Education stocks

Education services has counter-cyclical tendencies.  As the economy slows the classrooms crowd.  As of last fall there was a post secondary education population of 18.2 million of which 1.4 million attended for profit schools.  This is demonstrated in the influx of new students attending via …

Enough!

This almost makes me physically ill: Merrill Pays Itself Huge Bonus For Snookering Ken Lewis

Everyone’s focus seems to be on GE and its earnings announcement scheduled for tomorrow.  They pay $13 billion in annual dividends and that can probably not continue.  Even though Immelt promised that ’09 would not see a dividend cut.  The stock dipped below $12 (down …

Jamie Dimon makes Ken Lewis of Bank America (bought $1.2 mil worth of stock) look like a piker after Dimon forks out $11 million for JPM stock. Today was a good little spike, no question.  But it will take a few days, until next Tuesday, …

A Trader’s Paradise!

How can you beat it?  Down 300 on Tuesday and up 280 on Wednesday!  Pretty impressive as the markets finished on its highs.  But short covering may have accounted for that. Individual stock moves of 5%-30% a day are pretty much the norm.  Why buy-n-hold, …

Markets at mid-day seem to be ignoring the price action of GE.  GE reports on Friday and there is the spectre of lower earnings, a dividend cut and ratings downgrades.  Evidently, the current price of $12.50, discounts these potential events.   The other two market leading …

Quick, name the Senators from South Carolina Ok, you got Lindsay Graham.  But the state has two senators, who is the other?  Answer: Jim DeMint.  To paraphrase the WSJ: He is described as the kind of uncompromising conservative who can make the senate leaders’ life …

Phew! That was close.

The S&P headed toward to 800.  If that had been broken the flood gates would open, even bigger than today’s decline.  While a 5.2% decline is not sublime it could have been much worse.  Lets hope for some modestly good news overnight so we can …

No Prisoners!

Was just reviewing the bank stocks.  I feel smug about suggesting that Bank America was headed to a hat size when it traded at $14.  Did I follow my advice?  Nah.  Short 100 shares? 1000? Nope.  Put a $1000 into puts?  Nada.  Idiot. I checked …

This market is way oversold.  But I am waiting.  For now, cash is king. Sold PALM; when you get 38% in three days, sell Stopped out of FCXprM and JNK.  These were two of my great ideas to participate in rising copper and gold prices …