STOCKS NEWS US-Microsoft to cut prices on Windows 7 system

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1125 ET 25June2009-Microsoft to cut prices on Windows 7 system
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Microsoft Corp (MSFT.O) on Thursday said it will sell the standard
home-user version of its new Windows 7 operating system for 8 percent less than
the comparable version of its Vista system, as the global downturn hits
spending on technology.

The new operating system, which Microsoft hopes will be a bigger hit than
the poorly received Vista, will be generally released on Oct. 22.

For details, see [ID:nN24224848]

Reuters Messaging: ryan.vlastelica.reuters.com@reuters.net
1045 ET 25June2009-Markets rise on retailers, home builders
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Major U.S. indexes rose on Thursday, lifted by strength in the retail and
homebuilding sectors, though sentiment was pressured by an unexpected rise in
initial jobless claims.

For details, see [ID:nN25270826]

The Dow Jones industrial average .DJI rose 41.56 points, or 0.50 percent,
to 8,341.42. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index .SPX gained 5.94 points, or 0.66
percent, to 906.88. The Nasdaq Composite Index .IXIC added 17.46 points, or
0.97 percent, to 1,809.80.

Reuters Messaging: ryan.vlastelica.reuters.com@reuters.net
1023 ET 25Jun2009-S&P 500's 910 level seen a critical hurdle
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Phase one to neutralizing the short-term downtrend is tentatively in place,
but to change the trend drastically, the benchmark S&P 500 index .SPX needs
to push and hold above the 910.85 level, technical strategists at Instinet said
on Thursday.

"Yesterday the SPX stalled out twice near the 10-day downtrend line and
that's the first key short-term hurdle today (currently at 907)," the analysts
wrote in a note.

Reuters Messaging rm://ellis.mnyandu.reuters.com@reuters.net
1025 ET 25June2009 Akamai attracts put sellers, analyst
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Shares of Web content delivery service company Akamai Technologies Inc
(AKAM.O) rose 1.2 percent to $19.76 in morning trade. In the option patch, the
February 2010 puts at the $15 line traded 6,472 contracts compared to 2
contracts of open interest, Reuters data show. The top trade of the day was
5,372 contracts on the bid for a premium of $1.40 in that strike. It looked
like opening put sellers might be initiating the early trades, said
WhatsTrading.com option strategist Frederic Ruffy. There was no apparent news
on the stock. Akamai was also the subject of bullish order flow on Monday, he
said. Put selling is viewed as a neutral to bullish strategy.

Reuters Messaging: doris.frankel.reuters.com@reuters.net
0949 ET 25June2009-Homebuilders rise on Lennar results, outlook
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Shares of homebuilders rose on Thursday, after Lennar Corp (LEN.N) reported
its second-quarter results and forecast a sequential rise in new home sales and
orders.

"While we are sensing pent-up demand in the market, rising unemployment,
increased foreclosures and tighter credit standards continue to present
challenges for the industry," CEO Stuart Miller said in a statement.

For details, see [ID:nBNG21059]

Shares of Lennar rose 12.9 percent to $8.83 while the Dow Jones U.S. Home
Construction index .DJUSHB gained 3.2 percent to 212.64. Among other
companies, Toll Brothers (TOL.N) added 2.4 percent to $16.63, Beazer Homes
(BZH.N) climbed 6.8 percent to $1.88 and D.R. Horton (DHI.N) added 1.6 percent
to $9.28.

Reuters Messaging: ryan.vlastelica.reuters.com@reuters.net
0944 ET 25June2009-Citigroup starts coverage on Alcoa at buy
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Citigroup on Thursday started coverage on Alcoa Inc (AA.N) with a buy
rating and $14 price target. The firm cited an expected manufacturing recovery
and easing output costs in its decision.

"Citi economists expect U.S. industrial production to grow by 0.7 percent
in 2010," the firm wrote. "Yet, signs of a near term manufacturing recovery are
evident with the May ISM PMI pointing to new orders growth, the first in 17
months.

"Transportation, which drove 37 percent of aluminum demand in 2008, should
provide a demand tailwind as US auto sales improve to an estimated to 12.9
million units (18 percent growth year-over-year) in 2010."

Shares of Alcoa, a Dow component, rose 1.6 percent to $10.38.

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