What Wasn’t Announced at Apple’s iPhone Reveal?

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tdp2664 InvestorPlace It finally can start. The waiting in line around the block. The rampant analysis on fourth-quarter sales numbers. The predictions on when Apple ( NASDAQ : AAPL ) shares will break $500. All of that and some doom-saying on when competitors like Research In Motion ( NASDAQ : RIMM ) and Nokia (NYSE: NOK ) will finally keel over can now commence. Apple announced the new iPhone on Tuesday afternoon. It will be out on Oct. 14. Of course, the iPhone 4S wasn’t the only product Apple was expected to announce. There is an entire stable of heavily rumored products allegedly in the pipeline over in Cupertino, Calif. So what was missing from Apple’s Tuesday press conference? iPhone 5 The elephant in the room. The iPhone 4S is a significant technical upgrade over 2010′s iPhone 4. It has upgraded storage, the faster A5 processor used in Apple’s iPad 2, a camera capable of HD video recording, and dual antennas that provided better call stability and data downloads comparable to those touted by Verizon (NYSE: VZ ), AT&T (NYSE: T ) and Sprint ‘s (NYSE: S ) 4G networks. The new Siri software actually takes voice commands ! Upgrade or not, it isn’t the iPhone 5, the new model analysts and consumers alike expected Apple to announce. The iPhone 4S was supposed to be, as months of rumors suggested , a smaller, cheaper version of the iPhone 4 available alongside the iPhone 5. While a new $99 8GB version of the iPhone 4 did materialize, there was no iPhone 5 to accompany the 4S’ debut. Will the derailed expectations hurt Apple’s sales? It’s possible. A new study from research group InMobi published in September found that while 40% of North American consumers wanted an iPhone 5, just 15% expressed interest in a “soft upgrade” like the iPhone 3GS was following the iPhone 3. The iPhone 4S branding could prove to be a thorn in Apple’s side. iPad 3 There have been a good number of conflicting rumors concerning the next generation of Apple’s best-selling tablet. Some sources suggested Apple would deliver a third model by the holidays , while others like JPMorgan analyst Mark Moskowitz maintained that a new iPad wouldn’t materialize until 2012 . While Apple did tout impressive statistics for its tablet at its Tuesday event — 92% of Fortune 500 companies have deployed or are testing the iPad in their businesses — no new device debuted. The next iPad is expected to have a high-resolution screen akin to the Retina Display in Apple’s iPhone 4S. Other rumors suggest that Apple will look to take on cable and satellite providers like Comcast ( NASDAQ : CMCSA ) and Dish Network (NASDAQ: DISH ) with a new iPad version of its AirPlay video app as well.

Gold Futures Plunge to $1,600, Silver Below $29

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DG365FD46564GFH654FU898 Gold and silver futures extended their losses Tuesday afternoon as substantial liquidation resumed in the precious metals space. COMEX gold futures for December 2011 delivery settled lower by $41.70, or 2.5%, at $1,616.00 per ounce.

Apple Unveils iPhone 5 … Gotcha! — Tuesday’s IP Market Recap

Apple Unveils iPhone 5 … Gotcha! — Tuesday's IP Market Recap
Investorplace.com - 1 hour ago We waited. And we waited. And we waited. And for
the first time in some time, the big splash at a heavily anticipated Apple
(NASDAQ:AAPL) unveiling gala had plenty of people scratching their heads ...

Germany Making Greece an Example to Euro Zone Nations

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tdp2664 InvestorPlace So far, 2011 has unfolded like a crash course in ancient history. First, the Mubarak Dynasty in Egypt fell, then the civilization of Greece collapsed. Now, the Huns from Germany threaten the Roman Empire. Most analysts already have priced a collapse of Greek sovereign debt into the price of the euro and European stocks. But Greece is a relatively small economy. Italy is a different story. European banks are loaded with Italian debt, so European stock markets will remain very sensitive to the fate of Italy. The good news is that, last week, German Chancellor Angela Merkel's ruling coalition overwhelmingly voted in favor of a bill to boost the European Financial Stability Facility, effectively forestalling the sovereign debt crisis for now. At home, German aid to Greece is not politically popular, but the whole idea behind the creation of the euro in the 1990s came from Germany, which placed severe budget constraints on member nations. That means Germany will continue to help those countries that pledge austerity and discipline. Germany's hard line on Greek austerity is likely an object lesson to the larger euro zone laggards, such as Italy, Spain and even France. When I spoke at an institutional conference in Kansas City last week, I heard from a Putman bond expert, Michael Atkin, who said Germany is trying to get undisciplined countries in the euro zone to "feel the pain" so they will get their act together. He said Germany is trying to make Greece an example of what austerity looks like, so Spain and the other euro zone countries see the consequences of reckless spending and not follow Greece into the abyss of endless debt. My own view is that China is the emerging economic powerhouse in the global economy, bringing all of Asia along in its wake. What happens in Europe has minimal impact on stronger economies like China. Therefore, it is time for Europe to wake up and realize that it no longer is the center of the universe.

Monsanto — How to Play Wednesday’s Earnings Report

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tdp2664 InvestorPlace Agricultural products company Monsanto (NYSE: MON) reports earnings for the quarter ending Aug. 31 on Wednesday before the market opens. With the market in free fall, the news is likely to move the stock significantly one way or another. Commodity prices have been on a roller coaster in 2011. Fears of inflation during the first part of the year pushed prices higher. Today, it is the threat of deflation with global economies faltering. Which view the needle falls toward will depend partially upon Monsanto's report and guidance for the future. Given the focus of the company on agriculture, shares should be trading more like a defensive stock irrespective of economic activity. Instead, Monsanto has been quite volatile. During the past three quarters, Monsanto has exceed average Wall Street estimates of earnings: During the quarter ending May 31, the company benefited greatly from increasing prices. Profits in that period beat analysts’ expectations by 16 cents per share. As a result of that performance, one would think estimates for the Aug. 31 period would be on the rise. Instead, they have slipped by three cents per share during the past 90 days. The company now is expected to lose 27 cents per share. For the full year also ending on Aug. 31, Monsanto is expected to make $2.87 per share. In the following year, that number increases by 19% to $3.42 per share. At current prices, Monsanto trades for 21.5 times current-fiscal-year estimated earnings. With the dramatic shift in view regarding the global economy, MON shares took a step back since July 1 — the stock is down 14.25% since then. That is slightly better than the S&P 500, down 16% in that time frame. Click to Enlarge Despite recent losses, the stock still is up 28% during the past 12 months: When market commentators suggest that earnings estimates are likely too high, Monsanto comes to mind. A three-cent drop in the estimate for the quarter ending Aug. 31 is paltry. The stock is holding up better than most thanks to what still are expected to be strong growth numbers in the coming year. I'm not convinced. Defensive stocks like Monsanto are by their nature slow-growing animals. Growth near 20% should be viewed as an anomaly that is not likely to be sustainable. Monsanto is at a crossroads. Shares have yet to lose full steam and could plummet if earnings do not meet expectations. The bigger issue for Monsanto will be guidance. A likely reduction in guidance for the coming fiscal year should be met by harsh selling in the market. What upside potential is there for the stock? It is difficult to paint a picture of what moves Monsanto higher here. I would look to sell this stock short in advance of earnings. The odds would favor a decline in share value after a report that fails to impress. Other companies reporting results this week include Marriott International (NYSE: MAR ) , Ruby Tuesday (NYSE: RT ), Helen of Troy ( NASDAQ : HELE ) and Constellation Brands (NYSE: STZ ).

Monsanto — How to Play Wednesday’s Earnings Report

Agricultural products company Monsanto (NYSE: MON) reports earnings for the
quarter ending Aug. 31 on Wednesday before the market opens. With the market in
free fall, the news is likely to move the stock significantly one way or
another. Commodity prices have been on a roller coaster in 2011. Fears of
inflation during the first part of the year pushed prices higher. Today, it is
the threat of deflation with global economies faltering. Which view the needle
falls toward will depend partially upon Monsanto's report and guidance for the
future. Given the focus of the company on agriculture, shares should be trading
more like a defensive stock irrespective of economic activity. Instead, Monsanto
has been quite volatile. During the past three quarters, Monsanto has exceed
average Wall Street estimates of earnings: During the quarter ending May 31, the
company benefited greatly from increasing prices. Profits in that period beat
analysts expectations by 16 cents per share. As a result of that performance,
one would think estimates for the Aug. 31 period would be on the rise. Instead,
they have slipped by three cents per share during the past 90 days. The company
now is expected to lose 27 cents per share. For the full year also ending on
Aug. 31, Monsanto is expected to make $2.87 per share. In the following year,
that number increases by 19% to $3.42 per share. At current prices, Monsanto
trades for 21.5 times current-fiscal-year estimated earnings. With the dramatic
shift in view regarding the global economy, MON shares took a step back since
July 1 the stock is down 14.25% since then. That is slightly better than the
S&P 500, down 16% in that time frame. Click to Enlarge Despite recent losses,
the stock still is up 28% during the past 12 months: When market commentators
suggest that earnings estimates are likely too high, Monsanto comes to mind. A
three-cent drop in the estimate for the quarter ending Aug. 31 is paltry. The
stock is holding up better than most thanks to what still are expected to be
strong growth numbers in the coming year. I'm not convinced. Defensive stocks
like Monsanto are by their nature slow-growing animals. Growth near 20% should
be viewed as an anomaly that is not likely to be sustainable. Monsanto is at a
crossroads. Shares have yet to lose full steam and could plummet if earnings do
not meet expectations. The bigger issue for Monsanto will be guidance. A likely
reduction in guidance for the coming fiscal year should be met by harsh selling
in the market. What upside potential is there for the stock? It is difficult to
paint a picture of what moves Monsanto higher here. I would look to sell this
stock short in advance of earnings. The odds would favor a decline in share
value after a report that fails to impress. Other companies reporting results
this week include Marriott International (NYSE: MAR ) , Ruby Tuesday (NYSE: RT
), Helen of Troy (NASDAQ: HELE ) and Constellation Brands (NYSE: STZ ).

Gold Futures Plunge to $1,600, Silver Below $29

Gold and silver futures extended their losses Tuesday afternoon as substantial
liquidation resumed in the precious metals space. COMEX gold futures for
December 2011 delivery settled lower by $41.70, or 2.5%, at $1,616.00 per ounce.