rf

Regions Financial Corporation (NYSE: RF), a financial holding company based in Birmingham, Alabama, recently down 99c to $12.76:

Friedman Billings has an underperform rating on RF. RF call option volume of 6,410 contracts compared to put volume of 37,361 contracts. RF June 12.5 straddle was priced at 85c. RF July option implied volatility of 72 was above its 26-week average of 48 according to Track Data, suggesting larger risk.

Option Update is provided by Stock Specialist Paul Foster of theflyonthewall.com

MOST NOTEWORTHY: The Department store sector, SanDisk and CNET Networks were today's noteworthy downgrades:

• Goldman downgraded the department store sector to Neutral from Attractive after raising its 2008 oil forecast to $149 from $115, as it believes higher gas prices will impact consumer discretionary spend and sentiment. Goldman downgraded JC Penney (NYSE: JCP) and Nordstrom (NYSE: JWN) to Neutral and also removed Kohl's (NYSE: KSS) from its Conviction Buy List.
  
• JMP Securities downgraded SanDisk (NASDAQ: SNDK) to Underperform from Market Perform based on increased competition in NAND, a potential decline in royalty income, valuation, and lack of catalysts from flash-based solid state drives.
  
• CNET Networks (NASDAQ: CNET) was cut to Neutral from Buy at Banc of America following the tender offer from CBS (NYSE: CBS).

OTHER DOWNGRADES:

• Merrill downgraded Regions Financial (NYSE: RF) to Sell from Neutral.
  
• B. Riley downgraded Exar (NASDAQ: EXAR) to Neutral from Buy.
  
• Albermarle (NYSE: ALB) was lowered to Neutral from Overweight at JP Morgan.

"Socially Responsible Investing (SRI) is no longer relegated to a tiny corner of the investment landscape; indeed, according to the Social Investment Forum, SRI now accounts for $2.7 trillion, up more than 18% since 2005," says Chuck Carlson.

Here, the editor of The DRIP Investor offers five stock that both rank high for their social responsibility and also stand out based on more traditional earnings and valuation analysis.

"The Social Investment Forum estimates that more than one in every 10 dollars under professional management in the U.S. is involved in SRI investing. What is driving the growth in SRI?

"One factor is the increasing numbers of women and younger investors among the investor populace have fueled demand for SRI investments.

"In addition, we see an increased focus on environment, social, and corporate governance issues. Further, widely publicized stories concerning global warming as well as various corporate governance issues, have caused many investors to reconsider how they deploy their investment capital.

MOST NOTEWORTHY: Venoco, Newfield Exploration and Regions Financial were today's noteworthy upgrades:

• Jefferies upgraded shares of Venoco (NYSE:VQ) to Buy from Hold on increased confidence in the company's 5%-10% 2008 production growth target.
  
• Newfield Exploration (NYSE:NFX) was upgraded to Outperform from Market Perform at Friedman Billings. The firm said there has been significant progress in the economics of NFX's Woodford play.
  
• Citigroup upgraded Regions Financial (NYSE:RF) to Hold from Sell on valuation, as they their concerns are now priced into shares.

OTHER UPGRADES:

• ASML Holdings (NASDAQ:ASML) was raised at Merrill to Buy from Neutral.
  
• UBS upgraded Forest Oil (NYSE:FST) to Buy from Neutral.
  
• Bear upgraded Gaylord Entertainment (NYSE:GET) to Outperform from Peer Perform.

The board of aluminum company Alcan (NYSE: AL) has rejected a purchase offer from rival Alcoa (NYSE: AA) as inadequate, despite the fact that it took Alcan's share price from $59 to well over $81.

Alcoa's theory was that, with both companies in the same business, there would be a lot of cost cutting in the merger and perhaps greater price leverage with customers. The logic seemed to make sense.

Alcan's price rose above the Alcoa offer, so the markets assumed that another company might jump in. It turns out that was probably right. News reports say that Australian metals giant BHP Billiton (NYSE:BHP) is in talks to buy Alcan. According to MarketWatch, the head of BHP as recently said that the world's top miner would consider acquisitions that add shareholder value.

Another overseas mining company, Rio Tinto (NYSE: RTP) has been mentioned as a suitor for Alcan as well.

At least the company has a full dance card.

Douglas A. McIntyre is a partner at 24/7 Wall St.

If you hadn't already been sick to your stomach with what the markets had already done, Tuesday March 13, 2007 probably finished the job. Reluctantly, and with a bit of due concern for my continued readership as a layman's stock market analyst, I feel compelled to state that it is my considered opinion that the bear is not yet done with us. For those brave hearted readers who have been bold enough or bored enough to wade through my past posts on the subject, you may recall that I warned of the bear in the weeks prior to his coming. I'm not proud of my accurate forecast due to the simple fact that our current market phase has financially injured many good people. The fact remains, however, that I warned that the bear was near and now the bear has come. It is my sincerest hope that a full recovery can be accomplished for all parties once the bear is gone.

You may recall that I labeled this bear phase as a worldwide economic realignment. Initially, I had hoped that this would be just a moderate market correction of 10-12% but there are too many factors now rushing in from too many important directions for such a happy ending to be realized. I submit to you that we have entered a time which would be artificially minimized by calling it a market correction. I'm telling you with all earnestness at my command, this is not just about our banks and stock markets!

The Bank of England didn't pull a fast one on international markets Thursday, but it was close.

The Bank of England unexpectedly increased its benchmark interest rate - - called the repurchase rate - - by one-quarter point, or 25 basis points, to 5.25%, its third increase since August 2006.

The BOE said "CPI pressure was 2.7% in November. It is likely that inflation will rise further above the target in the near-term, but then fall back as energy and import price inflation abate."

While an argument can be made that CPI pressure in the U.K. is elevated, the BOE's move nevertheless took economists, traders, and analysts by surprise.

While central banks must set monetary policy to meet national economic objectives, the world's four major central banks ( U.S. Federal Reserve, European Central Bank, Bank of England, and the Bank of Japan also are aware of each bank's impact on the global economy. Further, in general, unless the global economy is experiencing runaway growth, the four banks do not generally raise interest rates in unison, as the policy is considered too restrictive and could slow the global economy to a crawl, even cause a recession.

Early morning futures are positive, pointing to a higher start for stocks.

Today, three economic data points will be released and Procter & Gamble, a Dow component, will report earnings.

At 8:30 a.m., third-quarter employment cost index will be reported. Economists are forecasting a 0.9% increase, same as in the second quarter. At 10:00 a.m., October Chicago consumer confidence and manufacturing index are due. Economists are forecasting the manufacturing index to decline to 58 from September's 62.1, but believe consumer confidence have risen due to lower oil prices to 107.8 from 104.5 last month. Keep in mind that the key jobs report will be released on Friday.

Topping the news this morning are Procter & Gamble, Verizon (again) -- both are Dow components -- Merck and Sony:

Consumer products maker Procter & Gamble Co. (NYSE:PG) reported its quarterly financial results not too long ago. First-quarter profit climbed 33%. Net income rose to $2.7 billion, or 79 cents per share, on revenue of $18.79 billion. Analysts consensus called for 78 cents per share on sales of $18.56 billion. The company also lifted its full-year earnings outlook.

Merck & Co. Inc. (NYSE:MRK), the big pharmaceutical company, will buy Sirna Therapeutics Inc., (NASDAQ:RNAI), which is developping therapies based on RNA interference, for $1.1 billion in cash, more than double the closing price -- a 102% premium.

UBS downgraded Verizon Communications, Inc. (NYSE:VZ) to Neutral.

Sony Corp. (NYSE:SNE) said the U.S. Department of Justice notified the company that it will conduct an investigation into possible antitrust violations in the static random access memory (SRAM) market.

Other stories:

Standard & Poor's will replace AmSouth Bancorp (NYSE:ASO) with Celgene Corp. (NASDAQ:CELG) in the S&P 500 stock index after the close of trading on Nov. 3. CELG shares rose some 4% in Frankfurt. AmSouth is being acquired by Regions Financial Corp (NYSE:RF). which in turn will replace RadioShack Corp. (NYSE:RSH) in the index.

Philip Morris the tobacco company that is now part of Altria Group, Inc. (NYSE:MO), will be back in court today, trying to convince the Supreme Court that an $80 million judgment against the company was excessive.

Microsoft Corp. (NASDAQ:MSFT) had started 55 legal actions worldwide targeting dealers selling counterfeit software online, according to the company. Some of the cases are against sellers who may have misused eBay, Inc. (NASDAQ:EBAY) or other on-line auction sites to sell counterfeit software.

Can Apple Computer, Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) expand its share in the PC market? Could it profit from missteps from Dell, Inc. (NASDAQ:DELL) while taking advantage of Intel, Corp.'s (NASDAQ:INTC) support and Best Buy, Inc. (NYSE:BBY) distribution, especially at this juncture before Microsoft's Windows Vista is launched?

Satellite radio's future: Should Sirius Satellite Radio, Inc. (NASDAQ:SIRI) and XM Satellite Radio Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ:XMSR) adjust their businesses to Internet radio?

General Electric Co. (NYSE:GE) delayed the purchase of a 25% of Thailand's Bank of Ayudhya PCL for 22 billion baht ($598 million).

Hewlett-Packard Co. (NYSE:HPQ), in an attempt to finally close the $4.5 billion acquisition of Mercury Interactive Corp., would waive all remaining conditions involved.

Could Brazil's biggest coffee cooperative, Cooxupe, hinder Starbucks Corp. (NASDAQ:SBUX) aspirations for growth in China as Cooxupe now aims for expansion?