Schaeffer's S&P 500 Index Hot Stocks Features Dynegy, Marathon Oil, Starbucks, Carnival, and Agilent Technologies.

CINCINNATI -- Among the stocks featured in the May 16 edition of Schaeffer's S&P 500 Index Hot Stocks are Dynegy (NYSE:DYN), Marathon Oil (NYSE:MRO), Starbucks (NASDAQ:SBUX), Carnival (NYSE:CCL), and Agilent Technologies (NYSE:A). Schaeffer's S&P 500 Index Hot Stocks 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. For additional information about this report or to have it delivered to you free via email every day click on the following link. http://www.schaeffersresearch.com/redirect.aspx?CODE=PRSHS12M&PAGE=1 .

Schaeffer's S&P 500 Index Hot Stocks for Tuesday, May 16, 2006:

A daily feature available on SchaeffersResearch.com is the "SPX Hot Stocks" column. Each afternoon, we will provide a list of the day's top-20 performing stocks in the S&P 500 Index (SPX - 1,295.13) as well as the bottom-20 names. Featured along with this table will be news that is moving some of the securities.

NOTE: Stocks trading under $5 per share have been eliminated from this listing of the top-20 and bottom-20 performing stocks.

The U.S. market is mixed as we head into the final hours of trading this afternoon. Earlier today, the Labor Department reported that U.S. producer prices increased 0.9 percent in April, thanks to surging energy prices. The consensus estimate stood at 0.8 percent. The government chimed in as well, reporting that housing starts slipped 7.4 percent in April, to 1.85 million annualized units. This was the largest drop in housing starts in more than a year. Currently, only 42 percent of the SPX is in positive territory.

More often than not Dynegy (NYSE:DYN) is dismissed from our hot stocks list, as it normally trades below five dollars per share. Thanks to an increase greater than five percent today, DYN actually merits mention in this article. Of course, it would figure that on the day that DYN breaks the five-dollar barrier, there isn't much in the way of news. Yesterday, DYN announced the results of its offer to convert and consent solicitation relating to its 4.75 percent Convertible Subordinated Debentures due 2023. The company has been advised by the conversion agent for the offer to convert and consent solicitation that $225,000,000 in aggregate principal amount of debentures were offered (that comes straight from the company's press release).

Oil has rebounded a bit today, helping oil companies to get back into the swing of things. Today, Marathon Oil (NYSE:MRO) has capitalized on black gold's strength. In addition, MRO announced that it has agreed to sell its West Siberian oil fields to Russia's OAO Lukoil for $787 million in a deal that is expected to close in July.

A general lack of news left us digging a bit, thankfully, Starbucks (NASDAQ:SBUX) announced yesterday that it plans to begin offering books for sale in its U.S. stores as early as Christmas. In addition, the company could begin offering proprietary content for customers to download via wireless internet connections that are already available in stores. SBUX is more than two percent higher in today's trading action.

Sinking to the bottom of the hot stocks list this afternoon is Carnival (NYSE:CCL). The cruise operator dropped after warning that weak bookings and soaring fuel costs will hurt its 2006 profit target. CCL now expects to earn $2.65 to $2.75 per share this year, flat with 2005 and well below the consensus estimate of $2.93 per share. Fuel costs are also hurting CCL's bottom line, to the tune of $265 million.

Finally, we turn our attention to Agilent Technologies (NYSE:A). Late yesterday, the company reported second-quarter earnings of 26 cents per share on sales of $1.43 billion. For the third quarter, A forecast sales in the range of $1.37 billion to $1.43 billion, which is up as much as 15 percent over last year's second quarter. Unfortunately for the company, analysts expect sales of $1.43 billion. A has lost more than six percent in today's trading.

Click the following link to see a Chart of the SPX 500 Index's Top-20 Percentage Gainers: http://www.schaeffersresearch.com/wire?ID=16025 .

Click the following link to see a Chart of the SPX 500 Index's Top-20 Percentage Losers: http://www.schaeffersresearch.com/wire?ID=16025 .

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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 .