For Immediate Release

Chicago, IL – July 10, 2009 – Zacks.com announces the list of stocks featured in the Analyst Blog. Every day the Zacks Equity Research analysts discuss the latest news and events impacting stocks and the financial markets. Stocks recently featured in the blog include: Citigroup (C), Bank of America (BAC), Wells Fargo (WFC), JPMorgan Chase (JPM) and US Bancorp (USB).

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Here are highlights from Thursday’s Analyst Blog:

CRE Mauling to Continue

Clearly, as more companies downsize and retailers close their doors, small and regional banks may experience substantial risk of severe losses from commercial real estate loans. The pressures are not expected to improve until economic improvements are experienced -- specifically, when consumers and businesses start spending

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Representative Carolyn Maloney (D-NY), the head of the congressional Joint Economic Committee, is on record as believing that commercial real estate (CRE) is a ticking time bomb, as funding for commercial loans were virtually shut down last year when the financial system became paralyzed, with financing of even health properties remaining extremely difficult to obtain. Commercial loan delinquency rates have doubled to approximately 7.0% year over year. Add to the mix that owners of shopping malls, hotels and offices have been defaulting on loans at a significant rate, its is understandable why General Growth Properties (GGWPQ), the second largest owner of shopping malls, sought Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. Clearly, as more companies downsize and retailers close their doors, small and regional banks may experience substantial risk of severe losses from commercial real estate loans. The pressures are not expected to improve until economic improvements are experienced ...

NY Times, August 24
“The size of the commercial paper market, a crucial source of short-term financing for businesses, decreased 4.2 percent last week, the biggest drop in at least seven years, as investors fled asset-backed debt and opted for the safety of Treasuries….

… The retreat may indicate that the Fed’s decision to lower the discount rate last week failed to instill enough calm to draw back investors. Commercial paper backed by assets led the fall as buyers fled debt linked to subprime mortgages. …