STOCKS NEWS US-Bernstein sees growth in '09 online retail sales

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U.S. stock market report [.N]
1037 ET 05March2009-Bernstein sees growth in '09 online retail sales
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Bernstein Research on Thursday forecast a rise in online retail sales in
2009, expecting 3.5 percent of all retail spending in the U.S. to be done
online by the end of the year. About 3.3 percent of total retail spending was
done online in 2008.

In addition, the firm raised its price target on Amazon.com Inc (AMZN.O) to
$60 from $58, saying the increase in retail sales done online "is enough to
continue to drive positive and differentially higher growth in online sales."
It also said that eBay's (EBAY.O) push into fixed price sales was working, and
that it would account for more than half of its sales in 2009. [ID:nBNG459910]

Reuters Messaging: ryan.vlastelica.reuters.com@reuters.net
1033 ET 05March2009-U.S. factory orders fall 1.9 percent in January
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New orders received by U.S. factories fell 1.9 in January, dropping for a
sixth straight month as the recession continues to deepen.

However, the drop was not as severe as expected. Analysts polled by Reuters
had expected a drop of 3.5 percent. [ID:nN04394770]

Reuters Messaging: ryan.vlastelica.reuters.com@reuters.net
1028 ET-05March2009 GE option sentiment turns bit more bullish
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Shares of General Electric Co (GE.N) rose 4.48 percent to $6.99 in morning
trade after the company's chief financial officer appeared on CNBC TV and said
its finance unit has no short-term liquidity issues and speculation about its
ability to maintain sufficient capital is "overdone." Sentiment in the options
market seems a bit more bullish. The trade of the day is 10,000 January 2011
puts at the $5 strike for $1.86. It looks like a sale, possibly closing, said
WhatsTrading.com option strategist Frederic Ruffy. The sale coincided with
10,000 Jan 2010 calls traded at the $10 strike on the ask-side for $2.35. GE
March $5 put options are the most actives, with 22,500 traded earlier compared
to open interest of 205,822, Ruffy added.
1020 ET 05March2009-Markets pare loses after factory orders data
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Major U.S. indexes pared their losses on Thursday, after data showed that
new orders received by U.S. factories fell less than expected in January.

Despite that, the markets were still pressured by declines in energy and
fears over General Motors' (GM.N) viability. [ID:nN05315401]

The Dow Jones industrial average .DJI fell 2.2 percent to 6,726.50 while
the S&P 500 .SPX lost 2.4 percent to 695.90 and the Nasdaq .IXIC was off
1.8 percent to 1,328.63.

Reuters Messaging: ryan.vlastelica.reuters.com@reuters.net