MORNING UPDATE: brokersXpress, LLC issues alerts for S, ELX, SNDK, STJ, and A

CHICAGO, Aug. 15 /PRNewswire/ -- brokersXpress, LLC issues the following Morning Update at 8:30 AM EDT with new PriceWatch Alerts for key stocks.

Before the open... PriceWatch Alerts for S, ELX, SNDK, STJ, and A, Market Overview, Today's Economic Calendar, and the Quote Of The Day.

QUOTE OF THE DAY "Earnings are up, rates are low -- the market should continue to rally." -- Mitch Zacks, portfolio manager, Zacks Investment Research New PriceWatch Alerts for S, ELX, SNDK, STJ, and A... PRICEWATCH ALERTS - HIGH RETURN COVERED CALL OPTIONS -- Sprint Nextel Corporation Last Price 26.15 - JAN 25.00 CALL OPTION@ $2.10 -> 4.0 % Return assigned* -- Emulex Corp. Last Price 19.26 - OCT 20.00 CALL OPTION@ $0.70 -> 7.8 % Return assigned* -- SanDisk Corp. Last Price 36.54 - OCT 35.00 CALL OPTION@ $3.40 -> 5.6 % Return assigned* -- St Jude Medical Inc. Last Price 45.32 - OCT 45.00 CALL OPTION@ $2.70 -> 5.6 % Return assigned* -- Agilent Technologies Inc. Last Price 26.41 - NOV 25.00 CALL OPTION@ $2.50 -> 4.6 % Return assigned*

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NOTE: All stocks and options shown are examples only. These are not recommendations to buy or sell any security.

NEWS LEADERS AND LAGGARDS

So far today, Sprint Nextel, PacificNet, and Home Depot lead the list of companies with the most news stories while Agilent Technologies and Taser International are showing a spike in news. Maytag, Lowes Cos, and Abbott Labs have the highest srtIndex scores to top the list of companies with positive news while Savient Pharmaceuticals and Microchip Technology lead the list of companies with negative news reports. Sysco Corp has popped up with a high positive news sraIndex score.

For the FREE article titled, "Earnings Season Decoded - An Essential 15 Point Checklist For Finding Winning Stocks." go to: http://www.wallstreetsecretsplus.com/go/freemu/

MARKET OVERVIEW

Overseas trading is rather mixed this morning, as six of the 15 foreign indices that we track are currently in positive territory. The cumulative average return on the group stands at -0.059. The pressures from record crude oil and gasoline prices combined with a weak earnings report and guidance from Dell sent the Asian markets into turmoil, prompting the Japanese Nikkei to slip backward from a four-year high set early in the session. Meanwhile, in Europe, the Assumption Day holiday has kept volume on the low end of the spectrum. French retailing giant Carrefour was boosted as a report in The Mail stated that Carrefour and Wal-Mart Stores met within the last month. The report said it was unclear whether WMT was considering buying a group of Carrefour stores or the entire company.

The September contract on sweet crude oil rose $1.06 on the barrel Friday, closing at an all-time high after setting yet another record intraday high of 67.10 per barrel. Pump prices responded immediately. Since July 21, the contract has shown almost monotonic rises, and from Tuesday's close at 63.07 to Friday's intraday peak, canny traders could have booked a 6.4-percent profit. In early trading, the September contract on crude has shed 48 cents to $66.38.

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DYNAMIC MARKET OPPORTUNITIES

June saw the US trade deficit jump over 6% to US$58.8 billion in yet another round of unbalanced trade with China (a US$17.6 billion gap with the Chinese in June, compared with US$14.1 billion in June 2004) and a US$14.6 billion rash of US oil imports. The figure was just US$1.3 billion shy of the all-time monthly record of US$60.1 billion set back in February and it possible that the news could force a downward revision to second quarter GDP growth, which is currently estimated at 3.4%. That means the US deficit through the first half of 2005 hit an unappetizing US$342.9 billion - 18% higher than the US$290.9 billion gap posted over the first half of 2004. That puts last year's record high deficit of US$617.6 billion well within reach. Overall, imports rose 2.1% to US$165.6 billion, while exports remained flat at US$106.8 billion. In China, it's the same story in reverse. Despite finally revaluing its yuan currency, China's trade surplus soared US$10.4 billion in July. Remarkably, that takes the total surplus through the first seven months of the year to US$50 billion - US$18 billion more than the total for all of 2004. That, of course, has laid Chinese officials open to criticism that the 2.1% yuan revaluation from 8.28 to the US Dollar to 8.11 wasn't nearly enough. It also keep US "protectionism" calls simmering under the surface, as well as demonstrating that Chinese efforts to slow its economy aren't working. This week, American and Chinese officials will convene to discuss a "long-term solution" over textile trade with China, US imports of which are currently capped amid bitter claims that the massive year-over-year 54% jump of Chinese textiles to the US since the quotas expired on January 1 this year is damaging the US industry and putting thousands of jobs in jeopardy. Under World Trade Organization guidelines, countries are allowed to take action if they feel the current trade situation is harming their own country.

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TODAY'S ECONOMIC CALENDAR 8:30 a.m. August Empire State Manufacturing Index 9:00 a.m. June Treasury Intl Capital Flows 1:00 p.m. July NAHB Housing Market Index

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All stocks and options shown are examples only. These are not recommendations to buy or sell any security and they do not represent in any way a positive or negative outlook for any security. Potential returns do not take into account your trade size, brokerage commissions or taxes which will affect actual investment returns. Stocks and options involve risk and are not suitable for all investors and investing in options carries substantial risk. Prior to buying or selling options, a person must receive a copy of Characteristics and Risks of Standardized Options available from Michael at 800-230-5570 or at http://www.cboe.com/Resources/Intro.asp. Privacy policy available upon request.