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Today on Stockhouse

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Ticker Trax’s Thom Calandra describes junior prospectors that deserve legend status.

This as Jeff Clark of Casey Research says precious metal investors should heed this lesson from Japan.

Top Bullboards post: “Possibly a MERGER – If one company is too big to take down (they somehow merge) my guess, possibly ARZ.I still think Goldcorp will want and chew up the whole 9 yard further down the road (before depleting their ore once the Hollinger/MacIntyre and Paymaster has no guts left to yank-out).First think will be first as TRR will scoop up smaller area play such has GLD ,NCM and others.LSG will do the same with AGE and EXS and others, then G will come in and scoop up most of the HWY 144 from Timmins to past Gogoma. Aurizon is another play that may make a quicker attempt with LSG by merger. I'm sure all of these plays have a Confidentiality Agreement with several Bigger and Smaller players. With price of GOLD this Hi and going higher, this is the season for take-over/merger/j-v. Let the fun begin.” From movingup1 on the Trelawney Mining and Exploration (TSX: V.TRR, Stock Forum) board.

Top Bullboard:Intertainment Media (TSX: V.INT, Stock Forum) received the most reads and posts.

Top blog: mallgirl believes this junior is significantly undervalued at its current price in the Mallgirl's Musings blog.

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

Word on Wall Street

“We’re waiting for earnings season to get going to make a decision about what to do next quarter, we’re in the twilight period between big employment data and earnings,” said Paul Nolte, managing director at Dearborn Partners, in an interview with MarketWatch.

Today In The Markets

Toronto stock market closes lower amid record high bullion prices, rising oil

DJIA	12,426.75	+32.85
NASDAQ	2,799.82	+8.63
S&P500	+8.63	+2.91
S&P/TSX	14,202.65	-67.88
S&P/TSX Venture	2,363.43	+9.09

Toronto & New York (The Canadian Press) - The Toronto stock market closed lower Wednesday as gold stocks failed to respond to bullion prices moving further into record territory while energy stocks backed off as crude approached the US$109 level.

The S&P /TSX composite index fell 67.88 points to 14,202.65 while the TSX Venture Exchange climbed 9.09 points to 2,363.43.

New York markets were higher with the Dow Jones industrial average ahead 32.85 points at 12,426.75. The Nasdaq composite index was up 8.63 points at 2,799.82 while the S&P 500 index rose 2.91 points to 1,335.54.

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

After-Hours News

Bed Bath & Beyond Inc. (Nasdaq: BBBY, Stock Forum)
Bed Bath & Beyond Inc. reported net earnings of $1.12 per diluted share ($283.5 million) in the fiscal fourth quarter ended February 26, 2011, an increase of approximately 30% versus net earnings of $.86 per diluted share ($226.0 million) in the same quarter a year ago. Net sales for the fiscal fourth quarter of 2010 were approximately $2.505 billion, an increase of approximately 11.6% from net sales of approximately $2.244 billion reported in the fiscal fourth quarter of 2009. Comparable store sales in the fiscal fourth quarter of 2010 increased by approximately 8.5%, compared with an increase of approximately 11.5% in last year's fiscal fourth quarter.

Gowest Gold Ltd. (TSX: V.GWA, Stock Forum)
Gowest Gold Ltd. said that, as approved by the company's shareholders at an annual and special meeting held on March 29, 2011, the Company has changed its name from Gowest Amalgamated Resources Ltd. to Gowest Gold Ltd. The name change remains subject to final acceptance from the TSX Venture Exchange. The change of name is intended to better reflect the Company's focus on gold exploration, development and acquisition.