so, what big health care corps should we invest in now?

[MiamiHeat]

THX OBAMA

- Wall Street investors

[George Gervin's Afro]

Stock market: Health companies pull stocks higher


NEW YORK (AP) — Health stocks lifted the market Monday following House approval of an overhaul bill that would extend insurance to millions.
Investors had expected the health care bill would pass the House, but the approval late Sunday removed uncertainty about the rules that would govern the industry. A companion bill now goes back to the Senate. The changes could have far-reaching effects on health insurers and drugmakers.


ON POLITICS:Latest on health care

Stocks opened lower following more doubts about Greece's ability to repay its debt. Concern about the country's fiscal crunch pushed investors into the safety of the dollar. The rising dollar hit shares of energy and commodity producers, who see demand fall when the dollar strengthens.

The latest concern is that Greece might not get the outside financial support it has been seeking. The country's debt woes have dragged down the market off and on for nearly two months as the country tries to cut its budget and is looking for outside support.

Questions about Greece arose again when Germany's chancellor said Sunday that a bailout for Greece won't be discussed at a European summit this week. Greece has said in recent days if other European countries do not provide support, it might turn to the International Monetary Fund for help.

Investors have been worried that Greece and other European nations that use the euro, like Spain and Portugal, could struggle to recover as they try to pay down steep debt. That could upend a global economic recovery.

The gains in health stocks overshadowed questions about Greece. Health stocks rose in part because the bill passed by the House will extend benefits to 32 million uninsured Americans. That means increased business for insurers and drug makers. Many of the key points of the bill will not go into effect for several years.

"You've got some uncertainty here lifted," said Jack Ablin, chief investment officer at Harris Private Bank in Chicago. Ablin noted, however, that other industries will face higher costs to pay for wider coverage. "What it really comes down to is that as a result of this bill health care is a beneficiary at the expense of every other sector."

Bond prices rose, pushing down yields. The yield on the benchmark 10-year Treasury note fell to 3.67% from 3.70% late Friday.

The dollar was mixed against other major currencies. Gold fell.

Crude oil rose 57 cents to $81.25 per barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange.

Major stock indexes fell Friday because of renewed concerns about Greece. The Dow fell 0.3%, while the S&P 500 index dropped 0.5%.

News from retailers was mixed but signaled that affluent consumers are stepping up spending. Jeweler Tiffany's fourth-quarter profit quadrupled but earnings fell short of analysts' forecasts.

Williams-Sonoma said increased revenue boosted profits by more than sevenfold from a year ago, when one-time costs dented results. The seller of kitchen goods forecast stronger results for its current fiscal quarter.

The improvement in sales is a welcome sign for the economy as the end of the January-March quarter approaches.

Richard Cripps, chief market strategist for Stifel Nicolaus in Baltimore, is encouraged that expectations are growing for first-quarter profits. Corporate earnings are the biggest driver of the stock market.
"More analysts than not are choosing to increase their estimates and that's a good thing," Cripps said.

Britain's FTSE 100 fell 0.1%, Germany's DAX index and France's CAC-40 rose 0.1%. Japan's Nikkei was closed for a holiday.



Nice call

[boutons_deux]

"Health stocks lifted the market Monday following House approval of an overhaul bill that would extend insurance to millions."

Their stocks also spiked when the Dems announced a few months ago that public option was dead.

It ain't dead, and when it gets proposed again, as I'm sure Magic Negro proposed to Congressmen who were pissed about no public option, the for-profit insurers' stocks will fall.

[coyotes_geek]

If the dems couldn't get a PO now, they'll never get one. If the current bill fails the dems will get booted out of power. If the current bill works, there won't be a need for a PO. Either way, the PO stays dead.

[boutons_deux]

"there won't be a need for a PO"

You Lie

A national, Medicare-for-all PO (not limiting pools to state exchanges) is the best way to screw down insurance costs, by eliminating the costs of dividends, excessive overheads, obscene salaries.

PO is also the best way to get a computerized, unified health records system, rather than try to get 10 for-profit insurers, who would beg for subsidizes, to harmonize their systems.

[whottt]

Anyone unsure of just how fucked up this is, please take note of how giddy boutons is over it.

That should be a good indicator.

[DarkReign]

Anyone unsure of just how fucked up this is, please take note of how giddy boutons is over it.

That should be a good indicator.

I honestly didnt feel very strongly about this legislation, I didnt want it passed, but I knew it was inevitable one way or the other.

But boutons reaction is disturbing. No one that partisan should ever be this happy. It only spells trouble.

[coyotes_geek]

"there won't be a need for a PO"

You Lie

A national, Medicare-for-all PO (not limiting pools to state exchanges) is the best way to screw down insurance costs, by eliminating the costs of dividends, excessive overheads, obscene salaries.

PO is also the best way to get a computerized, unified health records system, rather than try to get 10 for-profit insurers, who would beg for subsidizes, to harmonize their systems.

If the current bill works, which is the only way the democrats would be able to maintain a congressional majority large enough to push a PO through, then there's not going to be any public demand for a PO because no one is going to feel the need to replace something that's working. Besides, by the time we start finding out whether or not this bill is working, we'll be dealing with medicare's insolvency. An event that will happen much sooner now that Obamacare has raided it to the tune of a half a trillion dollars. The PO will be the last thing on politicians minds.

[Wild Cobra]

Just make sure you get out before the health care bubble bursts.

I honestly believe it is the intent to make insurance companies fail, so the government can take over health care completely. I wouldn't want my money in these stocks when they start to fail.

[jacobdrj]

Treasury Bonds...

[Duff McCartney]

THX OBAMA

- Wall Street investors

Yes, if there is anyone I'm feeling sorry for right now it's not the 30 million plus people that don't health insurance, it's the 30 thousand wall street investors and health insurance company CEOs that make millions.