In Bob Pisani’s blog post “Using Analysts As Contrarians?” which financial firm’s employee is mentioned by his full name?

How about Guy Moszkowski at Merrill Lynch?

In the slideshow, “Highest Paid CEOs,” which big boss has the No. 1 paycheck?

John Thain of Merrill Lynch (ML)

Disclosure: At time of publication, William Trent has no financial position in the companies mentioned in this article.

Summary: Inflation continues to be a worry, with the PPI data fairly strong and seemingly on the rise. That means lenders are getting paid back with cheaper currency. Earnings are coming in strong, however - particularly for the brokers and asset managers.

Watch List news:
Bancolombia SA (CIB) agreed to sell its majority stake in Almacenar S.A. for 29 billion pesos. Translating to approximately $11 million, the transaction is fairly small for a company with $4.14 billion in market capitalization.

SEI Investments Co. (SIEC - Annual Report), which provides investment services to financial institutions, said second-quarter profit rose 31 percent on higher revenue, a lower tax rate, and lower expenses to account for the value of employee stock options. The company posted net income for the second quarter ended June 30 of $57.9 million, or 57 cents per share, versus profit of $44.2 million, or 43 cents per share, in the year-ago quarter. Revenue rose 50 percent to $285 million from $190.1 million. Analysts polled by Thomson Financial forecast earnings of 55 cents per share on $284.1 million revenue.

First Regional sets 3-for-1 stock split

Other news:
Merrill Lynch (MER) said second-quarter earnings were $1.6 billion, or $1.63 a share, compared with $1.14 billion, or $1.14 a share, in the same quarter last year. Analysts polled by Reuters Estimates on average expected earnings of $1.53 before exceptional items.

Citigroup (C - Annual Report) earned $5.27 billion, or $1.05 a share, compared to $5.07 billion, or 97 cents a share, a year ago. Analysts had expected the company to earn $1.06. “Lower bankruptcy filings and a continued favorable credit environment led to a $193 million decline in net credit losses and a $160 million pre-tax loan loss reserve release,” the bank said. Comment: Releasing reserves is sometimes considered aggressive accounting. Regardless of how it is considered, approximately $0.01 of the current quarter EPS was the result of this accounting adjustment.

Wells Fargo profit up 9 percent - which was below expectations.

MGIC Investment Corp. reported that second-quarter net income fell 14% as the mortgage-insurance specialist’s net premiums declined in the face of a real estate slowdown.

AmSouth Bancorp said second-quarter net income rose slightly from the year-ago period and indicated it is making “good progress” in closing its merger with Regions Financial Corp. in the fourth quarter.

State Street said its net earnings rose 3% in the second quarter, topping analysts estimates, and said it expects full-year earnings to come in at the high-end of forecasts.

Discount stockbroker Charles Schwab Corp. said quarterly earnings rose 35 percent as net new assets nearly doubled from a year earlier.

Online brokerage TD Ameritrade said its third-quarter profit soared 67 percent on higher fee-based revenue and its acquisition of TD Waterhouse.

National City Corp., a large Midwest U.S. bank, said second-quarter profit fell 24 percent because of hedging losses from mortgages. Still, this was better than expectations.

KeyCorp, a large U.S. Midwest bank, said second-quarter profit rose 6 percent, topping analyst forecasts, helped by growth in fee income and commercial lending.