Investing

A new position paper by Seth J. Masters, chief investment officer of Bernstein Global Wealth Management, entitled “The Case for the 20,000 Dow” is startling. Masters maintains that the odds Dow will rise by more than 7,000 points - an increase of more than 50% - by the end of this decade are excellent. [Below is his argument for such a lofty expectation.] Words: 715

Some of the most rewarding set ups in investing come when extremes have been reached. Currently the Gold Miners Bullish Percent Index has dropped to 7.14% - an extreme reading, one rarely ever seen, and not since the panic drop in March of 2009. Following that signal, GDX rallied for the next 2½ years increasing over 4 times in value. As such, a move up in the Gold Miners Bullish Percent Index from these historically low levels could signal another major move in gold mining stocks....[Let me explain further.] Words: 1078

Some of the most rewarding set ups in investing come when extremes have been reached. Currently the Gold Miners Bullish Percent Index has dropped to 7.14% - an extreme reading, one rarely ever seen, and not since the panic drop in March of 2009. Following that signal, GDX rallied for the next 2½ years increasing over 4 times in value. As such, a move up in the Gold Miners Bullish Percent Index from these historically low levels could signal another major move in gold mining stocks....[Let me explain further.] Words: 1078

The American Association of Individual Investors (AAII) released its latest sentiment readings yesterday...[which showed that] bullish sentiment dropped a full eight percentage points to 22.19%, the largest weekly decline since April 12....Now that virtually no one is optimistic about the stock market, that’s all the more reason we should be bullish. You see, during the current bull market, when bullish sentiment drops below 25%, stocks (almost) always rally over the next three and six months. Take a look. Words: 384

The American Association of Individual Investors (AAII) released its latest sentiment readings yesterday...[which showed that] bullish sentiment dropped a full eight percentage points to 22.19%, the largest weekly decline since April 12....Now that virtually no one is optimistic about the stock market, that’s all the more reason we should be bullish. You see, during the current bull market, when bullish sentiment drops below 25%, stocks (almost) always rally over the next three and six months. Take a look. Words: 384

Other than telling us how smart they are, I am not sure what economists like "Dr. Doom" Nouriel Roubini accomplish with repeated warnings that, ultimately, amount to little more than self-aggrandizing and incessant self-promotion. Roubini's continued calls for Armageddon provide as much utility as a Southern California traffic report. The 405 is jammed and so is every nearby alternate route, so just stay where you are. Even meteorologists offer more useful information. There's a heat wave -- seek shade, drink plenty of water. Or it's going to rain, grab an umbrella as you head out the door.

If you are angry about LIBOR – angry that 18 banks can set one of the world’s most important interest rates in such a poorly supervised, ill-understood manner - you should be even angrier that just 12 people sitting in a room can set the world’s single most important interest rate to suit the needs of the stock market, all under the pretence of controlling inflation? Let me explain. Words: 810

If you are angry about LIBOR – angry that 18 banks can set one of the world’s most important interest rates in such a poorly supervised, ill-understood manner - you should be even angrier that just 12 people sitting in a room can set the world’s single most important interest rate to suit the needs of the stock market, all under the pretence of controlling inflation? Let me explain. Words: 810

...[V]iewed objectively, the world currently stands at the precipice of an even greater crisis than the one in 2008-2009 but you wouldn't know it by looking at US stock prices. The S&P 500 is down only about 10% from its peak levels in October 2007 compared to the leading indicator stock markets in Spain, Italy and China which...are all down by 60% or more since their peaks. It is folly to think that the S&P 500 index can long withstand simultaneous conflagrations in those countries because, as their economies go, so too will the entire global economy and [that is bound to adversely affect the U.S. as] close to 50% of all S&P 500 earnings are derived from outside the U.S.. Words: 840

...[V]iewed objectively, the world currently stands at the precipice of an even greater crisis than the one in 2008-2009 but you wouldn't know it by looking at US stock prices. The S&P 500 is down only about 10% from its peak levels in October 2007 compared to the leading indicator stock markets in Spain, Italy and China which...are all down by 60% or more since their peaks. It is folly to think that the S&P 500 index can long withstand simultaneous conflagrations in those countries because, as their economies go, so too will the entire global economy and [that is bound to adversely affect the U.S. as] close to 50% of all S&P 500 earnings are derived from outside the U.S.. Words: 840