Bulls Take Back Poll

The bulls are back in command of TheStreet.com Real Money Barometer survey.

Of the 1,101 people who voted, 421, or 38%, were bullish. Bearish and neutral sentiments were in a practical dead heat, with bears getting 339 votes and neutral copping 341, statistically about 31% each.

In the sectors, investment banks and brokers was tapped as most likely to rise this week. Homebuilding, once again, was seen as falling -- and the mess in subprime mortgages likely isn't helping.

Other sectors that voters liked were integrated oil and energy equipment and services. Other not-so-favored sectors were, interestingly, investment banks and brokers and commercial banks.

Making news Monday was Schering-Plough(SGP Quote), which has agreed to pay about $14.4 billion for Organon BioSciences, a subsidiary of the Dutch chemical and drug conglomerate Akzo Nobel(AKZOY Quote).

Trading in shares of New Century Financial(NEW Quote) was halted Monday as the New York Stock Exchange began a review of the company's listing status. The NYSE said in press release that it could either suspend trading or resume it, depending on what its review determines. The Big Board said its examination is "due to the review of recent disclosures involving the company's ongoing liquidity and financing efforts."

Opening in the shares was delayed after a New Century regulatory filing earlier Monday outlined the subprime mortgage lender's liquidity problems. The filing said Morgan Stanley(MS Quote) withdrew its financing on Friday, just a day after it had kept New Century afloat with a $265 million package.

The major averages were hanging in on Monday. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was trading at 12,309, up 33 points; the Nasdaq Composite was at 2397, higher by 9 points, while the S&P 500 was trading at 1404, up a little less than 2 points.

Light, sweet crude oil futures for April were recently down 97 cents a barrel in Nymex trading to $59.08.

Below are the complete poll results.

Date	Bullish	Bearish	Neutral	Week Ending S&P % Change	Bullish Sector	Bearish Sector
March 12	421 (38%)	339 (31%)	341 (31%)		Investment Bankers and Brokers	Homebuilding
March 5	694 (27%)	1,133 (43%)	776 (30%)	+ 1.1%	Precious Metals	Homebuilding
Feb. 26	577 (39%)	451 (30%)	463 (31%)	- 4.4%	Precious Metals	Homebuilding
Feb. 20	339 (46%)	158 (22%)	229 (31%)	- 0.3%	Precious Metals	Homebuilding

Sector	Total Votes	Percentage
Aerospace and Defense	34	3%
Airlines	16	1%
Automobiles	7	1%
Beverages and Food Products	68	6%
Biotechnology	44	4%
Commercial Banks	35	3%
Computers and Peripherals	15	1%
Consumer Nondurables	28	3%
Energy Equipment and Services	131	12%
HMOs and Hospitals	14	1%
Homebuilding	13	1%
Insurance	22	2%
Integrated Oil	136	12%
Internet, Software Services	29	3%
Investment Bankers and Brokers	146	13%
Media	8	1%
Multiline Retail	6	1%
Pharmaceuticals	41	4%
Precious Metals	103	9%
Semis, Semi Equipment	56	5%
Telecom Equipment	19	2%
Tobacco and Alcohol	63	6%
Utilities	44	4%
Wireless Communications	21	2%
Source: RealMoney.com

Sector	Total Votes	Percentage
Aerospace and Defense	5	0%
Airlines	62	6%
Automobiles	57	5%
Beverages and Food Products	12	1%
Biotechnology	13	1%
Commercial Banks	88	8%
Computers and Peripherals	32	3%
Consumer Nondurables	13	1%
Energy Equipment and Services	22	2%
HMOs and Hospitals	8	1%
Homebuilding	263	24%
Insurance	14	1%
Integrated Oil	55	5%
Internet, Software Services	28	3%
Investment Bankers and Brokers	183	17%
Media	18	2%
Multiline Retail	36	3%
Pharmaceuticals	19	2%
Precious Metals	59	5%
Semis, Semi Equipment	47	4%
Telecom Equipment	12	1%
Tobacco and Alcohol	7	1%
Utilities	24	2%
Wireless Communications	20	2%
Source: RealMoney.com