Dresdner Kleinwort upgraded HSBC to buy from hold Friday, saying a likely dividend cut is now fully discounted in the share price after the stock fell around 23% in a month. The broker said it hasn't changed its core view that HSBC will cut its dividend and that it might need to top up its core capital by $10 billion if losses in its available-for-sale book become definitive. Courageous call after Goldman downgraded HSBC to "sell"...
I agree, courageous call,especially with the bad news and options puts being bought at $25 strikes. I'd rather wait till the MM make their load
Maybe of interest : http://seekingalpha.com/article/114688-hsbc-interesting-options-activity-proceed-with-caution
Najarian went as far to say option activity was similar to BSC and Lehman. Then, on Friday, they halted the shorting ban on financials. Not that that mattered; they do it anyway. But it won't help I stayed away in case the gov intervened over the weekend. But until things change, this thing is going to get hammered. Whoever is doing these raids are vicious. Tough to borrow and I wouldn't try. They could call you. But i'll risk a couple of bucks in the puts. Great risk reward there. If the governments are too stupid to stop bear raids, who am I to argue anymore. Whatever happens happens.
Bank stock bulls could be missing the big picture, this could be the end of banking as a decent investment sector. The new world of regulation and less risk taking should make then lag the averages for years perhaps decades
I'm surprised these clowns are still able to do any upgrading and downgrading at all these days. Shouldn't they have fired all their staff by now?
Why single out these guys? If S&P, Moodys, C, BOA, Morgan Stanly, Barclays UBS and the rest of these bankrupt giants can keep giving out advice why not Dresdner?