Yahoo Finance Wall Street's March Madness; Nike jumps to new high; Johnnie Walker counts calories
March Madness looks to continue on Wall Street as the bulls appear ready to rebound from yesterday's selloff. Stocks (^GSPC) are higher as investors wait for comments from Fed bank presidents Charles Evans and Dennis Lockhart.
Yahoo Finance Senior Columnist Michael Santoli says investors will be looking for more hints on the central bank's position after Wednesday's statement suggesting Janet Yellen and company are in no hurry to raise interest rates.
"Evans is a dove, and he might articulate why it's better for Janet Yellen to be late rather than early," Santoli points out. "Lockhart is more of a centrist, and he might be one of those guys who gives us kind of the where the central point of Fed thinking is right now. So those are the two things I'd watch-- the dollar and the bond market in particular."
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Nike kicks it up
Nike (NKE) is among the stocks to watch today. The athletic gear maker reporting earnings that topped analysts' estimates as it continued to benefit from strong demand for its shoes and apparel. But revenue fell short of forecasts as the stronger dollar put pressure on sales during the holiday quarter and weighed on future orders.
Also hurt by the strong dollar...Tiffany (TIF). The high-end jewelry retailer posting earnings that matched Wall Street views...but revenue slightly missed estimates. The stronger dollar and weaker-than-expected same-store sales growth took a toll on sales during the holiday period. The company also provided a disappointing outlook for the year.
Related: Nike sprints to new high; Tiffany gets tarnished; Darden does it again
No such problems at Darden Restaurants (DRI). The owner of Olive Garden and other restaurant chains is raising its outlook for the year after earnings and revenue topped forecasts. Darden saying same-store sales showed growth for the second straight quarter. The company is also raising its outlook for the year.
SeaWorld Entertainment (SEAS) in the spotlight. The struggling theme park operator naming veteran theme park executive Joel Manby to take over as CEO at the beginning of April. Manby will try to reverse sinking attendance and repair the company's reputation after controversy over the treatment of killer whales.
Amazon in the air!
Amazon.com (AMZN) also in the headlines after the online retailer received FAA approval to fly experimental drones over Washington State. Amazon is developing drones as part of a new system, called "Prime Air," that will deliver packages in 30 minutes or less.
Related: Amazon approved to fly experimental drones
Time Warner's (TWX) HBO, CBS's (CBS) Showtime, and Sony (SNE) are reportedly in talks with Comcast and other broadband providers to ensure their streaming videos get special treatment. The Wall Street Journal says that content from the entertainment sites would get a special lane, helping circumvent new net neutrality rules.
Related: Johnnie Walker gets on the scale
And Johnnie Walker can help you count calories...Diageo (DEO) is planning to list calorie counts on many of its products, including Smirnoff vodka and Guinness. The new labels are expected to hit U.S. shelves in the next few months.
