All of the talk about the negative impact of the sequestration on consumer spending appears to have some validity. While the rich consumers are continuing to spend on luxury items, those who are making less money and are influenced by the fragile jobs market and flat income levels continue to worry, which could likely impact... More »Consumers Spending Less; Just Ask Wal-Mart
There continues to be mixed data regarding the strength of the economic recovery in America. This is creating an interesting divergence between the level of the S&P 500 and the growth rate of the economic recovery, which is far less than many had expected so far. The Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia recently released its... More »Divergence Between the S&P 500 and Current Economic Recovery Grows; Are Investors Too Optimistic?
General Electric (GE) was once revered as one of the bluest of all blue-chip companies in the world. During its glory days, GE was respected as an industrial conglomerate that manufactured some of the world’s best jet engines, locomotives, appliances and even the highly regarded General Electric light bulb. However, as best I can determine,... More »General Electric Looks Like It’s Becoming The Shareholder-Friendly Company It Once Was
There is simply nowhere else to put your money to work, which is why the stock market continues to edge upward to new record highs. You can earn a yield of 0.23% on a two-year U.S. Treasury, 0.79% for five years, 1.90% for 10 years, and up to 3.13% if you extend it to 30... More »Why This Market Is Reminiscent of 2000
We all know that the stock market has moved up significantly over the past few months. The real question is: is the move up based on the belief that there is enough economic growth available for corporate earnings to continue rising, or is it simply due to a flow of funds? Let’s analyze this question... More »Is Wal-Mart Stock in Danger of a Pullback?
The stock market has only one direction in mind and that’s up. I sense there’s froth building up. This current market action reminds me a bit of what happened in 1999, but the situation is different in that interest rates are at record lows, the Federal Reserve is providing liquidity, and the valuation of stocks... More »How to Create a “Do-It-Yourself” Fund for Diversification
It’s been strange watching the Dow Jones Industrial Average and S&P 500 continue to march higher for the last few months, moving in direct contrast to the underlying economic indicators. It’s hardly news to anybody that unemployment has remained stubbornly high for years. Personal debt is high, student loan debt is crushing, and the largest... More »Will Raft of Bad Economic Data Change Investor Behavior?
When it comes to buying stocks for long-term investing, the short-term gyrations can be difficult for investors. It’s important from a long-term investing viewpoint to look out onto the horizon over many years, and search for short-term pullbacks and opportunities that might allow attractive entry points. We are all aware of the troubled situation economically... More »Changes to International Tariffs Giving This Stock a Boost
If you invested all of your money in the stock market, you would be exposed to extraordinary risk of a market retrenchment. Of course, you could also make a lot of money, especially with how well things are going in the current bullish stock market that continues to somewhat defy gravity. Yet this is also... More »How Understanding the Investment Climate Equals Stock Market Success
Meet the entrepreneurs who lined up to pitch to casting directors of the ABC reality TV show. More »Behind the Scenes: What It's Really Like to Pitch for a Spot on 'Shark Tank'
The disconnect between the stock market and the U.S.economy continues to grow, as the key stock indices run way ahead of reality. The fundamental reasons behind the rise in today’s key stock indices are missing. For a real rally to happen, there has to be rising demand in the U.S. economy, consumers must be confident... More »Warning: 79% of S&P 500 Companies Issue Negative 2Q Guidance
In the first quarter of 2013, the eurozone continued to witness an economic contraction. The gross domestic product (GDP) of the 17-nation region declined 0.2%. This decrease in the GDP marked the sixth straight quarter of economic contraction in the eurozone and the longest since 1995. (Source: Reuters, May 15, 2013.) The debt-infested countries in... More »Recovery? Eurozone GDP Now Down Six Straight Quarters
“Opportunity cost”—it’s a phrase used in microeconomic theory to denote the costs that are forgone by not having your resources in the highest returning assets. It is a phrase that’s pertinent to the stock market. Without question, I remain completely taken aback by what has transpired with the stock market since the beginning of the... More »This Stock’s 24% Year-to-Date Gain Signaling a Buy Opportunity?
The stock market rally that began in March of 2009 is gaining attention once again. The key stock indices have surpassed the highs they registered before the U.S. economy was hit with a financial crisis and the ones made at the peak of the tech boom. With all this, the direction in which the key... More »Key Stock Indices Soaring Higher; Will They Hit the Ceiling?
Complacency among investors is extremely dangerous. Many investors, both retail and institutional, have very short memory spans. It wasn’t too long ago that the eurozone was in the midst of a financial crisis. While the worst appears to be over—at least temporarily—economic growth still remains elusive for the eurozone. Yet in spite of all the... More »The New Hidden Eurozone Risk
A diverse retirement portfolio should contain stocks from a number of different sectors. With America in the throes of unpredictable spring weather, now is the perfect time to consider agricultural stocks. Not just because it’s the beginning of the seasonal growing period, but also because agriculture is one of the most diverse sectors. One good... More »Two Stocks to Help Your Portfolio Grow from the Ground Up?
Something is starting to smell in the bond market… Since their peak in July of 2012, 30-year U.S. bonds have declined in value—they are down almost six percent. Trading above $153.00 in mid-2012, 30-year U.S. bonds now hover around $144.00, as depicted in the chart below. Chart courtesy of www.StockCharts.com Keep in mind that bond... More »Bond Market Shows Signs of Weakness Ahead
Before analyzing a company for investment, it’s important to have a perspective on how well the business has performed. Because at the end of the day, if you are an investor, you are buying the business. The FAST Graphs™ presented with this article will focus first on the business behind the stock. The orange line... More »Chicago Bridge & Iron Co: Fundamental Stock Research Analysis
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