Free Republic

Airlines slump, dollar rises on deadly flu outbreak By Steve Goldstein, MarketWatch Last update: 4:12 a.m. EDT April 27, 2009 LONDON (MarketWatch) -- A deadly swine flu outbreak that originated in Mexico took its toll on airlines and cruise operators across the globe on Monday as traders feared a repeat of the SARS epidemic. Mexico City's streets were empty Sunday as an estimated 1,614 people in that country contracted the swine flu, killing 103 people. The Mexican government has closed schools in Mexico City and nearby states, and the U.S. declared a public health emergency. Twenty Americans have caught the...

U.S. stock futures drop as DuPont, Merck cut view By Steve Goldstein, MarketWatch Last update: 7:54 a.m. EDT April 21, 2009 LONDON (MarketWatch) -- U.S. stock futures on Tuesday dropped as blue chips DuPont, Merck and Caterpillar cut their 2009 profit or sales estimates in a largely bleak wave of earnings reports. After early gains, S&P 500 futures fell 6.3 points to 826.60 and Nasdaq 100 futures fell 7.5 points to 1,306.00. Futures on the Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 65 points. Worries over Bank of America's outlook and the banking sector more generally drove a retreat in U.S. stocks...

U.S. stock futures signal no follow through By Steve Goldstein, MarketWatch Last update: 5:49 a.m. EST March 5, 2009 LONDON (MarketWatch) -- U.S. stock futures failed to extend gains Thursday following a rare up day, with disappointment over a lack of new Chinese spending dampening sentiment. S&P 500 futures (SPY SPDR S&P 500 ETF News , chart , profile , more Delayed quote data Add to portfolio Analyst Create alert Insider Discuss Financials Sponsored by: SPY) slipped 7.3 points to 701.10 and Nasdaq 100 futures (QQQQ PowerShares QQQ News , chart , profile , more Delayed quote data Add to...

Stock futures slump after Senate sinks bailout GM, Ford shares drop in pre-open trading; Bank of America slashing jobs By Simon Kennedy, MarketWatch Last update: 8:02 a.m. EST Dec. 12, 2008 Comments: 506 LONDON (MarketWatch) -- U.S. stock market futures slumped Friday after plans for a bailout of the auto industry fell apart in the Senate amid a dispute over union wages. The last minute collapse of the rescue sent shares in car makers tumbling, with General Motors Corp. (GM:General Motors Corporation GM 4.12, -0.48, -10.4%) dropping over 34% in pre-open trading and Ford Motor Co. (F:Ford Motor Company Last:...