Schaeffer's Daily Market Blog Features General Motors, Sony, AK Steel, and Advanced Micro Devices.

CINCINNATI -- Among the stocks featured in the April 3rd edition of Schaeffer's Market Blog are General Motors (NYSE:GM), Sony (NYSE:SNE), AK Steel (NYSE:AKS), and Advanced Micro Devices (NYSE:AMD). 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. 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=PROB12M&PAGE=1 .

Schaeffer's Market Blog for Monday, April 3, 2006:

Below are just a few of today's Market Blog entries. Click here to read all of today's Market Blog. http://www.schaeffersresearch.com/redirect.aspx?CODE=PROB1C&PAGE=1 .

9:12 AM GM Sells Stake in GMAC Unit

News from General Motors (NYSE:GM) helped to lift spirits this morning. The auto manufacturer confirmed plans to sell a 51-percent stake in its General Motors Acceptance Corp. (GMAC) unit for $14 billion to a team of private equity firms led by Cerberus Capital Management. The company hopes to close the sale in the fourth quarter. GM expects $10 billion in cash at the closing and $4 billion during the next three years. Furthermore, the company will take a non-cash, pre-tax charge of $1.1 billion in its second-quarter earnings for the sale of the 51-percent stake. Citigroup has agreed to provide $25 billion in a syndicated loan to support GMAC's ongoing business and its "already strong" liquidity position.

After shedding more than 51.5 percent in 2005, the shares of GM have been content to shuffle sideways between support in the 19 region and resistance at 24.50. However, the stock has tacked on 9.5 percent since the start of the year.

10:09 AM Schaeffer's Radio

Just a reminder that many of our observations are now available as audio presentations that you can hear on your computer or download from Apple's iTunes Music Store to play on a portable device such as an iPod. I recorded our Opening View observation this morning, featuring General Motors (GM) and Sony (NYSE:SNE). I'm heading into the studio later today to interview trader Richard Sparks on the subject of portfolio statistics, alpha, beta, and r-squared.

To see the full menu of observations, please visit http://www.schaeffersresearch.com/redirect.aspx?CODE=PRPOD1C&PAGE=1 .

11:55 AM AK Steel Agrees to Settlement

AK Steel (NYSE:AKS) announced that it has agreed to a settlement with the United States, the state of Ohio, and two citizen groups resolving claims that discharges from the company's Middletown, Ohio steel plant pose a threat to human health and the environment, and violated federal and state environmental statutes and regulations. Under terms of the settlement, AKS will pay a civil penalty of $460,000, which will be split between the U.S. and the state of Ohio, and will spend $750,000 on an environmentally beneficial project that will remove ozone-depleting refrigerants from certain equipment at the Middletown plant. In addition, the firm will pay $450,000 to the citizen groups for their claim for costs and attorney fees. AKS estimates related clean-up work will cost $12 million to $13 million.

The shares are up two percent in trading before midday at $15.30. The equity has enjoyed a nice rally higher after breaking through former resistance at 9.50 on January 24. Since breaking above this level, the stock has soared more than 50 percent along its 10-day and 20-day moving averages.

12:45 PM Advanced Micro Devices Rallies Despite Downgrade 

Advanced Micro Devices (NYSE:AMD) has shrugged off a downgrade today to rally approximately one percent. The shares were trimmed by Lehman Brothers from "overweight" to "equal weight" due to concerns regarding rising competition. What's more, analyst Tim Luke slashed his stock price target to $35 from $39, his 2006 earnings estimate to $1.43 per share from $1.49, and his 2007 forecast to $1.63 per share from $1.73.

The stock has suffered some technical troubles recently. After being capped by the 42 level in January and February, the equity has rolled over and staggered lower until resistance at its 10-day and 20-day moving averages. In fact, AMD has logged only three daily closes above both of these trendlines since February 8. What's more, the stock has shed more than 21 percent since tagging a near-term high on March 3.

For more information on these stocks or any stock in your portfolio, feel free to visit our Schaeffer's Equity Scorecard. Also, for more information on what makes up these scores, or if you want more filters and screens, take a 30-day trial to our Schaeffer's Gold. http://www.schaeffersresearch.com/redirect.aspx?CODE=PROB1C&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 .