CW75 stock performance.(Chemical Week)(Market share report)(Statistical table)

The CW75 Index rose 1.9% for the week ending February 19, reflecting positive fourth-quarter earnings results. Basic chemical stocks rose 5.5%, while diversified and specialty chemical shares increased 1% and 1.2%, respectively. Fertilizer stocks did well because of strong earnings results (CW, Feb. 11/18, p. 7).

Georgia Gulf topped the laggards' list because it reported a fourth-quarter loss of 54 cts/share, excluding charges of $6.62/ share. First Call's (Boston) analyst consensus estimate was for a loss of 25 cts/share. Declines in the North American construction markets forced profits down, Georgia Gulf says.

Monsanto has edged BASF out of the top position in the CW75 because Monsanto has the largest market cap. Strong earnings results, as well as Monsanto's news that it raised its full-year 2008 earnings outlook, drove up its stock price and market cap.

[GRAPHIC OMITTED]

 
                                                Marketcap     Closing 
Company                  Ticker   Category *   ($ millions)    price 
 
Monsanto                 MON          D           64592       117.87 
BASF                     BASFY        D           62913       129.80 
Bayer                    BAYRY        D           61369        80.29 
3M                       MMM          D           56387        79.85 
Mosaic                   MOS          B           48543       109.55 
PotashCorp               POT          B           48211       152.50 
DuPont                   DD           D           41591        46.22 
Dow Chemical             DOW          D           37041        39.18 
Air Liquide              AIQUY        S           33023        27.75 
Sasol                    SSL          B           30891        50.54 
Syngenta                 SYT          D           26239        55.16 
Praxair                  PX           S           25776        81.44 
Shin-Etsu                SHECF        B           22565        52.22 
Al Nobel                 AKZOY        D           21404        74.80 
Linde                    LNAGF        S           20212       122.75 
Air Products             APD          S           19910        92.84 
MEMC                     WFR          S           17715        77.63 
Ecolab                   ECL          S           11524        46.79 
PPG Industries           PPG          D           10719        65.24 
Solvay                   SVYSY        D           10638       125.60 
Rohm and Haas            ROH          S           10493        54.20 
Agrium                   AGU          B            9107        67.96 
Royal DSM                RDSMY        D            7293        10.05 
Sigma-Aldrich            SIAL         S            7031        54.08 
Sherwin-Williams         SHW          S            6482        53.03 
Celanese                 CE           D            6206        40.91 
Eastman Chemical         EMN          D …