throw a tarp on it

The markets looks and smell like road-kill. What better use for a TARP than to cover the rotting carcass with an ill-conceived and poorly executed plan.

The "O" Administration is off to a shaky start. They have their work cut out for them and it will be interesting to see how a relative rookie to beltway politics and global finance maneuvers through the obstacles and barriers to getting things resolved/fixed.

Markets are tough on the bulls right now but a feeding frenzy for the bears.

Happy Friday.

DJIA 8,000.86 -148.15

NASDAQ 1,476.42 -31.42

SP500 825.88 -19.26

taking it to the banks

What is going on with the economic bailout? The banks are generally getting crushed. Anything remotely associated with finance/banking/leasing/$$$ is getting battered. Are we headed towards nationalisation?

On a positive note for the bulls. The educational services sector - mainly continuing education firms - is rocking and rolling. Many of the companies within this niche sector are at all-time highs or at least 52 weeks highs.

A few more weeks til it's 'go' time.

Happy weekend.

DJIA 8,077.56 -45.24

NASDAQ 1,477.29 +11.80

SP500 831.95 +4.45

long weekend

In the middle of a long weekend. Holiday tomorrow and the big inauguration day on Tuesday. A new day - a new administration. Any real changes? Who knows but probably not.

Clock is ticking.

Happy long weekend.

DJIA 8,281.22 +68.73

NASDAQ 1,529.33 +17.49

SP500 850.12 +6.38

that's the market we know and love

After a brief respite from the doom and gloom, a bad jobs report and more fall-out from myriad crises that are hitting the street and the economy, the markets resumed their losing ways. Having a pretty good sell-off, the likes we haven't seen in a little while. On a positive note if one is a bull, this week's sell-off brought us to the lower edge of a mini upward trending channel. If the markets continue with this trend that started in late November, we would be moving up next week, towards the upper edge of the upward trending trade channel.

In addition to the above mentioned, oil is volatile again, all over the board with the middle east unrest (Israel and hamas firing rockets at each other) and Russian and the Ukraine battling over pipelines, jumping between $35 and $50+ a barrel. Real estate continues to slump - both regionally and nationally, and then retailers announce sluggish and disappointing sales figures and revise estimates going forward. In industry news, the average HF lost approx 18% this year but if one would have put their $$$ into an index fund, the investor would have lost twice that much. On a brighter note, the short-selling fund were up around 30% this year. Not bad returns for a down year.

Lots of cash on the sidelines, lots of fund shuttering, lots of banks losing their prop desks. Lots of fall-out and shake-out in the industry. There's still room for the little guy with a pool of capital, a
dedicated strategy and the discipline to stick to it and deliver returns to the investors.

Push, push, push. The final push.

Also, the plan goes into effect next week. Discipline.

Happy Friday.

DJIA 8,599.18 -143.28

NASDAQ 1,571.59 -45.42

SP500 890.35 -19.38

coal thesis

Doing some research and came across one of many industries that had a hot first half to 2008 and then cooled dramatically in 2009: coal miners and producers.

Found this list of battered stocks that are turning the corner. Some names sit on the top 10 lists of some major HF and investment firms.

MEE
ANR
ICO
NCOC
JRCC
BTU
ACI
PCX
CNX
WLT

All had nice gains on Friday. Could be good for a short to medium term investment if they show opportunity to buy at a slight pull back. The stop on most of these stocks is the recent low from the past month or so.

The thesis: these companies produce a product that will be in demand as sluggish economies pick up steam. Even without the pick-up in the economy, the demand for this product is fairly inelastic - and an oversold industry with a product that the world needs is an undervalued basket of stocks. Place your bets.

new year

Another short week with short sessions. Out of town on vacation. Markets doing their low volume thing heading into the close of the year. A bit of window-dressing and some selling for tax purposes - not much else happening.

Oil has popped back to the mid 40's per barrel. The Madoff scandal continues to develop and roll along. Lots of people burned in that one.

Less than 3 weeks until the new administration takes office. Still unsure how the markets will take the news.

Happy Friday and happy new year.

DJIA 9,034.69 +258.30

NASDAQ 1,632.21 +55.18

SP500 931.80 +28.55