Compass Bancshares Inc. (CBSS) has been moving to the downside for the bulk of Friday's session and is now lower by 1.08 at $45.59.

Compass Bancshares Inc. pulled back from its 50-day moving average on Thursday and may find support around $45.00.

Astoria Financial Corp. (AF) moved slightly to the downside at the open of Friday's session and has fallen lower in the last hour. The stock is now down 0.95 at $36.61 with volume beginning to increase in the last 15 minutes.

Astoria Financial Corp. has been pulling back from its 50-day moving average for the last 4 sessions and is now trading at a 3-month low. The stock has also dropped beneath its 200-day moving average.

The broader indices have ticked lower over the past half hour. Driven by a mid-day sell off in Merck (MRK), which was prompted by an adverse court ruling regarding its Fosamax patent, the Dow has moved to a new intraday low. The Nasdaq is sitting just above a nadir set in the 11 o'clock hour.

Overcoming a disappointing GDP report, the major averages ticked up at the start of Friday's session, helped by earnings from Microsoft (MSFT) and hope that Procter & Gamble's (PG) deal to acquire Gillette (G) might bode well for continued M&A activity. The optimism did not last much longer than the first few minutes of trading, however, and the major averages dropped sharply through the mid-morning. Dow -69.75, Nasdaq -19.28, S&P 500 -7.54. NYSE Adv/Dec 1294/1857, Nasdaq Adv/Dec 1014/1868.

Though they showed some strength early in the session, tech stocks were key components in the mid-day drop off. The semiconductor sector has been adding to its losses lately and is now posting a decline of 1.8%. The software and networking spaces are each down more than 1.5% as well.

Housing and homebuilding stocks are being helped by the decline in treasury yields, recovering from Thursday's decline. Despite a choppy session, the airline sector is currently sitting modestly above the flat line.

Treasury yields fell through the first hours of trading after the release of worse-than-expected GDP data for the fourth quarter. The 10-year yield is currently down 6.9 basis points to 4.138%, holding just above recent lows.

WebEx Communications Inc. (WEBX) has been moving to the downside for the bulk of Friday's session and is now lower by 0.71 at $19.58.

WebEx Communications Inc. has been pulling back from its 200-day moving average for the last week and a half and is now trading at a 5-month low.

Telik Inc. (TELK) has fallen below Friday's range in the last 15 minutes on increased volume and is now down 0.47 at $18.76.

Telik Inc. has been moving in a range for the last 5 weeks and may find support around $18.00.

CHICAGO (Reuters) - The union representing mechanics at bankrupt United Airlines said Friday its members had overwhelmingly rejected a tentative labor agreement that would have reduced their wages and benefits.

The Aircraft Mechanics Fraternal Association said in a statement that its members also voted in favor of calling for a labor strike. United is a unit of UAL Corp., which is based in Elk Grove Village, Ill.

Harbor Florida Bancshares Says Chairman Edward Enns Retires, Standish Crippen To Succeed - Update [HARB]

1/28/2005 1:13:23 PM Harbor Florida Bancshares, Inc. (HARB), the holding company for Harbor Federal Savings Bank, announced that its Chairman of the Board, Edward Enns, was retiring pursuant to the Company's policies on Director retirement after 27 years of service.

The company noted that Standish Crippen, a local businessman and long-time resident of St. Lucie County, was elected to fill Mr. Enns' vacancy. Current Directors Larry Lee, Jr., Richard L. Lynch and Edwin R. Massey were all re-elected for three- year terms.

HARB is currently trading at $33.11, down 11 cents.

VCA Antech Inc. (WOOF) climbed to the upside until noon and has risen higher in the last few minutes on increased volume. The stock is now up 0.38 at $17.91.

VCA Antech Inc. has been moving in a narrow range for the last week.

Amedisys Inc. (AMED) moved to the downside around mid-morning on Friday and has slipped further in the last few minutes. The stock is now down 0.95 at $28.30.

Amedisys Inc. has fallen below a narrow range to set a 2-week low. The stock has also dropped beneath its 200-day moving average.

Rudolph Technologies Inc. (RTEC) gapped open lower Friday morning and has since steadily declined. The stock is now down 1.98 at $14.85.

Rudolph Technologies Inc. has dropped beneath support and is now trading at a 10-week low.

Hansen Natural Corp. (HANS) gapped up slightly Friday morning, but has since moved in a narrow range. The stock has risen higher in the last few minutes on increased volume and is now up 0.92 at $40.30.

Hansen Natural Corp. has risen above a week and a half long range and is now trading at a new 52-week high.

News

Lowe`s President Robert Niblock Takes Over As Chairman And CEO Succeeding Robert Tillman - Quick Facts [LOW]

1/28/2005 1:33:11 PM Lowe's Companies Inc. (LOW) announced that its president Robert Niblock has assumed the additional roles of chairman and chief executive officer. Niblock, president for the past two years, succeeds retiring chairman and CEO Robert Tillman under the succession plan adopted by the board of directors last April.

After reporting disappointing earnings and guidance after Thursday's close, Lance (LNCE) declined steadily through most of the morning on Friday. The stock has added to its losses in the past 35 minutes and is now trading at $16.58, down $1.95 on the session.

With Friday's decline, Lance has broken below a 2-month trading range to reach its lowest level since early November.

Titanium Metals (TIE), which revealed after the close on Thursday that it has reached a labor accord at its Ohio plant, has risen steadily throughout Friday's session, with continued gains coming over the past 40 minutes.

The stock is currently up $2.70 to $28.35, breaking above a recent trading range and reaching a new multi-year peak.