PRE BEN MARKETS

Markets continue to trade near the flat line with strength in oils and metals.

The DJIA is +20, NAZ-5 and SPX -.7.

Strongest other sectors include gaming, trannies, retail, defense and drugs with the weakest being semis, brokers, airlines, emerging markets, tech, brokers and biotech.

Market internals have flipped back to red with the NYSE red 225 and NAZ red 600.

The NDX is 50/50 between winners and losers while the OEX is a bit worse with 45 up and 55 down. The SPX shows about 230 up to 270 down.

Key stocks are generally lower with GOOG continuing to fly higher at +7.75. AAPL BOT CME GS MER MS continue to trade lower and may be giving hints of a bigger selloff to come in the major indexes.

Best big caps are EL BA PHM HLT CTX BMY CHRW CKFR DISH EXPD CDWC RIMM EK and NSC. Biggest losers include UPS MMM F TWX XOM JNPR SNDK SEPR MRVL CIEN and IGT.

Big Ben will be giving his input at 2:15 and remember the first move is generally false as is the second and third etc., so most traders probably better off doing something else.