Wall Street Hubbub 8/2: HGSI and MJN Seen As Targets, Layoffs at Barclays?, Goldman Sachs Ticks Off New Neighbors

Each and every day Wall Street rumor mongers pitch their latest goods to Wall Street traders. Some stick and others fall by the wayside. Below are some talk that has stuck and is making its way around trading desks.

• With Genzyme (Nasdaq: GENZ) in the cross-hairs of Sanofi-Aventis (NYSE: SNY), trading desks have been abuzz with "who's next" in biotech. Today, Human Genome Sciences (Nasdaq: HGSI) has been mentioned as a likely takeover target in the space. Shares are up 1.4 percent today.
  
  
• Goldman Sachs added Mead Johnson Nutrition Company (NYSE: MJN) to its Buy List today and one of the reasons cited was because there is "strategic interest in this asset." The Goldman analyst contends "there is potential for increased deal activity as the tax hurdles from the Bristol split start to diminish." Also, many of the company's large multi-national competitors have strong cash-flows and high cash balances.
  
  
• Barclays (NYSE: BCS) could cut up to 7% of its global headcount, according to DealBreaker.com
  
  
• Goldman Sachs (NYSE: GS) is apparently making enemies with neighbors at its new corporate headquarters. Goldman is being accused of "breaking promises" by local residents who live near the 43-storey tower at 200 West Street in downtown New York, the Telegraph reported.
  
  
• Itron, Inc. (Nasdaq: ITRI) fell 7 percent on rumors they lost a major contract. Wall Street analysts confirmed the news, but at least one doesn't see a major impact.
  
  
• Morgan Stanley (NYSE: MS) is expected to spin-off its Front Point Partners hedge fund as a results of the new financial reform bill.

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