Thursday Morning Coffee with TradingMarkets

Good Morning!

Fed Stands Pat at 2% ... Index Futures Pointing to Sharply Lower Open ... Citigroup Lower in Pre-Market ... Research in Motion Disappoints on Earnings, Forecast ... Anheuser Busch To Reject InBev Bid ... Energies Overtake Financials in S&P 500 Weighting ... Goldman Cuts General Motors to Sell ... Lennar Reports Steeper than Expected Loss

If your stock trading could use a boost, then treat yourself to a free, 7-day trial to our Short Term PowerRatings. The highest rated Short Term PowerRatings stocks have outperformed the average stock by a margin of nearly 17 to 1 after five days. Click here to start your free trial today!

TradingMarkets 5 Business Stories You Need to Know

Optimism Grows on Baidu's Q2 - Barron's Blogs
Analysts cite increased advertising on China's number one search engine as the reason why Baidu.com is likely to top estimates for second quarter revenues. Baidu.com is the Featured Stock in our TradingMarkets Up or Down Stock Contest. You have until 4 p.m. EST today to tell us whether you think Baidu.com will be Up or Down on Friday. Click here to register for free for your chance to win $1,000 by correctly guessing the direction of a stock!

Bud Balks at InBev Bid - Wall Street Journal
The Wall Street Journal reported Wednesday that Anheuser Busch is prepared to reject InBev's $46.3 billion unsolicited bid, claiming that the amount is too low given the value of the company.

Fed Calls at 2%. Will the ECB Raise? - Financial Times
While the American central bank is keeping its rate steady at 2%, its European counterpart is taking a much more hawkish view of inflation and is considered likely to raise its rate by a quarter point in its meeting next week.

Blackberry Jammed - Bloomberg
Research in Motion provided sales and earnings that were strong, but not strong enough for analysts with great expectations. The company's forecast was also below estimates.

Sony Vows Profitable 2008 - Wall Street Journal
Sony CEO Howard Stringer outlined a three-pronged plan to regain profitability in its video game division, dramatically increase sales of televisions and invest more than $16 billion in new technology.

For more stories as they happen, go to our Breaking News section.

TradingMarkets 7 Stocks You Need to Know for Today

Here are 7 stocks for traders for today from TradingMarkets.com:

• Boeing (BA | Quote | Chart | News | PowerRating) lost more than 6% on Wednesday as traders absorbed news that the stock had been downgraded by Goldman Sachs from neutral to sell.
  

• Peabody Energy Company (BTU | Quote | Chart | News | PowerRating), the country's largest coal producer, was the percentage leader to the downside among its peers on a day when traders took profits in a number of coal stocks.
  
  
• Operator of popular restaurants, Red Lobster and The Olive Garden, Darden Restaurants (DRI | Quote | Chart | News | PowerRating) topped analyst estimates for quarterly earnings and upped its dividend.
  
  
• Shares of Jabil Circuits (JBL | Quote | Chart | News | PowerRating) closed up more than 16% on Wednesday on news that the mobile phone maker would beat analyst estimates for earnings. The company also raised its forecast for the fourth quarter.
  
  
• Importer Pier One (PIR | Quote | Chart | News | PowerRating) closed off its intraday highs on a day when the company announced its decision to withdraw its $88 million offer to acquire Cost Plus (CPWM | Quote | Chart | News | PowerRating).
  
  
• Baidu.com (BIDU | Quote | Chart | News | PowerRating), the most popular search engine in China, ended Wednesday up more than 7% as analysts suggested that second quarter sales were likely to top current estimates.
  

For a list of today's highest PowerRating stocks, click here.

TradingMarkets 5 PowerRatings Stocks for Today

TradingMarkets Making Great Traders

Two Days Added to Haggerty Open House - TradingMarkets
Kevin Haggerty's Open House will extend through Friday - giving traders even more opportunity to look over the shoulder of pro trader and former head of trading for Fidelity Capital Markets, Kevin Haggerty. Expanded daily commentary, stock selections, market updates and strategy alerts ... There's still time for you to get your look at the best of what Kevin Haggerty puts together for traders every day. So click the headline above or call us toll free at 1-888-484-8220, extension 1 today!

Larry Live at Noon - TradingMarkets
With index futures sharply lower before the open on the day following the Fed's decision to keep its benchmark rate at 2.5%, how is the short term outlook for stocks affected? Let TradingMarkets co-founder and veteran trader Larry Connors show you the methods and techniques that will help you take advantage of short term opportunities in a volatile market.

Sell To Open: A Guide to the Short Side of Options Trading - TradingMarkets
TradingMarkets contributor John Emery provides traders with this primer on writing, or selling, options. A must-read for new options traders.

Click here to sign up for the Morning Coffee with TradingMarkets newsletter.