So, the market likes Alcoa's earnings, or so it appears. Is it an omen or is it an outlier? I guess we will know the answer to the question in short order, as now the gate is open to earnings ... I have in the past written about the search for the "holy...
The reality of the current market sums up nicely in the two sentences below. If the economy can crank back up again early this year, stocks are cheap. If instead corporate America is seeing a fiscal cliff hangover that could last through the first half...
Last night I read the news about the delaying of the Basel III requirements for European banks and thought, "The market will like this tomorrow." Well, the market may have loved the news, but it sure ain't showing the love this morning. I guess the dour...
I like the feel of the market this morning. It could easily reverse, but the opening felt right, given the unemployment numbers and the data from the auto industry. Aside from that, though, I sense a non-committed market is what we can expect for a few...
The word floating about today, after all the hoopla from the fiscal cliff nonsense, is that the ratings agencies, Moody's and S&P, are threatening another downgrade of the US credit rating. Normally, I would respond to this by saying, "Who cares?"...
So, here we are. The first day of a new year, a year that follows four years of market growth despite the surrounding envelope of fear. It appears the market has knocked down all the boogeymen, one right after the other, but, like metal ducks on a moving...
Welcome to the end of the 2012 bull market. No, I don't mean the end of the bull market. It is just the end of the year 2012. I am pretty sure that the bull market run will continue in 2013, but as I always say, we will see. The reason I say that is...
The market has the jitters. Will they or won't they do something about the "fiscal cliff" before the stroke of midnight on the 31st? I suggest to you that now is the time to buy ... I have two questions from two readers this morning and I lump them...
I hope everyone is relaxing this week. It seems appropriate, as this year has taken its toll, at least on me. Looking back, I had some anxiety for sure, but more than that, my frustration with the constant doom and gloom is the one thing that I found...
It is Christmas Eve day, and for many in the world, this is a time for family, friends, and sharing. For those who celebrate this holiday, my best wishes to you. For those who do not, I am sure you have your equivalent holiday, so when you do celebrate...
As I watched the market opening this morning, the futures looked bleak, the DOW being down some 200 points. The breathless media had been suggesting since the night before the market would tank today from the political failure last night. This morning,...
As this year comes to a close, I find myself missing Europe. After so much attention from the breathless media in the earlier part of the year, I find myself, oddly, looking for EU news. I found some today, so I feel less wanting. The European Union on...
Recently, I have been trading BofA again. I sensed it was headed above its 52-week ceiling, and I was right. The stock is coming out of its long, long slumber and almost all signs point to a potential upside that could go on for a while. Now, imagine my...
Could it be? Has the power of reason brought political grandstanding crashing to the floor? Are the folks in Washington now stepping boldly into a deal on the fiscal cliff issue, a deal that neither side will completely like, but, nevertheless, a deal...
I've had my experiences with astrology over the decades, some ridiculous and funny, others serious and sobering. I believe there is something to it on a large scale, meaning, if the moon can affect the tides on earth to such a great degree, it seems...