The primary index composites finished the last trading session in the red. Not
only did the Dow Jones, Nasdaq and S&P 500 finish the last session red, but all
indices finished the week overall on the negative side of break-even again.
script type=text/javascript> The Dow Jones Industrial Average finished off
yesterday in the red by 1.57 percent at 10,817.65. The Nasdaq finished off red
by 1.62 percent at 2,341.84 and the S&P 500 closed out in the green by 1.50
percent at 1,123.53. The DJIA ended the week lower by 4 percent. The Nasdaq
finished the week lower by 6.6 percent and the S&P 500 finished off lower by 4.7
percent overall for the week. The week was another volatile one for the U.S.
stock market and Friday culminated with a significant stock sell off. Major news
posting this week related to the Morgan Stanley report which identified the
European and American economies as both being dangerously close to recession. It
might not be a bear market yet in the U.S., but it is definitely setting up for
the easy transition. Now, because of the slowdowns in the European and American
economies, additional concerns are presenting regarding the Chinese economy. It
is a domino effect and the results are skewed negative on a global scale. Global
fears are building, and as a result stock market outcomes around the globe were
weaker yesterday. Asian indices went red as did the primary European indices.
Overall, it was another very disappointing week for the U.S. stock market and
global counterparts. Frank Matto
Friday, August 19, 2011
Lessons From a Gazillionaire’s Bad Call
Hedge fund manager John Paulson has generated billions from making big calls.
His most notable one, of course, was on the implosion of the subprime market
back in 2007. From there, he bet big on a comeback in banks, such as Bank of
America (NYSE: BAC ) and Citigroup (NYSE: C ). He even made a bundle on gold
through a massive investment in the SPDR Gold Shares (NYSE: GLD ). However, as
of this year, things haven't gone so well. For example, it looks like
Paulson's flagship fund, Advantage Plus, is down 31% for the year (as of the
end of July). Even the unleveraged version was off 22% (however, these numbers
certainly are in flux as the markets continue to be extremely volatile).
Granted, Paulson is not alone. It's been tough for many other hedge funds,
especially those that focus on macro strategies like currencies and interest
rates as well as commodities. According to Hedge Fund Research, the average
return for hedge funds is -6.1 for the year. What went wrong? Basically, Paulson
made the bet that there would be more growth in the U.S. and even strength in
the housing market. Well, it's never easy to predict the global economy
especially in today's volatile world. In fact, it looks like even Federal
Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke has misjudged the problems in the U.S. The gross
domestic product is growing at an anemic 1.3% annual rate, and consumer
confidence has plunged to a point not seen since May 1980. OK, so what is the
lesson here for investors? First of all, it is important to always be cautious,
especially when there is mounting evidence of a global slowdown. Keep in mind
that recessions are horrible for equities and often result in bear markets.
Next, investors should be restrained with stock positions. A stark example is
Paulson's investment in Sino-Forest Corp, which is a large Chinese forestry
company. Because of allegations of dubious accounting, he had to take a big
loss. So while Paulson's bet-the-ranch approach has resulted in substantial
results, it can easily mean disaster. And it doesn't matter if the investor is
one of the world's best. Tom Taulli's latest book is "All About Short
Selling" and he has an upcoming book called "All About Commodities." You
can find him at Twitter account @ttaulli . He does not own a position in any of
the stocks named here.
His most notable one, of course, was on the implosion of the subprime market
back in 2007. From there, he bet big on a comeback in banks, such as Bank of
America (NYSE: BAC ) and Citigroup (NYSE: C ). He even made a bundle on gold
through a massive investment in the SPDR Gold Shares (NYSE: GLD ). However, as
of this year, things haven't gone so well. For example, it looks like
Paulson's flagship fund, Advantage Plus, is down 31% for the year (as of the
end of July). Even the unleveraged version was off 22% (however, these numbers
certainly are in flux as the markets continue to be extremely volatile).
Granted, Paulson is not alone. It's been tough for many other hedge funds,
especially those that focus on macro strategies like currencies and interest
rates as well as commodities. According to Hedge Fund Research, the average
return for hedge funds is -6.1 for the year. What went wrong? Basically, Paulson
made the bet that there would be more growth in the U.S. and even strength in
the housing market. Well, it's never easy to predict the global economy
especially in today's volatile world. In fact, it looks like even Federal
Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke has misjudged the problems in the U.S. The gross
domestic product is growing at an anemic 1.3% annual rate, and consumer
confidence has plunged to a point not seen since May 1980. OK, so what is the
lesson here for investors? First of all, it is important to always be cautious,
especially when there is mounting evidence of a global slowdown. Keep in mind
that recessions are horrible for equities and often result in bear markets.
Next, investors should be restrained with stock positions. A stark example is
Paulson's investment in Sino-Forest Corp, which is a large Chinese forestry
company. Because of allegations of dubious accounting, he had to take a big
loss. So while Paulson's bet-the-ranch approach has resulted in substantial
results, it can easily mean disaster. And it doesn't matter if the investor is
one of the world's best. Tom Taulli's latest book is "All About Short
Selling" and he has an upcoming book called "All About Commodities." You
can find him at Twitter account @ttaulli . He does not own a position in any of
the stocks named here.
That Burning Smells Like Teen Retail
Retail sure is getting its bell rung lately. First it was Abercrombie & Fitch
(NYSE: ANF ) that took a tumble after a gloomy earnings call that mentioned the
prospect of a double-dip recession gutting sales sending the stock down 16%
from Monday's opening bell to Friday's opening bell. Also this week,
Aeropostale (NYSE: ARO ) reduced guidance for the full-year after it reported Q2
profit plunged 93% as same-store sales dropped 14%. The stock is off 13%
pre-market. Gap Inc. (NYSE: GPS ) reported Q2 profits down 19% as clothing chain
forced to slash prices. Urban Outfitters (NASDAQ: URBN ) saw Q2 profit fall 21%.
Do we sense a trend? There have been a few good (relatively speaking) headlines
on the retail front lately. Broadly, retail sales for July showed some of the
strongest numbers in four months. But the trouble in teen retail that is,
higher-priced apparel sold mainly at malls to young people (or their parents)
with money to burn is in deep trouble. In the malls and stripmalls of America,
there is stark contrast between the retailers doing well and those that are not.
Those stocks that succeed are catering to one of two consumers folks who
don't care a whit about how much things cost, and folks who place cost savings
above anything else in their purchases. Take the discounters in this latter
group. Target (NYSE: TGT ) stock has held firm during the past 30 days with
shares flat thanks to earnings track record and a strong outlook, while the Dow
has lost more than 11% (and maybe more by the time you read this). Dollar
General (NYSE: DG ) is equally strong, sitting on a loss of about 1% in the last
month (again, as of this moment) thanks in part to news that Warren Buffett and
Berkshire Hathaway (NYSE: BRK.B ) are now in hock for some 1.5 billion shares of
the discounter. Clearly these discounters are doing all right. But it's not a
race to the bottom. Referring back to those July retail numbers, the high-end
retailers also are thriving. Luxury retailer Saks (NYSE: SKS ) saw July sales up
15.6%. Other high end retail stocks weren't as hot, but followed this trend
Nordstrom (NYSE: JWN ) sales rose by 6.6% in the month and Macy's (NYSE: M )
was up 5%. On the other end of the spectrum you have cheap-chic Target, with its
aforementioned strong earnings, and bargain store DG cashing in on the discount
front. So if the luxury shops still are bringing in rich customers and the
discounters like Dollar General are catering to cash-strapped consumers, where
does that leave the rest of the sector? Well, look no further than the recent
performance of teen retail stocks. The clothes are pricey and higher quality
than a department store, but hardly luxury fashion wear. The T-shirts and jeans
are must-haves for any wardrobe, but you can get them cheaper at a big-box store
like Target. That leaves these shops in a very tough spot. Things can, of
course, turn around very quickly for these stocks. As the economy
"stabilized" in mid-2010, A&F and Buckle (NYSE: BKE ) both raced up over 70%
in just nine months. Bargain hunters can make a killing buying these teen
retailer stocks at the right time. Whether that time is now, however, remains a
very big question. Jeff Reeves is editor of InvestorPlace.com. As of this
writing, he did not own a position in any of the stocks named here. Follow him
on Twitter via @JeffReevesIP and become a fan of InvestorPlace on Facebook .
(NYSE: ANF ) that took a tumble after a gloomy earnings call that mentioned the
prospect of a double-dip recession gutting sales sending the stock down 16%
from Monday's opening bell to Friday's opening bell. Also this week,
Aeropostale (NYSE: ARO ) reduced guidance for the full-year after it reported Q2
profit plunged 93% as same-store sales dropped 14%. The stock is off 13%
pre-market. Gap Inc. (NYSE: GPS ) reported Q2 profits down 19% as clothing chain
forced to slash prices. Urban Outfitters (NASDAQ: URBN ) saw Q2 profit fall 21%.
Do we sense a trend? There have been a few good (relatively speaking) headlines
on the retail front lately. Broadly, retail sales for July showed some of the
strongest numbers in four months. But the trouble in teen retail that is,
higher-priced apparel sold mainly at malls to young people (or their parents)
with money to burn is in deep trouble. In the malls and stripmalls of America,
there is stark contrast between the retailers doing well and those that are not.
Those stocks that succeed are catering to one of two consumers folks who
don't care a whit about how much things cost, and folks who place cost savings
above anything else in their purchases. Take the discounters in this latter
group. Target (NYSE: TGT ) stock has held firm during the past 30 days with
shares flat thanks to earnings track record and a strong outlook, while the Dow
has lost more than 11% (and maybe more by the time you read this). Dollar
General (NYSE: DG ) is equally strong, sitting on a loss of about 1% in the last
month (again, as of this moment) thanks in part to news that Warren Buffett and
Berkshire Hathaway (NYSE: BRK.B ) are now in hock for some 1.5 billion shares of
the discounter. Clearly these discounters are doing all right. But it's not a
race to the bottom. Referring back to those July retail numbers, the high-end
retailers also are thriving. Luxury retailer Saks (NYSE: SKS ) saw July sales up
15.6%. Other high end retail stocks weren't as hot, but followed this trend
Nordstrom (NYSE: JWN ) sales rose by 6.6% in the month and Macy's (NYSE: M )
was up 5%. On the other end of the spectrum you have cheap-chic Target, with its
aforementioned strong earnings, and bargain store DG cashing in on the discount
front. So if the luxury shops still are bringing in rich customers and the
discounters like Dollar General are catering to cash-strapped consumers, where
does that leave the rest of the sector? Well, look no further than the recent
performance of teen retail stocks. The clothes are pricey and higher quality
than a department store, but hardly luxury fashion wear. The T-shirts and jeans
are must-haves for any wardrobe, but you can get them cheaper at a big-box store
like Target. That leaves these shops in a very tough spot. Things can, of
course, turn around very quickly for these stocks. As the economy
"stabilized" in mid-2010, A&F and Buckle (NYSE: BKE ) both raced up over 70%
in just nine months. Bargain hunters can make a killing buying these teen
retailer stocks at the right time. Whether that time is now, however, remains a
very big question. Jeff Reeves is editor of InvestorPlace.com. As of this
writing, he did not own a position in any of the stocks named here. Follow him
on Twitter via @JeffReevesIP and become a fan of InvestorPlace on Facebook .
The Market is Turning Nasty Yet Again
Just like the market, isnt it? The market decided to take the low road, as I
cautioned it might on Thursday . After a mixed outing Wednesday, the Dow
plummeted 420 points yesterday to finish again below 11,000. As usual on a bad
market day, there were some aggravating factors: rumors of liquidity problems at
a large European bank; a weak report on July existing-home sales; and, most
troubling, a steep drop in the August Philadelphia Fed survey of manufacturing
in the Middle Atlantic states. The Philly Fed number, as one of the timeliest
economic releases each month, often gives an early peek at manufacturing trends
nationwide. At -30.7, the Philly is pointing well below the line (zero) that
marks the divide between expansion and contraction. So it seems were in for an
extended period of base building before the stock market fully reflects the
increased risks in the economic outlook. I still think the United States will
avoid an officially defined recession, for the next few quarters, anyway. But it
may take until late September or sometime in October for Wall Street to work
through the worst of its fears. Along the way, the headline indexes will likely
break through their Aug. 8 closing lows, at least for a couple of sessions. The
S&P 500 was only about 2% above that level yesterday. How should you handle it?
Hedging is expensive at the moment, so I wouldnt try put options or inverse ETFs
until the market gives us more of a relief rally than weve gotten so far.
Instead, I recommend putting your spare cash to work slowly and steadily,
picking up individual stocks (quality names, of course) as they hit air pockets.
Spare cash? Yes, you should have a little, if youve sold some of your long bonds
lately, as Ive recommended. And if, like me, youve got a constant flow of
dividends and interest rolling in, youll have a few extra nickels to invest. One
air pocket that opened yesterday caught Accenture (NYSE: ACN ) in the downdraft.
No specific news that I could trace, but an analyst at Credit Suisse made
bearish comments
cautioned it might on Thursday . After a mixed outing Wednesday, the Dow
plummeted 420 points yesterday to finish again below 11,000. As usual on a bad
market day, there were some aggravating factors: rumors of liquidity problems at
a large European bank; a weak report on July existing-home sales; and, most
troubling, a steep drop in the August Philadelphia Fed survey of manufacturing
in the Middle Atlantic states. The Philly Fed number, as one of the timeliest
economic releases each month, often gives an early peek at manufacturing trends
nationwide. At -30.7, the Philly is pointing well below the line (zero) that
marks the divide between expansion and contraction. So it seems were in for an
extended period of base building before the stock market fully reflects the
increased risks in the economic outlook. I still think the United States will
avoid an officially defined recession, for the next few quarters, anyway. But it
may take until late September or sometime in October for Wall Street to work
through the worst of its fears. Along the way, the headline indexes will likely
break through their Aug. 8 closing lows, at least for a couple of sessions. The
S&P 500 was only about 2% above that level yesterday. How should you handle it?
Hedging is expensive at the moment, so I wouldnt try put options or inverse ETFs
until the market gives us more of a relief rally than weve gotten so far.
Instead, I recommend putting your spare cash to work slowly and steadily,
picking up individual stocks (quality names, of course) as they hit air pockets.
Spare cash? Yes, you should have a little, if youve sold some of your long bonds
lately, as Ive recommended. And if, like me, youve got a constant flow of
dividends and interest rolling in, youll have a few extra nickels to invest. One
air pocket that opened yesterday caught Accenture (NYSE: ACN ) in the downdraft.
No specific news that I could trace, but an analyst at Credit Suisse made
bearish comments
Top 10 Rebounding U.S.-Listed Chinese Stocks: ORS, CSNH, MPEL, ATAI, HRBN, FFHL, SHZ, PUDA, SINA, SGOC (Aug 19, 2011)
Below are the top 10 rebounding U.S.-listed Chinese stocks. These companies are
interesting turnaround stories. Orsus Xelent Technologies Inc. (AMEX:ORS) is the
1st best rebounding stock in this segment of the market. It has risen 292% from
its 52-week low. It is now trading at 16% of its 52-week high. China Shandong
Industries Inc (NASDAQ:CSNH) is the 2nd best rebounding stock in this segment of
the market. It has risen 233% from its 52-week low. It is now trading at 27% of
its 52-week high. Melco Crown Entertainment Ltd (ADR) (NASDAQ:MPEL) is the 3rd
best rebounding stock in this segment of the market. It has risen 225% from its
52-week low. It is now trading at 78% of its 52-week high. ATA Inc.(ADR)
(NASDAQ:ATAI) is the 4th best rebounding stock in this segment of the market. It
has risen 215% from its 52-week low. It is now trading at 68% of its 52-week
high. Harbin Electric, Inc. (NASDAQ:HRBN) is the 5th best rebounding stock in
this segment of the market. It has risen 207% from its 52-week low. It is now
trading at 71% of its 52-week high. Fuwei Films (Holdings) Co., Ltd
(NASDAQ:FFHL) is the 6th best rebounding stock in this segment of the market. It
has risen 201% from its 52-week low. It is now trading at 42% of its 52-week
high. China Shen Zhou Mining & Resources Inc. (AMEX:SHZ) is the 7th best
rebounding stock in this segment of the market. It has risen 197% from its
52-week low. It is now trading at 23% of its 52-week high. Puda Coal, Inc
(NYSE:PUDA) is the 8th best rebounding stock in this segment of the market. It
has risen 173% from its 52-week low. It is now trading at 24% of its 52-week
high. SINA Corporation (USA) (NASDAQ:SINA) is the 9th best rebounding stock in
this segment of the market. It has risen 138% from its 52-week low. It is now
trading at 65% of its 52-week high. SGOCO Group Ltd (NASDAQ:SGOC) is the 10th
best rebounding stock in this segment of the market. It has risen 114% from its
52-week low. It is now trading at 55% of its 52-week high.
interesting turnaround stories. Orsus Xelent Technologies Inc. (AMEX:ORS) is the
1st best rebounding stock in this segment of the market. It has risen 292% from
its 52-week low. It is now trading at 16% of its 52-week high. China Shandong
Industries Inc (NASDAQ:CSNH) is the 2nd best rebounding stock in this segment of
the market. It has risen 233% from its 52-week low. It is now trading at 27% of
its 52-week high. Melco Crown Entertainment Ltd (ADR) (NASDAQ:MPEL) is the 3rd
best rebounding stock in this segment of the market. It has risen 225% from its
52-week low. It is now trading at 78% of its 52-week high. ATA Inc.(ADR)
(NASDAQ:ATAI) is the 4th best rebounding stock in this segment of the market. It
has risen 215% from its 52-week low. It is now trading at 68% of its 52-week
high. Harbin Electric, Inc. (NASDAQ:HRBN) is the 5th best rebounding stock in
this segment of the market. It has risen 207% from its 52-week low. It is now
trading at 71% of its 52-week high. Fuwei Films (Holdings) Co., Ltd
(NASDAQ:FFHL) is the 6th best rebounding stock in this segment of the market. It
has risen 201% from its 52-week low. It is now trading at 42% of its 52-week
high. China Shen Zhou Mining & Resources Inc. (AMEX:SHZ) is the 7th best
rebounding stock in this segment of the market. It has risen 197% from its
52-week low. It is now trading at 23% of its 52-week high. Puda Coal, Inc
(NYSE:PUDA) is the 8th best rebounding stock in this segment of the market. It
has risen 173% from its 52-week low. It is now trading at 24% of its 52-week
high. SINA Corporation (USA) (NASDAQ:SINA) is the 9th best rebounding stock in
this segment of the market. It has risen 138% from its 52-week low. It is now
trading at 65% of its 52-week high. SGOCO Group Ltd (NASDAQ:SGOC) is the 10th
best rebounding stock in this segment of the market. It has risen 114% from its
52-week low. It is now trading at 55% of its 52-week high.
Stocks at 52 Week Highs: (SUSS), (NGD), (GTU), (GOLD), (CEF)
XCSFDHG46767FHJHJF
gol2664 Negocioenlinea Stocks at 52 Week Highs: (SUSS), (NGD), (GTU), ( GOLD ), (CEF) Takeover Chatter – 1 hour ago Stocks hitting new 52 week highs on August 19 are Susser Holdings Corporation, New Gold , Inc, Central GoldTrust, Randgold Resources Ltd, and Central Fund of Canada Limited. Investors are buying …
Oil Prices Won’t Stay Down for Long
XCSFDHG46767FHJHJF
tdp2664 InvestorPlace Oil prices, like stocks, took a few big hits last week. West Texas Intermediate crude last week dropped below $80 per barrel before bouncing back up to $87 this week. Meanwhile, Brent crude fell to a six-month low below $100 per barrel before climbing back to $110 this week. To hear the mainstream media tell it, much of the drop is based on the assumption that global growth is waning and oil demand is soon to follow. But that couldn’t be more wrong. Energy is one of the most highly leveraged and most liquid trading vehicles on the planet. A good portion of the decline we’ve experienced in recent weeks can be explained by nothing more than trading houses raising cash to meet margin calls or redemption requests from hedge funds, pension funds and other investors. That’s all there is to it. Firms simply need cash and are selling the most easily sellable assets they’ve got. In the past, that’s been gold , but lately it’s been oil. Longer-term, demand still is going up, and $120-per-barrel oil is our next stop, followed by prices of $150 or more in the years ahead. What’s happening now with the markets and energy prices is like being in the eye of a hurricane. That is, it won’t be long before we’re once again caught up in the whirlwind growth of emerging markets and energy demand shoots sharply higher. The Looming Demand Downpour Global demand still is rising — and it’s not going to slow down any time soon. There are huge swaths of the world now adopting gasoline engines. Let me give you two examples: Take the farmers in Cambodia. Many put up sheets in their fields at sunset. They then mount small incandescent light bulbs on sticks behind the sheets. The bulbs are powered by small gasoline generators to ensure they stay on all night. In the morning, those farmers go back and harvest the thousands of crickets that have collided with the sheet after having been drawn to the lights. They wrap up the fallen bugs and head to the markets where they are sold as food. It’s much the same situation in Africa, where small villages require simple engines to pump water. You might think bugs and small farm pumps are no big deal, but there’s an even greater energy revolution going on in the transportation industry.
Currencies Waver, Stocks Rise and Fall — What Will Be the Outcome for Gold?
XCSFDHG46767FHJHJF
gol2664 Negocioenlinea Currencies Waver, Stocks Rise and Fall — What Will Be the Outcome for Gold ? Minyanville.com – 36 minutes ago By Przemyslaw Radomski Aug 19, 2011 1:00 pm Each index is at a crossroads; whichever breaks out and significantly rallies will determine whether the impact on gold prices will be positive or …
Death of a Retailer: GameStop’s Q2 Earnings Pave Way to Digital Future
XCSFDHG46767FHJHJF
tdp2664 InvestorPlace Despite many troubles, GameStop (NYSE: GME ) might yet survive the death of physical media. The video game retailer reported its second-quarter earnings Thursday, and not all the news was good. Total sales came to $1.74 billion, a fall of more than 3% for the period. Profits dropped down to just below $31 million from $40 million during the same period last year. As always, it was used video game products that accounted for the lion’s share of GameStop’s gross profits. Used video games and gaming machines sales totaled more than $292, generating 46% of the company’s profits. Chief executive Paul Reins said, “GameStop’s resilient retail model enabled us to achieve our earnings plan despite a challenging period for the industry.” Challenging period indeed. The second quarter was rough for most players in the traditional video game field. Nintendo ‘s (PINK: NTDOY ) Nintendo 3DS crashed after a successful March release, Sony (NYSE: SNE ) saw PlayStation 3 sales sink , and game publishers like Take-Two ( NASDAQ : TTWO ) saw earnings fall even with successful releases like L.A. Noire , a title GameStop singled out as one of its bestsellers for the period. These companies are GameStop’s business, and their poor sales mean trouble for GameStop’s future. There is a major silver lining in the company’s earnings report, however — GameStop is growing its digital games business. One reason those game device makers and game publishers are hurting is the growing prominence of low-cost mobile and social games accessible on smartphones and web browsers. GameStop has been pushing hard to evolve its business beyond its brick and mortar stores to accommodate the new digital market. GameStop has opened new stores that push digital content alongside retail products and has made a number of high-profile acquisitions to give itself a foothold in the space, including the independent games website Kongregate. The effort is paying off. Digital sales grew 69% over the second quarter. The company’s “other” reporting category, which includes digital products, racked up sales of $98 million and accounted for nearly 42% of the company’s profits. Will digital content see GameStop return to the massive profits and huge share prices it enjoyed back in 2008? Probably not, but the company has at least proven that it won’t die alongside the disk-based video game. The chain isn’t slowing down, either. A Friday report at Games Industry.biz said GameStop currently is testing a new cloud-based gaming service that will stream PC, PlayStation 3 and Microsoft ( NASDAQ : MSFT ) Xbox 360 games to audiences without them having to purchase the games themselves. Think of it as Netflix ( NASDAQ : NFLX ) but for video games. This is similar to existing services like OnLive that have proven viable if not yet profitable. Spawn Labs, a streaming technology company GameStop acquired in April, is developing the service. Although it hasn’t detailed pricing yet, GameStop expects to open the service for business during the first half of 2012. This is how GameStop will survive the death of physical media — by transforming from a retailer into a service company. Will it survive as a major publicly traded company? Check back in 2015 . As of this writing, Anthony John Agnello did not own a position in any of the stocks named here. Follow him on Twitter at
Analyst Actions on Chinese Stocks: AMCN, BIDU, CIS, FENG, GAME, GSH, LDK, SINA … (Aug 19, 2011)
XCSFDHG46767FHJHJF
tdp2664 China Analyst Below are today's
Death of a Retailer: GameStop’s Q2 Earnings Pave Way to Digital Future
Despite many troubles, GameStop (NYSE: GME ) might yet survive the death of
physical media. The video game retailer reported its second-quarter earnings
Thursday, and not all the news was good. Total sales came to $1.74 billion, a
fall of more than 3% for the period. Profits dropped down to just below $31
million from $40 million during the same period last year. As always, it was
used video game products that accounted for the lions share of GameStops gross
profits. Used video games and gaming machines sales totaled more than $292,
generating 46% of the companys profits. Chief executive Paul Reins said,
GameStops resilient retail model enabled us to achieve our earnings plan despite
a challenging period for the industry. Challenging period indeed. The second
quarter was rough for most players in the traditional video game field. Nintendo
s (PINK: NTDOY ) Nintendo 3DS crashed after a successful March release, Sony
(NYSE: SNE ) saw PlayStation 3 sales sink , and game publishers like Take-Two
(NASDAQ: TTWO ) saw earnings fall even with successful releases like L.A. Noire
, a title GameStop singled out as one of its bestsellers for the period. These
companies are GameStops business, and their poor sales mean trouble for
GameStops future. There is a major silver lining in the companys earnings
report, however GameStop is growing its digital games business. One reason
those game device makers and game publishers are hurting is the growing
prominence of low-cost mobile and social games accessible on smartphones and web
browsers. GameStop has been pushing hard to evolve its business beyond its brick
and mortar stores to accommodate the new digital market. GameStop has opened new
stores that push digital content alongside retail products and has made a number
of high-profile acquisitions to give itself a foothold in the space, including
the independent games website Kongregate. The effort is paying off. Digital
sales grew 69% over the second quarter. The companys other reporting category,
which includes digital products, racked up sales of $98 million and accounted
for nearly 42% of the companys profits. Will digital content see GameStop return
to the massive profits and huge share prices it enjoyed back in 2008? Probably
not, but the company has at least proven that it wont die alongside the
disk-based video game. The chain isnt slowing down, either. A Friday report at
Games Industry.biz said GameStop currently is testing a new cloud-based gaming
service that will stream PC, PlayStation 3 and Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT ) Xbox
360 games to audiences without them having to purchase the games themselves.
Think of it as Netflix (NASDAQ: NFLX ) but for video games. This is similar to
existing services like OnLive that have proven viable if not yet profitable.
Spawn Labs, a streaming technology company GameStop acquired in April, is
developing the service. Although it hasnt detailed pricing yet, GameStop expects
to open the service for business during the first half of 2012. This is how
GameStop will survive the death of physical media by transforming from a
retailer into a service company. Will it survive as a major publicly traded
company? Check back in 2015 . As of this writing, Anthony John Agnello did not
own a position in any of the stocks named here. Follow him on Twitter at
physical media. The video game retailer reported its second-quarter earnings
Thursday, and not all the news was good. Total sales came to $1.74 billion, a
fall of more than 3% for the period. Profits dropped down to just below $31
million from $40 million during the same period last year. As always, it was
used video game products that accounted for the lions share of GameStops gross
profits. Used video games and gaming machines sales totaled more than $292,
generating 46% of the companys profits. Chief executive Paul Reins said,
GameStops resilient retail model enabled us to achieve our earnings plan despite
a challenging period for the industry. Challenging period indeed. The second
quarter was rough for most players in the traditional video game field. Nintendo
s (PINK: NTDOY ) Nintendo 3DS crashed after a successful March release, Sony
(NYSE: SNE ) saw PlayStation 3 sales sink , and game publishers like Take-Two
(NASDAQ: TTWO ) saw earnings fall even with successful releases like L.A. Noire
, a title GameStop singled out as one of its bestsellers for the period. These
companies are GameStops business, and their poor sales mean trouble for
GameStops future. There is a major silver lining in the companys earnings
report, however GameStop is growing its digital games business. One reason
those game device makers and game publishers are hurting is the growing
prominence of low-cost mobile and social games accessible on smartphones and web
browsers. GameStop has been pushing hard to evolve its business beyond its brick
and mortar stores to accommodate the new digital market. GameStop has opened new
stores that push digital content alongside retail products and has made a number
of high-profile acquisitions to give itself a foothold in the space, including
the independent games website Kongregate. The effort is paying off. Digital
sales grew 69% over the second quarter. The companys other reporting category,
which includes digital products, racked up sales of $98 million and accounted
for nearly 42% of the companys profits. Will digital content see GameStop return
to the massive profits and huge share prices it enjoyed back in 2008? Probably
not, but the company has at least proven that it wont die alongside the
disk-based video game. The chain isnt slowing down, either. A Friday report at
Games Industry.biz said GameStop currently is testing a new cloud-based gaming
service that will stream PC, PlayStation 3 and Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT ) Xbox
360 games to audiences without them having to purchase the games themselves.
Think of it as Netflix (NASDAQ: NFLX ) but for video games. This is similar to
existing services like OnLive that have proven viable if not yet profitable.
Spawn Labs, a streaming technology company GameStop acquired in April, is
developing the service. Although it hasnt detailed pricing yet, GameStop expects
to open the service for business during the first half of 2012. This is how
GameStop will survive the death of physical media by transforming from a
retailer into a service company. Will it survive as a major publicly traded
company? Check back in 2015 . As of this writing, Anthony John Agnello did not
own a position in any of the stocks named here. Follow him on Twitter at
Todays gold prices; gold price per ounce spot silver price per ounce spot gold per gram; DJIA index Review DJX DJI
Gold prices hit record highs yesterday as the negative economic news piled up.
Morgan Stanley reported that the economies in Europe and America were
dangerously close to a recession. Weekly jobless claims posted much higher than
anticipated. The manufacturing index via the Philadelphia Reserve was poor.
Stock indices in Europe, Asia and America plummeted into negative territory. The
environment was one that caused investor fear and anxiety. The environment was
ripe for safe have acquisition. Gold closed out yesterdays session above the
1800 price per troy ounce mark. Today, stock futures tumbled once again and the
primary stock indices moved in negative territory. The Dow Jones Industrial
Average, along with the Nasdaq and S&P 500 are red. Gold is making moves towards
1900 per troy ounce. Wall Street was set for another gloomy day as anxieties
heightened overseas regarding the European debt crisis. Fears of a global
recession are growing which is sending gold prices to fresh highs this day as
well. In addition, the dollar was falling weaker to a basket of other currencies
which was making gold and silver metals cheaper to acquire. One day after
hitting a new record, gold was moving towards new records. During the first half
of the trading session today, contract gold was higher by 1.81 percent at 1855
per troy ounce. Spot gold and spot silver were moving higher at this point as
well. Spot gold per gram was at 59.89 and spot silver per ounce was at 42.30.
Safe havens gold and silver continue to move higher this day. Camillo Zucari
Morgan Stanley reported that the economies in Europe and America were
dangerously close to a recession. Weekly jobless claims posted much higher than
anticipated. The manufacturing index via the Philadelphia Reserve was poor.
Stock indices in Europe, Asia and America plummeted into negative territory. The
environment was one that caused investor fear and anxiety. The environment was
ripe for safe have acquisition. Gold closed out yesterdays session above the
1800 price per troy ounce mark. Today, stock futures tumbled once again and the
primary stock indices moved in negative territory. The Dow Jones Industrial
Average, along with the Nasdaq and S&P 500 are red. Gold is making moves towards
1900 per troy ounce. Wall Street was set for another gloomy day as anxieties
heightened overseas regarding the European debt crisis. Fears of a global
recession are growing which is sending gold prices to fresh highs this day as
well. In addition, the dollar was falling weaker to a basket of other currencies
which was making gold and silver metals cheaper to acquire. One day after
hitting a new record, gold was moving towards new records. During the first half
of the trading session today, contract gold was higher by 1.81 percent at 1855
per troy ounce. Spot gold and spot silver were moving higher at this point as
well. Spot gold per gram was at 59.89 and spot silver per ounce was at 42.30.
Safe havens gold and silver continue to move higher this day. Camillo Zucari
Currencies Waver, Stocks Rise and Fall -- What Will Be the Outcome for Gold?
Currencies Waver, Stocks Rise and Fall -- What Will Be the Outcome for Gold?
Minyanville.com - 36 minutes ago By Przemyslaw Radomski Aug 19, 2011 1:00 pm
Each index is at a crossroads; whichever breaks out and significantly rallies
will determine whether the impact on gold prices will be positive or ...
Minyanville.com - 36 minutes ago By Przemyslaw Radomski Aug 19, 2011 1:00 pm
Each index is at a crossroads; whichever breaks out and significantly rallies
will determine whether the impact on gold prices will be positive or ...
Stocks at 52 Week Highs: (SUSS), (NGD), (GTU), (GOLD), (CEF)
Stocks at 52 Week Highs: (SUSS), (NGD), (GTU), (GOLD), (CEF) Takeover Chatter -
1 hour ago Stocks hitting new 52 week highs on August 19 are Susser Holdings
Corporation, New Gold, Inc, Central GoldTrust, Randgold Resources Ltd, and
Central Fund of Canada Limited. Investors are buying ...
1 hour ago Stocks hitting new 52 week highs on August 19 are Susser Holdings
Corporation, New Gold, Inc, Central GoldTrust, Randgold Resources Ltd, and
Central Fund of Canada Limited. Investors are buying ...
Oil Prices Won’t Stay Down for Long
Oil prices, like stocks, took a few big hits last week. West Texas Intermediate
crude last week dropped below $80 per barrel before bouncing back up to $87 this
week. Meanwhile, Brent crude fell to a six-month low below $100 per barrel
before climbing back to $110 this week. To hear the mainstream media tell it,
much of the drop is based on the assumption that global growth is waning and oil
demand is soon to follow. But that couldnt be more wrong. Energy is one of the
most highly leveraged and most liquid trading vehicles on the planet. A good
portion of the decline weve experienced in recent weeks can be explained by
nothing more than trading houses raising cash to meet margin calls or redemption
requests from hedge funds, pension funds and other investors. Thats all there is
to it. Firms simply need cash and are selling the most easily sellable assets
theyve got. In the past, thats been gold, but lately its been oil. Longer-term,
demand still is going up, and $120-per-barrel oil is our next stop, followed by
prices of $150 or more in the years ahead. Whats happening now with the markets
and energy prices is like being in the eye of a hurricane. That is, it wont be
long before were once again caught up in the whirlwind growth of emerging
markets and energy demand shoots sharply higher. The Looming Demand Downpour
Global demand still is rising and its not going to slow down any time soon.
There are huge swaths of the world now adopting gasoline engines. Let me give
you two examples: Take the farmers in Cambodia. Many put up sheets in their
fields at sunset. They then mount small incandescent light bulbs on sticks
behind the sheets. The bulbs are powered by small gasoline generators to ensure
they stay on all night. In the morning, those farmers go back and harvest the
thousands of crickets that have collided with the sheet after having been drawn
to the lights. They wrap up the fallen bugs and head to the markets where they
are sold as food. Its much the same situation in Africa, where small villages
require simple engines to pump water. You might think bugs and small farm pumps
are no big deal, but theres an even greater energy revolution going on in the
transportation industry.
crude last week dropped below $80 per barrel before bouncing back up to $87 this
week. Meanwhile, Brent crude fell to a six-month low below $100 per barrel
before climbing back to $110 this week. To hear the mainstream media tell it,
much of the drop is based on the assumption that global growth is waning and oil
demand is soon to follow. But that couldnt be more wrong. Energy is one of the
most highly leveraged and most liquid trading vehicles on the planet. A good
portion of the decline weve experienced in recent weeks can be explained by
nothing more than trading houses raising cash to meet margin calls or redemption
requests from hedge funds, pension funds and other investors. Thats all there is
to it. Firms simply need cash and are selling the most easily sellable assets
theyve got. In the past, thats been gold, but lately its been oil. Longer-term,
demand still is going up, and $120-per-barrel oil is our next stop, followed by
prices of $150 or more in the years ahead. Whats happening now with the markets
and energy prices is like being in the eye of a hurricane. That is, it wont be
long before were once again caught up in the whirlwind growth of emerging
markets and energy demand shoots sharply higher. The Looming Demand Downpour
Global demand still is rising and its not going to slow down any time soon.
There are huge swaths of the world now adopting gasoline engines. Let me give
you two examples: Take the farmers in Cambodia. Many put up sheets in their
fields at sunset. They then mount small incandescent light bulbs on sticks
behind the sheets. The bulbs are powered by small gasoline generators to ensure
they stay on all night. In the morning, those farmers go back and harvest the
thousands of crickets that have collided with the sheet after having been drawn
to the lights. They wrap up the fallen bugs and head to the markets where they
are sold as food. Its much the same situation in Africa, where small villages
require simple engines to pump water. You might think bugs and small farm pumps
are no big deal, but theres an even greater energy revolution going on in the
transportation industry.
Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) Launching Location And Status App
XCSFDHG46767FHJHJF
tdp2664 E money daily Microsoft Corporation ( NASDAQ :MSFT) has launched the 'We're In' app for Windows Phone 7. Microsoft Corporation ( NASDAQ :MSFT) Launching Location And Status App Microsoft Corporation ( NASDAQ :MSFT) has launched a new location sharing app 'We're In' for Windows Phone 7. This free app allows users to invite their friends using SMS and to share their location with each other. The app also helps to share status updates with contacts. The company launched the app in partnership with Channel Nine, and they have said that it will launch in Australia soon. A Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) said, "It's simple, invite your friends, and when they join, they'll see your location and you'll see theirs. When the invite expires, so does the shared location – no complicated process to worry about". Microsoft Corp. (NASDAQ:MSFT) shares were at 24.67 at the end of the last day’s trading. There’s been a 2.3% movement in the stock price over the past 3 months. Microsoft Corp. (NASDAQ:MSFT) Analyst Advice Consensus Opinion: Moderate Buy Mean recommendation: 1.82 (1=Strong Buy, 5=Strong Sell) 3 Months Ago: 1.78 Zack’s Rank: 25 out of 90 in the industry
Miners Surge as Gold Gains Continue
XCSFDHG46767FHJHJF
tdp2664 InvestorPlace Gold ’s rise continued in electronic and overnight Asia-Pacific trading as the Philadelphia Federal Reserve reported its August regional manufacturing survey fell into recessionary territory. At -30.7, the Philly Fed’s index is at its lowest level since March 2009. Spot gold was trading at $1,854.30 Bid, $1,855.30 Ask early Friday, hitting a high of $1,866.10 and a low of $1,840.80. The London p.m. gold fix came in at $1,848 per ounce. London gold fix prices have surged from just below $1,740 on Aug. 12 to exceed $1,820 yesterday. Spot silver was trading at $42.08 Bid, $42.18 Ask, with the reference price fixed at $41.98 in the London a.m., according to Kitco market data . In exchange trading, gold trusts were higher and the iShares Silver Trust was up sharply early Friday. The SPDR Gold Trust (NYSE: GLD ) was more than 0.8% higher. The iShares Gold Trust (NYSE: IAU ) was up more than 0.7%. The iShares Silver Trust (NYSE: SLV ) was up 2.25%. Gold and silver miner ETFs were up sharply, with the Global X Silver Miners ETF soaring. The Market Vectors Gold Miners ETF (NYSE: GDX ) was more than 3% higher. The Market Vector Junior Gold Miners ETF (NYSE: GDXJ ) was nearly 3.5% higher. The Global X Silver Miners ETF (NYSE: SIL ) was up more than 4.6%. Shares of gold miners were sharply higher, with NovaGold Resources leading the way. Agnico Eagle Mines (USA) (NYSE: AEM ) was 3.25% higher. Barrick Gold Corp. (NYSE: ABX ) was up more than 2.3%. Goldcorp (NYSE: GG ) was about 2.6% higher. Newmont Mining Corp. (NYSE: NEM ) was up 3.25%. NovaGold Resources (USA) (AMEX: NG ) was up around 5%. Silver mining shares were sharply higher as well, with Coeur D’Alene Mines headed skyward. Coeur D’Alene Mines Corp. (NYSE: CDE ) surged higher, up more than 7%. Hecla Mining (NYSE: HL ) was around 4.2% higher. Pan American Silver Corp. (USA) ( NASDAQ : PAAS ) was up more than 3.8%. Silver Wheaton Corp. (USA) (NYSE: SLW ) was more than 4.8% higher. Silver Standard Resources Inc. (USA) ( NASDAQ : SSRI ) was up nearly 2.6%. The author does not hold positions in any of the above-mentioned investments.
God Save the King: BK’s Health Surge Signals End of Fast-Food Monarchy
XCSFDHG46767FHJHJF
tdp2664 InvestorPlace The nation mourns today after Burger King executives broke into the guarded top floor of the fast food chain’s corporate headquarters in Miami, Fla., on Thursday evening and assassinated the King in a shocking coup d’état. Releasing a statement Friday morning regarding the deposition of the long-standing monarchy, senior marketing vice president Alex Macedo said, “People want a reason to go back to Burger King.” He and his conspirators plan to reignite public support of the organization by introducing a healthier line of menu items, but the plan is foolhardy. The King was beloved by his people. He was a benevolent and kind leader whose kingdom of meat and cheese was built in the name of his subjects. He ruled not with an iron fist, but instead insisted that all should “have it your way.” Falling prey to regicide is an ignoble end for a great man. The King wasn’t really murdered, of course, but he was indeed shown the door. Burger King is kicking off a new marketing blitz that aims to change public perception of the company as a purveyor of dangerously unhealthy fast food to a distributor of mom-friendly gourmet items. The centerpiece of the push is the California Whopper, a burger with guacamole on it. While a greasy patty smeared with mashed avocado isn’t what most medical professionals would call a cure for hypertension, it is good advertising. The actual new television commercials for the burger are just of vegetables and other ingredients being washed and prepared. Robert Passikoff of consumer surveying group Brand Keys told USA TODAY that the health-conscious strategy likely will work out for Burger King. “There was a time when price was king. Now healthy choices and quality drive the category,” he said. With same-store sales down 6%, Burger King certainly needs something to change. What’s most interesting about the shift in image, though, is it indicates a broader turn away from the mascot-oriented branding that has surrounded fast-food chains for nearly two generations. McDonald’s (NYSE: MCD ) has been criticized for years for not retiring Ronald McDonald as its mascot character, with detractors insisting the eerie clown was a tool for addicting children to unhealthy food. Consumer trends seem to be ending the marketing potency of characters like Ronald and the King quickly, though. McDonald’s introduced its own healthy menu options earlier this year, and its same-store sales were up close to 3% in the first quarter. Will Yum Brands (NYSE: YUM ) do away with the Colonel at KFC and stop selling people sandwiches made entirely out of fried chicken and cheese? Will Wendy ‘s (NYSE: WEN ) do away with the smiling visage of Dave Thomas’ pigtailed daughter and stop pouring molten cheddar on baked potatoes? Should Jack at Jack in the Box ( NASDAQ : JACK ) be worried for his life? If Burger King’s sales jump after ending the monarchy, these changes all could be on the horizon. As of this writing, Anthony John Agnello did not own a position in any of the stocks named here. Follow him on Twitter at
Top 10 Focus Stocks of The Day: CMRG, EK, PENX, HOTT, QIHU, OTEX, GME, KNSY, SINA, NQ (Aug 19, 2011)
XCSFDHG46767FHJHJF
tdp2664 China Analyst Below are today's top 10 focus stocks. These momentum stocks are attracting a lot of interest from traders. Three Chinese companies (QIHU,
USAA Google Finance Quote; DJIA Dow Jones Average Index DJX DJI Red; Economic Outlook Gloomy for USA; Stock Market News Today USAUX Review
XCSFDHG46767FHJHJF
dow2664 After several choppy days in the initial half of the week, extreme volatility returned to the stock market yesterday. Stocks plummeted during yesterday’s open market trading and the Dow ultimately fell by over 400 points. Cues from the global marketplace were poor as the Asian markets finished red, followed by the significant losses that posted with Euro stocks. These factors added to the negative pressure felt in the U.S. marketplace and helped to push index trends lower. In addition, the report posted via Morgan Stanley was noteworthy as it stated that the U.S. and Europe were treading dangerous economic waters and the economies were close to being identified as recessive. In general, it was a bad day for investors on Wall Street and for global economic outlook. The weekly jobless claims pushed higher by 9,000 in the U.S. This data posted much worse than what most economists had been anticipating. The Philadelphia Federal Reserve’s regional manufacturing index was weak too. Indices suffered, stocks suffered and funds suffered yesterday. According to google finance, USAA Aggressive Growth Mutual Fund USAUX finished in the red. The Fund fell lower by 5.81 percent on the day and closed down to 29.52. Previous close for the fund was 31.34. Frank Matto
Is Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) Working On iPad 3?
XCSFDHG46767FHJHJF
tdp2664 E money daily It has been reported that Apple Inc. ( NASDAQ :AAPL) is working on the new iPad. Is Apple Inc. ( NASDAQ :AAPL) Working On iPad 3? Rumors are always there regarding new iPads and iPhones and the latest report says that Apple Inc. ( NASDAQ :AAPL) has started working with component suppliers and an assembler in Asia to start the trial production of the next version of its tablet. A person at the supplier said that, “Suppliers will ramp up production and try to improve the yield rate for the new iPad in the fourth quarter before its official launch in early 2012″. Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) stocks were at 366.05 at the end of the last day’s trading. There’s been a 7.5% change in the stock price over the past 3 months. Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) Analyst Advice Consensus Opinion: Moderate Buy Mean recommendation: 1.21 (1=Strong Buy, 5=Strong Sell) 3 Months Ago: 1.22 Zack’s Rank: 1 out of 2 in the industry
Recent 52-Week High Exceeded in Shares of Randgold Resources (GOLD)
XCSFDHG46767FHJHJF
gol2664 Negocioenlinea Recent 52-Week High Exceeded in Shares of Randgold Resources ( GOLD ) Investor’s Business Daily – 1 hour ago Aug 19, 2011 (SmarTrend(R) News Watch via COMTEX) — Shares of Randgold Resources ( GOLD ) traded at a new 52-week high today of $109.00. Approximately 365,000 shares have traded hands today vs …
Miners Surge as Gold Gains Continue
Golds rise continued in electronic and overnight Asia-Pacific trading as the
Philadelphia Federal Reserve reported its August regional manufacturing survey
fell into recessionary territory. At -30.7, the Philly Feds index is at its
lowest level since March 2009. Spot gold was trading at $1,854.30 Bid, $1,855.30
Ask early Friday, hitting a high of $1,866.10 and a low of $1,840.80. The London
p.m. gold fix came in at $1,848 per ounce. London gold fix prices have surged
from just below $1,740 on Aug. 12 to exceed $1,820 yesterday. Spot silver was
trading at $42.08 Bid, $42.18 Ask, with the reference price fixed at $41.98 in
the London a.m., according to Kitco market data . In exchange trading, gold
trusts were higher and the iShares Silver Trust was up sharply early Friday. The
SPDR Gold Trust (NYSE: GLD ) was more than 0.8% higher. The iShares Gold Trust
(NYSE: IAU ) was up more than 0.7%. The iShares Silver Trust (NYSE: SLV ) was up
2.25%. Gold and silver miner ETFs were up sharply, with the Global X Silver
Miners ETF soaring. The Market Vectors Gold Miners ETF (NYSE: GDX ) was more
than 3% higher. The Market Vector Junior Gold Miners ETF (NYSE: GDXJ ) was
nearly 3.5% higher. The Global X Silver Miners ETF (NYSE: SIL ) was up more than
4.6%. Shares of gold miners were sharply higher, with NovaGold Resources leading
the way. Agnico Eagle Mines (USA) (NYSE: AEM ) was 3.25% higher. Barrick Gold
Corp. (NYSE: ABX ) was up more than 2.3%. Goldcorp (NYSE: GG ) was about 2.6%
higher. Newmont Mining Corp. (NYSE: NEM ) was up 3.25%. NovaGold Resources (USA)
(AMEX: NG ) was up around 5%. Silver mining shares were sharply higher as well,
with Coeur DAlene Mines headed skyward. Coeur DAlene Mines Corp. (NYSE: CDE )
surged higher, up more than 7%. Hecla Mining (NYSE: HL ) was around 4.2% higher.
Pan American Silver Corp. (USA) (NASDAQ: PAAS ) was up more than 3.8%. Silver
Wheaton Corp. (USA) (NYSE: SLW ) was more than 4.8% higher. Silver Standard
Resources Inc. (USA) (NASDAQ: SSRI ) was up nearly 2.6%. The author does not
hold positions in any of the above-mentioned investments.
Philadelphia Federal Reserve reported its August regional manufacturing survey
fell into recessionary territory. At -30.7, the Philly Feds index is at its
lowest level since March 2009. Spot gold was trading at $1,854.30 Bid, $1,855.30
Ask early Friday, hitting a high of $1,866.10 and a low of $1,840.80. The London
p.m. gold fix came in at $1,848 per ounce. London gold fix prices have surged
from just below $1,740 on Aug. 12 to exceed $1,820 yesterday. Spot silver was
trading at $42.08 Bid, $42.18 Ask, with the reference price fixed at $41.98 in
the London a.m., according to Kitco market data . In exchange trading, gold
trusts were higher and the iShares Silver Trust was up sharply early Friday. The
SPDR Gold Trust (NYSE: GLD ) was more than 0.8% higher. The iShares Gold Trust
(NYSE: IAU ) was up more than 0.7%. The iShares Silver Trust (NYSE: SLV ) was up
2.25%. Gold and silver miner ETFs were up sharply, with the Global X Silver
Miners ETF soaring. The Market Vectors Gold Miners ETF (NYSE: GDX ) was more
than 3% higher. The Market Vector Junior Gold Miners ETF (NYSE: GDXJ ) was
nearly 3.5% higher. The Global X Silver Miners ETF (NYSE: SIL ) was up more than
4.6%. Shares of gold miners were sharply higher, with NovaGold Resources leading
the way. Agnico Eagle Mines (USA) (NYSE: AEM ) was 3.25% higher. Barrick Gold
Corp. (NYSE: ABX ) was up more than 2.3%. Goldcorp (NYSE: GG ) was about 2.6%
higher. Newmont Mining Corp. (NYSE: NEM ) was up 3.25%. NovaGold Resources (USA)
(AMEX: NG ) was up around 5%. Silver mining shares were sharply higher as well,
with Coeur DAlene Mines headed skyward. Coeur DAlene Mines Corp. (NYSE: CDE )
surged higher, up more than 7%. Hecla Mining (NYSE: HL ) was around 4.2% higher.
Pan American Silver Corp. (USA) (NASDAQ: PAAS ) was up more than 3.8%. Silver
Wheaton Corp. (USA) (NYSE: SLW ) was more than 4.8% higher. Silver Standard
Resources Inc. (USA) (NASDAQ: SSRI ) was up nearly 2.6%. The author does not
hold positions in any of the above-mentioned investments.
Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) Launching Location And Status App
Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) has launched the 'We're In' app for
Windows Phone 7. Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) Launching Location And
Status App Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) has launched a new location
sharing app 'We're In' for Windows Phone 7. This free app allows users to
invite their friends using SMS and to share their location with each other. The
app also helps to share status updates with contacts. The company launched the
app in partnership with Channel Nine, and they have said that it will launch in
Australia soon. A Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) said, "It's simple,
invite your friends, and when they join, they'll see your location and
you'll see theirs. When the invite expires, so does the shared location – no
complicated process to worry about". Microsoft Corp. (NASDAQ:MSFT) shares were
at 24.67 at the end of the last days trading. Theres been a 2.3% movement in the
stock price over the past 3 months. Microsoft Corp. (NASDAQ:MSFT) Analyst Advice
Consensus Opinion: Moderate Buy Mean recommendation: 1.82 (1=Strong Buy,
5=Strong Sell) 3 Months Ago: 1.78 Zacks Rank: 25 out of 90 in the industry
Windows Phone 7. Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) Launching Location And
Status App Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) has launched a new location
sharing app 'We're In' for Windows Phone 7. This free app allows users to
invite their friends using SMS and to share their location with each other. The
app also helps to share status updates with contacts. The company launched the
app in partnership with Channel Nine, and they have said that it will launch in
Australia soon. A Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) said, "It's simple,
invite your friends, and when they join, they'll see your location and
you'll see theirs. When the invite expires, so does the shared location – no
complicated process to worry about". Microsoft Corp. (NASDAQ:MSFT) shares were
at 24.67 at the end of the last days trading. Theres been a 2.3% movement in the
stock price over the past 3 months. Microsoft Corp. (NASDAQ:MSFT) Analyst Advice
Consensus Opinion: Moderate Buy Mean recommendation: 1.82 (1=Strong Buy,
5=Strong Sell) 3 Months Ago: 1.78 Zacks Rank: 25 out of 90 in the industry
God Save the King: BK’s Health Surge Signals End of Fast-Food Monarchy
The nation mourns today after Burger King executives broke into the guarded top
floor of the fast food chains corporate headquarters in Miami, Fla., on Thursday
evening and assassinated the King in a shocking coup détat. Releasing a
statement Friday morning regarding the deposition of the long-standing monarchy,
senior marketing vice president Alex Macedo said, People want a reason to go
back to Burger King. He and his conspirators plan to reignite public support of
the organization by introducing a healthier line of menu items, but the plan is
foolhardy. The King was beloved by his people. He was a benevolent and kind
leader whose kingdom of meat and cheese was built in the name of his subjects.
He ruled not with an iron fist, but instead insisted that all should have it
your way. Falling prey to regicide is an ignoble end for a great man. The King
wasnt really murdered, of course, but he was indeed shown the door. Burger King
is kicking off a new marketing blitz that aims to change public perception of
the company as a purveyor of dangerously unhealthy fast food to a distributor of
mom-friendly gourmet items. The centerpiece of the push is the California
Whopper, a burger with guacamole on it. While a greasy patty smeared with mashed
avocado isnt what most medical professionals would call a cure for hypertension,
it is good advertising. The actual new television commercials for the burger are
just of vegetables and other ingredients being washed and prepared. Robert
Passikoff of consumer surveying group Brand Keys told USA TODAY that the
health-conscious strategy likely will work out for Burger King. There was a time
when price was king. Now healthy choices and quality drive the category, he
said. With same-store sales down 6%, Burger King certainly needs something to
change. Whats most interesting about the shift in image, though, is it indicates
a broader turn away from the mascot-oriented branding that has surrounded
fast-food chains for nearly two generations. McDonalds (NYSE: MCD ) has been
criticized for years for not retiring Ronald McDonald as its mascot character,
with detractors insisting the eerie clown was a tool for addicting children to
unhealthy food. Consumer trends seem to be ending the marketing potency of
characters like Ronald and the King quickly, though. McDonalds introduced its
own healthy menu options earlier this year, and its same-store sales were up
close to 3% in the first quarter. Will Yum Brands (NYSE: YUM ) do away with the
Colonel at KFC and stop selling people sandwiches made entirely out of fried
chicken and cheese? Will Wendy s (NYSE: WEN ) do away with the smiling visage of
Dave Thomas pigtailed daughter and stop pouring molten cheddar on baked
potatoes? Should Jack at Jack in the Box (NASDAQ: JACK ) be worried for his
life? If Burger Kings sales jump after ending the monarchy, these changes all
could be on the horizon. As of this writing, Anthony John Agnello did not own a
position in any of the stocks named here. Follow him on Twitter at
floor of the fast food chains corporate headquarters in Miami, Fla., on Thursday
evening and assassinated the King in a shocking coup détat. Releasing a
statement Friday morning regarding the deposition of the long-standing monarchy,
senior marketing vice president Alex Macedo said, People want a reason to go
back to Burger King. He and his conspirators plan to reignite public support of
the organization by introducing a healthier line of menu items, but the plan is
foolhardy. The King was beloved by his people. He was a benevolent and kind
leader whose kingdom of meat and cheese was built in the name of his subjects.
He ruled not with an iron fist, but instead insisted that all should have it
your way. Falling prey to regicide is an ignoble end for a great man. The King
wasnt really murdered, of course, but he was indeed shown the door. Burger King
is kicking off a new marketing blitz that aims to change public perception of
the company as a purveyor of dangerously unhealthy fast food to a distributor of
mom-friendly gourmet items. The centerpiece of the push is the California
Whopper, a burger with guacamole on it. While a greasy patty smeared with mashed
avocado isnt what most medical professionals would call a cure for hypertension,
it is good advertising. The actual new television commercials for the burger are
just of vegetables and other ingredients being washed and prepared. Robert
Passikoff of consumer surveying group Brand Keys told USA TODAY that the
health-conscious strategy likely will work out for Burger King. There was a time
when price was king. Now healthy choices and quality drive the category, he
said. With same-store sales down 6%, Burger King certainly needs something to
change. Whats most interesting about the shift in image, though, is it indicates
a broader turn away from the mascot-oriented branding that has surrounded
fast-food chains for nearly two generations. McDonalds (NYSE: MCD ) has been
criticized for years for not retiring Ronald McDonald as its mascot character,
with detractors insisting the eerie clown was a tool for addicting children to
unhealthy food. Consumer trends seem to be ending the marketing potency of
characters like Ronald and the King quickly, though. McDonalds introduced its
own healthy menu options earlier this year, and its same-store sales were up
close to 3% in the first quarter. Will Yum Brands (NYSE: YUM ) do away with the
Colonel at KFC and stop selling people sandwiches made entirely out of fried
chicken and cheese? Will Wendy s (NYSE: WEN ) do away with the smiling visage of
Dave Thomas pigtailed daughter and stop pouring molten cheddar on baked
potatoes? Should Jack at Jack in the Box (NASDAQ: JACK ) be worried for his
life? If Burger Kings sales jump after ending the monarchy, these changes all
could be on the horizon. As of this writing, Anthony John Agnello did not own a
position in any of the stocks named here. Follow him on Twitter at
Is Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) Working On iPad 3?
It has been reported that Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) is working on the new iPad.
Is Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) Working On iPad 3? Rumors are always there regarding
new iPads and iPhones and the latest report says that Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL)
has started working with component suppliers and an assembler in Asia to start
the trial production of the next version of its tablet. A person at the supplier
said that, Suppliers will ramp up production and try to improve the yield rate
for the new iPad in the fourth quarter before its official launch in early 2012.
Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) stocks were at 366.05 at the end of the last days
trading. Theres been a 7.5% change in the stock price over the past 3 months.
Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) Analyst Advice Consensus Opinion: Moderate Buy Mean
recommendation: 1.21 (1=Strong Buy, 5=Strong Sell) 3 Months Ago: 1.22 Zacks
Rank: 1 out of 2 in the industry
Is Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) Working On iPad 3? Rumors are always there regarding
new iPads and iPhones and the latest report says that Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL)
has started working with component suppliers and an assembler in Asia to start
the trial production of the next version of its tablet. A person at the supplier
said that, Suppliers will ramp up production and try to improve the yield rate
for the new iPad in the fourth quarter before its official launch in early 2012.
Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) stocks were at 366.05 at the end of the last days
trading. Theres been a 7.5% change in the stock price over the past 3 months.
Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) Analyst Advice Consensus Opinion: Moderate Buy Mean
recommendation: 1.21 (1=Strong Buy, 5=Strong Sell) 3 Months Ago: 1.22 Zacks
Rank: 1 out of 2 in the industry
Recent 52-Week High Exceeded in Shares of Randgold Resources (GOLD)
Recent 52-Week High Exceeded in Shares of Randgold Resources (GOLD) Investor's
Business Daily - 1 hour ago Aug 19, 2011 (SmarTrend(R) News Watch via COMTEX) --
Shares of Randgold Resources (GOLD) traded at a new 52-week high today of
$109.00. Approximately 365,000 shares have traded hands today vs ...
Business Daily - 1 hour ago Aug 19, 2011 (SmarTrend(R) News Watch via COMTEX) --
Shares of Randgold Resources (GOLD) traded at a new 52-week high today of
$109.00. Approximately 365,000 shares have traded hands today vs ...
Zacks Investment Ideas Feature Highlights: Sturm, Ruger & Company, Randgold Resources and Consolidated Edison
Zacks Investment Ideas Feature Highlights: Sturm, Ruger & Company, Randgold
Resources and Consolidated Edison PR Newswire - 2 hours ago CHICAGO, Aug. 19,
2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Zacks Investment Ideas feature highlights Features:
Sturm, Ruger & Company (NYSE: RGR), Randgold Resources (Nasdaq: GOLD) and
Consolidated Edison ... Zacks Investment Ideas Feature Highlights: Sturm, Ruger
amp; Company, Randgold Resources And Consolidated Edison - Daily Markets
Resources and Consolidated Edison PR Newswire - 2 hours ago CHICAGO, Aug. 19,
2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Zacks Investment Ideas feature highlights Features:
Sturm, Ruger & Company (NYSE: RGR), Randgold Resources (Nasdaq: GOLD) and
Consolidated Edison ... Zacks Investment Ideas Feature Highlights: Sturm, Ruger
amp; Company, Randgold Resources And Consolidated Edison - Daily Markets
USAA Google Finance Quote; DJIA Dow Jones Average Index DJX DJI Red; Economic Outlook Gloomy for USA; Stock Market News Today USAUX Review
After several choppy days in the initial half of the week, extreme volatility
returned to the stock market yesterday. Stocks plummeted during yesterdays open
market trading and the Dow ultimately fell by over 400 points. Cues from the
global marketplace were poor as the Asian markets finished red, followed by the
significant losses that posted with Euro stocks. These factors added to the
negative pressure felt in the U.S. marketplace and helped to push index trends
lower. In addition, the report posted via Morgan Stanley was noteworthy as it
stated that the U.S. and Europe were treading dangerous economic waters and the
economies were close to being identified as recessive. In general, it was a bad
day for investors on Wall Street and for global economic outlook. The weekly
jobless claims pushed higher by 9,000 in the U.S. This data posted much worse
than what most economists had been anticipating. The Philadelphia Federal
Reserves regional manufacturing index was weak too. Indices suffered, stocks
suffered and funds suffered yesterday. According to google finance, USAA
Aggressive Growth Mutual Fund USAUX finished in the red. The Fund fell lower by
5.81 percent on the day and closed down to 29.52. Previous close for the fund
was 31.34. Frank Matto
returned to the stock market yesterday. Stocks plummeted during yesterdays open
market trading and the Dow ultimately fell by over 400 points. Cues from the
global marketplace were poor as the Asian markets finished red, followed by the
significant losses that posted with Euro stocks. These factors added to the
negative pressure felt in the U.S. marketplace and helped to push index trends
lower. In addition, the report posted via Morgan Stanley was noteworthy as it
stated that the U.S. and Europe were treading dangerous economic waters and the
economies were close to being identified as recessive. In general, it was a bad
day for investors on Wall Street and for global economic outlook. The weekly
jobless claims pushed higher by 9,000 in the U.S. This data posted much worse
than what most economists had been anticipating. The Philadelphia Federal
Reserves regional manufacturing index was weak too. Indices suffered, stocks
suffered and funds suffered yesterday. According to google finance, USAA
Aggressive Growth Mutual Fund USAUX finished in the red. The Fund fell lower by
5.81 percent on the day and closed down to 29.52. Previous close for the fund
was 31.34. Frank Matto
Who Wants BlackBerry? Three Potential Buyers for RIM
XCSFDHG46767FHJHJF
tdp2664 InvestorPlace Around 50% of consumers are interested in purchasing a tablet computer, a number that’s only going to continue growing in the next few years. Of those potential customers, 95% of them are interested in purchasing Apple ‘s ( NASDAQ : AAPL ) iPad. Other tablets don't fare as well. Only around 10% of prospective buyers are interested in Hewlett-Packard ‘s ( NASDAQ : HPQ ) TouchPad. Just 8% are interested in Samsung’s Galaxy Tab or Motorola ‘s (NYSE: MMI ) Xoom. Then there’s Research in Motion ‘s ( NASDAQ : RIMM ) PlayBook. Just 4% of potential tablet buyers want a BlackBerry-branded tablet. It isn’t just the meager interest in RIM’s new tablet business that’s the problem, though. Interest in RIM is weak across the board. The stock was trading below $26 on Wednesday, down from about $48 during this time last year, and down from nearly $130 in August 2008. Its share of the ever-growing smartphone industry is expected to decline to about 13% by 2015. It laid off 11% of its workforce at the end of July. Times are rough, and they’re likely to get rougher by the time RIM releases its next earnings report, in September. Is there hope for RIM in the arms of another? Google ‘s (NASDAQ: GOOG ) purchase $12.5 billion purchase of Motorola is a good sign for RIM. After all, RIM controls a large swath of technology patents, a commodity Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT ) and Apple have turned into artillery in the mobile technology war. The Wall Street Journal ‘s Rolfe Winkler doesn’t think that RIM is an acquisition target, though — at least not yet . The company will, at this rate of attrition, only get cheaper. So who might buy RIM and how would its business fit into those potential buyers' ecosystems? Some potential suitors: Dell For all of Dell 's (NASDAQ: DELL ) woes, the company isn’t having a terrible 2011 . Its consumer PC business is struggling, but consumer PCs haven’t been Dell’s bread and butter for a long time. Business sales keep Dell earning money, and those business sales are up almost 7% in 2011, with revenue up more than 5%. The company has multiple devices in the pipeline to augment its business services, including tablets that run both Google’s Android and Microsoft’s Windows operating systems. At the right price, RIM’s technology and patents could be potent additions to Dell’s business division. They would give Dell exclusive control of a trusted (if faded) brand in the business world. What's more, RIM’s technology still commands enough interest amongst users for Dell to avoid the perilous situation HP got itself into after purchasing Palm. Microsoft There is absolutely no guarantee that Microsoft and Nokia ‘s (NYSE: NOK ) gambit to make Windows phones a serious competitor against Google and Apple will work. Nokia’s prominence in the international market is declining and Microsoft has never found the secret recipe for capturing the mobile market in the way it did with PCs. In the event that its partnership with Nokia fails, it's doubtful that Microsoft will simply give up the mobile ghost. A solution would be to start manufacturing its own devices. Purchasing RIM would give Microsoft an even broader portfolio of software and hardware patents as well as an established mobile device manufacturing business. But as it would for Dell, RIM would have to go to Microsoft at a relatively cheap price to be considered a bargain. Hewlett-Packard Rolfe Winkler thinks that HP’s purchase of Palm rules it out as a potential RIM buyer. Given HP’s poor overall performance in 2011 and the bath it’s taking on the TouchPad — its first major original release using the new Palm-developed webOS mobile operating system — that assessment isn’t out of bounds. As is true for Microsoft, though, HP could gain a greater foothold in the mobile market by controlling RIM’s wealth of patents, especially when coupled with patents gained through Palm’s business. HP would hold the lion’s share of patents from the early days of the smartphone industry, something that would make the company a very real threat to manufacturers like Apple. As of this writing, Anthony John Agnello did not own a position in any of the stocks named here. Follow him on Twitter at
Friday August 19, 2011
XCSFDHG46767FHJHJF
tdp2664 Penny Stock Live I’ll be trading today but it’ll be a bit choppy because I need to run to the DMV around 10am EST. Right now futures are getting hammered again as I suspected so it doesn’t look good guys. Be ready for shorts, maybe a few select longs. I won’t be trying to guess bottom now that we’re testing recent lows, just too risky. Longs PPRTF is a bid buy swing trade. I’m in at what I think is good support and I’ll wait for the next volume surge to take profits. Just like we did yesterday on GRHU . GLUU just hasn’t played well, nailed it last week for solid profits but this week it’s been a whole different beast. Adding 3k yesterday at support, sold 3k yesterday when markets looked like they could really plummet. $2.80 is support, if this thing falls hard then I’ll just take my loss and buy back later. OXGN was an earning alert from a few weeks ago. With the general market downturn and no real reason for buyers to come on board it’s losing support at $1.40 which means it’s almost time for me to move on. If they don’t put something together today, this will be a swing gone sour. Shorts None to report on
Boeing (NYSE:BA) Lines Up Pilot Training
XCSFDHG46767FHJHJF
tdp2664 E money daily Boeing (NYSE:BA) has scheduled the provision of simulator-based training for Australian Army Kiowa pilots. Boeing (NYSE:BA) Lines Up Pilot Training Boeing (NYSE:BA) announced that it will support Australian Army Kiowa Pilots by providing Simulator-based Training. Boeing (NYSE:BA) will use a Helimod helicopter simulator to help train Australian Army pilots to fly Bell 206B-1 Kiowa helicopters. Boeing (NYSE:BA) AATTS graduates arrive at Australian Army operational units ready for conversion training. Mark Brownsey, senior manager of AATTS for Boeing (NYSE:BA) Defence Australia, said that, “Under our Army Aviation Training and Training Support (AATTS) contract, Boeing has traditionally taught students to fly Kiowas using classroom-based instruction and real flight hours. Over the next year, we’ll assess the effectiveness of transferring some of this curriculum to the synthetic environment, which has the potential to reduce costly flight hours and improve safety and training outcomes for the Australian Army. The benefit of introducing students to helicopter simulator technology at an earlier stage of their rotary wing training is that we improve their overall readiness for learning to fly more advanced helicopters and, in turn, provide the Australian Army with pilots who are more technically proficient, safer and mission-ready". Boeing Co. (NYSE:BA) company shares are currently standing at 58.93. Price History Last Price: 58.93 52 Week Low / High: 56.01 / 80.65 50 Day Moving Average: 70.13 6 Month Price Change %: -14.2% 12 Month Price Change %: -5.8%
Want to Save Yourself, AOL? Go Private
XCSFDHG46767FHJHJF
tdp2664 InvestorPlace AOL (NYSE: AOL ) CEO Tim Armstrong bragged in his company's latest earnings release that it was poised to become "the next great Internet company." He stands a better chance of fulfilling that promise if AOL was taken private. Armstrong joined the New York-based media company in 2009 and led the company through its initial public offering, promising to mirror the success of Walt Disney Co. (NYSE: DIS ) and CNN . He has tried to back up his grand designs with equally grand deeds. He acquired Huffington Post earlier this year for $315 million and later added more than 300 journalists to AOL's payroll. He has tried to capture local audiences through the company's hyperlocal Patch sites that cover 846 towns. Wall Street, however, has not been impressed with either investment. Shares of AOL have dropped almost 50% this year thanks to its dismal second-quarter earnings. Sadly, the traffic gains at newer sights have not offset the declines in legacy sites such MapQuest and the AOL.com home page . Patch alone costs $160 million annually to keep afloat, according to a Wall Street analyst. Armstrong should follow the lead of Michael Bloomberg, who built a phenomenally successful media empire without the prying eyes of shareholders. Bloomberg L.P. is able to spend what it wants when it wants to without worrying about quarterly earnings fluctuations. That type of attitude is needed at AOL, which may not be fixed until 2013 , Armstrong told the New York Times . Otherwise, its outlook seems pretty grim. AOL lost $11.8 million in the latest quarter , which sadly is the best performance the company has given in recent memory. The company has a wide array of problems, ranging from internal management issues at Huffington Post to its dependence on its declining dial-up Internet access business. AOL's subscription business generated $201.3 million, or 37% of AOL's $542.2 million in quarterly revenue. It fell 23% while advertising revenue gained 5% to $319 million. Though AOL is dirt-cheap — Bloomberg News points out that it's trading at 57 cents on a dollar — the company might not be an easy sell to a private equity player. For one thing, free cash flow — a key metric for these investors — fell 43% to $77.2 million in the latest quarter. It also has lost about $800 million in the two years that it's been a standalone company. Then there's the Arianna Huffington factor. It isn't clear whether the larger-than-life editor would stay at her perch on the top of the blogging world if AOL changed hands. Any new owner would replace Armstrong, who has indulged her whims, which reportedly included setting up three nap rooms . Nonetheless, AOL is far too cheap for a potential buyer interested in gaining access to one of the largest audiences on the Web. Of the 43 U.S. Internet companies with market caps greater than $500 million, AOL has the lowest price-to-earnings ratio, and its valuation of 0.57 times book value also is the cheapest. Armstrong's tenure has had some modest successes. Display advertising revenue rose in the first quarter for the first time in four years. Global advertising revenue grew in the second quarter grew for the first time in three years. Those figures, though, might be less impressive than many people realize. For one thing, most media companies have noted that increased advertising sales helped their bottom lines. Whether these increases are sustainable is another issue. Advertising is corporate America's answer to a canary in a coalmine. It's among the first things that get cut when executives expect business to slow down. Armstrong recently decided to spend $250 million of AOL's $459 million in cash to buy back shares. That gesture will do nothing to address the serious long-term concerns that many investors have about AOL. According to the New York Times, AOL hit a "hard bump on its road to becoming a digital media company." That's wrong. It's more like an obstacle the size of Mount Everest. Jonathan Berr is a former AOL freelancer. He also worked for Bloomberg News for seven years and owns no shares of the companies listed here.
Sears Holdings (NASDAQ:SHLD) Planning Store Closure
XCSFDHG46767FHJHJF
tdp2664 E money daily Sears Holdings ( NASDAQ :SHLD) has plans to close its Union City store. Sears Holdings ( NASDAQ :SHLD) Planning Store Closure Sears Holdings ( NASDAQ :SHLD), the retail chain, has declared that its department store in Union City will be closed in December, creating the loss of almost 100 jobs. This decision has been taken as a result of the shop's under performance. Kimberly Freely, a Sears Holdings Corp. spokeswoman, said that, "The store will be shuttered because it is an “underperformer". The store would begin liquidating on Aug 28. Sears Holdings (NASDAQ:SHLD) plans to close the store at the beginning of December but that can be a little flexible based on the liquidation. The 92 associates who now work there will be notified of openings at other Sears stores. Those who qualify will receive severance. The retailer does not plan to close any other stores in metro Atlanta". Sears Holdings (NASDAQ:SHLD) shares were at 55.23 at the end of the last day’s trading. There’s been a -20.7% movement in the stock price over the past 3 months. Sears Holdings (NASDAQ:SHLD) Analyst Advice Consensus Opinion: Moderate Sell Mean recommendation: 3.67 (1=Strong Buy, 5=Strong Sell) 3 Months Ago: 3.67 Zack’s Rank: 14 out of 16 in the industry
Who Wants BlackBerry? Three Potential Buyers for RIM
Around 50% of consumers are interested in purchasing a tablet computer, a
number thats only going to continue growing in the next few years. Of those
potential customers, 95% of them are interested in purchasing Apple s (NASDAQ:
AAPL ) iPad. Other tablets don't fare as well. Only around 10% of prospective
buyers are interested in Hewlett-Packard s (NASDAQ: HPQ ) TouchPad. Just 8% are
interested in Samsungs Galaxy Tab or Motorola s (NYSE: MMI ) Xoom. Then theres
Research in Motion s (NASDAQ: RIMM ) PlayBook. Just 4% of potential tablet
buyers want a BlackBerry-branded tablet. It isnt just the meager interest in
RIMs new tablet business thats the problem, though. Interest in RIM is weak
across the board. The stock was trading below $26 on Wednesday, down from about
$48 during this time last year, and down from nearly $130 in August 2008. Its
share of the ever-growing smartphone industry is expected to decline to about
13% by 2015. It laid off 11% of its workforce at the end of July. Times are
rough, and theyre likely to get rougher by the time RIM releases its next
earnings report, in September. Is there hope for RIM in the arms of another?
Google s (NASDAQ: GOOG ) purchase $12.5 billion purchase of Motorola is a good
sign for RIM. After all, RIM controls a large swath of technology patents, a
commodity Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT ) and Apple have turned into artillery in the
mobile technology war. The Wall Street Journal s Rolfe Winkler doesnt think that
RIM is an acquisition target, though at least not yet . The company will, at
this rate of attrition, only get cheaper. So who might buy RIM and how would its
business fit into those potential buyers' ecosystems? Some potential suitors:
Dell For all of Dell 's (NASDAQ: DELL ) woes, the company isnt having a
terrible 2011 . Its consumer PC business is struggling, but consumer PCs havent
been Dells bread and butter for a long time. Business sales keep Dell earning
money, and those business sales are up almost 7% in 2011, with revenue up more
than 5%. The company has multiple devices in the pipeline to augment its
business services, including tablets that run both Googles Android and
Microsofts Windows operating systems. At the right price, RIMs technology and
patents could be potent additions to Dells business division. They would give
Dell exclusive control of a trusted (if faded) brand in the business world.
What's more, RIMs technology still commands enough interest amongst users for
Dell to avoid the perilous situation HP got itself into after purchasing Palm.
Microsoft There is absolutely no guarantee that Microsoft and Nokia s (NYSE: NOK
) gambit to make Windows phones a serious competitor against Google and Apple
will work. Nokias prominence in the international market is declining and
Microsoft has never found the secret recipe for capturing the mobile market in
the way it did with PCs. In the event that its partnership with Nokia fails,
it's doubtful that Microsoft will simply give up the mobile ghost. A solution
would be to start manufacturing its own devices. Purchasing RIM would give
Microsoft an even broader portfolio of software and hardware patents as well as
an established mobile device manufacturing business. But as it would for Dell,
RIM would have to go to Microsoft at a relatively cheap price to be considered a
bargain. Hewlett-Packard Rolfe Winkler thinks that HPs purchase of Palm rules it
out as a potential RIM buyer. Given HPs poor overall performance in 2011 and the
bath its taking on the TouchPad its first major original release using the new
Palm-developed webOS mobile operating system that assessment isnt out of
bounds. As is true for Microsoft, though, HP could gain a greater foothold in
the mobile market by controlling RIMs wealth of patents, especially when coupled
with patents gained through Palms business. HP would hold the lions share of
patents from the early days of the smartphone industry, something that would
make the company a very real threat to manufacturers like Apple. As of this
writing, Anthony John Agnello did not own a position in any of the stocks named
here. Follow him on Twitter at
number thats only going to continue growing in the next few years. Of those
potential customers, 95% of them are interested in purchasing Apple s (NASDAQ:
AAPL ) iPad. Other tablets don't fare as well. Only around 10% of prospective
buyers are interested in Hewlett-Packard s (NASDAQ: HPQ ) TouchPad. Just 8% are
interested in Samsungs Galaxy Tab or Motorola s (NYSE: MMI ) Xoom. Then theres
Research in Motion s (NASDAQ: RIMM ) PlayBook. Just 4% of potential tablet
buyers want a BlackBerry-branded tablet. It isnt just the meager interest in
RIMs new tablet business thats the problem, though. Interest in RIM is weak
across the board. The stock was trading below $26 on Wednesday, down from about
$48 during this time last year, and down from nearly $130 in August 2008. Its
share of the ever-growing smartphone industry is expected to decline to about
13% by 2015. It laid off 11% of its workforce at the end of July. Times are
rough, and theyre likely to get rougher by the time RIM releases its next
earnings report, in September. Is there hope for RIM in the arms of another?
Google s (NASDAQ: GOOG ) purchase $12.5 billion purchase of Motorola is a good
sign for RIM. After all, RIM controls a large swath of technology patents, a
commodity Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT ) and Apple have turned into artillery in the
mobile technology war. The Wall Street Journal s Rolfe Winkler doesnt think that
RIM is an acquisition target, though at least not yet . The company will, at
this rate of attrition, only get cheaper. So who might buy RIM and how would its
business fit into those potential buyers' ecosystems? Some potential suitors:
Dell For all of Dell 's (NASDAQ: DELL ) woes, the company isnt having a
terrible 2011 . Its consumer PC business is struggling, but consumer PCs havent
been Dells bread and butter for a long time. Business sales keep Dell earning
money, and those business sales are up almost 7% in 2011, with revenue up more
than 5%. The company has multiple devices in the pipeline to augment its
business services, including tablets that run both Googles Android and
Microsofts Windows operating systems. At the right price, RIMs technology and
patents could be potent additions to Dells business division. They would give
Dell exclusive control of a trusted (if faded) brand in the business world.
What's more, RIMs technology still commands enough interest amongst users for
Dell to avoid the perilous situation HP got itself into after purchasing Palm.
Microsoft There is absolutely no guarantee that Microsoft and Nokia s (NYSE: NOK
) gambit to make Windows phones a serious competitor against Google and Apple
will work. Nokias prominence in the international market is declining and
Microsoft has never found the secret recipe for capturing the mobile market in
the way it did with PCs. In the event that its partnership with Nokia fails,
it's doubtful that Microsoft will simply give up the mobile ghost. A solution
would be to start manufacturing its own devices. Purchasing RIM would give
Microsoft an even broader portfolio of software and hardware patents as well as
an established mobile device manufacturing business. But as it would for Dell,
RIM would have to go to Microsoft at a relatively cheap price to be considered a
bargain. Hewlett-Packard Rolfe Winkler thinks that HPs purchase of Palm rules it
out as a potential RIM buyer. Given HPs poor overall performance in 2011 and the
bath its taking on the TouchPad its first major original release using the new
Palm-developed webOS mobile operating system that assessment isnt out of
bounds. As is true for Microsoft, though, HP could gain a greater foothold in
the mobile market by controlling RIMs wealth of patents, especially when coupled
with patents gained through Palms business. HP would hold the lions share of
patents from the early days of the smartphone industry, something that would
make the company a very real threat to manufacturers like Apple. As of this
writing, Anthony John Agnello did not own a position in any of the stocks named
here. Follow him on Twitter at
Sears Holdings (NASDAQ:SHLD) Planning Store Closure
Sears Holdings (NASDAQ:SHLD) has plans to close its Union City store. Sears
Holdings (NASDAQ:SHLD) Planning Store Closure Sears Holdings (NASDAQ:SHLD), the
retail chain, has declared that its department store in Union City will be
closed in December, creating the loss of almost 100 jobs. This decision has been
taken as a result of the shop's under performance. Kimberly Freely, a Sears
Holdings Corp. spokeswoman, said that, "The store will be shuttered because it
is an underperformer". The store would begin liquidating on Aug 28. Sears
Holdings (NASDAQ:SHLD) plans to close the store at the beginning of December but
that can be a little flexible based on the liquidation. The 92 associates who
now work there will be notified of openings at other Sears stores. Those who
qualify will receive severance. The retailer does not plan to close any other
stores in metro Atlanta". Sears Holdings (NASDAQ:SHLD) shares were at 55.23 at
the end of the last days trading. Theres been a -20.7% movement in the stock
price over the past 3 months. Sears Holdings (NASDAQ:SHLD) Analyst Advice
Consensus Opinion: Moderate Sell Mean recommendation: 3.67 (1=Strong Buy,
5=Strong Sell) 3 Months Ago: 3.67 Zacks Rank: 14 out of 16 in the industry
Holdings (NASDAQ:SHLD) Planning Store Closure Sears Holdings (NASDAQ:SHLD), the
retail chain, has declared that its department store in Union City will be
closed in December, creating the loss of almost 100 jobs. This decision has been
taken as a result of the shop's under performance. Kimberly Freely, a Sears
Holdings Corp. spokeswoman, said that, "The store will be shuttered because it
is an underperformer". The store would begin liquidating on Aug 28. Sears
Holdings (NASDAQ:SHLD) plans to close the store at the beginning of December but
that can be a little flexible based on the liquidation. The 92 associates who
now work there will be notified of openings at other Sears stores. Those who
qualify will receive severance. The retailer does not plan to close any other
stores in metro Atlanta". Sears Holdings (NASDAQ:SHLD) shares were at 55.23 at
the end of the last days trading. Theres been a -20.7% movement in the stock
price over the past 3 months. Sears Holdings (NASDAQ:SHLD) Analyst Advice
Consensus Opinion: Moderate Sell Mean recommendation: 3.67 (1=Strong Buy,
5=Strong Sell) 3 Months Ago: 3.67 Zacks Rank: 14 out of 16 in the industry
The Cream Always Rises To The Top
August has thus far been a dismal month for the equity markets. Fear has run
rampant among traders on Wall Street, and that fear also has shaken investors on
Main Street. The fright in this market so far in August has caused the
broad-based measure of the domestic market, the S&P 500 index, to dive 8.88%
month to date as of Aug. 12. That's a huge drop in just 10 trading days, but
fortunately, not all big-name stocks have submitted to the selling demons. I'm
sure you've heard the old adage The cream always rises to the top. Well,
that's true when it comes to just about everything in life, including stocks.
To skim the cream off the top of this curdled market, I did a Bloomberg screen
of month-to-date percentage gains on the biggest 100 stocks in the S&P 500. The
results can be seen in the table below. What should come as no surprise is that
companies with stellar earnings and/or stalwart brands have managed to hold
their own even in the face of some really nasty bearish trades. Credit card
company Mastercard (NYSE: MA ) tops the list of cream-of-the-crop stocks, with
an amazing month-to-date gain of 8.23%. The stock's strength is impressive,
especially when other financial stocks are getting pounded. It should probably
come as no surprise that Mastercard shares have done so well, given its recent
quarterly earnings jump of 24% and its estimated EPS growth of 26% in 2011. The
always controversial News Corp . (NASDAQ: NWS ) has made most of its headlines
lately for the hacking scandal in the U.K., but the real headline for the owner
of Fox TV and The Wall Street Journal should be the company's stellar earnings
and dividend increase. The Rupert Murdoch led News Corp. managed to do both of
those things despite its high-profile troubles. Whatever you think of Murdoch,
you've got to hand it to the man when it comes to his business acumen and his
ability to guide the company's shares up nearly 2% while the wider market has
fallen almost 9%. As for the other companies on this list, it's a similar
story. All have staying power, all have excellent earnings and all should be
seen as stocks likely to rise to the top in even the sourest market.
rampant among traders on Wall Street, and that fear also has shaken investors on
Main Street. The fright in this market so far in August has caused the
broad-based measure of the domestic market, the S&P 500 index, to dive 8.88%
month to date as of Aug. 12. That's a huge drop in just 10 trading days, but
fortunately, not all big-name stocks have submitted to the selling demons. I'm
sure you've heard the old adage The cream always rises to the top. Well,
that's true when it comes to just about everything in life, including stocks.
To skim the cream off the top of this curdled market, I did a Bloomberg screen
of month-to-date percentage gains on the biggest 100 stocks in the S&P 500. The
results can be seen in the table below. What should come as no surprise is that
companies with stellar earnings and/or stalwart brands have managed to hold
their own even in the face of some really nasty bearish trades. Credit card
company Mastercard (NYSE: MA ) tops the list of cream-of-the-crop stocks, with
an amazing month-to-date gain of 8.23%. The stock's strength is impressive,
especially when other financial stocks are getting pounded. It should probably
come as no surprise that Mastercard shares have done so well, given its recent
quarterly earnings jump of 24% and its estimated EPS growth of 26% in 2011. The
always controversial News Corp . (NASDAQ: NWS ) has made most of its headlines
lately for the hacking scandal in the U.K., but the real headline for the owner
of Fox TV and The Wall Street Journal should be the company's stellar earnings
and dividend increase. The Rupert Murdoch led News Corp. managed to do both of
those things despite its high-profile troubles. Whatever you think of Murdoch,
you've got to hand it to the man when it comes to his business acumen and his
ability to guide the company's shares up nearly 2% while the wider market has
fallen almost 9%. As for the other companies on this list, it's a similar
story. All have staying power, all have excellent earnings and all should be
seen as stocks likely to rise to the top in even the sourest market.
Discussing Gold Equity Performance With The Gold Report
Discussing Gold Equity Performance With The Gold Report istockAnalyst.com - 14
hours ago I recently sat down with The Gold Report for a lengthy interview on
gold and gold stocks that was published today. Heres an excerpt of that
interview where I discuss the factors we use to ...
hours ago I recently sat down with The Gold Report for a lengthy interview on
gold and gold stocks that was published today. Heres an excerpt of that
interview where I discuss the factors we use to ...
Hewlett-Packard Embodies What’s Worst in Corporate America
The market had quite an ugly day on Thursday. But for a brief moment,
Hewlett-Packard (NYSE: HPQ ) swam dramatically against the down-current on news
it is considering a massive $10 billion buyout of software firm Autonomy, among
a host of other reports swirling around the stock that day. HPQ stock gapped up
about 6% at lunch time yesterday even as the Dow Jones bounced along about 400
points below the index's reading at the opening bell. Of course, the gains
were fleeting and Hewlett-Packard stock finished the day down, along with nearly
every other stock on Wall Street. Some investors were fooled for about an hour
– and then the profits evaporated. Yesterday's performance is a fitting
example of how short-lived any rays of hope are HP these days amid the frenetic
pace of company developments. The 10-figure buyouts. The claims that it is
rethinking its role in the tech sector. The blatant flaunting of its massive
cash stockpile at a time when companies claim to be suffering from the economic
downturn. Hewlett-Packard is everything that's wrong with corporate America
right now stupidity, a lack of innovation, bloated operations and no
leadership. Stupidity Lots of people thought that Hewlett-Packard was batty when
it bought Palm in 2010. At the time, the company didn't bother to hedge its
bets but instead engaged in the typical hyperbole of a big-name buyout. Check
out this gem from the an official press release on HP.com: "Palm's
innovative operating system provides an ideal platform to expand HP's mobility
strategy and create a unique HP experience spanning multiple mobile connected
devices," said Todd Bradley, executive vice president, Personal Systems Group,
HP. Oh yeah? Well what about the news yesterday that Hewlett-Packard will be
abandoning any effort to capitalize on the mobile market by killing its tablet
computer and mobile phone business based on WebOS – the very gadgets Palm was
supposed to inspire? Only can a wasteful, boneheaded corporation like HP make a
$1.2 billion purchase during a recession and then give up on that buy a mere 16
months later. The icing on the cake: Just this past February, HP made a big
to-do about its plan to duke it out with the iPad – and just months after
smack-talking, had to eat its words. Lack of Innovation Unfortunately, the $1.
billion for Palm is just part of a spending spree fueled by HP executives with
too much money and a desire to spend it without thinking. In November 2009 , the
tech giant paid $2.7 billion for routing and digital security stock 3com. Then
in September 2010 , Hewlett-Packard engaged in a spitting match with Dell
(NASDAQ: DELL ) to buy out data storage and cloud computing stock 3Par – with
HP paying $2.35 billion for its "winning" bid of $33 a share, over 83%
higher than Dell's opening bid of $18 a share. Now we have news that the
company could be buying British software stock Autonomy for $10 billion,
according to reports confirmed by major news sources Thursday. We've already
had HP essentially admit the Palm move was a disaster. But even if we take a
huge leap of faith and assume those other moves pay off, HP is building its
future profits on the work of other companies and the efficiencies it can gain
from streamlining operations to maximize margins and profits. That's fine if
you're a CEO or executive at the top of the food chain. Not so good if
you're part of the 25,000 workers trimmed in the wake of the 2008 acquisition
of Electronic Data Systems for $13.6 billion. Or the 9,000 HP employees let go
in 2010, or the thousands of folks who will undoubtedly be terminated as this
tech giant "consolidates" operations in the years ahead due to these bloated
buyout deals.
Hewlett-Packard (NYSE: HPQ ) swam dramatically against the down-current on news
it is considering a massive $10 billion buyout of software firm Autonomy, among
a host of other reports swirling around the stock that day. HPQ stock gapped up
about 6% at lunch time yesterday even as the Dow Jones bounced along about 400
points below the index's reading at the opening bell. Of course, the gains
were fleeting and Hewlett-Packard stock finished the day down, along with nearly
every other stock on Wall Street. Some investors were fooled for about an hour
– and then the profits evaporated. Yesterday's performance is a fitting
example of how short-lived any rays of hope are HP these days amid the frenetic
pace of company developments. The 10-figure buyouts. The claims that it is
rethinking its role in the tech sector. The blatant flaunting of its massive
cash stockpile at a time when companies claim to be suffering from the economic
downturn. Hewlett-Packard is everything that's wrong with corporate America
right now stupidity, a lack of innovation, bloated operations and no
leadership. Stupidity Lots of people thought that Hewlett-Packard was batty when
it bought Palm in 2010. At the time, the company didn't bother to hedge its
bets but instead engaged in the typical hyperbole of a big-name buyout. Check
out this gem from the an official press release on HP.com: "Palm's
innovative operating system provides an ideal platform to expand HP's mobility
strategy and create a unique HP experience spanning multiple mobile connected
devices," said Todd Bradley, executive vice president, Personal Systems Group,
HP. Oh yeah? Well what about the news yesterday that Hewlett-Packard will be
abandoning any effort to capitalize on the mobile market by killing its tablet
computer and mobile phone business based on WebOS – the very gadgets Palm was
supposed to inspire? Only can a wasteful, boneheaded corporation like HP make a
$1.2 billion purchase during a recession and then give up on that buy a mere 16
months later. The icing on the cake: Just this past February, HP made a big
to-do about its plan to duke it out with the iPad – and just months after
smack-talking, had to eat its words. Lack of Innovation Unfortunately, the $1.
billion for Palm is just part of a spending spree fueled by HP executives with
too much money and a desire to spend it without thinking. In November 2009 , the
tech giant paid $2.7 billion for routing and digital security stock 3com. Then
in September 2010 , Hewlett-Packard engaged in a spitting match with Dell
(NASDAQ: DELL ) to buy out data storage and cloud computing stock 3Par – with
HP paying $2.35 billion for its "winning" bid of $33 a share, over 83%
higher than Dell's opening bid of $18 a share. Now we have news that the
company could be buying British software stock Autonomy for $10 billion,
according to reports confirmed by major news sources Thursday. We've already
had HP essentially admit the Palm move was a disaster. But even if we take a
huge leap of faith and assume those other moves pay off, HP is building its
future profits on the work of other companies and the efficiencies it can gain
from streamlining operations to maximize margins and profits. That's fine if
you're a CEO or executive at the top of the food chain. Not so good if
you're part of the 25,000 workers trimmed in the wake of the 2008 acquisition
of Electronic Data Systems for $13.6 billion. Or the 9,000 HP employees let go
in 2010, or the thousands of folks who will undoubtedly be terminated as this
tech giant "consolidates" operations in the years ahead due to these bloated
buyout deals.
What’s Driving Today’s Dizzying Declines
Well, we investors have strapped ourselves in for another gut-wrenching ride
down. The headlines scream the doom and gloom: Jobless claims rise, inflation is
on the march, global growth is slowing. The Dow Jones gapped down as much as 520
points at the open, a decline of more than 4%, while the S&P 500 index lost as
much as 4.5% and the Nasdaq shed almost 5% at its worst before stabilizing.
Reasons include growing fears of sluggish growth around the world, a recent
uptick in jobless claims in the U.S. and reports that consumer prices are
rising. But make no mistake: This market is not reacting to individual headlines
anymore. There are systemic problems weighing on Wall Street right now and none
of them are exactly breaking news. The prospect of high unemployment for the
long term, the reality of slower global growth for months if not years to come
and a lack of leadership from politicians in Washington and Europe are the root
causes. These news items are just the latest chapter in the story. This is a
sentiment driven sell-off, little more. And that sentiment is pretty gloomy
thanks to a laundry list of reasons. But if you're curious, here's a
breakdown of the latest headlines that seem to be resonating: Growth outlook:
Morgan Stanley (NYSE: MS ) slashed its global growth outlook for the rest of
this year and for 2012, saying the U.S. and the euro zone were dangerously close
to a recession. Global GDP estimates were cut to 3.9% from 4.2% for this year,
and cut to 3.8% from 4.5% for 2012. Jobless claims: New U.S. claims for
unemployment benefits rose more than expected last week, according a report
today from the Labor Department. Initial claims were up a tiny amount, just
9,000, but the prior week's numbers also were revised up. Besides, any
increase in jobless claims is bad news considering how bad the labor market is.
Political infighting : I won't waste your time telling you what you already
know. There have been no solutions to bust debt or create jobs in the U.S., and
little sign that things will change as Obama and the half-dozen serious
Republican contenders for president are more concerned with hitting the campaign
trail than generating solutions. In Europe, things aren't much better, with a
nice photo shoot bringing together the leaders of Germany and France, but no
progress on actually fixing euro zone debt woes. What Long-Term Investors Should
Do Now As I wrote during the mayhem just last week, investors should be long on
optimism and short on fear . If you're a day trader or looking for big profits
in weeks instead of years and months, there's good reason to hit the panic
button. Heck, there's good reason to perhaps consider playing the downside for
another few weeks. But unless you are planning on cashing out your portfolio by
the end of 2011, chances are it's in your best interest to keep a cool head
and just sit tight. It also might be in your best interest to stop hitting
"refresh" on quote pages for your holdings, too. It will only give you an
ulcer. Why? Because selling into such drastic downward momentum could really
hurt you especially if you place a market order. The market did not go to zero
in March 2009, and it won't this time. Things will at worst get a dead-cat
bounce and will at best stabilize in the days and weeks to come. The bottom line
is this is a completely emotional market right now, so trying to make a rational
decision about what stocks will succeed or fail in the current environment
isn't going to get you anywhere. For cripes sake, 498 of the 500 S&P
components were in the red as of this writing! If you extrapolate that
short-term panic into a long-term trend, that means that 99.6% of stocks will be
lower in a month or a year or a decade from now. That's just balderdash. More
to the point: If you believe 99.6% of stocks will be lower next year than they
will be right now, you should have bailed out of this market a long time ago.
And if you believe 99.6% of stocks will be down 12 months from now … well, I
guess you can bail out of your positions. But frankly, if that proves true, the
American economy and your family budget have bigger problems. Jeff Reeves is the
editor of InvestorPlace.com. Follow him on Twitter via @JeffReevesIP and become
a fan of InvestorPlace on Facebook .
down. The headlines scream the doom and gloom: Jobless claims rise, inflation is
on the march, global growth is slowing. The Dow Jones gapped down as much as 520
points at the open, a decline of more than 4%, while the S&P 500 index lost as
much as 4.5% and the Nasdaq shed almost 5% at its worst before stabilizing.
Reasons include growing fears of sluggish growth around the world, a recent
uptick in jobless claims in the U.S. and reports that consumer prices are
rising. But make no mistake: This market is not reacting to individual headlines
anymore. There are systemic problems weighing on Wall Street right now and none
of them are exactly breaking news. The prospect of high unemployment for the
long term, the reality of slower global growth for months if not years to come
and a lack of leadership from politicians in Washington and Europe are the root
causes. These news items are just the latest chapter in the story. This is a
sentiment driven sell-off, little more. And that sentiment is pretty gloomy
thanks to a laundry list of reasons. But if you're curious, here's a
breakdown of the latest headlines that seem to be resonating: Growth outlook:
Morgan Stanley (NYSE: MS ) slashed its global growth outlook for the rest of
this year and for 2012, saying the U.S. and the euro zone were dangerously close
to a recession. Global GDP estimates were cut to 3.9% from 4.2% for this year,
and cut to 3.8% from 4.5% for 2012. Jobless claims: New U.S. claims for
unemployment benefits rose more than expected last week, according a report
today from the Labor Department. Initial claims were up a tiny amount, just
9,000, but the prior week's numbers also were revised up. Besides, any
increase in jobless claims is bad news considering how bad the labor market is.
Political infighting : I won't waste your time telling you what you already
know. There have been no solutions to bust debt or create jobs in the U.S., and
little sign that things will change as Obama and the half-dozen serious
Republican contenders for president are more concerned with hitting the campaign
trail than generating solutions. In Europe, things aren't much better, with a
nice photo shoot bringing together the leaders of Germany and France, but no
progress on actually fixing euro zone debt woes. What Long-Term Investors Should
Do Now As I wrote during the mayhem just last week, investors should be long on
optimism and short on fear . If you're a day trader or looking for big profits
in weeks instead of years and months, there's good reason to hit the panic
button. Heck, there's good reason to perhaps consider playing the downside for
another few weeks. But unless you are planning on cashing out your portfolio by
the end of 2011, chances are it's in your best interest to keep a cool head
and just sit tight. It also might be in your best interest to stop hitting
"refresh" on quote pages for your holdings, too. It will only give you an
ulcer. Why? Because selling into such drastic downward momentum could really
hurt you especially if you place a market order. The market did not go to zero
in March 2009, and it won't this time. Things will at worst get a dead-cat
bounce and will at best stabilize in the days and weeks to come. The bottom line
is this is a completely emotional market right now, so trying to make a rational
decision about what stocks will succeed or fail in the current environment
isn't going to get you anywhere. For cripes sake, 498 of the 500 S&P
components were in the red as of this writing! If you extrapolate that
short-term panic into a long-term trend, that means that 99.6% of stocks will be
lower in a month or a year or a decade from now. That's just balderdash. More
to the point: If you believe 99.6% of stocks will be lower next year than they
will be right now, you should have bailed out of this market a long time ago.
And if you believe 99.6% of stocks will be down 12 months from now … well, I
guess you can bail out of your positions. But frankly, if that proves true, the
American economy and your family budget have bigger problems. Jeff Reeves is the
editor of InvestorPlace.com. Follow him on Twitter via @JeffReevesIP and become
a fan of InvestorPlace on Facebook .
Why the Carnage Isn’t Over
XCSFDHG46767FHJHJF
tdp2664 InvestorPlace Serge Berger is the head trader and investment strategist for The Steady Trader . Sign up for his free weekly newsletter . Yesterday, I stated that I could envision this market range-bound (S&P500 1,175 – 1,225 or so) for the remainder of August. Clearly, with yesterday's large down day that range can be chucked out the window. So, yes, that was the wrong call. That is, however, exactly why we must reevaluate this market each and every day, as things happen quickly with this volatility. The question now becomes how soon will we retest or dip below last week's lows near the 1,100 mark on the S&P 500 before heading higher again. There is a chance that yesterday's lows near 1,130 may have counted as a higher low, but given that the index closed near the lows yesterday, we should see at least somewhat lower levels.
Gold Prices Today Gold Price Per Ounce, Spot Gold Price Per Gram Spot Silver Price Per Ounce; DJIA Index DJX DJI Close Review
XCSFDHG46767FHJHJF
dow2664 Gold and silver prices moved further into positive territory during the last trading session. The primary stock indices in the U.S. finished in the red and experienced significant losses during the last trading session. The primary index composites in the U.S. took cues from overseas and those cues applied negative pressure for the U.S. market. The Dow Jones finished the last trading session lower by 3.68 percent at 10,990.58. The Dow fell over 400 points on the day and the volatility that plagued investors last week is back. Fear and anxieties were stoked and safe havens prospered. Gold prices touched new records last session and gold contract for December delivery ultimately closed out the session higher by 1.57 percent at 1822 per troy ounce. Silver contract for September delivery moved higher by .84 percent at 40.69 per troy ounce. The one month change for gold is positive by 14.12 percent and the one month change status for silver is positive by .28 percent. During the interval after session close, but prior to opening bell this day, spot gold and spot silver prices continued to move higher. Spot gold price per gram was higher by 1.36 at 58.95 and spot silver price per ounce was higher by .31 at 40.66. The global economic picture continues to worsen and the interest in safe havens continues to grow. Camillo Zucari
5 Bogus Buybacks at Big-Name Stocks
XCSFDHG46767FHJHJF
tdp2664 InvestorPlace There is an old saying that stock buybacks are a good sign because they are proof a company’s best investment is in its own shares. Put another way, management thinks the market is undervaluing its stock – so it is more than happy to buy at bargain prices while they last. The trouble is, most – if not all – CEOs and directors have little incentive to say the company is anything other than oversold. Find a corporate executive admitting he made a mistake and the best-case scenario is that he's at a podium announcing his retirement. More than likely, he's sipping a daiquiri in St. Croix. Yes, some stock buybacks are smart decisions made by good companies with good leadership. But some are just moves to boost EPS figures for the quarter – since, after all, if you can't grow the E in "earnings per share," you can always subtract the S via buybacks that take shares off the market. Other buybacks are merely meat for the PR grinder, where a company announces a plan to buy back billions of dollars of stock and then puts very little actual money toward the repurchase after the SEC filing. Here are five big-name companies whose buybacks may never deliver any value to shareholders: AOL (NYSE: AOL ), TiVo ( NASDAQ : TIVO ), Southwest Airlines (NYSE: LUV ), Covidien (NYSE: COV ), and Hewlett-Packard (NYSE: HPQ ). AOL AOL
The Best Price to Buy Apple
XCSFDHG46767FHJHJF
tdp2664 InvestorPlace Apple ( NASDAQ : AAPL) – With strong earnings and product development second to none, every major research organization has a "strong buy" rating on this stock. But it has been in such a powerful bull market with rare pullbacks that it has been difficult to purchase AAPL stock at a "bargain price." However, the current stock market decline may offer an excellent opportunity to own stock in this enormously successful company. A break under its 50-day moving average (blue line) could result in a pullback to around its 200-day moving average at $340. Buy AAPL on a pullback.
Short This Unlucky Casino Stock
XCSFDHG46767FHJHJF
tdp2664 InvestorPlace Serge Berger is the head trader and investment strategist for The Steady Trader . Sign up for his free weekly newsletter . Wynn Resorts ( NASDAQ : WYNN ) — The stock of this luxury casino operator has seen some volatile swings over the past two months. After staging an impressive rally into mid-July, the stock ran out of steam in a big way as it traded lower with the rest of the market. Looking beyond the financials of the company, it would of course make sense to see slowing demand in the gambling arena if the economy were to slip into a second recession. However, that is neither the point of this article nor necessarily my view. What we are looking at here are the technicals. On the weekly chart looking back three years, note that last week's sell-off has brought the stock right to its multi-year uptrend (blue line), where it proceeded to bounce from.
The Best Price to Buy Apple
Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL) – With strong earnings and product development second to
none, every major research organization has a "strong buy" rating on this
stock. But it has been in such a powerful bull market with rare pullbacks that
it has been difficult to purchase AAPL stock at a "bargain price." However,
the current stock market decline may offer an excellent opportunity to own stock
in this enormously successful company. A break under its 50-day moving average
(blue line) could result in a pullback to around its 200-day moving average at
$340. Buy AAPL on a pullback.
none, every major research organization has a "strong buy" rating on this
stock. But it has been in such a powerful bull market with rare pullbacks that
it has been difficult to purchase AAPL stock at a "bargain price." However,
the current stock market decline may offer an excellent opportunity to own stock
in this enormously successful company. A break under its 50-day moving average
(blue line) could result in a pullback to around its 200-day moving average at
$340. Buy AAPL on a pullback.
Top 10 U.S.-Listed Chinese Stocks with Highest Upside: NFEC, GURE, WH, BSPM, VALV, SIHI, ZSTN, NEWN, CTE, CBP (Aug 18, 2011)
Below are the top 10 U.S.-listed Chinese stocks with highest upside potential,
based on the difference between current price and Wall Street analysts average
target price. NF Energy Saving Corp (NASDAQ:NFEC) has the 1st highest upside
potential in this segment of the market. Its upside is 916.3%. Its consensus
target price is $12.50 based on the average of all estimates. Gulf Resources,
Inc. (NASDAQ:GURE) has the 2nd highest upside potential in this segment of the
market. Its upside is 584.0%. Its consensus target price is $14.50 based on the
average of all estimates. WSP Holdings Limited (ADR) (NYSE:WH) has the 3rd
highest upside potential in this segment of the market. Its upside is 552.2%.
Its consensus target price is $3.00 based on the average of all estimates.
Biostar Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ:BSPM) has the 4th highest upside potential
in this segment of the market. Its upside is 542.2%. Its consensus target price
is $7.00 based on the average of all estimates. Shengkai Innovations, Inc.
(NASDAQ:VALV) has the 5th highest upside potential in this segment of the
market. Its upside is 490.9%. Its consensus target price is $13.00 based on the
average of all estimates. SinoHub Inc (NYSE:SIHI) has the 6th highest upside
potential in this segment of the market. Its upside is 476.9%. Its consensus
target price is $4.50 based on the average of all estimates. ZST Digital
Networks Inc (NASDAQ:ZSTN) has the 7th highest upside potential in this segment
of the market. Its upside is 451.2%. Its consensus target price is $14.00 based
on the average of all estimates. New Energy Systems Group. (NYSE:NEWN) has the
8th highest upside potential in this segment of the market. Its upside is
417.2%. Its consensus target price is $12.00 based on the average of all
estimates. Sinotech Energy Ltd ADR (NASDAQ:CTE) has the 9th highest upside
potential in this segment of the market. Its upside is 410.6%. Its consensus
target price is $12.00 based on the average of all estimates. China Botanic
Pharmaceutical Inc (AMEX:CBP) has the 10th highest upside potential in this
segment of the market. Its upside is 408.3%. Its consensus target price is $4.88
based on the average of all estimates.
based on the difference between current price and Wall Street analysts average
target price. NF Energy Saving Corp (NASDAQ:NFEC) has the 1st highest upside
potential in this segment of the market. Its upside is 916.3%. Its consensus
target price is $12.50 based on the average of all estimates. Gulf Resources,
Inc. (NASDAQ:GURE) has the 2nd highest upside potential in this segment of the
market. Its upside is 584.0%. Its consensus target price is $14.50 based on the
average of all estimates. WSP Holdings Limited (ADR) (NYSE:WH) has the 3rd
highest upside potential in this segment of the market. Its upside is 552.2%.
Its consensus target price is $3.00 based on the average of all estimates.
Biostar Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ:BSPM) has the 4th highest upside potential
in this segment of the market. Its upside is 542.2%. Its consensus target price
is $7.00 based on the average of all estimates. Shengkai Innovations, Inc.
(NASDAQ:VALV) has the 5th highest upside potential in this segment of the
market. Its upside is 490.9%. Its consensus target price is $13.00 based on the
average of all estimates. SinoHub Inc (NYSE:SIHI) has the 6th highest upside
potential in this segment of the market. Its upside is 476.9%. Its consensus
target price is $4.50 based on the average of all estimates. ZST Digital
Networks Inc (NASDAQ:ZSTN) has the 7th highest upside potential in this segment
of the market. Its upside is 451.2%. Its consensus target price is $14.00 based
on the average of all estimates. New Energy Systems Group. (NYSE:NEWN) has the
8th highest upside potential in this segment of the market. Its upside is
417.2%. Its consensus target price is $12.00 based on the average of all
estimates. Sinotech Energy Ltd ADR (NASDAQ:CTE) has the 9th highest upside
potential in this segment of the market. Its upside is 410.6%. Its consensus
target price is $12.00 based on the average of all estimates. China Botanic
Pharmaceutical Inc (AMEX:CBP) has the 10th highest upside potential in this
segment of the market. Its upside is 408.3%. Its consensus target price is $4.88
based on the average of all estimates.
Gold Prices Today Gold Price Per Ounce, Spot Gold Price Per Gram Spot Silver Price Per Ounce; DJIA Index DJX DJI Close Review
Gold and silver prices moved further into positive territory during the last
trading session. The primary stock indices in the U.S. finished in the red and
experienced significant losses during the last trading session. The primary
index composites in the U.S. took cues from overseas and those cues applied
negative pressure for the U.S. market. The Dow Jones finished the last trading
session lower by 3.68 percent at 10,990.58. The Dow fell over 400 points on the
day and the volatility that plagued investors last week is back. Fear and
anxieties were stoked and safe havens prospered. Gold prices touched new records
last session and gold contract for December delivery ultimately closed out the
session higher by 1.57 percent at 1822 per troy ounce. Silver contract for
September delivery moved higher by .84 percent at 40.69 per troy ounce. The one
month change for gold is positive by 14.12 percent and the one month change
status for silver is positive by .28 percent. During the interval after session
close, but prior to opening bell this day, spot gold and spot silver prices
continued to move higher. Spot gold price per gram was higher by 1.36 at 58.95
and spot silver price per ounce was higher by .31 at 40.66. The global economic
picture continues to worsen and the interest in safe havens continues to grow.
Camillo Zucari
trading session. The primary stock indices in the U.S. finished in the red and
experienced significant losses during the last trading session. The primary
index composites in the U.S. took cues from overseas and those cues applied
negative pressure for the U.S. market. The Dow Jones finished the last trading
session lower by 3.68 percent at 10,990.58. The Dow fell over 400 points on the
day and the volatility that plagued investors last week is back. Fear and
anxieties were stoked and safe havens prospered. Gold prices touched new records
last session and gold contract for December delivery ultimately closed out the
session higher by 1.57 percent at 1822 per troy ounce. Silver contract for
September delivery moved higher by .84 percent at 40.69 per troy ounce. The one
month change for gold is positive by 14.12 percent and the one month change
status for silver is positive by .28 percent. During the interval after session
close, but prior to opening bell this day, spot gold and spot silver prices
continued to move higher. Spot gold price per gram was higher by 1.36 at 58.95
and spot silver price per ounce was higher by .31 at 40.66. The global economic
picture continues to worsen and the interest in safe havens continues to grow.
Camillo Zucari
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