So, you going to ignore him?

Tax and Spending

Since Obama and the Republicans answer to the shadow bank, military/industrial and other business cartels in Washington it is important to get get a more unbiased point of view on the budget. Here’s one from today’s NYT. Tax and Spending Myth and Realities A must read since  the cartels dominate the flow of information.

Military/Industrial Cartel

Just how powerful and dominate is this cartel? Their budget has gone up a staggering 81% in the last ten years.  Nothing comes close to creating debt like the military budget yet they are so powerful a cartel that neither Obama, the Republicans or the media address the problem in a substantive way.

The $700 billion yearly usually used as an approximation of the  defense department’s budget is as phoney as a three dollar bill.

• Foreign wars (Iraq, Afghanistan) are treated as supplemental budget items and not included
• Veterans affairs are not counting in this budget, yet this is closing in on 8.5% of total budget.
• Homeland Security (almost 3%) is not part of this budget and so are other smaller related military expenditures.
• Since programs like Social Security are paid for with their own tax or fees and are currently in the black they are not part of the growing federal deficit.  If you eliminate these programs as debt contributors, the military budget alone wind up contributing over 50% of the growing national debt. Some put this figure much higher

So if we take the $1,000,000,000,000+ military budget and increase it by 81% growth over the next 10 years you come up with a $4 to $6 trillion dollar increase over the next ten years that almost every politician in the USA ignores.

You’ve seen Republican’s ignore the King Kong of deficit creators in the Room (far bigger than the 800 lbs. gorilla) and today you will see Obama in a speech to the nation virtually ignore it.

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KISS & Stocks

(Keep It Simple Stupid)

If you don’t understand a term look in up at Investopedia.com dictionary

AS ALWAYS, DO YOUR OWN RESEARCH BEFORE INVESTING!

DOUBLE CHECK ALL DATA, I MAKE MORE THAN GRAMMAR MISTAKES

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Technicals, Fundamentals & Analysis

Investors411 record - 6 years of beating benchmark S&P 500

BUBBLE-ICIOUS - Investors411 term for the stock market – We are all riding on the outside of an ever expanding &  Central Bank manipulated liquidity stock bubble. See Investors411 STRATEGY section for more. Remember Fed liquidity (POMO, QE 2 or quantitative easing) announced ending is June 30th.

• This is different. What has been a 3/4 day market correction has happened in light volume. Used to be we rallied in light volume and sold off in heavy volume.
• The dollar , oil and MO have fallen significantly and the likelihood of at least a technical rebound is growing (see below)
• Republicans seem to want to play politics with the Debt Ceiling. This could have a significant negative impact on stocks. More on this in later Investors411. Surprised the Wall Street part of the Republican party seems to be caving into the Tea Party wing on this.
• The key to US equities remains how accommodative the Fed can be. If it is limited by the debt ceiling or something else – watch out below. Everything will suffer.
• Fed announces POMO schedule though May 14. $80 billion, plus a second program of $17 billion. Can’t help but wonder if this second program will continue beyond the supposed end June 30th. Analysts very divided on a QE #3(more quantitative easing after June 30th)

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Shorter Term Forecasting Indexes

There are hundreds of forecasting tools, – These two tools have worked

When they stop working Investors411 will use other Indexes

• The Dollar (USD) [Any daily price move over +/- 0.50 is significant. Dollar usually moves inversely to stocks]   Dollar fell moderately yesterday -0.23%.  The trend since start of year is bearish with lower highs and lower lows on chart, We are at a lower low.  For stocks = Bullish
• McClellan Index - (MO) [The very rough guideline is over +60 = overbought market = sell positions or short stocks, & -60 = oversold market = buy stocks .] MO fell to -51.72. Almost oversold. = Neutral/Bullish

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Reading The Tea Leaves

From yesterday – “Looks like we are in for a correction. The dip last month took the MO down to -85 (see link to chart above)” and in past has gone as low as -135.MO at -51.72 now

Bottom Line  Till it Breaks Down – No Black Swan events have been able to seriously impact the Fed liquidity driven equity market. So we are nearing a buy the dip territory.

The dollar at a low, oil prices plummeting last 2 days, and the MO nearing oversold levels shows we are ready for a rebound. If oil , the dollar & stocks continue to fall I will buy the dip. The further the better. This may only be a short term play (day, days, a week, or more).

Debt ceiling Republican soap opera politics in Washington could really hurt stocks. Question becomes will US default? Investors hate uncertainty and this is yet another bond holder to get out of treasuries.

This could kill the duration of the expected rally higher.

What to watch today – For shorter term traders Market movers.

• USO - ETF for oil - Oil up = stocks down – Big hit in last two days – for stocks – Bullish
• UUP - (Tracking ETF for dollar) Remember - The dollar is a contrarian indicator. Bad dollar = good stocks. Now bullish
• AAPL – Tech giant and market mover – Trading below its 50 DMA. Since mid February this char shows a series of lower highs and lower lows. AAPL rebounded yesterday. Perhaps the start of a rebound rally? Still, overall = Bearish
• Japan Rector Developments - This keeps getting worse.
• EEM – Emerging market ETF – On a breakout run, but getting  way over extended and now correcting.

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Positions

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Look for Paul R’s always enlightening remarks on stocks and sectors in the comments section of the blog. See ”POSITION“ section of blog (at top of page) for lists of potential stocks & ETF’s including ”YOUR Stock List.”

Koch Brothers

Buy/Rent Calculator

The NYT has an interactive Buy/Rent calculator for those making this decision. Of course the hard part is adjusting what future housing and rental costs will be.

Follow the Money

Every Sunday Frank Rich has a column in the NYT and more often than not its a home run. You know the front people behind the Tea Party and other right wing groups but the billionaires (Murdoch and the Koch Brothers & more) that fund or run the show are the real power brokers. Follow the Money

Here’s a quote from Rich of just what the Koch Brothers believe - “They haven’t changed.” David Koch ran against Ronald Reagan on this platform in 1980 -

“his campaign called for the abolition not just of Social Security, federal regulatory agencies and welfare but also of the F.B.I., the C.I.A., and public schools — in other words, any government enterprise that would either inhibit his business profits or increase his taxes.”

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KISS & Stocks (Keep It Simple Stupid)

If you don’t understand a term look in up at Investopedia.com dictionary

AS ALWAYS, DO YOUR OWN RESEARCH BEFORE INVESTING!

Technicals, Fundamentals & Analysis

Investors411 record – 5 years of beating benchmark S&P 500

I realize that the vast majority of you want to know just if its safer to buy now and what areas to buy. A lot of the below material just makes your eyes glaze over and is techno speak. On the Positions Section of blog there are a list of potential ETF’s that should outperform the benchmark S&P 500. Generally,  The time to buy is on dips when the MO (see below) gets to -60 or below.

Investors411 want YOU to be a better trader or investor. The primary goal is to educate YOU. If you skim the below, you’ll see the major empahasis is on the massive currency/dollar market that, right now,  is walking stocks like you walk your dog on a leash.

Mantra for the month - The Black Box/High Frequency Traders BB/HFT control the majority of trades. Popular financial channel host Jim Cramer said last Friday – “BB/HFT make up 80% of trades.”

We had volume behind Friday’s big rally. Don’t have the faith in volume as an indicator for major indexes because of BB/HFT’s. Volume does have some more credibility when it comes to individual smaller stocks.

More importantly we had a falling dollar that has had trouble breaking through the falling resistance level (see $USO below). That’s where the action is. Dollar falls = stocks go up and visa versa. From  the BB/HFT’s to Central Banks to worldwide oil barons all play the massive currency markets and try to manipulate it to their advantage.

Significant Indexes

• The Dollar (USD) [Anything daily price move over +/- 0.50 is significant. Dollar moves inversely to stocks] The dollar fell a marginal -0.02%. Chart show falling 50DMA is a strong resistance level. Breaking down or up through it is the key for US stocks. = Neutral
• The Baltic Dry Index (BDI) [measures cost of world trade. Also proxy for China & emerging markets] Rose a marginal +o.33% Friday. This gives some stability to the 5 week long rally after two down days in a row. 5 week rally trend is still in place, but not entirely back on track = Bullish
• McClellan Index – (MO) [The rough guideline is over +60 = overbought market = sell positions or short stocks, & -60 = oversold market = buy stocks.] MO rose  to -15.64 . This was a massive, almost +45 point move. If this move continues it could flame out real fast. Nevertheless, our #1 Buy sell Indicator is back at = NEUTRAL

Reading Tea Leaves

From Friday – “When fear is at its greatest – that’s the time to buy. Have we reached that point…Personally, I’m torn. There’s so much investment fear out there – Am I letting it cloud the facts?”  Answer – YES – We had an oversold bounce Friday that could continue for a few day or longer.

Friday I gave you all the reasons for an oversold rally, yet failed to take full advantage of it. That’s me in the doghouse with traders.

INVESTORS – The conditions were marginal, but still NOT good enough to nibble. If you like you can always do “in the money” coverd calls or invest in high dividend stocks to mitigate risk. A good time to buy these is when stocks are oversold instead of overbought.

CAUTION – This is a NEUTRAL market and ideally you’d like oversold conditions to exist in a BULLISH market. That’s why Investors411 is being cautious.

Still think there is a better than 50/50 chance of markets falling to/or testing this year’s lows - SPX 1020

UUP remains the ETF to watch because it tracks the dollar.  Yes, we had an oversold bounce and it could continue. But if the dollar breaks through its resistance & moves higher (see above on $USD) stocks will roast and toast.

Positions

The  Positions Section link to latest & former buys and sells  - These are positions I actually own

Current positions - Small positions in EWS (Singapore) USO (commodity-Oil) & TYH

Traders - Bought TYH (3X technology ETF) again at 24.98 Friday. A smaller position than last time (5% of portfolio) because the conditions were not as good.

Reasoning – I should have bought it at the open when stocks dropped @70 points, but I was waiting for a 100+ point drop. When stocks moved higher than their open in basically oversold conditions (see MO for Friday) I bought the first dip. I did Not buy as much as before because the conditions were not as oversold. (also UUP was flat)

Holding TYH overnight is always a risk & other factors.

• The rebalance the TYH to more accurately reflect its positions & I do not have a super computer(s) to figure out if its out of whack like the BB/HFT’s do
• A single event can cause the TYH to more dramatically by the next open. We are talking about an ETF that does 3X what the tech stocks do.
• One reason I have the ability to trade this, is that I have the one of the financial channels on in the background as I work and can watch the market move.

Same philosophy applies. Have moved stops up to 1 below what it was bought for & and will take 3% to 5%% profits on 1/2 of TYH, hopefully today. Conditions not appropriate for any other buys.

INVESTORS - I know you’re frustrated & would like something to buy and hold. The good news is USO & EWS are both in the black, but haven’t reached the @5% profit level  where you can sell 1/2 and let the rest ride.

Long Term Outlook - NEUTRAL

AS ALWAYS, DO YOUR OWN RESEARCH BEFORE INVESTING!

Congressman Alan Grayson

War is Making YOU Poor

There are many ways Americans can cut deficits to make the future more solvent for our children. One presented by Democratic congressman from FD Alan Grayson (short video) Here’s some major point from The War is Making YOU Poor Act

• We spend 1/2 the world’s entire military budget
• NATO allies #2 in military spending – Are we going to war with them?
• Distant third China. War with them would devastate our economy and theirs
• Keep $549 billion in yearly pentagon budget & eliminate the $159 Billion for Iraq & Afghanistan.
• Video (link above) has great chart & more complete explanation – so check it out.

How he would spend $

• No taxes on the first $ $35,000 for every American
• No taxes on first $70,000 per couple
• Plus $16 billion a year to reduce deficit.
• Moderate and low income people spend that tax break money and this would stimulate our economy generating both jobs and further taxes.

So you might spend it differently. But the main point is clear – The War is Making YOU Poor

Sign up to be on Grayson’s newsletter list.

KISS & Stocks (Keep It Simple Stupid)

If you don’t understand a term look in up at Investopedia.com dictionary

AS ALWAYS, DO YOUR OWN RESEARCH BEFORE INVESTING!

Investors411 record – 5 years of beating benchmark S&P 500 and almost all major US indexes

Technicals, Fundamentals & Analysis

At the open stocks on all major indexes reached lower lows than even the “flash” mistake trading meltdown a couple weeks back. This achieved a lower interday low for stocks. We already have had a lower closing low. The pattern now is lower lows and lower highs. Until that breaks = Bearish

From yesterday - The only silver lining to the up coming storm, is McClellan is oversold and when we get down below -135 we could have another oversold bounce. A 2 to 3% Dow fall in big volume could put us in -120 to -135 territory.

The above happened at the open. In the afternoon the giant institutions with their giant algorithm computers bought into a very oversold market. We rallied  about 200+ points on the Dow to close near even in increased volume. = Bullish

Markets moved higher despite poor global news = Bullish

Analysis – Would expect oversold bounce to continue today. If you are a trader as opposed to investors you could make some short term profits long.

Significant Indexes

• McClellan Oscillator was flat for the third day in a row. Now at -90.45.  [+60 or above = Overbought = sell. -60 or below = Oversold = buy]. StockCharts has a better version of the McClellan chart ($NYMO)LINK. - This is OVERSOLD territory. = Bullish.
• US Dollar – Uncertainty reigned as the dollar had a massive range from a new high to almost below Monday’s open. The dollar rose +0.27% [Anything over +/- @0.50 is significant.] Mantra - right now The Dollar Rules is very important. Yesterday = Mildly Bearish

Positions

The  Positions Section = latest buys and sells  - These are positions I actually own

Yesterday close to open Sold 1/2 position in ESRX at 99.51.& 1/2 position in SDS at 37.21.

Traders & Investors – Reasoning – ERSX was just plain fear on my part of overall bear market. Not a good reason to trade because it was holding up well despite early meltdown. SDS had mad a 5% profit. Because of the extreme volatility and oversold nature of current market I plan to take 5 to 7% profits on 1/2 of all trades and let the rest ride.  This, is because uncertainty/volatility is a clear pattern in the current market.

Looking for dip to buy EUO It’s rallied in weak volume the last few days. May sell SDS (short ETF)

Investors – Until we technically get out of the woods and break the newly established downward pattern only those who love risk should buy. Would suggest the Financial area ETF’s –  XLF.

Traders - UYG & FAS (@2X & 3x what XLF does) Financial reform has basically failed and these institutions should continue to exist in the unregulated, over leveraged, shadows of Casino capitalism. Therefore, make profits while they will make privatized profits while your FDIC insurance subsidizes or protects them from any losses.

Apologies - ran out of time to do YOUR stock list. See past comments from Paul R & Monitor Both have made some excellent suggestions in past few days. YOUR stock list is holding up quite well. While major indexes are below their 200DMA’s almost all of the stocks on YOUR Stock List have not reached that big a breakdown.

They both have good ideas that traders can take advantage of in a rally today. YOUR stock list also has good concepts. to pick from.

NB – I’m trying to make a clear distinction between short term Traders who are comfortable holding a stock/ETF less than a week and longer term Investors whose goal it is to hold positions for months and hopefully years.  Everything Investors411 mentions in Positions section is hopefully a long term position

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Long Term Outlook = CAUTIOUSLY BEARISH

AS ALWAYS DO YOUR OWN RESEARCH BEFORE INVESTING