Stock Market Champs..........9-18-06

Generex Biotechnology Corp. (GNBT)

Last Trade:	1.68
Trade Time:	3:33PM ET
Change:	0.26 (18.31%)

Generex Biotechnology Corporation, the leader in metabolic diseases drug delivery through the inner lining of the mouth, announced today that Cardinal Health will distribute its new Glucose RapidSpray™ product in the U.S.

Glucose RapidSpray is expected to be in stores by October, 2006.

Glucose RapidSpray is an innovative alternative for people who require or want additional glucose in their diet. Glucose RapidSpray delivers a fat-free, low-calorie glucose formulation that was developed using the Company's proprietary buccal drug delivery technologies. Glucose RapidSpray delivers glucose directly into the mouth where the proprietary formulation is rapidly absorbed into the blood stream. Glucose RapidSpray is simple to carry and use, with no large tablets to chew or messy gels to swallow.

"Using our patented technology -- RapidMist™ -- we've developed a product that will deliver glucose to anyone who needs a fast and efficient means for receiving glucose," said Anna Gluskin, President & Chief Executive Officer of Generex. "We expect that Glucose RapidSpray will appeal to people battling the symptoms of low blood sugar who now use other over-the-counter glucose products but want a faster-acting product. We expect to position Glucose RapidSpray as a companion product to Generex Oral-lyn™, our proprietary oral insulin spray product, in the diabetes management field."

About Generex

Generex is engaged in the research and development of drug delivery systems and technologies. Generex has developed a proprietary platform technology for the delivery of drugs into the human body through the oral cavity (with no deposit in the lungs). The Company's proprietary liquid formulations allow drugs typically administered by injection to be absorbed into the body by the lining of the inner mouth using the Company's proprietary RapidMist™ device. The Company's flagship product, oral insulin (Generex Oral-lyn™), which is available for sale in Ecuador for the treatment of patients with Type-1 and Type-2 diabetes, is in various stages of clinical trials around the world.

Northern Empire Bancshares (NREB)

Last Trade:	28.00
Trade Time:	3:30PM ET
Change:	4.02 (16.76%)

Bank holding company Sterling Financial Corp. on Monday said it agreed to acquire Northern Empire Bancshares for about $335 million in stock and cash to strengthen its presence in California.

The purchase is Sterling's third this year.

In June Sterling agreed to buy FirstBank NW Corp. for $169.6 million. In February, the Spokane, Washington company said it would buy Seattle-based Lynnwood Financial Group Inc., the parent of Golf Savings Bank, for $65.3 million.

Northern Empire stockholders have the right to receive 0.8050 of a Sterling common share plus $2.71 in cash. The terms value the deal at $29.31 per share, a 22 percent premium over Northern Empire's Friday closing price of $23.98 on the Nasdaq.

Northern Empire shares rose nearly 17 percent to $28.05, while Sterling shares were down almost 2 percent at $32.39, both in early morning trade Monday on the Nasdaq.

The deal is expected to close in the first half of 2007 and add to Sterling's earnings per share in 2007, the company said in a statement.

Sterling said the deal would create the third largest community bank in the West with over $11 billion in total assets, $7.3 billion in deposits and $7.8 billion in loans.

The combined company is expected to have about $3.3 million of pre-tax annual cost savings within 12 months of closing the deal, resulting from shared services, consolidation of corporate functions and reductions in business unit cost.

After the completion of the deal, Northern Empire holders will own about 17 percent of the combined company.

Northern Empire Chief Executive Deborah Meekins would become a member of Sterling's management team, the statement said.

BioMimetic Therapeutics Inc. (BMTI)

Last Trade:	8.15
Trade Time:	3:36PM ET
Change:	1.15 (16.43%)

BioMimetic Therapeutics Inc. on Monday said its product for periodontal disease and gingival recession showed continued long-term effectiveness in stimulating new bone growth in follow-up results from a clinical trial. The company said in a statement its product GEM 21S showed improved bone growth throughout the 24-month observation period compared to control treatment.

Point Therapeutics Inc. (POTP)

Last Trade:	1.82
Trade Time:	3:37PM ET
Change:	0.27 (17.42%)

Point Therapeutics, Inc. announced today that talabostat's Phase 2 non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) program and dual mechanism of action was presented on Saturday, September 16, 2006 at the 14th International Conference on Gene Therapy of Cancer in Dallas, Texas. Dr. Casey Cunningham, an oncologist at Mary Crowley Research Center in Dallas, Texas and a member of Point's Clinical Advisory Board, presented a summary of the Phase 2 NSCLC trial results. Dr. Barry Jones, Point's Senior Vice President and Chief Scientific Officer, presented an overview of talabostat's novel dual mechanism of action, emphasizing the pathway of immune stimulation.

OMNI Energy Services Corp. (OMNI)

Last Trade:	8.21
Trade Time:	3:38PM ET
Change:	1.06 (14.83%)

Drilling services company Omni Energy Services Corp. on Monday raised its 2006 earnings and revenue forecasts on increased utilization rates of equipment and personnel.

Shares of the company rose over 16 percent, or $1.15, to $8.30 in afternoon trade, making it one of the top gainers on the Nasdaq.

Symbol Technologies, Inc. (SBL)

Last Trade:	14.61
Trade Time:	3:34PM ET
Change:	1.90 (14.95%)

Shares of Symbol Technologies Inc. jumped to a new 52-week high on Monday, following a Wall Street Journal report that the company may soon sell itself for about $3.8 billion, likely to cell phone maker Motorola Inc.

Analysts noted that the company's shares have traded higher on previous, unconfirmed speculation about a sale.

"However, this is the first time such speculation has been published in a reputable news source," wrote Lehman Brothers analyst Jeffrey T. Kessler in a note to investors.

Holtsville, N.Y.-based Symbol makes bar code scanners, wireless networking equipment, radio frequency identification, or RFID, systems and other products for point-of-sale, inventory management and other uses.

Symbol shares were up $1.72, or 14 percent, to $14.43 in morning trading on the New York Stock Exchange after rising as high as $14.80 earlier in the session. The previous 52-week high was $13.70.

According to the Journal article, published online Friday, people familiar with the matter said exact pricing details were not available, but "one person said the deal could come in at a per-share price of roughly $15." This would represent about a 20 percent premium over Friday's closing stock price.

Raymond James analyst Chris Quilty upgraded Symbol to "Outperform" from "Market Perform" and set a target price of $15.

"While this news is not exactly a surprise, we had expected management to hold out somewhat longer until better operating margins and a higher acquisition price could be achieved," he wrote, adding that he has "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."

Kessler, who rates the company "Overweight," reiterated his target price of $15, "sale or no sale," citing operational improvement at the company.

Bear Stearns analyst Philip Alling, who rates Symbol "Outperform," said the company has met or exceeded guidance over the past four quarters, and added he expects "continued improved performance metrics" in coming quarters.

The move would "make a lot of sense" for Motorola, said Oppenheimer analyst Lawrence Harris, who rates the cell phone maker a "Buy" and does not cover Symbol.

The deal, he wrote, "would more than double Motorola's presence in the mobile enterprise market."

Schaumburg, Ill.-based Motorola shares climbed 26 cents to $25.11 on the NYSE.

Plains Exploration & Production Co. (PXP)

Last Trade:	43.91
Trade Time:	3:36PM ET
Change:	4.05 (10.16%)

Norwegian energy group Statoil on Monday said it would pay $700 million for rights to two U.S. Gulf of Mexico deepwater discoveries and one exploration prospect from U.S. oil company Plains Exploration & Production Co.

The deal strengthens Statoil's presence in the U.S. Gulf region, seen as a major growth area, as its core Norwegian fields mature. It also drove Plains Exploration shares up more than 8 percent.

Earlier this month Statoil, along with U.S. partners Chevron Corp. and Devon Energy Corp, announced a "record-setting" deepwater find at a Gulf of Mexico appraisal well located close to the Norwegian company's new assets.

"We like Statoil's strategy of building up a significant presence in this promising area, which may help create a basis for production growth after 2010," Arnstein Wigestrand, an analyst at SEB Enskilda in Oslo, said in a research note.

Statoil also bought rights of first negotiation for acquiring other Plains deepwater Gulf of Mexico assets.

"The next step will be to acquire operatorship in the Gulf of Mexico," Statoil Executive Vice President Peter Melbye told a conference call with analysts and journalists. "We believe the value creation potential is significant."

Plains Exploration Chief Executive Jim Flores declined to estimate reserves at the two fields and said the Houston company did not know how much the properties would have contributed to its revenues.

But Plains Exploration, which will use the proceeds to reduce debt and buy back stock under a $400 million repurchase program, said its share price had not reflected the reserves' value.

"On a financial and market basis, the ability to monetize these assets today and buy stock in (Plains) at such a severe discount, it's just way too compelling," Flores told a conference call.

Statoil officials say the state-controlled company is well placed to take advantage of Gulf of Mexico finds, with its deepwater expertise gained from its activities on the Norwegian Continental Shelf, where oil production is now peaking.

Statoil shares were up around 2.5 percent at 162 crowns in afternoon dealings in Norway, valuing the company at around $53 billion, compared with a 0.8 percent rise on the Dow Jones oil and gas index <.SXEP>.

Plains shares jumped $3.34, or 8.4 percent, to 43.20 on the New York Stock Exchange.

Standard & Poor's said the purchase would not alter its credit ratings on Statoil debt, but added that the buy would provide with medium- to long-term benefits to the company.

The transaction is scheduled to close in November. Existing leaseholders have preemption rights that must be exercised no later than 30 days after they have been notified of the sale.

100,000 BARRELS PER DAY

Statoil officials also declined to disclose the potential size of production from its acquisition, saying only that it would contribute to its target of 100,000 barrels of oil per day from the Gulf of Mexico after 2012.

Both companies hailed the deal as a possible opening to future sales of Plains' in Gulf properties under development.

The new assets are located in the Greater Tahiti area and include working interests of 17.5 percent in the Caesar discovery operated by Royal Dutch Shell Plc and 12.5 percent in the Chevron-operated Big Foot discovery.

Statoil will also gain a 12.5 percent stake in the Chevron-operated Big Foot North prospect.

The Caesar discovery is located between the Chevron-operated Tahiti and Tonga discoveries, in both of which Statoil has a 25 percent interest. Tahiti is under development and due to come on stream in 2008, Statoil said. Company officials said production at the Caesar discovery is expected to start in 2010 or 2011.

The Big Foot discovery lies in the Walker Ridge area close to the Jack and St Malo discoveries operated by Chevron.