Stockhouse @ the Bell: Stocks get Alcoa lift

Today on Stockhouse

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Don Miller explains why the U.S. gun business is thriving in a Money Morning report.

Matt Badiali looks at why conditions are right for a drop in oil prices.

Peter Kennedy reports on Sunpeaks’ stunning rise in his Stockhouse Short Report

Top Bullboards post: “Who here has not seen this price action before? You all have been given several opportunities to get out, yet you stick around. Why? Because you know the resource is large and the prospects are great. Next time you invest in a "start-up" mine, and you will, sell before the euphoria of the prospect wanes and the heavy lifting begins. End of lesson.” From Miner666 in the Cline Mining Corp. (TSX: T.CMK, Stock Forum).

Top Bullboard: Orbite Aluminae Inc. (TSX: T.ORT, Stock Forum) earned the largest number of reads and posts on a day when its stock rose 4.2% to $2.19.

Top blog:Thedave2006 says Bellatrix Exploration Ltd. (TSX: T.BXE, Stock Forum) has provided an operations update and increases its 2012 exit rate guidance.

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

“The biggest reason we’re up today is both Italian and Spanish debt spreads are coming back,” said Art Hogan, a strategist at Lazard Capital Markets in New York, during an interview with MarketWatch.

Today In The Markets

Toronto stock market back in the black as Alcoa reassures on earnings, outlook

DJIA	12,805.39	+89.46
NASDAQ	3,016.46	+25.24
S&P500	1,368.71	+10.12
S&P/TSX	12,026.76	+91.47
S&P/TSX Venture	1,435.12	+4.02

TORONTO-NEW YORK (The Canadian Press) - The Toronto stock market returned to positive territory Wednesday afternoon after a strong earnings report from aluminum giant Alcoa Inc. raised hopes that the first-quarter earnings season won't be as bad as expected.

The S&P/TSX composite index ran up 91.47 points to 12,026.76. The advance came a day after soft Chinese economic data, worries about the European debt crisis and apprehension about earnings pushed the main index below the 11,955 mark where it started 2012 trading. The TSX Venture Exchange was ahead 4.02 points to 1,435.12.

U.S. markets were sharply higher after the largest U.S. aluminum manufacturer said Tuesday after the market close that it earned 10 cents a share in the first quarter against expectations of a four cent a share loss. Alcoa is considered a barometer for the U.S. economy as it sells its aluminum to a wide range of customers.

The Dow Jones industrials rose 89.46 points to 12,805.39.

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

After-Hours News

Insulet Corp. (NASDAQ: PODD, Stock Forum)
Insulet Corp., the leader in tubeless insulin pump technology with its OmniPod® Insulin Management System, has announced the expansion and extension of its distribution partnership with Ypsomed AG. Under the terms of the amendment, Ypsomed will become the exclusive distributor of the OmniPod insulin pump in a total of 22 countries, including several additional countries in Europe, the Middle East, and Asia. In addition, the term of the agreement has been extended by one year through June 2016, which term will be automatically extended for up to two additional years, through June 2018, provided that Ypsomed's annual purchases in 2013 and 2014 exceed certain specified targets.

North American Palladium Ltd. (TSX: T.PDL, Stock Forum)
North American Palladium Ltd. has entered into an agreement with a syndicate of underwriters co-led by Scotia Capital Inc. and RBC Capital Markets under which they have agreed to act as agents to sell 11.3 million flow-through shares of NAP on a guaranteed basis at a price of C$3.10 per Flow-Through Share for total proceeds of $35 million. The proceeds from the Offering will be used for eligible exploration activities and mine expansion expenditures at its Lac des Iles palladium mine and property in Ontario that constitute "Canadian exploration expense" as defined in the Income Tax Act (Canada). The Offering is subject to the approval of the TSX and the NYSE Amex and is expected to close on or about April 30, 2012.