Heading into the week's end, we find that the ground under Wall Street has shifted a little. For at least one week this year, investors have looked at the glass as half full, lending some support to a story I posted earlier in the week: Is the stock market spring loaded? Could it move 3,000 points higher now?
Given that there was plenty of bad news, and some of the good news was suspect, I think investors simply decided "it is better to light one small candle than curse the darkness."
The unemployment news was not good, and retail remains sluggish, yet the market ended on a positive note. Even financial stocks rallied after positive statements from Citigroup, Inc. (NYSE: C)'s CEO Pandit, and Bank of America (NYSE: BAC)'s CEO Lewis, who both basically shouted "Hey! We are still open for business." Investors took pause and thought, well I guess we can't disagree with that. So they pushed the stocks up notably on thin evidence of any improvement in the industry.
Time Warner Inc. (NYSE: TWX)'s AOL welcomed a new CEO, Tim Armstrong, formerly of Google Inc. (NASDAQ: GOOG), to their fold. They were hoping that he would be the right person to navigate through the maze of issues facing Internet companies. These include competition, dilution and differentiation inherent on the web, reduced advertising rates, brand protection and expansion, quality and depth of product, along with marketing and business development.
He will also be instrumental in strategic planning and negotiations related to future acquisitions and whether AOL remains a part of TWX or becomes independent, or is merged with another company. I think he must be acutely aware of the challenges ahead, and hopefully will bring the kind of experience and energy required to accomplish the mission
The Stock market ended the week with a fourth straight day in positive territory. All three indices were up today with the DJIA finishing at 7,223, up 53.92 or 0.75%.
Sheldon Liber is the CEO of a small private investment company and the principal for design and research at an architecture & planning firm. He writes the columns Chasing Value and Serious Money. Disclosure: I own shares of BRK.B. and GE.











Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
3-13-2009 @ 8:46PM
MaryLou Michelin said...
Why is Jeff Immelt still employed by GE? he has ruined the Company and cares nothing about his share holders. He and his board need to go empty handed.
3-13-2009 @ 8:49PM
Sheldon L said...
MaryLou...
What in particular do you think he did wrong? More diversification? Less? Sell something? Buy Something? Drop the finance division, historically the most profitable?
Besides the stock going nowhere for ten years and then tanking what is different in how GE performed vs the S&P 500 which also has gone nowhere.
3-13-2009 @ 9:13PM
william lindblad said...
I think that all should consider that GE got hammered mainly because it was treated as a financial and the diversification that is reality, was not a prime consideration.
Warren made a recent statement to the effect that the economy fell off a cliff. Let's not be too hard on this man as he does sort of "work his way up and down the observation ladder" and does look at things from different levels. He does spend most of his time at mid to upper levels and this time he blew it as all of the signs were on the bottom rungs. If you were to ask him now - you will get the right answers.
Perhaps some of the upward movement may be from an unlikely place - the President. He has been talking (a lot) and he does know where the real immediate trouble spots are. Although he alone may not be able to do much for resolve, at least he is aware. This is a major plus. Another is that the powers of this world are at least sitting down and talking. Now, if they just can do better than Congress and agree on something in the way of a uniform approach there may be reason for economic stabilization, perhaps even motivation.
I have not seen enough to become optimistic yet, but at least there is finally some steps in the right direction.
Now, somebody tell me why gold is going up along with the stock market? Appears that I am not alone in the pessimist area.
3-14-2009 @ 6:11AM
al coholic said...
Maybe we should start rating the rating services. Aren't these the same schmoes that rated the now valueless financial instuments as AAA?