4:20 pm : Stocks closed lower Monday after CNBC reported that Fed Chairman Bernanke said the media misunderstood his congressional testimony last week.
Before the market opened, however, investors found some comfort after Wal-Mart (WMT 45.96 +0.93) reported a preliminary 6.8% rise in April same-store sales. That growth exceeded prior forecasts of 4-6% growth and set the stage for a plethora of retailers expected to report strong monthly figures later in the week. Also suggesting that high gas prices still aren't slowing down the consumer was a larger than expected 0.6
Eating Artichokes: Worth the Trouble Sometimes the strangest looking vegetables offer the biggest health rewards. Case in point: the thistle-like artichoke.
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General Health Tip
Turkey Select. In the supermarket, be sure to look for ground turkey (or chicken) breast. If the poultry is ground with dark meat and skin, you'll end up with more fat and calories that you bargained for.
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NATALEE'S UNCLE SAYS 'RE-ARREST DEEPAK!'
Natalee Holloway's uncle is demanding that suspect Deepak Kalpoe be re-arrested in the 10-month-old mystery of the pretty blonde honor student who disappeared in Aruba. Deepak, his brother Satish and Joran van der Sloot were with the Alabama teen, pictured center, when she was last seen leaving a bar on the island in the early hours of May 30. Her uncle Paul Reynolds told The National Enquirer that he believes Deepak, 21, should be the chief suspect instead of van der Sloot, 18. Reynolds also... STAR JONES CHEATS DEATH AS SHE UNDERGOES PLASTIC SURGERY A WILD NIGHT OUT FOR JESSE & HIS PARTY PAL LINDSAY
Star Magazine
KATIE HOLMES: FEARING FOR HER TOMKITTEN
Katie Holmes was already worried about the upcoming birth of her baby. According to the tenets of 43-year-old fiancé Tom Cruise's religion, Scientology, she'll have to be silent (not even a moan!) during the delivery, lest the trauma be imprinted in her baby's brain. Plus, a source says, "Only Tom and a few Scientology supporters will be in the room — not Katie's mother!" And Scientology advocates separating the baby from its mother for at least the first 24 hours after birth. Now... IT'S OVER! KRISTIN CHEATS ON NICK WITH HER EX! ANGELINA PILOTING HER PLANE AT 7 1/2 MONTHS: IS SHE CRAZY?
Afghan suicide blast kills two, wounds Canadian A suicide car-bomber attacked foreign troops near the Afghan capital Kabul on Tuesday, killing himself and a passer-by, Aghan police said. (Graphic/Reuters)
2:59 pm PT Ventas reports in line; guides Y06 FFO below consensus (VTR) 31.90 -0.77 : Reports Q1 (Mar) funds from operations of $0.55 per share, in line with the Reuters Estimates consensus of $0.55; revenues rose 53.3% year/year to $97.8 mln vs the $97.4 mln consensus. Co issues downside guidance for FY06, sees FFO of $2.23-2.25 vs. $2.32 consensus.
2:59 pm PT Odyssey Healthcare beats by $0.01 (ODSY) 17.40 +0.01 : Reports Q1 (Mar) earnings of $0.17 per share, $0.01 better than the Reuters Estimates consensus of $0.16; revenues rose 18.0% year/year to $103.6 mln vs the $100.3 mln consensus. Briefing.com note: consensus and actual includes stock-based compensation expense of $0.02.
2:40 pm PT AMN Healthcare Services beats by $0.03; guides Q2 and FY06 (AHS) 19.73 0.51 : Reports Q1 (Mar) earnings of $0.22 per share, excluding non-recurring items, $0.03 better than the Reuters Estimates consensus of $0.19; revenues rose 62.2% year/year to $254.3 mln vs the $249 mln consensus. Co issues in-line guidance for Q2, sees EPS of $0.18-0.20 vs. $0.20 consensus; sees Q2 revs of $254-258 mln vs. $254.43 mln consensus. Co issues�mixed guidance for FY06, sees EPS of $0.75-0.79 vs. $0.81 consensus; sees FY06 revs of $1025-1050 vs. $1.03 bln consensus.