Happy Talk

The happy talk by governments and  media outlets around the world have masked the severity of the 2008 economic meltdown. Today, that same happy talk hit reality in Japan.

TEPCO and the Japanese government has continued to underestimate the problems in Japan.

• The lead story in yesterday’s NYT examined “Vents that American officials said would prevent devastating explosions at nuclear plants in the United States were put to the test in Japan and failed.” (Thanks to frequent blogger Popeye for heads up on this.)
• Today we learn that Japan’s GDP for the last quarter was almost twice as bad as was predicted. Last quarter’s GDP was -3.7% making Japan officially in a double dip recession.(Two negative quarters of GDP)

The sky is not falling. However, its time for some  realism when comes to economics and nuclear power.

• The USA is the ONLY country that is NOT stopping to evaluate  its nuclear program in light of the Japanese disaster. Shouldn’t we pause to evaluate nuclear power?
• Japan was the #2 economic power in the world till this year and its GDP had turned negative before the nuke disaster. Our economy and the worlds is in a fragile recovery. Shouldn’t the immediate focus of our politicians be insuring that we recover?

Without recovery there will be no funds to impact problems of the future. Japan seems to be taking the right role and focusing on recovery. Our politicians in the USA should do the same.

“The Donald Ducks”

Headline from Politico

Three of the leading Republican candidates (Gallop Poll) effectively ended their quest for the presidency this week.

Mike Huckabee – Announced he would not run – Not to worry he will keep his FOX News show. Directly after his announcement in what only can be considered as bizarre Fox news ran a long infomercial as Donald Trump monologued his assessment of Hukabee, Obama and politics.

Newt Gingrich- Announced that Ryan’s plan to privatize and eliminate Medicare was “too radical.” This brought down the wrath of Republicans and then led Newt to say opps it was the media’s fault. Ryan’s plan will cost more and cover less (Goggle the words – CBO, Ryan & medicare) for American according to the non partisan Congressional Budget Office.

The Donnald - Announced he would no run – Not to worry he will keep his TV show. Trumps tough talk (fear mongering, finger pointing, & bigotry) and constant references to his TV show had catapulted him to the #2 position behind Huckabee (Gallop Poll) in the race for president. Wake up and smell the coffee, this run was all about Trump’s ego and his show. Everyone from the media on down who took his candidacy seriously was played for a sucker. (see Popeye’s remarks in comments section of blog)

The new Gallop poll has two new front runners for the presidency.

Mitt Romney – A candidate in 2008 whose cardboard presentation and flip flops on positions made John McCain look like John Wayne on Steroids. If Newt stays, undoubtedly, folks will evaluate which of the two has changed more positions. Romney wins the cardboard contest hands down.

Sarah Palin – Mama Grizzly can always say grrrr.

Maybe a better candidate will emerge from the pack. Stay tuned.

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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

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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 was flat +0.03% yesterday.  After a big run  higher for 8 trading days the dollar has flattened or retreated for the last 3 days. Three flat days is neutral. but momentum is still with dollar bulls. If the dollar continues to move sideways the outlook will change to Neutral. For stocks shorter term trend = Bearish/Neutral
• 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 -40 two days ago and rose to -9.04 yesterday. Accurate prediction from Tuesday MO is – On its way to oversold (@-60) Another bad day or two and we should be ready for at least an oversold bounce. We got that bounce yesterday and, depending on the dollar  could hold onto those gains today. However MO is now near Zero and therefore = Neutral

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Paul’s Corner

What an interesting week so far, at the start of the day I don’t know whether I should open a new bottle of Tums or put on the party hat.  Wednesday was a good day and most of Your Stock List looks ok with many stocks in a good buy the dip position.

So how do we “buy the dip” without “losing the house’?

Buying when a stock drops and touches the 17 or 50 DMA or if below when it crosses up through the average is usually a good method. In many instances a stock isn’t at a moving average or is even slightly below the average so we need to place a buy order above the previous days high to get a safe trade.

LYB took a serious hit this week along with the sell off of the commodities and now is in a buy the dip position. I have prepared a PDF  file  explaining  how to safely trade LYB in a  “buy the dip” position .

LINK

Take a look at the stocks in Your Stock List [click on word POSITIONS at top of blog and scroll down for list] and you’ll see most are in the “Buy The Dip” position.  SPRD and JNPR would not have been bought yesterday may 18  using this method since they didn’t raise above their close on May 17.

Remember, you are responsible for your investment decisions, and I am not.  Please do your diligence, and please take ownership for your actions.

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Check out the advice, recommendations, analysis by bloggers on stocks,politics and trends in the comments section of the blog  Many of the best concepts regarding YOUR Financial Future are discussed their. Watch for Paul’s Corner every Tuesday and Thursday

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Longer Term Outlook

CAUTIOUSLY BULLISH

AS ALWAYS, DO YOUR OWN RESEARCH BEFORE INVESTING

Democratic congressman Jim Clyburn

“Baby Killer”

YOU, in the comment section of the blog, have had a rational debate over the tax implication of the health care bill starting started by John Sovjani and now ending with a NYT article from Ewanapat that shows, in part, who benefits and who pays. The rest of the nation has not.

One Texas Republican congressman screamed “Baby Killer” while a Democrat spoke on the heath care bill. Later he apologized, but this calculated move will bring huge amounts of cash into his campaign for congress. Across the country Death Threats, vandalism, break ins, gas lines cut, and even photos of hang man nooses have been sent to at least 10 Democrat congressmen and women who voted for the health care bill.

Here’s a report from yesterday. From today, where families of Democratic congressmen who supported health care are moving out of their districts because of the death threats. Sarah Palin’s website is painting bulls eye’s on targeted democratic congressmen CBS reports

When Black Democrats like congressmen Jim Clyburn (D – Majority Whip) gets a noose & death threats faxed to him it is exactly what happened to those who dared stand up for civil rights in the 60′s.

No matter what side of the health care debate you are on – if you do nothing you condone the behavior. At least tell a co worker or friend that this kind of tactic is unacceptable.

Chimerica

(part 2)

The USA has lost 2.4 million jobs because of the trade gap with China -Study reported in WSJ. Yesterday, our House Ways and Means Committee, announced it was holding hearings China artificially keeping her currency pegged to the USA’s. Niall Ferguson is a most outstanding source of info on this.

Bottom Line – We need many of those 2.4 million jobs back in the USA, but a trade or economic war with China would be devastating to the world’s economy.

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

See Positions , Strategy , and Overview for changes made over weekend.

The US dollar exploded higher breaking out of its trading pattern. The strong inverse correlation between US stocks and the dollar once again took hold pushing US equities lower. Stocks fell in basically higher volume.

What’s happening is that Greece and some other European countries involved in the Common Market have weak currencies and the relative to them the dollar is stronger. These problems have two root causes -

• The same financial meltdown that hit us is hitting them. Remember, the reckless lending of super banks/shadow banks was a global phenomena. In this case the Greek government aided by Goldman Sachs covered up their debt.
• Greece and some other European countries have swung too far into socialism – example may can retire at 50 in Greece with almost full benefits. This is the exact opposite of the USA which has swung too far into greed based capitalism.

Expect a rebound as momentum is still clearly with the bulls and the McClellan oscillator turned red (below zero)

Significant Indexes

• McClellan Oscillator fell to -1.66 yesterday. +60 or above = Overbought -60 or below = oversold. StockCharts has a better version of the McClellan chart ($NYMO) LINK. – Investors411 manta is its much better/safer to buy when stocks are over sold and sell when they are over bought. When the $NYMO is around zero those who can accept more risk can nibble on stocks & ETF’s.
• US Dollar - Exploded higher +1.34%. Anything over 1.00% is considered a huge move and this move was also a breakout to a new high.

Positions

The  Positions Section = latest buys and sells – (Revised positions last weekend) - These are positions I actually own

Our remaining China position FXI (Also EWZ & MOO)

Over the course of the last few months Investors has decreased FXI holdings from a high of almost 25% to the current 5%. China has been an investment mainstay of Investors411 for many years. Unfortunately many imbalances (see yesterday’s Chimerica piece) especially with the US and a over supply of public and retail housing is clouding the future.

This is also true for emerging markets that have been under performing US stock markets.  Technically after years of out performance this was bound to happen regardless of the fundamental problems in China. Our other major foreign investment. Brazil, EWZ is also under performing. Again over many months we have reduced holdings from a high of almost 25% to 5%. Brazil has a presidential election and the economically successful “socialist” president of the last 8 years is not running. Markets hate change.

The overall problem is does China have a soft landing or a hard one?  Yesterday, our House Ways and Means Committee, announced it was holding hearings on  China artificially keeping her currency pegged to the USA’s. Niall Ferguson is a most outstanding source of info on this.

MOO is an agriculture ETF whose growth relies on emerging markets buying US agricultural products and equipment.  Investors has cut this from 10% to 5% position.

Strategy – Bottom Line – Will drop remaining 5% in FXI into a rally.  Investors is building it own market basket of 3D stocks and health care stocks. (see past blog posts) Investing in ETF’s  (example TYH) that do 2 & 3 times what US indexes do when they are oversold.  Also considering YOUR stock list for investments.

Apologies for everyone who just wants to buy and hold forever.  It’s just NOT your parents market. Blame technology.

Long Term Outlook = CAUTIOUSLY BULLISH

AS ALWAYS DO YOUR OWN RESEARCH BEFORE INVESTING

Investors411 record – 4 1/2 years of beating benchmark S&P 500

Perhaps the World’s Best Known Economist

Joe Stiglitz – Photo John Thys/AFP/Getty Images

Joe Stiglitz “is cited by more economists than any one else in the world” Stiglitz is an “economic prophet” and Nobel laureate who predicted the current economic meltdown. Investors411 has for years been quoting Stiglitz starting with the true trillion dollar cost of the Iraq war.

So why is the Obama administration ignoring this Nobel Prize winner? This is one of the major stories in this week’s Newsweek and can be found here .

Paul Krugman , another  Economic Nobel Prize winner goes even further here

Instead of surrounding himself with some progressive economists who warned of upcoming economic meltdowns, Obama has surrounded himself with a Goldman Sach’s crew featuring Larry Summers who participated in building the economic mess.Remember,  Goldman Sach’s, who was a prime mover in creating the economic mess and  took both bailout & Fed money, had a huge positive earnings surprise this quarter.

Health Care

Photo – WaPo

Jim DeMint the Republican Senator from S. Carolina who considers the Obama government “national socialist” (a nazi – like Hitler’s Germany ) says the right wing will use the health care debate to “Break Obama.” Story here

He’s right about the break Obama part.  If health care reform does not get off the ground this summer (some form passes both House and Senate) it will die because unemployment will rise before it falls. This will put Obama in a far weaker position.

It’s time for Obama to stop worrying about consensus building in congress and to start playing hardball.  WaPo on Obama’s next move Hardball?

Your Comments

Popeye adds some more information about the secret  fundamentalist group behind US politicians (see Thursday’s post & comments to the left) – The Family . You can find out a whole lot more here As you might have already guessed this group has strong links to Sarah Palin .

But it not the obviously hypocritical ties to the three adulterous  Republican politicians that is most ominous. It is the past ties and philosophy of this secret group and their allies that is even more significant. (more later)

STOCKS

AS ALWAYS, DO YOUR OWN RESEARCH BEFORE INVESTING!

Investors411 record – 4 1/2 years of beating benchmark S&P 500

(see results for last 1/2 year – click  6/25 & scroll down)

Technicals and Fundamentals

• Brown = repeat statements
• Green = usually bullish statements
• Red = Usually bearish statements

We did have the best week in many moons for stocks . We did take out a resistance level on the benchmark S&P 500. We did have one day of strong volume confirming the price move.

However, after big gains like last week, technically, overbought markets need some rest. That plus the SPX is at 940 and this year’s high/major support level is 956.  We may appraoch this level, but the bulls need a rest. Hard to see other companies come in with the earnings results of Shadow Banks like Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley Bearish momentum.

The NASDQ did close at a new high for the year and this certainly creates a Bullish pattern. Biggest fundamental of the week is Microsoft’ s earnings report and Apple also could give overbought index some bullish momentum.

Significant forecasting tools/Indexes for stock markets

BDI - The Baltic Dry Index measures the flow of goods (world trade) The big gains at the beginning of the weakened Thursday and more on Friday. It looks like we could be forming another lower high and that would reinforce the mid term bearish pattern. Remember, this index usually moths a lot smoother and turns more slowly than other indexes. It hasn’t turned yet but Bears seem to be gaining momentum

In a nut shell the BDI is

• short term - Bullish
  
• mid term -  Bearish pattern
• long term - Bullish pattern
  

$USD - The Dollar is on the verge of falling down through in its in its 5+ week long consolidation pattern between $79+ and 81+. It did briefly break its support level but rallied Friday. Dollar closed up 0.32 at $79.51.-

Fearless Forecast For the Week

Last Week’s Fearless Forecast – So expect a rise with some financial stocks reporting early in the week and that rally to get tempered later in the week This happened, but Investors411 failed to predict the magnitude of the rally till after Intel’s earnings.

This Weeks Fearless Forecast – Technically overbought markets need a rest . 30 to 40% of Dow & S&P report this week and it would be surprising to see as many positive earnings reports as last week.  Therefore, most likely a down week. But because the NASDQ broke out and created a higher high, we could see another shot at moving higher later this summer. It looks like bearish pattern developing on BDI. If so, this is trouble.

Positions

The whole Positions sections has been revised (Click on “Positions” at top of blog). Check it out

QLD – which was bought independently of “the Hedge” at 38.2 last week will get sold today . QLD closed at 40.47 Friday – why be greedy. We added a lot of positions last week. (QLD, IFN, EWZ, EWS ) Time to take profits on one.  Will buy back in on another dip.

The Hedge – The SDS part is down -3.44% and the QLD part up +5.51% The net gain is +2.07% We are hoping that the QLD outpreforms the SDS.

AS ALWAYS DO YOUR OWN RESEARCH BEFORE INVESTING!

Palin’s New Job

Sarah Palin suddenly quit her Alaska Governor’s job yesterday  and some people are waiting for the other shoe to drop.  The "Quitter on Twitter" Palin news  is spreading quicker than the tweets from Iran and even rivals the Michel Jackson news. America has long since become a celebrity driven culture rather than one interested in substance and reality.

She didn’t quit the Governor’s job when she ran for VP.  Alaska was flush with $140 a barrel oil revenues then and she was the state’s most popular poll. Now the states problems are growing with oil at $70 a barrel and her judgement was being questioned. Palin’s popularity was fading both in Alaska and even with Republicans.  The latest fiasco was in Vanity Fair (here ) where fellow Republicans were playing whack a mole with her run for VP.

We are damn lucky this lady is not a heartbeat away from the presidency because the kitchen gets a whole lot hotter in the White House.  Palin is getting out of the Alaskan furnace because it’s a no win situation. The supposed "fighter" leaves the state in the middle of the biggest economic crisis since the great depression, declining personal popularity. and falling oil revenues that make up a huge chunk of the states budget.

FOX news’s anchor started out describing Palin’s resignation in the reality of Harry Truman’s famous statement "if you can’t stand the heat – get out of the kitchen." But FOX soon changed its tune to this could be a "brilliant" move.

The best read of the tea leaves is that there will soon be a multi-million dollar contract with Rupert Murdoch and FOX news (plus a book deal). How about her own show? FOX quickly realized  that you don’t want to play wake a mole with their future network mega star.  At very least, she will be all over the ultra right wing FOX channel in paid interviews

Politics is about money and power.   Yes she’s cut an run from Alaska as its economy crumbles, but as she stated "only dead fish go with the flow"(text of resignation here) Sarah Palin has charisma and now a shot at a lot more money, power and celebrity status.

Happy 4th!

Barr