Subprime woe, Bernanke talk hit US stocks; IBM up late

(Reuters) - U.S. stocks fell on Wednesday on deepening concerns that a crisis in lending could spread and a warning from the Federal Reserve chairman that weakness in housing could hurt economic growth for some time.

Disappointing results from technology bellwethers also weighed on stocks. Shares of Intel Corp. and Yahoo fell nearly 5 percent after their quarterly scorecards fell short of some expectations.


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U.S. Stock Index Futures Fall After Intel, Yahoo Reports: After-Hours Wrap

(Bloomberg) -- U.S. stock index futures dropped
after results from Intel Corp., the biggest chipmaker, and Yahoo!
Inc., owner of the most-visited U.S. Web site, spurred concern
that profit forecasts for technology companies are too high.

Intel slid $1.17, or 4.4 percent, to $25.16 as of 6:09 p.m.
in New York after its profit margin trailed forecasts. Yahoo lost
$1.08, or 3.9 percent, to $26.49 as earnings declined.


Read more at Bloomberg Stocks News

U.S. Stocks Climb on Acquisitions, Oil Decline; Intel Surges

U.S. stocks extended a week of gains, buoyed by $31.7 billion of acquisitions, falling oil prices and an analyst's prediction that demand for mobile-phone chips will grow.

Dollar General Corp. rose the most ever and led the Standard & Poor's 500 Index to its third gain in three days after it agreed be acquired by Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co. Intel Corp. drove technology shares to their highest level this month, lifting the Dow Jones Industrial Average and Nasdaq Composite Index.

Today's takeovers gave investors another reason to buy stocks after last week's unexpected drop in February unemployment and Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson's reassurances that the economy will avoid recession. The S&P 500 now has recovered almost half its losses since the global rout in equities Feb. 27.

Read more at Bloomberg.com

U.S. Stock-Index Futures Fall After Home Depot Trails Estimates

U.S. stock-index futures fell after profit that missed analysts' estimates at Home Depot Inc., the world's largest home-improvement retailer, heightened concern that earnings growth is slowing.
Home Depot's report comes as fourth-quarter profits at Standard & Poor's 500 Index members are poised to increase less than 10 percent for the first three-month period since 2002. Intel Corp. and International Business Machines Corp. are among companies that fell short of expectations.

Read more at Bloomberg.com