Crude continues to fall. Some americans can watch for 2. 50 a gallon gas. Can halliburton defend its oil business . Retail sales better than expected. Nordstrom earnings beat. A number of downgrades to contend with this morning. A Richard Bransonbacked ipo at the nasdaq, Virgin America. Well have the first trade and interview with the ceo coming up. Oil the big story, below 74. Baker hughes confirming it is in preliminary merger talks with halliburton. The journal story said motivations behind the talks were unclear. I think we know what these boards are thinking. Justice department is very good when it comes to business to consumer. Theyll block a telco deal. Justice department has been tone deaf when it comes to the oil patch. They allowed Enterprise Partners to become a gigantic, basically own the natural gas liquids market. This would be farce if they let this deal through. The way you get halliburton to give you good prices to pit it against baker hughes. If at t were to merge wit