Praxair Inc. (PX) reported decent third-quarter results before the opening bell today.   Net income and earnings per share were $325 million and $1.04, respectively. These results include a net after-tax benefit of $7 million, or 2 cents of earnings per share, resulting from a $306 million pre-tax charge, and $313 million of income tax benefits, related primarily to a Brazilian government tax amnesty program.   Excluding these items, net income was $318 million and earnings per share were $1.02, as compared to $355 million and $1.11 in the prior-year quarter. It was also above the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1 per share.   Sales in the quarter were $2,288 million, 20% below $2,852 million in the third quarter. Excluding the negative effects of foreign currency and cost pass-through, underlying sales were 9% lower due to 11% lower volumes partially offset by 2% higher overall pricing. Sequentially, ...

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Thursday September 24, 2009

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For the second consecutive year, Praxair, Inc. (NYSE: PX) has been included in the global Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) Carbon Disclosure Leadership Index. Praxair is the only industrial gases company to be selected for the global Leadership Index. This index, comprised of only 50 companies among 500 of the world’s largest corporations, recognizes leaders in climate change disclosure practices, based on their responses to an annual questionnaire. High scores indicate good internal data management and understanding of climate-change issues

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Wells Fargo Advantage Asia Pacific Inv (SASPX) seeks long-term capital appreciation by primarily investing in Asia Pacific Basin securities.

The fund focuses on issuers that have potential for above-average sales and earnings growth, overall financial strength, competitive advantages and capable management. It may hold some of its assets in cash or in money market instruments.

Shareholders have to make a minimum initial investment of $2,500 to enter this Zacks#1 Rank (“Strong Buy") fund. It pays dividends and distributes net capital gains annually.

Wells Fargo Advantage Strategic Income A (SASAX) was incepted in November 2000. The investment seeks total return with a high level of current income and capital appreciation.

The fund invests normally at least 80% of assets in income-producing securities and up to 30% of assets in debt securities of foreign issuers. It may invest all of assets in below investment-grade debt securities.

Thomas M. Price has

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Investors occasionally use a stock trading technique called 'Buying Dividends,' which is the technique of buying stocks before the ex dividend date and selling the stock shortly after the ex date at about the same price, yet still being entitled to the dividend. This technique generally works only in bull markets.br /br /If you are interested in a href="http://stockerblog.blogspot.com/2008/05/buying-dividends-top-7-stocks-going-ex.html"buying dividends/a, there are many stocks in many different industries to choose from. In order to be entitled to the dividend, you have to buy the stock before the ex-dividend date, and you can't sell the stock until after the ex date. The actual dividend may not be paid for another few weeks.br /br /All of the following stocks yield over 2%. br /br /Avery Dennison Corporation (AVY) goes ex-dividend on 12/1/2008 . The stock has a yield of 6.55% .br /Callaway Golf Company (ELY) goes ex-dividend on 12/1/2008 . The ...

At the end of a week of gloom and doom, stocks are finally on the rebound on Friday. Taking the cue, chemical shares too are on their way up after surviving a terrible Thursday when, according to AP, most of them took a nosedive following the announcement by four companies of force majeures -- a legal clause that excuses a party from liabilities for not being able to fulfill its obligations due to unforeseen developments -- thanks to the devastation wreaked by Hurricane Ike.

But they threw off their shackles on Friday. Dupont (DD), which fell 46 cents to $45.24 a day earlier, was up by 3.77% to $47.67. Keeping it company was Dow Chemical (DOW), the only one to have bucked the pullback on Thursday, with a surge of 4.16% to trade at $37.31.

But the stock to really watch out for is Olin Corp. (OLN)

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It was another whipsaw session on the Street as stocks staged a late-day rally to pare early losses and finish deep in the green. The Dow climbed 165 points to close at 11,434.

The big surge came in response to word that Lehman Brothers, Inc. (LEH), the beleaguered investment bank, had entered into conversations with possible suitors after Moody's Investors Services said the company needs to find a "stronger financial partner." Lehman has been aggressively pursuing additional capital support as the company suffers from a portfolio of deteriorating assets and mounting losses.

Adding to the gloomy macro-level economic picture was the Commerce Department's report that the national trade deficit grew to its highest level in 16 months in July, climbing 5.7% to $62.2 billion. The reading was worse than analyst projections of $58 billion, driving the deficit between imports and exports to its highest level since March

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