IBD's Top 10 - Tuesday

• Investor's Business Daily
• On 7:04 pm EDT, Tuesday September 22, 2009

Commodities Urge On Indexes

1 The Nasdaq edged up 0.4% to close a shade below a 52-week high. The energy-heavy NYSE high-stepped 1.1%, its 11th gain in 14 sessions. The Dow rose 0.5% and the S&P 500 0.7%. A weaker dollar fueled precious metals and oil, lifting related stocks. The newspaper group, which has vaulted to No. 1, also popped.

Baucus Revises Health Care Bill

2 As the Senate Finance Committee began debating the overhaul plan, Chairman Max Baucus, D-Mont., expanded his proposed gov't subsidies to help people buy coverage and trim fines on those who don't to try to win support. He also tweaked a tax on high-end plans. Those changes -- along with most of 564 proposed amendments by Finance members -- would boost the plan's cost.

Jobless Benefit Extension Near

3 The House late Tue. was expected to vote to extend aid to the unemployed for a 3rd time since the recession started. This one would target the jobless in states with unemployment of at least 8.5%. A quick Senate OK is expected. Lawmakers are also mulling the extension of a homebuyer tax break as the political calculus for stimulus outlasts the recession.

Obama: U.S. Lagged On Climate

4 The president said the U.S. was slow to recognize climate change's magnitude, and his administration is moving swiftly to catch up. Addressing the U.N. Climate Change Summit in New York, Obama said he has made the "largest ever" U.S. investment in renewable energy. But Congress appears unlikely to approve costly cap-and-trade legislation this year.

Commodities Climb As Buck Falls

5 Crude prices bounced back above $71 as the dollar fell to its lowest level vs. the euro in a year. Oct. crude futures rose $1.84 to $71.55 a barrel. The euro hit $1.4821, its highest level since Sept. '08. The greenback also slid vs. the yen and most other rivals. The dollar's woes lifted gold prices 1% to $1,015.50 an ounce. Copper climbed 2%.

Cash For Clunkers Aids CarMax

6 The No. 1 U.S. used-car retailer said Q2 EPS rose 667% to 46 cents, crushing views by 28 cents. Sales grew 13% to $2.08 bil, above forecasts. While Cash for Clunkers didn't include used cars, CarMax (NYSE:KMX - News) said the gov't incentive program boosted store traffic. The firm doesn't plan to open any new stores, saying the "light at the end of the tunnel is still dim." Shares rose 10% to 21.20.

FDIC May Tap Banks For Loans

7 Regulators have approached big banks about borrowing money to shore up the FDIC's deposit insurance fund, 2 industry officials said. Regulators also are mulling an emergency fee on banks or tapping a $100 bil credit line with the Treasury. The fund, which insures accounts up to $250,000, is at its lowest point 19ince the S&L crisis in '92.

Honduras Isolates Ex-President

8 Troops sealed off the Brazilian Embassy in Tegucigalpa where ousted Pres. Manuel Zelaya was holed up after his surprise return. Soldiers used tear gas and batons to disperse Zelaya's supporters and turned off water and electricity to the embassy. Zelaya was removed in June after he ignored Supreme Court orders to stop pursuing a referendum to change the constitution.

ConAgra Beats, Outlook Is Solid

9 The food processing giant's Q1 EPS rose 41% to 38 cents, topping views by 4 cents. Sales fell 3% to $2.96 bil, shy of forecasts. ConAgra Foods (NYSE:CAG - News) said profit in its branded consumer foods unit jumped 34%, but sales of frozen meals and Chef Boyardee canned pasta fell. ConAgra sees full-year EPS near $1.70 vs. views for $1.65. Its shares fell 1.5%.

EU Adviser Backs Google Ads

10 An EU court adviser sided with Google (NasdaqGS:GOOG - News) in a dispute with luxury goods makers over Web ads, saying the search king hadn't violated trademarks. The case centers on whether Google can sell brand names as keywords that trigger ads for rivals. Google has faced many such lawsuits worldwide, such as one filed in July by language-learning software maker Rosetta Stone (NYSE:RST - News).

Buzz up!