8 posts tagged “stock market”

Just checking back in here because I know that curiosity in our new trading/investing site is gaining intense interest. In fact we are working with some big guns like Price Headley, Abe Cofna, Pete Najarian of CNBC and TradeMonster fame, as well as some pretty famous market bloggers. We are even working with a fantastic resource of educational videos and charting tools from INO TV and MarketClub. 

Scrolling Web Window

 Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae tanked Friday on news of a possible bail-out which neither company's representative would talk about with the Wall Street Journal.

FRE hit a bottom of $3.53 and FNM $4.62 in the after-hours trading though each has recovered somewhat but not anywhere near Friday's close.

One news story says the bail-out will come soon but no one yet knows just what soon is yet. As one writer put it: To the poor we say: "Get a job!" To Wall Street we say: "How much do you need?"

Monopoly

The Boy's Club continue their shifty ways cause the Fed is watching their back. "Its like taking candy from a baby!" says one of the Boy's Club members. But as time goes on, the Boy's Club makes more bad decisions and feels it is loosing too much of the game to the other players.  "We want more money!"they say to the Banker. The Banker says: "Yes, I see you've really done it this time and despite all the luxuries you've enjoyed over the years you have now failed to hold a good value to your shareholders, not to mention now you might be expelled from Game Plan Fitness...I tell you what I'm going to do"...says the Banker. "We'll call it a necessary bail-out. We'll use the other player's tax money which they wanted to go to other well meaning programs. We'll even cut back on the health care of our armed forces and their families in order to give the money to you!"  And the best thing about it is that the other players will still be on the hook for their properties and will have to eventually pay up any way that they can even if it means that they'll forfeit 50% of all future equity in their properties, their future assets, and even their retirement accounts... that is if they even have one!"

Meanwhile, the Banker and the Boy's Club sit side by side and grinning from ear to ear. One says to the other: "Gullible idiots these other players!"  "Yeah, well what are ya gonna do? we need 'em to play the game if we're gonna take all their money!"

Author- Well not quite all that, I left out some parts, much worse ones. Oh! I forgot the best thing!  For the Boy's Club ...a new rule that the Banker created. Since the Boy's Club is so gracious to lend money to the other regular-type players (Mom, Pop, and Kids), the Boy's Club each get one of these!


*The card entitles the bearer not to be found guilty of any wrong-doing against the U.S. Taxpayer. Should trouble in the streets start to brew, just go to Game Plan Fitness (your exclusive Boy's Club fitness club) and your pennace will be only to lift a few gold bars and then you are forgiven and are invited to have a cold brew on us (or should we say the U.S. Taxpayer -shhhh!). Meanwhile your fearless leader (Federal Reserve) will represent you and your best interests. Beware that you are forbidden to comment to the press and must refer all comments to the Fed. Please continue your shifty deeds and remember we worship at the alter of the All Seeing Eye (see back of $1 bill) every business day at 6pm to celebrate our power over the people and their economy.

Your company 401k may be eroding without you knowing it!

John Hancock, Fidelity, Nationwide, and others refuse to talk on TV about their hidden fees that can take a big chunk out of your 401k plan. Say goodbye to almost half of your nest egg!

Firms may say that they are not lying. Maybe so, but what they are doing is hiding the true cost of your plan so that you are not made aware, in simple terms, the total cost and effect on your plan account. Each percentage point costs you dearly. Some of these firms are charging over the 1% maximum total you should have to pay for in your plan.

In extreme cases, fees can be much higher. Jerre Daniels- Hall, a Port Orchard, Washington, teacher alleges in a lawsuit that a 403(b) plan run by the National Education Association for the South Kitsap School District has fees totaling 12.17 percent for some employees!
A 403(b), similar to a 401(k), is available to workers in government and nonprofit corporations.

Audio Podcast
Last weekend the Bullish Percent Indicator showed that there were only about 30% buyers and 70% sellers in the market. We've witnessed share price-downs on low volume and additional sell offs yesterday. Today it appears that the selling for the most part has greatly lessened and the buyers are back in the market to swab up the apparent bottoms in some of these stocks.

BPI

Sirius/XM was one of our concerns yesterday. Despite fantastic news of 23% subscriber growth, 70% reduced operating losses, and some smaller data, sellers continued selling. That kind of strange action is what makes me sit outside the market. Today however after some additional panic selling, the stocks are moving back up. The bulls are finding sweet as ever discounts not only here but elsewhere.

We are warned however that this remains a down market and this is only a possible intermediate rally.

Home foreclosures have yet to hit their peak. Home inventories are rising to new levels as well as loss of home equity depending on what state you are in. The financials may still have some hard surprise losses yet to come.
 
Oil has finally reached a petering out point as the topic of the day. Alternative energies of all types are getting some green fuel as plans are made public and projects begin moving faster. Governors in most states want the solar tax credits to be passed in the congress and have given their united request formally to the government.

All in all, today is a pretty good day! All we need now is some time with friends along a nice clean river with abundant nature, beer and good food!

Bad Weather Ahead

Then early this year, I remember talking to my group that I named The Cincinnati Pork Belly Traders for the lack of something better. While I could call our group Future1investors as a twist off of my email and online name, that might be too vain. But I do like that nevertheless. Anyhow, we talked earlier this year about how nothing made any sense in the market. When something should have been going down, it went up. When something should have been going up, it went down. One thing became clear. This was no longer the stock market many have grown up with. It is now a market of the people which is influenced by a select group of folks that we put way too much belief into for their supposed wisdom and guidance. Some of these people have been strategically placed within the media as either fixtures or as often guest appearances.
 
I am going to toot my horn for just a second before continuing here to say a few things.

1. I look for the truth, the real truth in all people. In their words, and in their actions. In their hearts. I soak it in and I make internal judgments to decide how and if I will react and interact to those people in my future.
   
2. I am a rather good though not great researcher. I can find relevant and solid information when needed for the purpose of further educating myself or for making a point or for proving something to the other sheep.
3. I've said over two years ago, that we were headed towards a recession. This did not come from my own knowledge but rather from the knowledge of others that I, not the other sheep, found to be reliable sources of information, experience and truthfulness.

The market does not make sense because of these people. We are by and large just sheep that are guided by the sheep-herders of the world. We believe most of everything we are told through the media these days. The media is the

BullsEye

The truth is, we are headed for an economic slow-down. A recession. History proves that we can not keep forging ahead. Just like stock sectors see necessary corrections, we too will see a major correction before we can resume again on the great road paved in gold.
 
Now everything we see in the media pretty much tells us to our face that a recession has yet to hit us, or that we are in a recession but it will be minor. We are also told that the bottoms have hit our feet and we shall fall no further. Everyone who isn't a proclaimed god, uses some references to substantiate their thoughts and actions. A while back, I went to an investor club meeting and we reviewed the book by John Mauldin. So powerful is this book that it changed the future outlook for many at this investor club meeting.