NOTE TO EDITORS: The Following Is an Investment Opinion Being Issued by Bridgewater Equity (BWE).

Saying them today could cost a fortune.

Visit StreetInsider.com at http://www.streetinsider.com/news.php?st=p&id=4269742 for the full story.

Visit StreetInsider.com at http://www.streetinsider.com/news.php?st=p&id=4268933 for the full story.

SAN FRANCISCO, Jan. 1 (UPI) -- San Francisco bank Wells Fargo & Co. said it had closed on its purchase of Wachovia Corp., making it the fourth-largest U.S. bank measured by assets.

On the last trading day of the year, the holiday spirit prevailed. Not even news of Russia cutting off natural-gas supplies to the Ukraine could hamper the traders’ hopes, as the major indices were up around 1.5%.

In this article, we cite Merrill Lynch (MER), Bank of America (BAC), JP Morgan Chase (JPM), Citigroup (C), Wells Fargo (WFC), PNC Financial Services (PNC), Morgan Stanley (MS) and Goldman Sachs (GS). The banking landscape in the U.S. has changed drastically[More...]

(This is the fifth installment of an investigative series in which Money Morning examines how U.S. banks are using federal bailout funds.) By William Patalon III Executive Editor Money... Money Morning is here to help investors profit handsomely on this seismic shift in the global economy. Money moves markets. But Money Morning lets you move first. <img[More...]

After receiving hundreds of billions of dollars in taxpayer-funded federal bailout money, the biggest U.S. banks say they can’t track how that money is being spent. Some of the banks are outright refusing to discuss the matter, a new study has found. “We have not disclosed that to the public. We’re declining to,” Thomas ...

Filed under: Competitive strategy, Bank of America (BAC), Merrill Lynch (MER), Countrywide Financial (CFC), Wachovia Corp (WB), Wells Fargo (WFC), Stocks to Buy, Best Stocks for 2009

We start the new year with the disappearance of two household names in the financial world, Merrill Lynch which sold itself to Bank of America, (NYSE: BAC) fearing the worst of the broadly deteriorating financial markets; and Wachovia that not only feared the worst but lived through it only long enough to be acquired by Wells Fargo (NYSE: WFC). Both transactions completed yesterday while the market was closed.

The market has been up all day and both BAC and WFC can be upbeat as two of the world's survivors of the 2008 minefields that blew up some of the largest and most revered names in many generations.

The BAC deal propels it to be the No. 1 financial institution in the United States with about $2.7 trillion in assets. Merrill Lynch ends a 94 year run. Earlier in the year BAC acquired Countrywide Financial. These two deals allow Bank of America to stand tall as he largest originator and servicing company for new loans, just when home refinancing may take off based on new lower rates becoming available. It may be able to expand financial services when the world is hoping for even a modest recovery.

Continue reading Merrill & Wachovia give up the ghost

Merrill & Wachovia give up the ghost originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 02 Jan 2009 16:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Schaeffer's Andrea Kramer takes a look at unusual option activity on the Street

Schaeffer's analyst Colleen S. King takes a look at news on the Street before the market open.

Schaeffer's analyst Colleen S. King takes a look at news on the Street before the market open.

Schaeffer's Andrea Kramer takes a look at unusual option activity on the Street

Schaeffer's analyst Colleen S. King takes a look at news on the Street before the market open.