I have always felt that for all the blabbing we do -- or blogging, in my case -- we should try as best we can to be accountable for our good and bad calls. This report is long overdue, but I will post it anyway since all of my past year's picks and results have been made public.

The market was very harsh in the early part of 2009, filling investors fear and trepidation, and sinking to a March 9, 2009 bottom. Perhaps some of the bleeding has stopped, but the economy has not healed as bears and bulls seem to carry the day, or every other day.

Continue reading Chasing Value™: 2009 Results Crushed the S&P 500

Chasing Value™: 2009 Results Crushed the S&P 500 originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 31 Aug 2010 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

A new fear gripped the market Friday. Originally, gross domestic product -- the broadest measure of economic activity -- was reported to have grown 2.4% in the second quarter. Now, many are expecting the Department of Commerce will revise this figure down next week. According to a Bloomberg survey, revised GDP will have lost one point to a more anemic 1.4% growth.

The expectation of the lower GDP caused an accelerated rush to buy Treasuries. On the futures market, the 30 year bond was up 15 ticks to 134-26. The Dow Jones Industrial average continued its decline, falling yet another 90 points in early morning trade.

Continue reading Bonds Up, Stocks Down on Renewed Economic Fears

Bonds Up, Stocks Down on Renewed Economic Fears originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 20 Aug 2010 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Prechter Forecasts Dow 1,000

Prechter Forecasts Dow 1,000 originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 07 Jul 2010 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

So, how is that Summer of Recovery working out? Following Tuesday's drop, the market was slightly lower Wednesday morning thanks in part to the ADP payroll report. According to the report, employers added 13,000 jobs in June, falling short of the consensus estimate for 60,000 jobs. This data looks at private-sector jobs only and suggests that payroll gains were tame in June thanks to small businesses that were cutting jobs.

All of Wednesday morning's news wasn't bad, as the European Central Bank (ECB) offer of three-month funds came in short of expectations. This data means that the region's banks may not be as ECB-dependent as some thought. In addition, the financial sector is prospering as the exposure to European banks was made to appear a bit less toxic. Furthermore, Democrats in Congress decided to take a bank tax off the table in the new financial overhaul bill. This move has helped bring Republicans on board and makes the bill look like it may pass.

Continue reading Dow on Verge of Worst Second Quarter Since 2002

Dow on Verge of Worst Second Quarter Since 2002 originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 30 Jun 2010 11:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

With the Dow looking set to open below the 10,000 level this morning, I decided to take a look at some technical statistics for the blue chip barometer. I was looking for some sort of signal that the Dow may be ready to turn around, perhaps the Dow was near some sort of support. Perhaps there is some technical formation that this latest "slight correction" has come to an end.

Something I found was that it looks like the Dow may have set a double bottom in the 9,900 region. A look at a weekly chart shows that this region acted as support in February, sending the Dow to its latest rally. Last week, the Dow bounced off this level and staged a late-week turnaround. The question is whether the Dow can maintain the momentum that started last week. In addition, the Dow may have found a measure of support from its 20-month moving average.

Continue reading Has the Dow Set a Double Bottom?

Has the Dow Set a Double Bottom? originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 25 May 2010 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

So, Europe has stepped to the plate and agreed to a almost $1 trillion rescue plan to help avert a debt crisis, with the U.S. Federal Reserve pledging to do its part for overseas loans. The move has been cheered on the Street, as the major indices are significantly higher, the Dow Jones leading the way with a more than 400-point gain. This gain makes up a good portion of last week's plunge, which was driven by fears that Greece's debt problems would eventually spread to all of Europe. The fear was that such a scenario would put the future of the euro and the economies of the 16 countries using the currency in economic peril.

Continue reading Dow Jones Jumps 400 Points, Now What?

Dow Jones Jumps 400 Points, Now What? originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 10 May 2010 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Dow Jones Falls Below 11,000

Dow Jones Falls Below 11,000 originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 04 May 2010 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading 3M Company Enjoys a Solid Day

3M Company Enjoys a Solid Day originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 30 Mar 2010 16:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Serious Money: Optimistic Economic View

Serious Money: Optimistic Economic View originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 29 Mar 2010 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Looking back just a few weeks, the markets ushered in the new year with euphoria. Within a few short weeks, things have turned sour. The Dow dropped below the 10,000 mark last week. S&P 500 is down 7.3% from its 15-month closing peak.

Now the question facing investors and traders is whether the market is in a corrective phase. Eric Kuby of NorthStar Investment Management Group thinks so. "I'm in the camp that believes that we are in a correction," he said.

Continue reading Are U.S. Stocks in a Correction Phase?

Are U.S. Stocks in a Correction Phase? originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sun, 07 Feb 2010 16:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

After reading an unbelievable sell recommendation by one of my BloggingStocks colleagues, I didn't know whether to laugh or cry. In Thirteen Dow stocks that are doomed, we are informed that 13 of the 30 are going down and we should all bail out before it is too late.

I find this silly on many levels. For one, 13 stocks amount to a large-cap index fund and since large-cap stocks have lagged the market the probability that they will outperform going forward is real and has many investors promoting them.

Continue reading Serious Money: These Dow Dogs are not -- AA, T, BAC, BA ...

Serious Money: These Dow Dogs are not -- AA, T, BAC, BA ... originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 14 Dec 2009 13:11:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Expect market churn this week ahead of Friday payroll report

Expect market churn this week ahead of Friday payroll report originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 03 Nov 2009 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Want to know where the Dow is headed? Keep an eye on job growth

Want to know where the Dow is headed? Keep an eye on job growth originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 30 Oct 2009 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

We've watched stock market numbers bounce around for two years. Unemployment stats have served as unpleasant reminders that, for some, leading indicators haven't translated to reality. We look for so many ways to understand the brutal economic environment with which we've had to contend, and all the choices can make your head spin. So, let's make it simple. Here are eight ways to tack a label onto the financial world in which we live.

1. Lost market value
Total stock market losses from October 2007's top to March 2009's bottom: $11.2 trillion
Total gains in the stock market since the bottom: $4.6 trillion
Lost ground: $6.6 trillion

2. Bad days
Percentage of the 10 worst days in history for the Dow Jones Industrial Average that happened in 2008, by point drops: 60%
Percentage of the 10 worst days in history for the DJIA that happened in 2008, by percentage drops: 30%

3. Mutual funds
Value of mutual fund assets at the end of 2007: $6.5 trillion
... and a year later: $3.7 million
Lost value: $2.8 trillion

But, it got a little better at the end of August 2009: $4.5 trillion (value of assets)

Continue reading Eight ways to define the recession

Eight ways to define the recession originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 12 Oct 2009 14:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Market ends the day lower, but up for the month

Market ends the day lower, but up for the month originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 30 Sep 2009 18:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

This is the era of "naming rights" and specialized promotions, such as "XYZ Company is the sponsor of tonight's weather forecast," but a name change for the Dow Jones Industrial Average? Please.

The DJIA's name could change if parent News Corp. (NYSE: NWS) follows through and sells its stock-index business, Bloomberg News reported. Goldman Sachs (NYSE: GS) has been hired to evaluate potential deals.

Continue reading The DJIA just wouldn't be the same if it wasn't the DJIA

The DJIA just wouldn't be the same if it wasn't the DJIA originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sat, 19 Sep 2009 11:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

U.S. stock markets are poised to rise today as more and more positive data convinces Wall Street that the economic recovery is for real.

Futures for the Dow Jones Industrial Average, the Nasdaq Composite Index and the S&P 500 Index were all indicated higher following a rally in overseas markets. Germany's Dax, France's CAC-40 and the U.K.'s FTSE 100 all posted strong gains. Japan's Nikkei 25 also rose while China's Hang Seng declined.

For those looking for silver linings, there are plenty to choose.

Continue reading Before the bell: Stocks continue rally as investors bet recovery is for real

Before the bell: Stocks continue rally as investors bet recovery is for real originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 28 Aug 2009 07:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

As Melly Alazraki noted earlier today, McDonald's Corp. (NYSE: MCD) is one of many heavy hitters to take the earnings stage today. Unfortunately, the fast-food firm didn't exactly impress with its latest quarterly figures; the company struggled under the weight of weak sales during the month of June, and saw its second-quarter profits slide 8% year-over-year as a result.

Specifically, the Big Mac parent raked in net income of $1.09 billion, or 98 cents per share, compared to its year-ago results of $1.19 billion, or $1.04 per share. Excluding a one-cent gain, earnings weighed in at 97 cents per share. McDonald's reported that strength in the U.S. dollar negatively impacted its quarterly results by about 9 cents per share.

Continue reading McDonald's disappoints strangle speculator with Q2 results

McDonald's disappoints strangle speculator with Q2 results originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 23 Jul 2009 11:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

When oil lost almost $3 a barrel, stock futures indicated a lower opening for today. Just shy of 5 AM, S&P 500, Down Jones, and Nasdaq 100 futures were all off 0.9%. The drop in oil to $64 a barrel has called into question any projections of a quick economic recovery -- as if high unemployment weren't enough. The Monday after any long weekend is hard, and this one's going to hurt.

The direction in which futures are pointing continues Thursday's equity declines in the United States, bringing the S&P 500 its third consecutive weekly loss. For the day, it lost 2.91%. The Dow Jones Industrial Average lost 2.63% of its value, with the Nasdaq Composite Index giving up 2.67%. Year-to-date, the DJIA is down 5.6%, the S&P 500 down 0.8%.

Continue reading Oil down, futures down following holiday weekend

Oil down, futures down following holiday weekend originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 06 Jul 2009 08:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Closing Bell: They just don't stay down long (BA, BSX, COP, MOT, SIRI)

Closing Bell: They just don't stay down long (BA, BSX, COP, MOT, SIRI) originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 23 Jun 2009 16:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.