ECONOMY & MARKETS

As the US economy has evolved and drastically changed in the past few decades, the identity and background of pro sports owners have also changed.

Wedbush Securities views recent weakness likely due to concerns and confusion over the AT&T (NYSE: T) renewal, as an opportunistic entry point in shares of Synchronoss Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ: SNCR). The brokerage reiterated its outperform rating on shares of Synchronoss with a price target of $36.

The top pre-market NASDAQ Stock Market gainers are: Advanced Analogic Technologies, rue21, Marvell Technology Group, Magma Design Automation, and Millicom International Cellular. The top pre-market NASDAQ Stock Market losers are: Gordmans Stores, China Information Technology, Blue Coat Systems, OmniVision Technologies, and Glu Mobile.

Barclays Capital said NetApp Inc. (NASDAQ: NTAP) seems poised to outline a compelling story at its June 30 annual meeting in New York. The brokerage reiterated its overweight rating on shares of NetApp with a price target of $67.

The U.S. Commerce Department has already painted a bleak picture of GDP growth, but the recovery will face tougher headwinds if fiscal consolidation efforts set in, analysts have said.

Relatives of the people affected by the 7/7 suicide attacks in July 2005, which killed more than 50 people and injured 700, demanded for a ban on Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 video game.

Jefferies & Co. expects four potential negative events for Research In Motion Ltd. (NASDAQ: RIMM) shareholders in the next 6 to 12 months. The brokerage reiterated its underperform rating on shares of the BlackBerry maker with a price target of $35.

The top after-market NASDAQ Stock Market gainers are: Advanced Analogic Technologies, SeaChange International, rue21, Marvell Technology Group, and Saba Software. The top after-market NASDAQ Stock Market losers are: Gordmans Stores, Blue Coat Systems, OmniVision Technologies, THQ, and China Techfaith Wireless Communication Technology.

The top after-market NYSE losers on Thursday are: Paragon Shipping, Boardwalk Pipeline Partners, Georgia Gulf Corp, Moneygram International, First Commonwealth Financial, Vaalco Energy, Weight Watchers International, Allied Irish Banks, Federal Signal Corp. and Credicorp Ltd.

The top after-market NYSE gainers on Thursday are: Dresser-Rand Group, Kraton Performance Polymers, Beazer Homes, LDK Solar Co, Empire District Electric, Toronto Dominion Bank, Transcananda Corp, Bank Of Montreal, CACI International and Yingli Green Energy Holding.

Legendary investor Marc Faber is worried about the vast riches of the financial elites while the middle class and lower class struggle.

The evidence from China, for example, suggests that while higher rates certainly have the potential to dent gold demand, far more important drivers are inflation and growth. China's experience may not be typical, but it's certainly worth examining. China is the world's second biggest gold market after India.

Despite recovery and stabilization, the threat of an economic crisis in 2011 is still possible.

RBC Capital Markets said the goals are unclear as Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia Inc. (NYSE: MSO) cleaned management house, while hiring an investment bank to explore strategic partnerships.

The companies whose shares are moving in pre-market trade on Thursday are: Guess?, Inc, Sequans Communications, Tiffany & Co, Sandridge Energy, Family Dollar Stores, Dex One Corp, Netapp Inc, Computer Sciences, Big Lots and Lender Processing Services.

The top pre-market NASDAQ Stock Market gainers are: USA Technologies, NetApp, Sequenom, Level 3 Communications, and Akamai Technologies. The top pre-market NASDAQ Stock Market losers are: Elbit Imaging, Rigel Pharmaceuticals, Complete Genomics, CoStar Group, and Shire.

Yahoo hosted its investor day on May 25 and as expected Yahoo Japan, display business and search growth took center stage.

MVC3 controller stick has set up the market for other companies to try and deliver anything more than what they are delivering and no one right now has the best possible answer so far, say reports.

Wedbush Securities said Boeing Co. (NYSE: BA) annual investor day yielded little incremental insight, but increased its confidence in the timing and production ramp of the new commercial programs. The brokerage maintained its outperform rating on shares of Boeing with a price target of $91.

Software giant Microsoft should replace Steve Ballmer as its Chief Executive, Greenlight Capital Inc. President David Einhorn said at the Ira Sohn Investment Conference in New York.

The top after-market NASDAQ Stock Market gainers are: Semtech, Deer Consumer Products, United Security Bancshares, Level 3 Communications, and NetApp. The top after-market NASDAQ Stock Market losers are: Sigma Designs, Rigel Pharmaceuticals, Amedisys, Novavax, and Altera.

The overall trend of the market is often times much more powerful than a short-term change in a technical reading.

BMO Capital Markets lowered its fiscal 2011 profit forecast for chip maker Qualcomm.

The top pre-market NASDAQ Stock Market gainers are: Quantum Fuel Systems Technologies Worldwide, California Pizza Kitchen, LTX-Credence, VIVUS, and Avago Technologies. The top pre-market NASDAQ Stock Market losers are: Akorn, Exterran Partners, Avanir Pharmaceuticals, Applied Materials, and Costco Wholesale.

The tremors of Japan’s earthquake and hacking attacks will cost Sony ¥14 billion (US$170 million) in this financial year, Sony said, reports say.

Barclays Capital still believes Apple Inc.'s (NASDAQ: AAPL) iPhone is well positioned to grow faster than the smartphone market over the long-term. The brokerage reiterated its overweight rating on shares of Apple with a price target of $465.

The top after-market NASDAQ Stock Market gainers are: Velti, China-Biotics, Oncothyreon, Synovis Life Technologies, and Inter Parfums. The top after-market NASDAQ Stock Market losers are: Park Sterling Bank, Charming Shoppes, Books-A-Million, CoStar Group, Exterran Partners, and Compuware.

The coming of the next version of Windows in 2012, as announced by Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer during a speech at a developer conference in Tokyo might just be a speculation as the company is yet to confirm on its date and OS features, reports PC World.

In less than 90 days, the debt crisis in Europe drove gold up more than 17.5% in 2010. If gold were to repeat the same pattern we saw last year, we could tack on 17%+ from today’s prices, putting the metal at over $1780 per ounce.