have a high-
probability of entering into a potentially profitable position.

** Bill’s Profit Feeder service, which “spoon feeds” you his
highest-probability stocks every night.

** The 2 “cheat sheet” blueprints that summarize the entire
method in one place so you don’t need to spend hours hunting
through the materials after you’ve studied it to find what you
want.

** Spend no more than 20 minutes a night applying the method.

There’s a ton more, including a dedicated section just for
beginners, lifetime customer support, and some really unique
bonuses, but you’ll need to check out his web page to see
everything for yourself.

http://www.quantumswingtrader.com/z/?i=422435&l=q8

If I had to sum up Quantum Swing Trader in 3 points, they would
have to be:

** The method is deceptively simple, yet profoundly powerful.

** Bill’s unique “immersive” teaching style makes it extremely
easy and entertaining to learn the method.

** This is one the highest-quality courses I’ve ever seen on the
market. All the audio is crystal-clear, the videos are superb,
and the full color manual is a breeze to get through.

But here’s the deal… not every one will get a chance to own a
copy of Quantum Swing Trader, and here’s why:

Bill’s only releasing 1,000 more copies to the trading community,
and only from August 1 through August 15. He’s doing this so he
can make sure he can provide support and focus to his next group
of students for his new course.

Honestly, it may already be too late. His “pre-release” website
received over 30,000 visits since July 1, so there’s an
insane amount of demand for this course. And those were just the
visitors that found out about the course early on. This week,
he’s letting the entire world know about the course, so those
numbers are sure to skyrocket.

And if you think that Bill will keep offering his courses past
the August 15 deadline, think again, because I’ve watched
thousands of traders come to a “Sorry, Sold Out” page already
twice this year during his first two releases of his course.

Finally, to make it super easy for you to try out Quantum Swing
Trader in your home, Bill is also going to give you a
guaranty. So what do you have to lose? Not much. And I believe
you have a whole lot to gain.

Here’s the link for a letter that Bill wrote giving you all the
details. Again, I can’t promise this link will work because he
may already have sold out.

http://www.quantumswingtrader.com/z/?i=422435&l=q8

Best wishes,

Thierry Martin
CramersMadMoney.com

P.S. Don’t forget, only 1,000 copies of Quantum Swing Trader are
being released from August 1 to August 15. After that, the offer
is closed, and you’ll only be able to wonder what this step-by-
step course COULD have done for your trading. Try it today at:

http://www.quantumswingtrader.com/z/?i=422435&l=q8

Futures, forex, stock, and options trading is not
appropriate for all people. There is a substantial risk of loss
associated with trading these markets. Losses can and will
occur. No system or methodology has ever been developed that can
guaranty or ensure no losses will occur. No representation or
implication is being made that using this service, methodology
or system will generate wins or prevent you from having losing
trades.

Having trouble writing down all of Cramer’s picks?
Free daily recap newsletter to your inbox

My friend Bill Poulos has made this 53 page trading guide, full of great tips, available to you absolutely free (for a limited time.) A highly recommended freebie! - Thierry Martin

Stocks ended sharply higher, with the S&P 500 Index posting its best weekly point gain in over three years, on hopes the Federal Reserve will stop raising interest rates after economic growth slowed more than expected in the second quarter. This strong finish comes after a week of volatile trading due to a mixed set of quarterly reports.

Today, the Dow industrial average closed up 119.27 or 1.07% to 11,219.70, the broader Standard & Poor’s 500 index closed up 15.35 or 1.22% to 1,278.55, and the tech-heavy Nasdaq composite index closed up 39.67 or 1.93% to 2,094.14. For the week, the Dow gained 3.2%, the S&P rose 3.1% and the Nasdaq soared 3.7%.

Market breadth was positive. On the New York Stock Exchange, winners topped losers four to one on volume of 1.3 billion shares. On the Nasdaq, advancers topped decliners two to one on volume of 1.4 billion shares.

Before the opening bell, a report on the GDP confirmed a slower economy and raised the possibility of a pause from the Fed. In the second quarter, the GDP grew at a 2.5% annual rate, down from the 5.6% in the first quarter. Economist had expected a growth of 3%. This increases the chances that the Federal Reserve will pause in their long string of interest-rate increases when they meet next in August. At the same time, core inflation rose 2.9%, which could pressure the Federal Reserve to keep lifting rates. The employment cost index rose 0.9%, outstripping analysts’ expectations.

Shares of Wal-Mart rose $0.90 or 2.1% to $44.46, as it announced it is pulling out of Germany and taking a $1 billion charge related to the move. Investors welcomed its decision to pull out of Germany, with the sale of all its 85 hypermarkets to Metro AG. Wal-Mart lost as much as $250 million a year from the German operations. It acknowledged that it misunderstood German regulations, shopping habits and tastes, and that the unit remained unprofitable.

Shares of Chevron closed down $1.60 or 2.5% to $66.13, after the oil company reported that quarterly profit rose 18%, driven by a surge in crude oil prices. However, results fell short of expectations. Net income in the second quarter increased to $4.35 billion, from $3.68 billion in the year-earlier quarter. The EPS was $2.10, against the expected $2.17; while revenue jumped 10.7% to $53.53 billion.

Shares of auto parts supplier Lear closed down $1.29 or 5% to $22.78, despite reporting a narrower quarterly net loss. The net loss for the second quarter narrowed to $6.4 million, from $44.4 million. For the second half of 2006, it expects North American production to be down 7%.

Shares of McAfee closed down $1.88 or 8% to $22.14, after the antivirus software maker reported a lower quarterly net profit and said it would likely restate past financial results. The company was also downgraded by WR Hambrecht to “hold” from “buy.” Likewise, shares of Coventry Health Care closed down $2.10 to $51.81, on poor second-quarter profit. Shares of Office Depot closed down $2.54 or 8% to $34.61, despite 18% rise in second-quarter earnings. However, sales at its stores opened more than a year softened.

Light, sweet crude oil for September delivery fell $1.30 to $73.24 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Traders took some profits ahead of the weekend as the weaker than expected GDP report prompted them to review their outlook for U.S. demand for energy products.

All the best,
Manuel Jesus-Backus
The Portfolio Crafter
30-day risk-free trial

We have done our best to record the calls for you, but remember that the shows are fast moving, and sometimes Cramer bangs on the sell! sell! sell!, bull roar, train wreck, suicide jump, hallelujah chorus, backing up truck, creepy house of pain voice, machine gun, fanfare, toilet flush, all aboard, applause, cash register, bear growl, bowling pins, and submarine diving alarm buttons all at once, while he is screaming.

Please do your own research, and verify all information before acting on it. This summary of Cramer’s picks is not intended to replace watching the shows, where his comments about the stocks often include advice about entry and exit points.

Bullish
Abercrombie & Fitch (ANF) (Lightning Round)
Altria (MO) (RealMoney Radio)
AstraZeneca’s (AZN) (RealMoney Radio)
AT&T (T) (RealMoney Radio)
Coca-Cola (KO) (Stop Trading!)
Coca-Cola (KO) ($50 target) (RealMoney Radio)
Colgate (CL) (RealMoney Radio)
Comcast (CMCSA) (RealMoney Radio)
Comcast (CMCSA) (Stop Trading!)
Conceptus (CPTS) (Lightning Round)
Conexant (CNXT) (RealMoney Radio)
ConocoPhillips (COP) (RealMoney Radio)
Consolidated Edison (ED) (RealMoney Radio)
Corning (GLW) (Lightning Round)
Crystallex International (KRY) (Lightning Round)
FedEx (FDX) (RealMoney Radio)
First Data (FDC) (long term) (RealMoney Radio)
FMC (FMC) (Lightning Round)
Halliburton (HAL) (mentioned on Mad Money)
Hudson City Bancorp (HCBK) (RealMoney Radio)
Inco (N) (Lightning Round)
JDSU (JDSU) (RealMoney Radio)
Kellogg (K) (CEO interview on Mad Money)
Marathon Oil (MRO) (Lightning Round)
Merck (MRK) (RealMoney Radio)
Merck (MRK) (Stop Trading!)
Peabody Energy (BTU) (RealMoney Radio)
Pfizer (PFE) (Stop Trading!)
Pike Electric (PEC) (Lightning Round)
Pitney Bowes (PIB) (Lightning Round)
Procter & Gamble (PG) (RealMoney Radio)
Safeway (SWY) (RealMoney Radio)
Schlumberger (SLB) (RealMoney Radio)
Suncor Energy (SU) (Lightning Round)
Tellabs (TLAB) (RealMoney Radio)
United Technologies (UTX) (Lightning Round)
Valero Energy (VLO) (featured on Mad Money)
Verizon (VZ) (RealMoney Radio)

Bearish
Aetna (AET) (Lightning Round)
Andrew (ANDW) (Lightning Round)
Black & Decker (BDK) (RealMoney Radio)
Dow Chemical (DOW) (RealMoney Radio)
Energy Partners (ETL) (Lightning Round)
Federated (FD) (RealMoney Radio)
Grant Prideco (GRP) (Lightning Round)
Intuitive Surgical (ISRG) (Lightning Round)
J.C. Penney (JCP) (RealMoney Radio)
Kohl’s (KSS) (RealMoney Radio)
Lucent (LU) (RealMoney Radio)
Rackable Systems (RACK) (RealMoney Radio)
Sears (SHLD) (RealMoney Radio)
StrataSys (SSYS) (Lightning Round)
UPS (UPS) (RealMoney Radio)

Having trouble writing down all of Cramer’s picks?
Free daily recap newsletter to your inbox

My friend Bill Poulos has made this 53 page trading guide, full of great tips, available to you absolutely free (for a limited time.) A highly recommended freebie! - Thierry Martin

Stocks closed lower in a market hemmed in by concerns over the economy and tensions in the Middle East. However, Exxon Mobil Corp.’s strong earnings results brightened a day in which technology shares tumbled. Investors took a step back near the end of an otherwise strong week on Wall Street.

Today, the Dow Jones industrial average closed down 2.08 to 11,100.43, the broader Standard & Poor’s 500 index closed down 5.20 or 0.4% to 1,263.20, and the tech-heavy Nasdaq composite index closed down 15.99 or 0.8% to 2,054.47.

Market breadth was negative. On the New York Stock Exchange, losers topped winners 9 to 7 on volume of nearly 1.82 billion shares. On the Nasdaq, decliners topped advancers 18 to 11 on volume of almost 2.16 billion shares.

While stocks attempt to crawl out of the hole, the many economic and geopolitical worries make it difficult for investors to get excited about financial markets right now. The slowing economic growth at a time when the Federal Reserve has yet to clearly signal that its cycle of interest-rate hikes is at an end - has been frustrating. Investors fear that further rate increase could slow the economy to a point where it would fall into recession. Additionally, the low trading volume and increased volatility has been a cause for concern. In general, blue-chip, defensive and multinational stocks are doing better than the rest of the market right now.

Amongst economic news, sales of new home sales fell by 3% - more than expected in June, reflecting the ongoing slowdown in the housing market. Additionally, the inventory of unsold homes on the market rose by 0.7% to a record 566,000. Orders of durable goods jumped 3.1% in June, against the expected 2%. Excluding transportation, orders rose a larger than expected 1%. There was a surprise drop in weekly jobless claims as they fell to their lowest level in more than a month in the week ended July 22. Therefore, the signals on the data front are very mixed.

Shares of Microsoft Corp. closed down $0.50 or 2.1% to $23.87. CEO Steve Ballmer told shareholders at its annual meeting that the company needs to embrace an industry-wide shift toward software delivered over the Internet as a service, while continuing to drive advances in technology. The decline gave investors an incentive to back out of other tech stocks as well.

Stock of Exxon Mobil closed down $0.13 to $66.47, despite reporting quarterly earnings that surged 36% to more than $10 billion. The rise is fueled by historically high oil prices and strong refining margins. Exxon earned $10.36 billion, up from a year-ago profit of $7.64 billion. Revenue for the quarter came in at $99.03 billion, up from $88.57 billion a year earlier.

Stock of Bristol-Myers closed down $1.95 or 7.5% to $24.04, as the company stated that it is the target of a criminal antitrust probe by the federal government regarding a patent settlement with a generic competitor. The drug maker also reported quarterly earnings that fell from a year ago yet edged estimates.

Comcast Corp. saw its shares rally more than 4% as the cable-TV giant posted 7% growth in second-quarter profit and as revenue increased on greater demand for broadband, phone and digital video services.

Shares of Aetna Inc. closed down $6.71 or 17% to $33.25 - an 18-month low. The health insurer’s second-quarter profit slipped, hurt by increased competition and higher than expected claims, and the company cut its membership forecast for the year

U.S. light crude oil for September delivery gained 60 cents to settle at $74.54 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Concerns over production outages in Nigeria and a sizable decline in U.S. gasoline supplies have taken some of the spotlight off the Israel-Hezbollah conflict.

All the best,
Manuel Jesus-Backus
The Portfolio Crafter
30-day risk-free trial

We have done our best to record the calls for you, but remember that the shows are fast moving, and sometimes Cramer bangs on the sell! sell! sell!, bull roar, train wreck, suicide jump, hallelujah chorus, backing up truck, creepy house of pain voice, machine gun, fanfare, toilet flush, all aboard, applause, cash register, bear growl, bowling pins, and submarine diving alarm buttons all at once, while he is screaming.

Please do your own research, and verify all information before acting on it. This summary of Cramer’s picks is not intended to replace watching the shows, where his comments about the stocks often include advice about entry and exit points.

Bullish
ActiveIdentity (ACTI) (takeover targets on Mad Money)
Altria (MO) (mentioned on Mad Money)
Amgen (AMGN) (mentioned on Stop Trading!)
Amgen (AMGN) (RealMoney Radio)
Apple (AAPL) ($86 target) (mentioned on Stop Trading!)
Apple (AAPL) (RealMoney Radio)
Avid Technology (AVID) (takeover targets on Mad Money)
Bank of America (BAC) (mentioned on Mad Money)
Barnes & Noble (BKS) (RealMoney Radio)
BE Aerospace (BEAV) (Lightning Round)
BEA Systems (BEAS) (takeover targets on Mad Money)
Boeing (BA) (mentioned on Mad Money)
Borders (BGP) (RealMoney Radio)
BP (BP) (RealMoney Radio)
Broadcom (BRCM) (takeover targets on Mad Money)
Caterpillar (CAT) (mentioned on Mad Money)
Chesapeake (CHK) (RealMoney Radio)
Chevron (CVX) (mentioned on Mad Money)
Coach (COH) ($30 target) (mentioned on Mad Money)
ConocoPhillips (COP) (RealMoney Radio)
Costco (COST) (mentioned on Mad Money)
Evergreen Solar (ESLR) (Lightning Round)
Filenet (FILE) (takeover targets on Mad Money)
General Dynamics (GD) (mentioned on Mad Money)
General Motors (GM) (RealMoney Radio)
General Motors (GM) ($40 target) (mentioned on Mad Money)
General Motors (GM) ($40 target) (mentioned on Stop Trading!)
Gray Wolf (GW) ($8 target) (Lightning Round)
Hershey Foods (HSY) ($60 target) (mentioned on Mad Money)
Johnson & Johnson (JJ) (mentioned on Mad Money)
Marathon Oil (MRO) (mentioned on Stop Trading!)
Nabors Industries (NBR) (RealMoney Radio)
News Corp (NWS.A) (mentioned on Mad Money)
Norfolk Southern (NSC) (mentioned on Stop Trading!)
Palm (PALM) (takeover targets on Mad Money)
Panera Bread (PNRA) (buy in 1 month) (RealMoney Radio)
Pepsi (PEP) (mentioned on Mad Money)
PW Eagle (PWEI) (Lightning Round)
Scientific Games (SGMS) (Lightning Round)
Sears (SHLD) (RealMoney Radio)
Sears Holdings (SHLD) (mentioned on Mad Money)
Shire (SHPGY) (Lightning Round)
Tata Motors (TTM) (Lightning Round)
Textron (TXT) (Lightning Round)
Textron (TXT) (mentioned on Mad Money)
Tibco (TIBX) (takeover targets on Mad Money)
Under Armour (UARM) (mentioned on Mad Money)
UnitedHealth Group (UNH) (Lightning Round)
UnitedHealth Group (UNH) (mentioned on Mad Money)
UST (UST) (Lightning Round)
VF (VFC) (mentioned on Mad Money)
VF Corp. (VFC) (featured on Mad Money)
Walgreen (WAG) (mentioned on Mad Money)
Websense (WBSN) (takeover targets on Mad Money)
Western Digital (WDC) (takeover targets on Mad Money)
Wind River Systems (WIND) (takeover targets on Mad Money)
Zumiez (ZUMZ) ($40 target) (mentioned on Mad Money)

Bearish
Acacia (ACTG) (Lightning Round)
Amazon (AMZN) (RealMoney Radio)
AmSouth Bancorp (ASO) (Lightning Round)
Amylin (AMLN) (RealMoney Radio)
Arch Coal (ACI) (Lightning Round)
Carnival (CCL) (Lightning Round)
Clorox (CLX) (mentioned on Mad Money)
Cummins Engine (CMI) (Lightning Round)
Impac Mortgage Holdings (IMH) (Lightning Round)
JDSU (JDSU) (Lightning Round)
L-3 Communications (LLL) (Lightning Round)
RF Micro Devices (RFMD) (Lightning Round)
UPS (UPS) (RealMoney Radio)
Urban Outfitters (URBN) (RealMoney Radio)
Wal-Mart (WMT) (mentioned on Mad Money)
Wynn Resorts (WYNN) (RealMoney Radio)

Having trouble writing down all of Cramer’s picks?
Free daily recap newsletter to your inbox

My friend Bill Poulos has made this 53 page trading guide, full of great tips, available to you absolutely free (for a limited time.) A highly recommended freebie! - Thierry Martin

Disappointing results from Amazon.com Inc. and a weak profit outlook from Boeing Co. prompted the stocks to end lower. However, a Federal Reserve survey on the economy kept investor hopes alive that the central bank may stop raising interest rates soon.

Today, the Dow Jones industrial average closed down 1.2 or 0.01% to 11,106.20, the broader Standard & Poor’s 500 index closed down 0.48 or 0.04% to 1,268.43, and the Nasdaq composite index closed down 3.44 or 0.17% to 2,070.46.

Market breadth turned positive after being negative through the morning. On the New York Stock Exchange, winners beat losers by a margin of 9 to 7 on volume of 1.4 billion shares. On the Nasdaq, advancers edged out decliners 16 to 13 as 1.7 billion shares changed hands.

This daily volatility is a trend that is likely to continue over the next couple of months until the Federal Reserve offers a clearer outlook on the economy and interest rates. The Federal Reserve, in its Beige Book read on the economy, said it saw signs of a slowdown in some regional markets but that the overall economy grew in the June through mid-July period. It is evident that upward pressure from energy and other inputs is persisting, despite reports that the pace of growth in the U.S. economy has slowed. Monetary policy makers are worried that the stubbornly high energy prices will spill over into a more general increase in prices unless interest rates are raised further.

Shares in Black & Decker fell $5.22 or 6.8% at $71.15 after the power tool manufacturer missed Wall Street profit targets for the second quarter and forecast lower earnings for the third amid rising commodity costs and disappointing orders. It reported that the net profit rose 0.9% to $152.2 million, while sales slipped 0.1% to almost $1.7 billion.

Stock of General Motors closed up $1.39 or 5.5% to $32.05, as it reported a large operating profit and made money from its core auto operations for the first time since 2004. The company reported a net loss of $3.2 billion, due to charges it took to trim staff using buyouts and early retirement bonuses, as well as loss related to the pending sale of 51% of GMAC. It also reported income excluding special items of $1.2 billion, compared to the loss of $231 million in the year earlier period.

Shares of Amazon closed down 21.8% to $26.26 after the online retail pioneer posted sharply lower second quarter profit. The company has been hurt by the cost of employee stock options and higher operating expenses.

Boeing tumbled $3.77 or 4.6% to $79.90, after reporting a quarterly loss versus a year ago that was nonetheless in line with estimates. The aerospace giant also lowered its 2006 EPS forecast, although it increased its outlook for 2007. It reported a second quarter loss of $160 million, compared with a year-ago profit of $566 million.

Shares of Corning closed down $3.10 or 12% to $18.55, after reporting quarterly earnings that rose and beat estimates. While revenue rose from a year ago, it missed analysts’ estimates. Additionally, the company has also forecast third-quarter earnings and sales that are shy of current expectations.

Shares of GlaxoSmithKline slipped 1.5% to $56.04. The company reported a 14% profit improvement to $2.45 billion, with revenue up 11% to 5.81 billion pounds. The rise was helped by sales of diabetes and asthma drugs.

Stock of Hewlett Packard closed up $0.43 or 2% to $31.76, after it announced that it would buy Mercury Interactive, a software and business services firm in a bid to expand the computer maker’s business software operations. The deal is for about $4.5 billion in stock, or $52 per share.

U.S. light crude oil for September delivery rose 19 cents to settle at $73.94 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange after the government’s weekly oil inventory report showed a bigger-than expected decline in U.S. gasoline inventories.

All the best,
Manuel Jesus-Backus
The Portfolio Crafter
30-day risk-free trial

We have done our best to record the calls for you, but remember that the shows are fast moving, and sometimes Cramer bangs on the sell! sell! sell!, bull roar, train wreck, suicide jump, hallelujah chorus, backing up truck, creepy house of pain voice, machine gun, fanfare, toilet flush, all aboard, applause, cash register, bear growl, bowling pins, and submarine diving alarm buttons all at once, while he is screaming.

Please do your own research, and verify all information before acting on it. This summary of Cramer’s picks is not intended to replace watching the shows, where his comments about the stocks often include advice about entry and exit points.

Bullish
ABB (ABB) (RealMoney Radio)
Altria (MO) ($100 target) (RealMoney Radio)
Broadcom (BRCM) (Lightning Round)
Cadbury Schweppes (CSG) (featured on Mad Money)
Cognizant Technology Solutions (CTSH) (Lightning Round)
Coke (KO) (mentioned on Mad Money)
CSX (CSX) (featured on Mad Money)
Devon Energy (DVN) (mentioned on Mad Money)
Finisar (FNSR) (Lightning Round)
Fluor (FLR) (mentioned on Stop Trading!)
Fluor (FLR) (RealMoney Radio)
Foster Wheeler (FWLT) (RealMoney Radio)
General Motors (GM) (RealMoney Radio)
Goldman Sachs (GS) (RealMoney Radio)
Google (GOOG) (Lightning Round)
Halliburton (HAL) (RealMoney Radio)
Jacobs Engineering (JEC) (mentioned on Stop Trading!)
Jacobs Engineering (JEC) (RealMoney Radio)
McDermott (MDR) (mentioned on Stop Trading!)
McDermott (MDR) (RealMoney Radio)
Medtronic (MDT) (mentioned on Stop Trading!)
Microsoft (MSFT) (RealMoney Radio)
Nabors (NBR) (RealMoney Radio)
Nabors Industries (NBR) (CEO interview on Mad Money)
Nucor (NUE) (RealMoney Radio)
Oregon Steel (OS) (RealMoney Radio)
Pepsi (PEP) (mentioned on Mad Money)
PepsiCo (PEP) (Lightning Round)
SGL Carbon (SGG) (Lightning Round)
St. Jude Medical (STJ) ($38 target) (mentioned on Mad Money)
Suncor Energy (SU) (mentioned on Mad Money)
U.S. Steel (X) (RealMoney Radio)
URS (URS) (RealMoney Radio)

Bearish
Burlington Northern (BNI) (mentioned on Mad Money)
Cendant (CD) (Lightning Round)
ConAgra Food (CAG) (mentioned on Mad Money)
DexCom (DXCM) (Lightning Round)
Legg Mason (LM) (RealMoney Radio)
NutriSystem (NTRI) (mentioned on Mad Money)
Sara Lee (SL) (mentioned on Mad Money)
Shaw Group (SGR) (RealMoney Radio)
Vonage (VG) (Lightning Round)
Whole Foods Market (WFMI) (mentioned on Mad Money)
Wrigley (WWY) (mentioned on Mad Money)

Having trouble writing down all of Cramer’s picks?
Free daily recap newsletter to your inbox

My friend Bill Poulos has made this 53 page trading guide, full of great tips, available to you absolutely free (for a limited time.) A highly recommended freebie! - Thierry Martin

Stocks closed higher on the back of better than expected consumer confidence data and lower oil prices. However, investors voiced fresh worries about the strength of corporate profits. Stocks staged a comeback at the end of a volatile session in which investors struggled with uncertainties.

Today, the Dow Jones industrial average closed up 52.66 or 0.5% to 11,103.71, the broader Standard & Poor’s 500 index closed up 7.97 or 0.6% to 1,268.88, and the tech-fueled Nasdaq composite index closed up 12.06 or 0.6% to 2,073.90.

Market breadth was positive. On the New York Stock Exchange, winners beat losers by two to one as 1.74 billion shares changed hands. On the Nasdaq, advancers beat decliners 18 to 11 on volume of 1.96 billion shares.

It is apparent investors feel that the market is undervalued and is not headed toward a hard landing for the economy. Also, the Feds will not make a mistake of raising interest rates too high. However, corporate profits remain a concern. While investors are trying to keep their toes in the water, we are really at a crossroad on a technical level and that’s been stalling the markets. The market is likely to continue see-sawing in the short term, amid the typically mild summer trading volume.

A strong read on consumer confidence led the data news. U.S. consumer confidence strengthened a bit with the index rising to 106.5 in July from a revised 105.4 in June. This was an unexpected gain since economists were expecting it to slip to 103.9. Sales of existing U.S. homes fell by a smaller-than-expected 1.3% in June, and the inventory of unsold homes rose to a record 3.725 million. However, the slowing of existing home sales was not as much as economists had expecting.

Stock of AT&T closed up $1.17 or 4.2% to $28.95, after reporting a bigger than forecast rise in quarterly profit, thanks in part to its Cingular Wireless joint venture. The net income climbed 80% in the second quarter and the profit was driven by wireless gains, cost reductions and the acquisition of old Ma Bell, and AT&T Corp.

Shares of McDonald’s fell 8 cents to $34.76. The company reported a nearly 60% increase in quarterly profit, due to across the board growth in the U.S. and the best European results in more than a decade. Earnings climbed to $834.1 million from $530.4 million, revenue jumped 9% to $5.6 billion, and global same-store sales rose 5.5%.

Chemical maker DuPont closed up $0.10 to $40.67, after reporting quarterly earnings and revenue that were short of estimates, due to higher energy and ingredient costs. In addition to rising raw material costs, it also faced a weaker market for its agricultural products.

Stock of Altria Group Inc. rose 56 cents to $80.05, on reporting a higher second quarter profit, helped by an increase in domestic tobacco market share and strength in its food business. It also raised its annual profit projection. Revenue rose 4% to $25.77 billion, the earning to $2.71 billion, and the EPS came to $1.41 against the expected $1.37.

Conglomerate 3M Co. closed down $3.58 or 5% to $68.11, after posting quarterly earnings that rose from the prior year, but missed forecasts. The manufacturer has affirmed its yearly outlook but expressed concern about margins in some of its divisions.

Stock of United Parcel Service Inc. tumbled down $8.20 or 10.3% to $71.80, after reporting quarterly earnings that rose from a year earlier, but were short of analysts’ forecasts. The company also issued a current-quarter forecast that was shy of estimates.

U.S. light crude oil for September delivery fell $1.30 to settle at $73.75 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange on hopes for progress in the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah militants in Lebanon. Traders are also focusing on a potential build in inventories and the slowing down of the economy which will lead to less consumption.

All the best,
Manuel Jesus-Backus
The Portfolio Crafter
30-day risk-free trial

We have done our best to record the calls for you, but remember that the shows are fast moving, and sometimes Cramer bangs on the sell! sell! sell!, bull roar, train wreck, suicide jump, hallelujah chorus, backing up truck, creepy house of pain voice, machine gun, fanfare, toilet flush, all aboard, applause, cash register, bear growl, bowling pins, and submarine diving alarm buttons all at once, while he is screaming.

Please do your own research, and verify all information before acting on it. This summary of Cramer’s picks is not intended to replace watching the shows, where his comments about the stocks often include advice about entry and exit points.

Bullish
ABB (ABB) (RealMoney Radio)
Allstate (ALL) (RealMoney Radio)
Altria (MO) (Lightning Round)
American Express (AXP) (Lightning Round)
Arrow International (ARRO) (Lightning Round)
Ashland (ASH) (Lightning Round)
Avon Products (AVP) (featured on Mad Money)
Bristow Group (BRS) (Lightning Round)
California Pizza Kitchen (CPKI) (Lightning Round)
CVS (CVS) (Lightning Round)
Domino’s Pizza (DPZ) (featured on Mad Money)
Florida Rock Industries (FRK) (Lightning Round)
Fluor (FLR) (RealMoney Radio)
Foster Wheeler (FWLT) (RealMoney Radio)
Google (GOOG) (RealMoney Radio)
Halliburton (HAL) (Lightning Round)
Halliburton (HAL) (mentioned on Stop Trading!)
Kraft (KFT) (mentioned on Stop Trading!)
Kraft Foods (KFT) (Lightning Round)
McDonald’s (MCD) (mentioned on Mad Money)
MEMC Electronic Materials (WFR) (Lightning Round)
Merck (MRK) (mentioned on Stop Trading!)
Openwave Systems (OPWV) (Lightning Round)
Rite Aid (RAD) (featured on Mad Money)
Schering (SGP) (featured on Mad Money)
Textron (TXT) (RealMoney Radio)
URS (URS) (RealMoney Radio)

Bearish
Alcoa (AA) (Lightning Round)
BHP Billiton (BHP) (good long-term)(XXXXX) (RealMoney Radio)
Caterpillar (CAT) (mentioned on Mad Money)
Internet Security Systems (ISSX) (Lightning Round)
Montpelier Re (MRH) (RealMoney Radio)
Papa John’s (PZZA) (mentioned on Mad Money)
Sonus Networks (SONS) (Lightning Round)
ViroPharma (VPHM) (Lightning Round)

Having trouble writing down all of Cramer’s picks?
Free daily recap newsletter to your inbox

My friend Bill Poulos has made this 53 page trading guide, full of great tips, available to you absolutely free (for a limited time.) A highly recommended freebie! - Thierry Martin

Stocks ended higher with the Dow Jones Industrial Average posting a triple-digit gain and the Nasdaq Composite up over 2%, after a diplomatic push in the Middle East, a flurry of merger-and- acquisition activity and strong results from Merck and Schering-Plough boosted sentiment. Investors eyed the big deals, upbeat earnings and decided to scoop up recently battered shares.

Today, the Dow industrials average closed up 182.67 or 1.68% to 11,051.05, the broader Standard & Poor’s 500 index closed up 20.62 or 1.66% to 1,260.91, and the Nasdaq composite index closed up 41.45 or 2.05% to 2,061.84.

Market breadth was positive. On the New York Stock Exchange, winners beat losers 5 to 1 on volume of almost 1.29 billion shares. On the Nasdaq, advancers beat decliners nearly 3 to 1 on volume of 1.63 billion shares.

The market sentiment received a boost as U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice arrived in the Middle East. Her diplomatic offensive raised hopes that a cease-fire between Israel and the Lebanon could be brokered. The brokering for peace, the announcement of mergers and better quarterly results will continue to be the key for the market to recover. Inherently, the market continues to be volatile and shall remain so for some time. Since there is paucity of investor confidence, it doesn’t take much to trigger a big move one way or the other. In addition to good results, there are also technical factors that support gains, and that could help bring in more buyers over the short term.

American Express rose 4 cents to close %50.66 after reporting earnings that declined, but yet, topped expectations. Its second-quarter net income fell 7% from a year earlier, but it expanded its customer base and increased revenue. Income from continuing operations rose 13% to $972 million, and revenue climbed to $6.88 billion against the forecast $6.64 billion.

Shares of hospital operator HCA Inc. closed up $1.61 or 3% to $49.48, after it agreed to a $21 billion leveraged buyout by a private equity group and members of the company’s founding family and current management. The deal is valued at $51 a share, or $33 billion, including the assumption of about $11.7 billion in debt.

Shares in Merck & Co. closed up $1.49 to $38.95, after the company reported higher quarterly earnings that beat estimates and also boosted its outlook for the full year. Fellow drug maker Schering-Plough Corp. also closed up $1.22 or 5.7% to $20.67, after reporting higher quarterly earnings that topped forecasts. The company swung to a second-quarter profit, helped by sales of its rheumatoid drug Remicade and Nasonex.

Advanced Micro Devices Inc. closed down $0.87 to $17.39, after it announced a deal to buy Canada’s ATI Technologies Inc. for $5.4 billion. This move would open a new front in its rivalry with Intel Corp. Shares of ATI shot up $3.02 or 18.8% to $19.67.

On being upgraded, shares of Dell Computers closed up $0.89 or 3% to $20.80. Citigroup upgraded it to “buy” from “hold,” and this follows Dell’s profit warning Friday, with Citigroup saying that any slowdown is already fully reflected in analysts’ earnings estimates on Dell.

U.S. light crude oil for September delivery rose 72 cents to $75.15 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Oil prices rose on concerns about a hurricane heading toward the Gulf Coast and comments from U.S. officials casting doubt on the enforceability of any cease-fire in the Middle East.

All the best,
Manuel Jesus-Backus
The Portfolio Crafter
30-day risk-free trial