Stockhouse @ the Bell: U.S. stocks finish flat; TSX surges

Today on Stockhouse

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Is the United States still solvent? asks Nicholas Jones.

Chris Vermeulen discusses gold, silver, or oil: What’s the best trade?

One question you need to ask before buying any stock, from Andrew Mickey.

Buzz on the Boards took a look at the InNexus Biotechnology (TSX: V.IXS, Stock Forum) and NovaGold Resources (TSX: T.NG, Stock Forum) Bullboards.

Top Bullboards post:“The next wave in the markets. O where will it be. ELEC. cars may be one of those waves as people turn away from oil & gas. SO what will these new cars need yup lead & zinc for parts but more important batteries. So what is in Batteries .. yup lead & zinc. SO now where do we get all this power from yup dams, solar power, windmills, coal fired plants, gas fired plants, etc... What will we need to build the cars from yup steel. What do we need to make steel yup iron, coal, etc. Copper for power lines… [sic]” – From mark117 on the Teck Cominco (TSX: T.TCK.B, Stock Forum) Bullboard.

Top Bullboard: Tuesday’s three most posted Bullboards were Oilexco (TSX: T.OIL, Stock Forum), Goldsource Mines (TSX: V.GXS, Stock Forum) and Horizons BetaPro NYMEX Crude Oil Bull Plus ETF (TSX: T.HOU, Stock Forum).

Top blog: On the A New York Nickel blog, jackp27 said that yesterday provided an insight into what the markets will be doing for the next two weeks.

For news about small stocks that made big moves in Tuesday trading, please read the Stockhouse Canadian Small and Micro-cap Stock Report.

Word on Wall Street

"Alcoa is a harbinger of things to come," Jeff Buetow, senior portfolio manager at Portfolio Management Consultants told the Associated Press. "It was a horrible report."

After-Hours News

Morgan Stanley (NYSE: MS); Citi (NYSE: C)
After Tuesday's close, the two financial giants announced they have reached a definitive agreement to combine Morgan Stanley's Global Wealth Management Group and Citi's Smith Barney, Quilter in the UK, and Smith Barney Australia into a new joint venture to be called Morgan Stanley Smith Barney. Morgan Stanley is paying Citigroup $2.7 billion for a 51% stake in the joint venture.

EXFO Electro-Optical Engineering (TSX: T.EXF)
The provider of test and service assurance solutions, after Tuesday's closing bell, said its first-quarter sales increased 13.1% to US$46.4 million, while GAAP net earnings rose to $5.3 million, or eight cents a share, from a GAAP net loss of $0.1 million, or breakeven on a per-share basis, during the same period last year.

Today In The Markets

Energy stocks help TSX claw back losses; N.Y. weak on Alcoa earnings

DJIA	8,448.56	-25.41
NASDAQ	1,546.46	+7.67
S&P500	871.79	+1.53
S&P/TSX	8,961.55	+168.22
S&P/TSX Venture	868.90	-9.45

TORONTO, NEW YORK (CP) - The Toronto stock market closed sharply higher Tuesday following a steep loss as energy stocks revived and financials advanced after Bank of Montreal (TSX: T.BMO) bought a piece of troubled U.S. insurer American International Group.

Toronto's S&P/TSX composite index ran ahead 168.22 points to 8,961.55, while the Dow Jones industrials moved down 25.41 points to 8,448.56.

The TSX Venture Exchange was off 9.45 points to 868.9.

The Nasdaq composite index was up 7.67 points to 1,546.46 while the S&P 500 rose 1.53 points to 871.79 after the U.S. trade deficit plunged to US$40.4 billion in November, the lowest level in five years, as a deepening recession slashed demand for oil by a record amount. Imports from China also fell by the largest amount on record.

Please click here for the complete U.S. and Canadian market summaries.