Schaeffer's Market Leaders and Laggards Features BCE Inc, Pulte Homes, Flextronics International, Micron Technology, and Protein Design Labs.

CINCINNATI -- Among the stocks featured in the April 1 edition of Schaeffer's Market Leaders and Laggards includes BCE Inc. (NYSE:BCE), Pulte Homes (NYSE:PHM), Flextronics International (NASDAQ:FLEX), Micron Technology (NYSE:MU), and Protein Design Labs (NASDAQ:PDLI). Schaeffer's Market Leaders and Laggards screener is just one of the many features written every day at http://www.SchaeffersResearch.com - the home of Bernie Schaeffer and Schaeffer's Investment Research. The information used to compile this commentary is derived from the Schaeffer's Equity Scorecard Filter. Below is a quick overview of some of the heavy hitters that are seeing some particularly high or low rankings. For a complete list of the stocks on our High/Low Schaeffer's Equity Scorecard Filter, sign up for an unlimited access free trial to Schaeffer's Gold. http://www.SchaeffersResearch.com/redirect.aspx?CODE=PRGLD2M&PAGE=1.

Schaeffer's Market Leaders and Laggards for Friday, April 1, 2005:

BCE Inc. - Ranking 10.0

BCE Inc. (NYSE:BCE) is Canada's largest communications company, with its Bell Canada and Bell Mobility as part of its holdings. The firm's services also include Internet access, data and e-commerce services, and satellite communications. The security has been the focus of heavy pessimism recently. Options players have bet against the shares, loading up on put positions. The stock's Schaeffer's put/call open interest ratio (SOIR) of 0.84 is higher than 83 percent of all those taken over the past 52 weeks. Short interest has also edged higher to 3.54 million shares. At the equity's average daily trading volume, these positions can be covered in roughly 11 days of trading. Wall Street has yet to jump on this security, with just four analysts following BCE. What's more, only one of these four brokerage firms rates the stock a "buy." Technically speaking, the shares are battling resistance at the 25 level as they wait for their 10-week and 20-week trendlines to catch up. Since July, the equity has closed only two weeks below both of these moving averages. A bounce off intermediate-term support could help launch the shares higher as the bears are forced to close their positions in order to limit losses. BCE's Schaeffer's Equity Scorecard ranking rests at a perfect 10.

Click on the following link to see the Weekly Chart of BCE since May 2004 with 10-Week and 20-Week Moving Averages: http://www.schaeffersresearch.com/wire?ID=12858.

Pulte Homes - Ranking 9.0

Another favorite whipping boy of the Street is Pulte Homes (NYSE:PHM). Analysts remain confident that the "housing bubble" is ready to burst, despite the fact that the sector continues to climb. PHM has rebounded off support at the 72 level, which is also home to the security's rising 10-week moving average. The shares have not suffered a weekly close below this trendline since mid-November. Furthermore, PHM has enjoyed the stellar support of its 10-month moving average since January 2003. Meanwhile, options speculators have bet heavily against the firm. The stock's SOIR rests at a lofty 2.18, as bearish bets more than double calls in the front three months of options. This reading is also higher than all but three percent of those taken over the past 52 weeks. Short interest also surged 28 percent higher in March to 6.45 million shares. This accumulation of short positions accounts for more than six percent of the equity's total float. This combination of technical strength and lingering pessimism has earned PHM an Equity Scorecard ranking of 9.0 out of 10.

Click on the following link to see the Monthly Chart of PHM since October 2002 with 10-Month Moving Average: http://www.schaeffersresearch.com/wire?ID=12858.

Flextronics International - Ranking 1.0

Technically speaking, Flextronics International (NASDAQ:FLEX) has breached support at the 12.40 level and continues to be hammered by resistance at its declining 10-day moving average. The stock is also facing staunch resistance at its 10-month trendline, which it has not closed a month above since June 2004. The equity's steady downtrend may take it back for another test of support at the 10 level. Traders, on the other hand, remain confident that FLEX is overdue for a rebound. The equity's SOIR of 0.40 is lower than all other readings taken over the past 52 weeks. What's more, short interest plunged by 11 percent in March to 14.62 million shares, or 2.74 percent of the stock's total float. Wall Street even favors the firm, as 13 of the 23 analysts following FLEX rate it a "buy" or better. FLEX currently carries an Equity Scorecard ranking of 1.0 out of 10.

Click on the following link to see the Daily Chart of FLEX since November 2004 with 10-Day Moving Average: http://www.schaeffersresearch.com/wire?ID=12858.

Micron Technology - Ranking 2.5

Sticking with the tech sector, we find Micron Technology (NYSE:MU) having some chart troubles. The equity's recent bounce off support was stopped short at its 20-day moving average. The shares are now headed lower again, with heavy resistance residing overhead at their declining 10-week and 20-week moving average. Since mid-April 2004, MU has enjoyed only three weekly closes above both of these trendlines. Additional resistance in the form of its 10-month moving average is also working to keep the shares down. Sentiment toward the shares is starting to lean toward the bears' camp, which shouldn't be particularly surprising. The equity's SOIR is higher than 80 percent of all those taken over the past year. Meanwhile, short interest was relatively unchanged in March, with the stock's short-interest ratio checking in at a modest 4.28 days to cover. The Schaeffer's Equity Scorecard for MU rests at 2.5 out of 10.

Click on the following link to see the Weekly Chart of MU since March 2004 with 10-Week and 20-Week Moving Averages: http://www.schaeffersresearch.com/wire?ID=12858.

Protein Design Labs - Ranking 2.0

Protein Design Labs (NASDAQ:PDLI) recently rebounded off its March 9 low, but it is now back below its 10-day moving average. The shares continue to be capped by its 10-week moving average, which it has not closed a week above since the beginning of February. Furthermore, PDLI has closed two consecutive months below its 10-month and 20-month moving averages for the first time since March 2003. Despite the equity's downtrend, Wall Street is thoroughly enamored of the firm. According to Zacks, 10 of the 12 analysts following PDLI rate it a "buy" or better. This optimism has also leaked into investors. The equity's SOIR sits at 0.45, as calls more than double puts in the front three months of options, and its short-interest ratio rests at a paltry 2.46 days to cover. The shares currently have a Schaeffer's Equity Scorecard of 2.0 out of 10.

Click on the following link to see the Monthly Chart of PDLI since January 2003 with 10-Month and 20-Month Moving Averages: http://www.schaeffersresearch.com/wire?ID=12858.

For a complete list of the stocks on our High/Low Schaeffer's Equity Scorecard Filter, sign up for an unlimited access free trial to Schaeffer's Gold. http://www.SchaeffersResearch.com/redirect.aspx?CODE=PRGLD2M&PAGE=1.

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.