For Immediate Release

Chicago, IL – November 17, 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: JPMorgan Chase (JPM), Fifth Third Bancorp (FITB), Zions Bancorp (ZION), SunTrust Banks (STI) and PNC Financial (PNC).

Get the most recent insight from Zacks Equity Research with the free Profit from the Pros newsletter: http://at.zacks.com/?id=5513

Here are highlights from Monday’s Analyst Blog:

Bank Failures Rise to 123

The failed banks were -- Century Bank, FSB of Sarasota, Florida with $728 million in assets and $631 million in deposits, Orion Bank of Naples, Florida with about $2.7 billion in assets and $2.1 billion in deposits and Pacific Coast National Bank of

For Immediate Release

Chicago, IL – November 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: JP Morgan Chase (JPM), U.S. Bancorp (USB), Zions Bancorp (ZION), SunTrust Banks (STI) and PNC Financial (PNC).

Get the most recent insight from Zacks Equity Research with the free Profit from the Pros newsletter: http://at.zacks.com/?id=5513

Here are highlights from Monday’s Analyst Blog:

Bank Failure Tally Reaches 120

The FDIC entered into a purchase and assumption agreement with Ameris Bank, Moultrie, Georgia, to assume all of the deposits of United Security Bank; Liberty Bank and Trust Company, New Orleans, Louisiana, to assume all of the deposits of Home Federal Savings Bank;

After sliding for two successive days, stocks managed to find some footing and ended Thursday with impressive gains as companies from McDonald’s to PNC Financial reported solid quarterly earnings.  A mixed bag of economic reports notwithstanding, the Dow average once again scaled the 10,000 mark as components Travelers Cos, 3M Co., and AT&T Inc. posted stronger-than-expected results.

Investors, looking for bargains, picked up financial shares as many banks noted lower loan losses.  Travelers (NYSE:TRV) surged almost 8% after reporting a three-fold jump in quarterly profit.  Travelers, together with McDonald’s (NYSE:MCD), led the Dow average higher.  AT&T Inc. (NYSE:T), also a Dow component, rose 0.6% after reporting better-than-expected profit.

The Dow Jones industrial average jumped 132 points, or 1.3%, to close at 10,081.31 and the S&P 500 index rose 11 points, or 1%.  The tech-heavy NASDAQ, limited by late-session, downward guidance from eBay (NASDAQ:EBAY), gained 14 points, or 0.7%.

The

For Immediate Release

Chicago, IL – August 21, 2009 – Zacks Equity Research highlights Expedia Inc. (EXPE) as the Bull of the Day and KeyCorp. (KEY) the Bear of the Day. In addition, Zacks Equity Research provides analysis on Bank of America (BAC), Wells Fargo (WFC) and PNC Financial (PNC).

Full analysis of all these stocks is available at http://at.zacks.com/?id=2676

Here is a synopsis of all five stocks:

Bull of the Day:

Expedia Inc. (EXPE) is one of the leading online travel companies in the world. The company reported strong results in the last quarter, beating the consensus estimate. Although bookings continue to be impacted by the recession, management has taken promotional measures to improve the conversion rate.

We are also positive about international initiatives, which we think will be the key to future growth. Cost management, a favorable online advertising

In the last 18 months, Strategic Short Report readers had the chance to make 432% when Lehman failed, 162% when Allied Capital (NYSE:ALD) came clean, and 220% on PNC Financial (NYSE:PNC)… This month my subscribers are poised to make money on the next bank drop.

And I’m going to give you a chance to join them.

If you think Canada escaped the downward trend in U.S. banking, think again. While the country may not have plunged headfirst into subprime mortgages, it did dip heavily into risky derivatives. The leverage it took on generated impressive returns on equity in good times, but that same leverage is set to wipe out equity today.

Shareholders in one “safe” Canadian bank will have to rethink their loyalty. Its looming solvency crisis practically guarantees a dividend cut. And that’s our catalyst for this month’s short play action - offering us a chance for 200% profit potential.

Accounting

Asian benchmarks followed the big advance on Wall Street Tuesday after a jump in U.S. consumer confidence boosted confidence and reassured investors that the turnaround is imminent.  Japan's benchmark Nikkei 225 stock average rose 1.4% to 9,438.77 while Hong Kong's Hang Seng jumped 5.3%, to 17,885.27.

On Tuesday, U.S. stocks shot higher for the first time in five sessions as the Conference Board's consumer confidence index rose sharply in May, refueling hopes that the consumers are getting more optimistic about the economy.  The surprise rise in consumer confidence, which vaulted to 54.9 from 40.8 in April, offset dismal housing news and put investors back on buying track.  Traders, back after a long weekend, bought enthusiastically pushing every industry group on the S&P 500 stock index higher.  Nevertheless, declining home prices served a reminder that the economic outlook is yet to show signs of stabilization.  The consumer confidence index jumped

U.S. regulators finally revealed the results of the long-awaited stress tests for the nation’s largest banks. Regulators urged ten of the country’s nineteen largest financial institutions to raise about $75 billion in new capital to withstand possible future losses. These institutions will attempt to raise capital by selling common stock among other methods.

Among the institutions needing more capital, Bank of America needs to raise $33.9 billion, Wells Fargo needs to raise $13.7 billion, auto and mortgage lender GMAC needs to raise $11.5 billion, Citibank needs to raise $5.5 billion, and Morgan Stanley needs to raise $1.8 billion. The other firms needing some additional capital are all regional banks: Regions Financial, SunTrust Banks, KeyCorp, Fifth Third Bancorp, and PNC Financial.

The banks needing additional capital will have until June 8 to develop a plan and have it approved by their regulators. If the banks can’t raise the money on their

Even as investors awaited anxiously the release of the stress test results, Asian markets rose to fresh seven-month peak amid optimism that the global economy is on a path to recovery.  However, gains in Asia were modest as media reports suggested about 10 of the 19 banks undergoing stress tests in the U.S. have been directed by regulators to raise more capital. Oil prices hovered near $54 on optimism about the economy.

The Hang Seng index in Hong Kong ended the day up 49.03 points, or 0.3%, at 16,430.08.  The Shanghai Composite Index in Mainland China edged up 0.3% to 2,567.34, its highest close in nine months.  Japan's Nikkei 225 Stock Average added 1.7% to close at 8,977.37.

On Tuesday, U.S. stocks advanced as better-than-expected housing data and comments from U.S. officials that the Obama Administration is not seeking additional funds for banks boosted sentiments.  Investors heaved a

Stop Sitting on the Sidelines

by Investment U Research Team

As of this writing, Bank of America (NYSE: BAC) is up almost 22%. This is on the heels of a 19% gain yesterday. Citigroup (NYSE: C) is up almost 27%, JPMorgan Chase (NYSE: JPM) is up over 16% and PNC Financial (NYSE: PNC) is up over 16% as well.

The S&P 500 (.INX) is up over 5% with the Dow and Nasdaq not far behind.

But why this sudden movement? Where are the economic reports that prove we’re out of the woods? What happened to the doom and gloom?

The market’s movement today started from positive comments by Ben Bernanke and Citigroup CEO Vikram Pandit. But as for solid reasons that the market has bounced for the last few days, we have a few theories