Schaeffer's Daily Market Blog Features: Smithfield Foods, Symbol Technologies, Motorola, IntercontinentalExchange, and Exxon Mobil.

CINCINNATI -- Among the stocks featured in the September 18 edition of Schaeffer's Market Blog are Smithfield Foods (NYSE:SFD), Symbol Technologies (NYSE:SBL), Motorola (NYSE:MOT), IntercontinentalExchange (NYSE:ICE), and Exxon Mobil (NYSE:XOM). Schaeffer's Market Blog is just one of the many free market commentaries written every day at www.SchaeffersResearch.com - the home of Bernie Schaeffer and Schaeffer's Investment Research. The Market Blog is written throughout every trading day by Schaeffer's financial analysts and traders. They are quick insights to the day's most notable market activity from an options perspective. To have this report delivered to you free via email every day click on the following link and you'll also get an opportunity to win an iPod Nano. http://www.schaeffersresearch.com/redirect.aspx?CODE=PROB13M&PAGE=1 .

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10:25 AM Smithfield Brings Home the Bacon

You might say that investors watching out for merger-and-acquisition activity are in "hog heaven" today. Smithfield Foods (NYSE:SFD), the country's number-one hog producer, has announced plans to acquire Premium Standard Farms (PORK) in a stock-and-cash deal worth about $810 million. The agreement also includes the assumption of about $117 million in debt.

Virginia-based SFD says it expects the deal to be accretive as soon as the merger is complete, which is expected to take place during the first calendar quarter of next year. Not surprisingly, PORK shares have rallied today, surging more than 14 percent to tag a new annual high, while SFD shares are in the red, down more than two percent. SFD's gap lower has dropped the stock to possible support from its 20-week moving average.

On the Expectational Analysis(R) front, SFD could benefit from short-covering activity over the short term, should bearish speculators begin to seek out the exits. Currently, short interest stands at 6.8 times the equity's average daily trading volume.

11:12 AM Symbol for Sale?

Computer-hardware concern Symbol Technologies (NYSE:SBL) has shot nearly 14 percent higher today to a new 52-week peak. Saturday's Wall Street Journal reported that the firm is close to concluding an auction that placed itself on the block for sale. Motorola (NYSE:MOT) is reportedly leading the bidding, which may wrap up with a deal setting a 20-percent premium to SBL's $3.2 billion market capitalization. Amid these reports, MOT shares have moved slightly higher as well, enough to lift MOT to a new annual high.

An analyst with Raymond James noted that: "We have every reason to believe that the sale will be completed in the next several days, along with a near-certain stamp of approval from the Justice Department." The brokerage boosted its rating on SBL to "outperform" and adjusted its price target to $15, or 18 percent above Friday's close. Additionally, Thomas Weisel reiterated its "outperform" rating on SBL shares, while RBC Capital Markets reiterated its "outperform" of MOT.

11:53 AM New York Board of Trade Seat Sells at Record High

A seat at the New York Board of Trade (Nybot) has sold for a record-setting price of $950,000. The previous record was set on April 5, when a seat changed hands for $875,000. A seat is now being offered at $1,050,000.

Trading resumed on the Nybot after being suspended last week for three business days. The board is currently thinking over a merger offer from IntercontinentalExchange (NYSE:ICE). Members of the Nybot met Friday afternoon to debate the proposal, but a vote has not yet been scheduled.

In separate news, Banc of America Securities lifted its rating on ICE to "buy" ahead of Monday's opening bell. The firm noted that: "We are confident ICE's management team will realize the full potential of the combined companies, and believe upside (earnings per share) potential from electronic migration of Nybot and clearing outweighs risks, although it will take time (2008) to realize." Banc of America also lifted its price target on ICE to $98.50 from $65. ICE shares are trading nearly three percent higher this morning and are trading in territory not seen since mid-May.

1:33 PM Exxon Helps Boost Broader Averages

Exxon Mobil (NYSE:XOM) is responsible for a large part of today's upward move in the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA - 11,572.2), and is helping to boost the market-cap weighted S&P 500 Index (SPX - 1,323.40) as well, given that it boasts the largest market capitalization in the SPX, at nearly $400 billion. Shares of XOM are currently up more than 2.5 percent. Energy stocks overall are seeing a sharp pop from oversold levels, and could help to drag the market higher. Conversely, this may just be a short-term bounce in the midst of a new downward trend in the energy complex.

For more information on these stocks or any stock in your portfolio, feel free to visit our Schaeffer's Equity Scorecard feature. Click here to read all of today's Market Blog: http://www.schaeffersresearch.com/redirect.aspx?CODE=PROB13C&PAGE=1.

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About Schaeffer's Investment Research (www.SchaeffersResearch.com)

Schaeffer's Investment Research, founded by Bernie Schaeffer in 1981, is a financial information and trading resources company. It publishes Bernie Schaeffer's Option Advisor, the nation's leading options subscription newsletter. The firm's contrarian approach focuses on stocks with technical and fundamental trends that run counter to investor expectations. The firm's website, http://www.SchaeffersResearch.com , is recognized as one of the leading information sources for stock and options traders and was cited as the top options website by both Forbes and Barron's. Click here for more details about Schaeffer's trading methodology: http://www.SchaeffersResearch.com/method .