Fighting with the Patriots to keep America Alive
Followers | 91 |
Posts | 62,985 |
Boards Moderated | 2 |
Alias Born | 04/01/2001 |
Twitter Profile: | Temporarily Unavailable |
Follow on Twitter: | Follow @ Temporarily Unavailable |
Register for free to join our community of investors and share your ideas. You will also get access to streaming quotes, interactive charts, trades, portfolio, live options flow and more tools.
Register for free to join our community of investors and share your ideas. You will also get access to streaming quotes, interactive charts, trades, portfolio, live options flow and more tools.
Wise. . .looks like you have hit a couple good ones! I'm still awaiting this latest downturn to complete its little roll towards the moving average on the Dow. The next week or two could be a determining factor (with events in the Middle East and the war on terror). Keep flipping those coins!
Peace
M&M Man
Arch. . .Part II: Israel Presses on With Assault in Palestinian Areas
U.S. Envoy to Arrive in Mideast Thursday
By Mohammed Assadi
Reuters
RAMALLAH (March 13) - Israel decided Wednesday on the eve of a new U.S. peace mission to keep up its biggest offensive against the Palestinians in decades as its tanks and troops tightened their grip on the West Bank city of Ramallah.
An officer in Yasser Arafat's guard, an Israeli lieutenant and an Italian war photographer were killed during gun battles in Ramallah, where soldiers searched homes for militants against the backdrop of almost daily attacks inside Israel.
Arafat's Palestinian Authority said U.S. envoy Anthony Zinni's cease-fire effort would be doomed as long as Israeli forces remained inside Ramallah, a city of 200,000 and the West Bank's commercial and political hub.
Zinni was to arrive in the region Thursday after two failed missions to end the bloodletting. In Washington, the White House said it was ''very concerned'' about Israeli military actions that have killed Palestinian civilians.
''They don't foster the kind of environment needed for Gen. Zinni to be effective,'' a spokesman said.
Palestinian Information Minister Yasser Abed Rabbo told Reuters: ''A cease-fire is impossible as long as (Israelis) are occupying Ramallah and as long as they are putting snipers on the roofs of buildings in the city to kill and target civilians.''
In one neighborhood of Ramallah, just north of Jerusalem, Israeli jeeps blared loudspeaker warnings in Arabic that anyone caught on the streets would be shot.
Prime Minister Ariel Sharon launched the campaign involving 20,000 troops in the West Bank and Gaza Strip two weeks ago after a wave of Palestinian attacks brought intensified right-wing calls for tougher action.
But differences with Defense Minister Binyamin Ben-Eliezer emerged Wednesday during a stormy security cabinet session that underlined cracks in the coalition government.
Details of the spat leaked to the Israeli media spoke of a decision by Ben-Eliezer, leader of the center-left Labor Party, to order a halt to attacks in Ramallah ahead of Zinni's mission and of Sharon's fury at learning of his move.
Sharon angrily accused his defense chief of violating security cabinet policy that calls for strong military pressure on the Palestinians. After Ben-Eliezer threatened to resign, Sharon met him privately for some fence-mending.
''At the end of the one-on-one meeting, both the prime minister and the defense minister decided that Israeli military activity would continue in accordance with the security cabinet decision,'' Sharon's office said in a statement.
PAPAL APPEAL
Some 150 armored vehicles thrust into Ramallah and nearby refugee camps Tuesday as part of Israel's biggest offensive in the West Bank and Gaza Strip since seizing the areas in the 1967 Middle East war.
Hundreds of spent bullet cartridges littered Ramallah's central al-Manara Square Wednesday. Tanks were stationed at schools and at junctions throughout the city. Machine-gun and rifle fire continued sporadically.
Pope John Paul II appealed for an end to the violence, saying: ''We are all saddened by the daily instances of violence and death in Israel and the Palestinian territories.''
Terje Roed-Larsen, the top U.N. official in the West Bank and Gaza, said Secretary-General Kofi Annan had instructed him to announce ''he has taken the unusual step of sending a letter to ... Sharon expressing distress and concern at these developments.''
Earlier, Palestinian security sources said Abu Fadi, deputy commander in Ramallah for Arafat's Force 17 elite guard, was killed in a gun battle with Israelis.
Freelance photographer Raffaele Ciriello, 42, who was shot several times in the chest, became the first foreign journalist killed in the conflict. He had worked in many world hotspots.
A colleague who was with him when he was killed said Ciriello was shot by Israeli soldiers who apparently mistook him for one of several Palestinian gunmen standing nearby.
The army, expressing regret at the killing, said it did not yet know whether Israelis or Palestinians had shot him and would investigate. A French journalist was hit in the leg by gunfire but his wound was not life-threatening.
ISRAEL, PALESTINIANS WELCOME U.N. RESOLUTION
Israel and the Palestinians were in rare agreement in welcoming the first U.S.-drafted U.N. Security Council resolution to refer to a Palestinian state existing alongside the Jewish state.
But each side, locked in nearly 18 months of violence, seized on different aspects of the resolution in hailing its passage by a 14-0 vote, with only Syria abstaining, late Tuesday.
''Israel welcomes the efforts of the United States to include within today's Security Council resolution a clause calling for the immediate cessation of terrorism and incitement,'' Foreign Minister Shimon Peres said in a statement.
Nabil Abu Rdainah, a senior Arafat aide, called the resolution ''positive ... because the whole world is behind a Palestinian state.''
Israeli forces also continued operations in the Gaza Strip Wednesday, sending tanks into the Palestinian-ruled town of Jabalya where they fired on security posts before withdrawing.
At least 1,057 Palestinians and 341 Israelis have been killed since an uprising against Israeli occupation began in September 2000.
REUTERS Reut11:59 03-13-02
M&M Man
Arch. . .it's not looking too good right now. Israel isn't holding back. Just read an update. Rough waters for Cheney as he tours the Middle East nations. I hope nothing happens! Geesh. What a trip!
Peace,
M&M Man
Lets get Sinobull on the road! eom
M&M Man
Chief. . .don't be afraid to "sell too soon!" peace eom
M&M Man
Definitely worth checking that one out, Hasbro! Looks like FONX will be the "stock of the day!" Whew! Over 100 million shares traded on an OTC BB stock! MSFT can certainly get them moving! Somebody find us another FONX!!
Peace,
M&M Man
Greg. . .it's "ubiquitous." All over the market the confusion is coming in. Best bet right now. . .CASH. Cash is king.
On a much more sadder note. . .one of my neighbor's (from childhood) house burned down. All the memories. . .up-in-smoke! Very depressing. I lived in that neighborhood the majority of my life. To see friends and neighbors go through so much pain & loss is a tragedy.
See this link:
http://news.mywebpal.com/partners/672/public/news268302.html
Peace,
M&M Man
Lets keep the faith that this show will get on the road, this year. Great concept. . .the Okid.com site. HIGH DEMAND for this type of show. Lets see if they can pull it all together.
Peace,
M&M Man
The market is "bobbling" and looking for a place to call home. With the U.N. backing the plan for a Palestinian state, it makes one wonder what Israel plans on doing as far as their enormous military movement into the region. Lets put it this way, Cheney has his work cut out for him. If Cheney doesn't bolster support on the next military move by the U.S. (which may or may not be against Iraq) the next move in the war on terrorism could throw even more confusion in a very volatile segment of the world. Our market appears to be moving with the same volatility as the events in the Middle East. I wouldn't expect to see a solid gain in the market until things cool down a bit. That could be a while. Protect yourself from losses and secure all gains!
Peace,
M&M Man
FONX is going bananas LOL eom
M&M Man
HRCT charts looking challenging >>>>>>>>>>>>
http://host.wallstreetcity.com/wsc2/chart.html?0fval0=104&1fval0=216&3fval0=204&4fval0=2...
Peace,
M&M Man
Arch. . .RAD is also trading nicely. Way to go with GVLT!
Peace:)
M&M Man
I'm late! What's hot today? eom
M&M Man
Wise. . .
Every company I have ever called has done nothing short of "lie" to get a good flavor across. The list is quite long. In fact. . .the last company I touched base with was trading at 30+ cents per share and the CEO was informing investors of great things to come. . .which sent the stock reeling up to 70+ cents. . .only to find out the CEO wasn't on the up-and-up. . .and the stock now trades at a penny. One cent. Therefore, I do most of my research by reading the S-8 forms and the quarterly reports. They are the only "nonbiased" representations from a company. And to tell you the truth. . .with the ENE fiasco. . .who knows how many other companies are playing the dirt game. I hold enough shares in JANX to be very happy if it ever hits a buck. I'm in at a cost average of 6 cents. Nothing ever transpired from the company last year prior to the holiday season. . .they missed their targets. Bad luck. . .or whatever, it just didn't go. Perhaps this will be the year for JANX? We'll see. If the Cyber Bear is creating revenue, perhaps they will get some increased interest. First, however, they need to get out of the "grey" area. Or whatever it is they are trading at. I haven't seen any volume on the stock. . .and would suspect it will be a while before I do see any volume. Lets hope they reach their latest target.
Peace,
M&M Man
Any updates on JANX? eom:)
M&M Man
Defense, Homebuilding IPOs Skyrocket
by Adam Peeler
March 12, 2002
Investors are showing a taste for homebuilding and defense stocks Tuesday, buying up two companies that flew out of the gates after launching their IPOs this morning.
WCI Communities Inc. (NYSE: WCI), a builder of Florida luxury housing communities for retirees, last night sold 6.9 million shares in an initial public offering priced at $19, raising $131.1 million.
Investors have driven the stock up 21% in afternoon trading Tuesday to $23 on volume of 4.05 million.
Anteon International Corp. (NYSE: ANT), which provides information technology and systems engineering services to governments, sold 15 million shares in an initial public offering priced at $18, raising $270 million yesterday.
The stock is up 14.7% today to $20.65 on volume of 4.7 million.
WCI Communities
Kyle Huske, a market analyst at IPO.com in New York said it’s interesting that a company that builds `luxury’ items would soar in the current market.
"To some extent, WCI caters to a luxury market. The fact that this offering has done so well reflects the attitude of investors that they feel the economy is starting to recover. That’s when companies like WCI start to perform."
WCI has some heavy hitters in its space. D.R. Horton (NYSE: DHI) and Toll Brothers (NYSE: TOL) recently announced stock splits and have been performing extremely well since September.
In February, WCI said 2001 net income increased 25% to $102.2 million. Revenues for the year went up 26% to $1.11 billion.
UBS Warburg was the lead underwriter on the deal and spread out the risk/wealth to Credit Suisse First Boston and Deutsche Banc Alex. Brown.
Anteon International
Huske said the Anteon deal was bound to do well because defense spending is still a priority in the U.S.
"Anteon is part of a long string of defense-related government contracting firms. It’s not a pure defense play like United Defense Industries (NYSE: UDI) that we saw back in December. But Anteon is seen as one of these deals that will benefit from where peoples’ minds are right now. Americans are still very much focussed on the war on terrorism."
United Defense Industries has put on 41% since its debut on Dec. 17. Integrated Defense Technologies Inc. (NYSE: IDE), another defense stock, went public at the end of last month. It’s fallen back 7% since then.
Huske said it’s possible that defense IPO’s could become passe in the future considering that the market has been enamoured with the sector for a half-year now. But she said investors aren’t likely to sour on the sector any time soon.
"Underwriters will keep shoving them at us until investors say `You know, we’ve had enough’. Judging by the strong demand for Anteon though, we would expect to see more."
Goldman Sachs, Bear Stearns, Credit Suisse First Boston, Lehman Brothers and Merrill Lynch underwrote the offering
M&M Man
Defense, Homebuilding IPOs Skyrocket
by Adam Peeler
March 12, 2002
Investors are showing a taste for homebuilding and defense stocks Tuesday, buying up two companies that flew out of the gates after launching their IPOs this morning.
WCI Communities Inc. (NYSE: WCI), a builder of Florida luxury housing communities for retirees, last night sold 6.9 million shares in an initial public offering priced at $19, raising $131.1 million.
Investors have driven the stock up 21% in afternoon trading Tuesday to $23 on volume of 4.05 million.
Anteon International Corp. (NYSE: ANT), which provides information technology and systems engineering services to governments, sold 15 million shares in an initial public offering priced at $18, raising $270 million yesterday.
The stock is up 14.7% today to $20.65 on volume of 4.7 million.
WCI Communities
Kyle Huske, a market analyst at IPO.com in New York said it’s interesting that a company that builds `luxury’ items would soar in the current market.
"To some extent, WCI caters to a luxury market. The fact that this offering has done so well reflects the attitude of investors that they feel the economy is starting to recover. That’s when companies like WCI start to perform."
WCI has some heavy hitters in its space. D.R. Horton (NYSE: DHI) and Toll Brothers (NYSE: TOL) recently announced stock splits and have been performing extremely well since September.
In February, WCI said 2001 net income increased 25% to $102.2 million. Revenues for the year went up 26% to $1.11 billion.
UBS Warburg was the lead underwriter on the deal and spread out the risk/wealth to Credit Suisse First Boston and Deutsche Banc Alex. Brown.
Anteon International
Huske said the Anteon deal was bound to do well because defense spending is still a priority in the U.S.
"Anteon is part of a long string of defense-related government contracting firms. It’s not a pure defense play like United Defense Industries (NYSE: UDI) that we saw back in December. But Anteon is seen as one of these deals that will benefit from where peoples’ minds are right now. Americans are still very much focussed on the war on terrorism."
United Defense Industries has put on 41% since its debut on Dec. 17. Integrated Defense Technologies Inc. (NYSE: IDE), another defense stock, went public at the end of last month. It’s fallen back 7% since then.
Huske said it’s possible that defense IPO’s could become passe in the future considering that the market has been enamoured with the sector for a half-year now. But she said investors aren’t likely to sour on the sector any time soon.
"Underwriters will keep shoving them at us until investors say `You know, we’ve had enough’. Judging by the strong demand for Anteon though, we would expect to see more."
Goldman Sachs, Bear Stearns, Credit Suisse First Boston, Lehman Brothers and Merrill Lynch underwrote the offering
M&M Man
Looks like IBIZ was the big winner today. RAD also did well. PLRP's volume was something to watch! We've gotta catch a couple of those BEFORE they run. It use to be easy. . .but not soooooo. . .anymore. Watch your ducks!
Peace:)
M&M Man
A message on Tricon from my brother:
Well, We're one step closer to owning every express food market segment. As of today, Tricon Global Resaurants is becoming Yum Restaurants Intl group with 5 brands - now including Long John Silver's and A & W Restaurants. Multibranding in "same-store" locations is our projected big growth segment. Please see attached article (linked) from CNN Money - announced this morning. Watch your YUM stock!
http://money.cnn.com/2002/03/12/news/deals/tricon.reut.reut/index.htm
Jay T. Mayr
Tricon Quality Assurance
Wheat-based Products Manager
ph: 972.338.8125
fax: 972.338.8353
M&M Man
Arch. . .I'm still holding IBIZ from the days of 6 cents LOL. I don't have any choice on that one. My biggest OTC BB position is now LFZA. My largest allocation of funds is CASH right now. I want to wait and see what's going on in the Middle East before I jump back in. We have that "variable" that can tank our market overnight. Particularly since Israel and Palestine appear to be escalating their debacle and many nations have expressed their "frustration" at the possibility of an attack on Iraq. The United States also recently made it clear that they will NOT negotiate with terrorist groups or terrorist harboring countries. I don't see any way to turn back. . .at this point. Something's going to happen. All of these rumors about a nuclear weapon enroute to America from bin Laden's buddies is also disturbing (via a suitcase). I don't see strong market support until / unless. . .this "terror" threat ceases. Hopefully. . .it will cease sooner rather than later.
Peace,
M&M Man
IBIZ is up 127% eom
M&M Man
Slowly but surely. . .at least we have some volume increases. Nice machines, there at LFZA. Man, it would have been nice if the market was moving like it did in 99' and 00'. All those dot.com millionaires could have had a LFZA LOL.
Peace,
M&M Man
Well, at least the volume is up today on GTCI. eom
M&M Man
RAD looks interesting today. eom
M&M Man
Hey. . .my brother works for them guys. Good company! They recently bought Back Yard Burgers. . .as well. That stock went bananas on that news. :)
Peace,
M&M Man
Boy, the profit takers are out today. Geesh. Lots of charts out there look to reveal temporarily overbought conditions. We'll have to see what turns out from this meeting with Cheney and leaders of the Middle East. Who knows, anymore? That "war" variable has everybody wondering.
Peace,
M&M Man
SAN FRANCISCO (CBS.MW) -- If you've parked a lot of your investment money in a savings account or money market fund over the last 18 months, prepare to shift into drive.
The nation's index of leading economic indicators -- which tracks such data as building permits, stock prices and jobless claims - recently rose for the fourth straight month, suggesting a recovery is well underway. A series of economic reports issued since then support that prognosis.
To be sure, Americans are sitting on a ton of cash. Last year, they poured $483.5 billion into money market funds, the largest one-year jump recorded by fund tracker ImoneyNet.com. At the same time, they're getting less for their safe havens than ever before -- just 1.4 percent on the average 7-day simple return.
Whether you think the rebound is now at hand, three months away or even six months hence, it's time to consider your options for getting off the sidelines, financial planners said.
Among the strategies highest on the recommended list is dollar-cost averaging, or investing a set amount of money every month in stocks, said Lynn Ballou, a certified financial planner in Lafayette, Calif.
"The very best thing to do is to dollar-cost average your way back into the market, and you do it on the dip days," Ballou said. "On those days when there's a little panic-selling, if you have a little cash, what a great buying opportunity that presents for you."
Those who are more bullish may want to accelerate their systematic purchases over a six-month period rather than stretching it out over the year, she said.
What's more, investors who can afford to bypass the measured approach on the search for long-term gain should consider putting all their money back into play, said Ginita Wall, a certified financial planner and accountant in San Diego.
"For the people who have the lump sums to invest, I'd say this is an ideal time to bite the bullet and get in," Wall said.
Equities: Small-cap has it
After two back-to-back years of bruising losses in the overall market, stocks are the place to go, and for many people stock mutual funds are the best choice, advisors said. Historically, shares of small and mid-cap companies are first to make a comeback.
"You might want to overweight your investment now at the front end of dollar-cost averaging in that sector and underweight large-cap U.S. and international (stocks,)" Ballou said. "A few months from now, you would flip flop the equation and start to overweight those sectors and be under-weighting small and mid-cap because you already have enough in there."
Investors who want to charge ahead should consider holding foreign and emerging market equities as well, as long as they "can stand to not just read about Argentina, but also own Argentina," said Wall, herself loading up on international stocks in her Simplified Employee Pension fund. "At some point in the next year, international will start to recover and I want to be there for the beginning of it."
While not as attractive as last year, foreign equities such as those in Vanguard's Emerging Market Index Fund still offer decent prospects for returns and diversification, said Stephen Barnes, a certified financial planner in Phoenix, Ariz.
"Even more so than small caps, they're selling cheap relative to the kind of valuation we think those companies can generate," Barnes said. "The problem is catching the right moment for that."
A more aggressive investor also might look at transportation and cyclical issues in a rebound, while the more conservative should look to cash in on rising interest rates, he said. "Precious metals and gold mining companies might do well in an inflationary environment."
Bonds: High on high yield
With interest rates likely to go up in the next year, bond funds aren't a wise destination for new money.
But for those investors willing to risk defaults, high-yield or junk bond funds offer an opportunity to cash in on improved credit ratings as companies scurry to clean up their balance sheets, Barnes said.
While some bonds from companies in troubled sectors such as telecommunications may succumb to default, others will prosper as the economy turns around, Wall said.
"As the companies that issue those bonds get healthy, the bonds will increase in rating, which will make them more valuable," she said. "That may be a sector that's undervalued as we start the recovery process."
Another bond option to catch on the upswing is TIPS, Treasury Inflation-Protected Securities, which guarantee that interest paid is indexed to inflation and principle value is indexed to the Consumer Price Index, Barnes said.
"You're not paying any premium to get the insurance against inflation," Barnes said. "The level of inflation has to go up very little for you to get a better return on the TIPS."
Because the bonds' value is taxable, investors should consider holding them in a tax-deferred account, he said. Mutual funds from American Century (ACITX: news, chart) and Vanguard (VIPSX: news, chart) offer inflation-adjusted and protected bonds.
"They're boring as all get-out and I certainly wouldn't put my whole portfolio there, but now would be the time to put some money in."
Real estate: To own or not to own
With mortgage rates hovering near 30-year lows, buying a rental property now makes sense for those who can afford the down payment and have the temperament to make repairs, Wall said.
The care required to maintain apartment dwellings is often a substantial investment itself, she said. "Make sure you have the time and energy to manage them or if it's in the budget, hire a manager."
People often underestimate the extra costs of overhead and a "sinking fund" to cover wear and tear and building upkeep, Ballou said. "A lot of times the rate of return turns out to be miserable compared to a nice, boring mutual fund."
And she doesn't recommend real estate investment trusts as a substitute for property ownership now. "Occupancy rates are so incredibly low that cash flow and appreciation on REITs is really poor," Ballou said. "I'd stay away from REITs for a few years."
Investors partial to them should choose ones that are invested in markets across the U.S. as a diversification tool to cover the real estate areas that may have stagnated, Wall said.
At this point, REITs make a neutral-to-positive addition to a portfolio, Barnes said. "Our feeling is they're neither cheap nor expensive," he said. "The nice thing about REITs is you get paid a nice 7 percent dividend while you wait for things to improve."
Whether they flock to small-cap stocks or high-yield bonds, investors are looking to move from defense to offense, Ballou said.
"People, from a psychological standpoint, can only stand being depressed for so long," she said. "After a time, the 'Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm' comes out and that's what fuels a recovery. We're already seeing that happen."
M&M Man
Arch. . .I hear the auto-makers may be worth taking a close look at, as well. I still think it will take the remainder of the year for the Nasdaq to pick up steam. I'd like to hear some people's opinions on LFZA. I'm wondering if their vehicles just may be too pricey for this economy? Granted, they'll only have to sell 1/3 of the vehicles of a competitor to rake in some good revenues. . .but who (other than those in the market for a Hummer) can afford a LFZA in this market? And who is LFZA going to target for their sales? Will sales in Mexico really be a good idea? That is one of the most poverty stricken countries in our hemisphere. Next to Jamaica, that is LOL. Anyway. . .just thinking out loud again. . .
Peace,
M&M Man
This time, bull may be real
The optimism could stick this time as investors look at 2002 as a recovery year.
March 8, 2002: 5:17 p.m. ET
By Staff Writer Parija Bhatnagar
NEW YORK (CNN/Money) - Dead cat bounce or the first inklings of a monster rally: That's the $64,000 question for market pros attempting to make sense of a March stock run that is easing the pain of a frustrating February.
Whatever happens, a month that began with a two-day jump of nearly 500 points in the Dow Jones industrial average could mean that the stock markets are making a statement -- and with some conviction.
"There's been a decisive shift to the upside in market sentiment," said Barry Hyman, chief investment strategist with Ehrenkrantz King Nussbaum. "The Dow has done its job and it has made a statement of recovery based upon defensive-style spending, cyclicality and the absence of accounting-related issues for the Dow."
Fellow bull Alan Ackerman, market strategist with Fahnestock & Co., chimes in with the opinion that there's "certainly more fire in the belly" of investors, who are starting to think it's not bad to buy stocks when they're down.
There's been a decisive shift to the upside in market sentiment. The Dow has done its job and its made a statement of recovery.
Barry Hyman, chief investment strategist with Ehrenkrantz King Nussbaum.
But "conversely, they're also thinking why hold on to potential hot potatoes past a few strong trading sessions without taking some cash off the table," Ackerman said.
To the nay sayers -- aka, the bears and a few fence-sitters -- the word's out that the sharp run-up is yet another short-lived bear-market rally at a time when the Federal Reserve doesn't have another rate cut left.
"We're in a frenetic short-covering based rally. The jury is still out about how long this is going to last," Bernie Schaeffer, market analyst and chairman of Schaeffer Investment Research, told CNNfn's Street Sweep.
Traders deliver yet another perspective on the mood of the market, suggesting that the bearish tone is actually a self-defeating sentiment -- particularly given the buzz over Friday's unexpected drop in the February unemployment rate that capped a week of strong economic data.
According to Michael Driscoll, senior block trader with Credit Suisse First Boston, this on-the-cusp-of-spring rally will hold because "no one buys it."
"Many people are downplaying it, saying that the underlying fundamentals don't justify stock prices," he added. "That distrust is a good indicator that the rally can travel further than you expect."
Driscoll suggests that those not convinced of a rebound are running afoul of one of the markets' most respected names -- Fed Chairman Alan Greenspan, who this week strengthened his positive view about the economy.
"Greenspan saying he's optimistic about an economic recovery is as positive as it gets. He may as well jump up and down on Times Square ringing a bell," Driscoll said.
But a funny thing happened Thursday following the Fed chairman's revised appraisal. The market pulled back, with investors appearing to gloss over Greenspan's words and ignoring the pitch from the market cheerleaders.
As key indicators continue to paint a rosier picture of the economy, they could also foreshadow a rise in interest rates as early as May.
Market watchers say it's just an adjustment factor and investors won't get caught up on it. "This perception creates a negative opinion on Wall Street. But over time, it will help the equity markets because it is reflexive of a better earnings picture," said Ehrenkrantz King Nussbaum's Hyman.
We're in a frenetic short-covering based rally. The jury is still out about how long this is going to last.
Bernie Schaeffer, market analyst and chairman of Schaeffer Investment Research.
But even the die-hard optimists contend that earnings concerns - and, to a lesser extent the fear of another Enron-like accounting scandal -- will continue to rock the boat.
"Visibility and valuation could weigh down the indices. There's concern that stocks remain overvalued. In techs, the visibility is poor and valuation is high," Hyman explained, citing Oracle's (ORCL: up $0.20 to $14.20, Research, Estimates) warning last week, and Intel (INTC: up $1.19 to $34.17, Research, Estimates) tightening its first-quarter revenue range. "That's why the Nasdaq (merely) sits in the 1,800s while the Dow moved up dramatically to pre-Sept. 11 levels,"
Accounting concerns haven't gone away, but they're less obvious because a market doesn't like to rehash old stories. The growth versus recession story has pushed the accountability story to the background, said Hyman.
But tensions in the Middle East and the possibility that the United States will expand its war against terror to Iraq are weighty issues with market-moving potential.
"Exogenous factors can't be telegraphed. If a war breaks out in the Middle East, and oil flows are disrupted, or the U.S. experiences another terrorist attack, that will hurt this positive mood," said Driscoll.
M&M Man
EZ. . .Just two more weeks!! ;) NOT!
Peace,
M&M Man
No. . .actually. . .I'm taking Warren Buffet's advice. I no-longer worry about the market. Realestate is my bin now. I just leave enough on the sidelines (in the market) to entertain myself. We need a decade or more to overcome this market flop from 98' through 00'. I'm in no hurries. Just wish it came as easy as it came in 98'! Never again. Time to roll back to basics. Hint.
Peace,
M&M Man
Worth Review. . .
http://www.interviewwithgod.com/psalm23.htm
Peace,
M&M Man
Hi everyone! Tomorrow will be a good day! I look forward to getting back to the market. Any success stories out there today?
Peace,
M&M Man
Lessons to learn . . .again. . .>>>>>>>>>>
10 Rules For Technology Investing
As 2002 draws on and reshapes the stock market with its own quirks (Enron, for one), then we look again at the core principles that helped us find winners in 2001 and bring out some of the top companies for now and the future.
The markets today undergo a valuation argument daily, sellers selling today's earnings and buyers buying tomorrow's. Both are right.
No two investors need the same portfolio. A younger recent college grad will have a different portfolio mix than a retired executive.
As a backdrop to investing, it's important to use asset allocation among different types of investments and different risks. Bonds, stocks, real estate, savings, cash. For example, blue chips with slow growth but steady earnings and upstarts with high growth and unpredictable earnings.
But across all the categories, we've found these 10 'rules' to be a good starting point.
1. Earnings matter. Don't pay for promises, pay for actual earnings. Things change too fast to pay for next year's performances. If a company lacks earnings it's higher risk. If higher risk then debate whether or not you're comfortable with that but limit the exposure to higher risk by making it a small part of your overall investment strategy.
2. Don't be wowed with the technology, be wowed with the business model, management team, marketshare, technology and most of all, cash flow and earnings. The best technology doesn't always win. Xerox PARC developed most of the key improvements for PCs and networks but yielded none of the benefit directly to Xerox the company. Look for technologies that companies need to make business more efficient (less cost), to replace outdated methods, to streamline operations, that fix a problem. 'Need to have' technologies, not 'nice to have' technologies.
3. Forget the peaks, study the valleys. Just because a stock is 50% off its high doesn't mean it's a bargain. Don't believe the newspaper headline. As investors we learn more from mistakes sometimes than success. Study a company's ups and downs and economic cycles -- and what is it's price to earnings, P/E, not how far has it fallen from its 52-week high. How far is it off a low and is the low in line with a 'reasonable' valuation? Reasonable being 10x to 30x earnings depending on the growth rate.
4. Listen to what the executives say, but more importantly, listen to what customers say. Look at inventory pile up or order backlog.
5. Learn the difference between 'betting' and 'investing.' Most investors know this by now. If you have to ask then it's betting, no different than playing the slots in Vegas.
6. Diversify investments. Stocks. Bonds. T-Bills. Real estate. In stocks limit exposure to high risk. Examine low, medium and high risk stocks and know why you own any one of them. Know what the company does and how economic cycles help or hurt the company.
7. Cash. How much does the tech company have? Can it pay the bills for several years without selling equity or debt? Does it have a cash-flow positive business? Earnings to sustain itself? How much cash is on hand? Working capital? Debt? (Debt killed Global Crossing and Enron).
8. Stock options. Many tech companies issue stock options and it may dilute the shares outstanding (and earnings) dramatically. Typically 25% to 30% of tech companies are owned by employees. They all want to convert their options to cash some day. Priceline (NASDAQ:PCLN) had tons of options issued to airlines.
9. Establish buying and selling discipline. Always employ a stop-loss to limit your downside. Typical is making it 20% from the cost of the shares or the closing price if the stock climbs. On selling, if the stock has risen a set percentage -- whatever you're comfortable with -- sell some or all. Take profits. You may miss more climb but at least you have limited downside. Or if management shuffles happen quick or earnings fall short, consider selling.
10. Never get emotionally attached to a stock. Love the company's cash flow or earnings but not the stock. There's nothing magical about a ticker symbol. Just because you made x% on a stock last year doesn't mean it's still a great stock or will continue to rise. Technology changes. Some companies can make the change and others don't. Take profits, buy your significant other some flowers or chocolate. Smell the flowers, eat the chocolate. And repeat rules 1 through 10 as needed.
M&M Man
MBR. . .
Oddly, I find it runs in direct opposition to the stock market LOL! Stock market goes up. . .blood pressure goes down. Stock market goes down. . .blood pressure goes up. It's the wierdest damned thing I've ever seen! LOL! Well, actually, there are wierder things. Like. . .Sinobull?
Peace:)
M&M Man
Bush Team Defends U.S. Nuke Plans
By SCOTT LINDLAW
.c The Associated Press
WASHINGTON (AP) - President Bush's top foreign-affairs advisers say the United States must be prepared to use nuclear weapons to deter attacks involving weapons of mass destruction. But in an effort to ease alarm overseas, they said there were no plans to do so.
``We all want to make the use of weapons of mass destruction less likely,'' national security adviser Condoleezza Rice said Sunday. ``The way that you do that is to send a very strong signal to anyone who might try to use weapons of mass destruction against the United States that they'd be met with a devastating response.''
Secretary of State Colin Powell said the United States has never ruled out using nuclear weapons against a nuclear-armed enemy, a policy he said should deter any would-be attacker.
``We think it is best for any potential adversary out there to have uncertainty in his calculus,'' Powell said.
Rice, Powell and military and congressional leaders were responding to weekend reports that the Pentagon has told Congress it is studying the possible use of nuclear weapons against countries that threaten the United States.
The classified ``nuclear posture review'' sent to Congress says the Pentagon is developing contingency plans for using nuclear weapons against countries that are developing weapons of mass destruction.
The report identified seven nations: China, Iran, Iraq, Libya, North Korea, Russia and Syria.
On TV talk shows Sunday, administration officials sought to walk a line between asserting America's willingness to use nuclear weapons, and calming the public and allies troubled by suggestions the United States might be moving closer to employing them.
The issue was especially sensitive on a day when Vice President Dick Cheney was leaving on a 12-country tour that includes stops in a number of Arab states certain to be upset about the targeting of Iraq, Libya and Syria.
Powell said on CBS' ``Face the Nation'' that the report emerged from ``prudent'' planning that must ``give some consideration as to the range of options the president should have available to him to deal with those kinds of threats.''
``Right now, today, not a single nation on the face of the earth is being targeted by an American nuclear weapon on a day-to-day basis,'' Powell said.
``We should not get all carried away with some sense that the United States is planning to use nuclear weapons in some contingency that is coming up in the near future,'' he said. ``It is not the case.''
Powell acknowledged the military was considering whether to ``modify or update or change'' current nuclear weapons to meet new threats.
Rice said on NBC's ``Meet the Press'' that the report emphasizes efforts to make the use of nuclear arms less likely through improved intelligence and conventional weapons.
Air Force Gen. Richard Myers, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, stressed that the report is ``not a plan.''
``This preserves for the president all the options that a president would want to have in case this country or our friends and allies were attacked with weapons of mass destruction, be they nuclear, biological, chemical or, for that matter, high explosives,'' Myers said on CNN's ``Late Edition.''
Sen. John Warner, R-Va., top Republican on the Senate Armed Services Committee, said he would ask the administration Monday to clarify its position. He and Sen. Joe Lieberman, D-Conn., a fellow committee member, painted the document as an outline of options for the president.
``Frankly, I don't mind some of these renegade nations (thinking) twice about the willingness of the United States to take action to defend our people and our values and our allies,'' Lieberman said.
But, he added on CNN: ``It's very important for the American people or people around the world not to overreact to the news stories.''
News of the report did trigger consternation and disbelief overseas.
Libya's African affairs minister, Ali Abd al-Salam al-Turiki, told reporters in Cairo he found the report hard to believe.
``I don't think this is true,'' he said. ``I don't think America is going to destroy the world.''
Dmitry Rogozin, a leading Russian lawmaker with close ties to the Kremlin, accused Washington of deliberately leaking word of the report to intimidate Russia.
``They've brought out a big stick - a nuclear stick that is supposed to scare us and put us in our place,'' Rogozin said on NTV television.
AP-NY-03-10-02 1723EST
M&M Man
Bush Team Defends U.S. Nuke Plans
By SCOTT LINDLAW
.c The Associated Press
WASHINGTON (AP) - President Bush's top foreign-affairs advisers say the United States must be prepared to use nuclear weapons to deter attacks involving weapons of mass destruction. But in an effort to ease alarm overseas, they said there were no plans to do so.
``We all want to make the use of weapons of mass destruction less likely,'' national security adviser Condoleezza Rice said Sunday. ``The way that you do that is to send a very strong signal to anyone who might try to use weapons of mass destruction against the United States that they'd be met with a devastating response.''
Secretary of State Colin Powell said the United States has never ruled out using nuclear weapons against a nuclear-armed enemy, a policy he said should deter any would-be attacker.
``We think it is best for any potential adversary out there to have uncertainty in his calculus,'' Powell said.
Rice, Powell and military and congressional leaders were responding to weekend reports that the Pentagon has told Congress it is studying the possible use of nuclear weapons against countries that threaten the United States.
The classified ``nuclear posture review'' sent to Congress says the Pentagon is developing contingency plans for using nuclear weapons against countries that are developing weapons of mass destruction.
The report identified seven nations: China, Iran, Iraq, Libya, North Korea, Russia and Syria.
On TV talk shows Sunday, administration officials sought to walk a line between asserting America's willingness to use nuclear weapons, and calming the public and allies troubled by suggestions the United States might be moving closer to employing them.
The issue was especially sensitive on a day when Vice President Dick Cheney was leaving on a 12-country tour that includes stops in a number of Arab states certain to be upset about the targeting of Iraq, Libya and Syria.
Powell said on CBS' ``Face the Nation'' that the report emerged from ``prudent'' planning that must ``give some consideration as to the range of options the president should have available to him to deal with those kinds of threats.''
``Right now, today, not a single nation on the face of the earth is being targeted by an American nuclear weapon on a day-to-day basis,'' Powell said.
``We should not get all carried away with some sense that the United States is planning to use nuclear weapons in some contingency that is coming up in the near future,'' he said. ``It is not the case.''
Powell acknowledged the military was considering whether to ``modify or update or change'' current nuclear weapons to meet new threats.
Rice said on NBC's ``Meet the Press'' that the report emphasizes efforts to make the use of nuclear arms less likely through improved intelligence and conventional weapons.
Air Force Gen. Richard Myers, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, stressed that the report is ``not a plan.''
``This preserves for the president all the options that a president would want to have in case this country or our friends and allies were attacked with weapons of mass destruction, be they nuclear, biological, chemical or, for that matter, high explosives,'' Myers said on CNN's ``Late Edition.''
Sen. John Warner, R-Va., top Republican on the Senate Armed Services Committee, said he would ask the administration Monday to clarify its position. He and Sen. Joe Lieberman, D-Conn., a fellow committee member, painted the document as an outline of options for the president.
``Frankly, I don't mind some of these renegade nations (thinking) twice about the willingness of the United States to take action to defend our people and our values and our allies,'' Lieberman said.
But, he added on CNN: ``It's very important for the American people or people around the world not to overreact to the news stories.''
News of the report did trigger consternation and disbelief overseas.
Libya's African affairs minister, Ali Abd al-Salam al-Turiki, told reporters in Cairo he found the report hard to believe.
``I don't think this is true,'' he said. ``I don't think America is going to destroy the world.''
Dmitry Rogozin, a leading Russian lawmaker with close ties to the Kremlin, accused Washington of deliberately leaking word of the report to intimidate Russia.
``They've brought out a big stick - a nuclear stick that is supposed to scare us and put us in our place,'' Rogozin said on NTV television.
AP-NY-03-10-02 1723EST
M&M Man
broderick. . .they did show the footage of the Boeing hitting the Pentagon, this past week. As for putting sand down on the grass of the area at the Pentagon. . .that may have been to absorb any existing fuel that didn't ignite (if that's possible) or to just improve access to the Pentagon for emergency and construction vehicles. At any rate, interesting commentary on that site. Did you know that many of the photographs negatives of the assassination of JFK were kept in a safe in the WTC. . .and now permanently destroyed? Not only did the history of the world make a significant change on September 11th, 2001, significant American records of history were also destroyed. As for this latest debate on nuclear bombs and "contingency plans" for their use. . .how can any "Superpower" exist with nuclear capability. . .and have no plans on how/when to use them? I'm not sure how that information slipped out into the public's hands but I'm sure it will have to be countered by the Feds. Listing the names of "7" nations could be nothing more than propaganda (as takes place in most wars) to intimidate any country with intentions of escalating the war against terrorists (again. . .please define who determines are the terrorists). There are many sides and dimensions to all stories.
Peace,
M&M Man
myDD. . .
Can anyone say, "Washout?" eom
Peace,
M&M Man
Arch. . .there is only "one" place I go to on the Internet when I check on. . .and that is the "POW" corner. Chances are good I'll be around to follow what's going on. Very good. Keep the faith. . .and "Don't stop believing." There is no better corner on the net. . .or on Ihub. Give us some time. Those who are just jumping in will see. . .we don't "dress to impress". . .we do the work. We give the warnings. Why? Because we read all the rest and give you all the best.
Okay. . .No picks, tonight. Can't stoop on the quality around this neck of the woods. Lets find the winners and give em to our friends. . .our family, and the best darn corner on the net.
God's best to you all. . .I'm working for you. . .as will be Arch and EZ. . .
Peace,
Mark. . .The M&M Man
M&M Man