Investors411 record – 4 1/2 years of beating benchmark S&P 500
Note: Last Investors411 for the week.
Health Care, Obama and Leadership
Huffington Post Photo
Does anyone really know what Obama’s heath care plan is? NO. Unlike Hillary over a decade ago he has set broad goals – he wants to save Money. Congress has come up with a slew of different plans. Perhaps this attempt at consensus building is the best way to achieve results. After all Hillary Clinton failed.
However, the best way to show leadership is simply to lead. Congress is fighting like chickens in a hen house over health care, each individual and side protecting her/his specific interests. The powerful interest groups who want NO change are spending huge amounts of $ to shoot down reforms health care. It’s a waste of time to go on TV to defend a non existent plan that has no concrete structure.
Obama set a charismatic vision and followed though in his campaign for president. American’s back someone who leads and right now all Obama is doing in health care is following.
Stats on Tax Rates
10% on income between $0 and $8,025
15% on the income between $8,025 and $32,550;
25% on the income between $32,550 and $78,850;
28% on the income between $78,850 and $164,550;
33% on the income between $164,550 and $357,700;
35% on the income over $357,700.
15% on investment income
For single individuals – From the Fed tax tables
An interesting editorial by Tohm Hartman called The Great Tax Con Job is worth reading. One interesting point he makes is that both times we had massive tax cuts for the wealthy they ultimately lead to a period of growing over speculation and collapse.
- Massive tax cut in 1920 from 73% to 25% led to the roaring 20′s and the Great Depression
- A 70% to 90% tax rate from 1930 to 1980 on the uber wealthy lead to America becoming the strongest economic power on the planet.
- A Reagan tax cut from 74% to 38%, later followed by cuts on investment income, and another 3% cut led to the biggest meltdown since the Great Depression.
There are some mitigating factors, but the bottom line is clear a culture that focuses on giving massive breaks to the wealth does NOT prosper
STOCKS
AS ALWAYS, DO YOUR OWN RESEARCH BEFORE INVESTING!
| Index | Percentage % | Volume |
|---|---|---|
| Dow | +0.77% | down |
| NASDQ | +0.36 % | up |
| S&P500 | +0.36% | up |
| Russell2000 | -0.33% | - |
Investors411 record – 4 1/2 years of beating benchmark S&P 500
(see results for last 1/2 year – click 6/25 & scroll down)
- Brown = repeat statements
- Green = usually bullish statements
- Red = Usually bearish statements
Technicals and Fundamentals
All the major US indexes are screaming OVERBOUGHT conditions. You can only go up so many days in a row. Only the NASDQ has shown some moderate volume behind the move higher. This increased volume acts as confirmation of the trend.
The major US indexes have all reached new closing highs, except for small caps (the Russell 2000 is almost there) This does set up a longer or mid term bullish trend for stocks.
Check out on the bottom of the charts for the major indexes ( see list on side of blog) the CMF (Chalkin MONEY FLOW) We are over 3 standard deviations away from the mean. ( the green color is above 0.3) This is about as overbought as markets gets without some kind of reversal.
Fundamentals (earnings reports) have driven this rally. At first company’s like Intel surprised. Others followed, but now that surprise is built into stock prices. Last night AAPL (Apple Computer) hit another grand slam home run earnings report. More here
Significant forecasting tools/Indexes for stock markets
BDI - The Baltic Dry Index measures the flow of goods (world trade) It looks like we could be forming another lower high and that would reinforce the mid term bearish pattern . The rate of decline increased on the BDI yesterday. We have had a series of lower lows and lower highs since early June. We have a way to do before we establish a new low (see yesterday’s update), but we definitely have a momentum change. Bears are gaining momentum
In a nut shell the BDI is
- short term - Bullish
- mid term - Bearish pattern
- long term - Bullish pattern
Here’s an ominous forecast on global trade from the Director General of the World Bank. – Pascal Lamy.
$USD - The Dollar went down and tested its major support level yesterday. It held. Dollar ended up flat +0.04% . The last remaining support level is the June lows at @78.4. The dollar index closed at 78.90 . Breaking this support would be very bearish for the dollar and bullish for stocks.
Conclusions
The “Fearless Forecast” predicted a down week because we are overbought. Now we are way overbought , the BDI has turned negative and the dollar stopped dropping at its support level. Technically everything is turning negative. Bears are growling
Both the dollar and the BDI are the indexes to watch. If the rate of fall in the BDI increases – take more $ off the table. No one ever went broke taking profits.
Positions
The whole Positions Section has been revised (Click on “Positions” at top of blog). Check it out
IFN - (India) Sold entire position yesterday. Gain @ + 3.5% See Positions section of blog.
FAS – Perhaps the third time is the charm. Last two times (see Positions) Investors411 took defensive position we got burned. Opening a small position (2.5%) in FAS (3X short the financial sector) Overbought markets & BDI falling call for some caution.
Long Term Outlook = CAUTIOUSLY BULLISH
See Changes in STRATEGY, POSITIONS, & OVERVIEW sections of blog
AS ALWAYS DO YOUR OWN RESEARCH BEFORE INVESTING!
