[Deborah Marchini, Cnn Anchor:] Time now for your "A.M. Market Call." Sasha Salama is at the Nasdaq marketsite with a look at how investors are reacting to Microsoft's numbers in the premarket Sasha.
[Sasha Salama, Cnn Correspondent:] Good morning, Deb. Well, investors getting a bit of a surprise from Microsoft despite the fact that the software giant did last week say that it would beat revenues it stood by that forecast. What it didn't say was that its growth estimates for this quarter and the rest of the year really would fall short because of remaining weak demand for personal computers Microsoft reporting 43 cents a share in profits. That's excluding charges. And that's in line with lowered estimates announced last week Microsoft announcing $2.6 billion in investment losses. Microsoft shares, after finishing at about $72.50 yesterday, in the premarket are down about $3.50 a share. We're also watching Sun, whose stock is up just a bit in the premarket. SUNW makes network computers and servers. It reported its first quarterly net loss in 12 years. On an operating basis, though, Sun did report 4 cents a share. That was a penny better than lowered estimates the company saying it cannot predict anything for the current quarter because the economy is simply too unstable. The real winner in all of these reports from after the close: eBay, the online auction site EBAY rising about $3 a share in the premarket after losing ground in Thursday's session eBay reporting 12 cents a share. That was 3 cents better with growth across all categories. Revenues nearly doubling. The CEO, Meg Whitman, says the key for growth is new business.
[Meg Whitman, Ceo, Ebay:] Our growth strategy for the company is to continue to attract new buyers and new sellers and grow the gross merchandise sales that is transacted on this site. We've had just one price increase in four years, which was January a year ago. We don't have any near-term price increases planned. That notwithstanding, our sellers think, I think, that this is a real value. But the strategy of the company is really to bring new sellers, new buyers and have more business done on the eBay platform.
[Salama:] Despite strength in eBay shares this morning, Deb, the futures overall pointing to a considerably lower open. And that's your "A.M. Market Call" for this Friday morning.
[Marchini:] Yes, Sasha, indeed, a lower open and the futures have been getting weaker all morning. TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com