Posted on 05/26/2014 3:43:48 PM PDT by expat_panama
Last week we were going on about the fact that since stock indexes have been flat for so long that we needed to focus on sectors --here are the top ytd sectors (from here) --
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-- and (hat tip to Lurkina.n.Learnin) this link shows a daily 'heat map' of most sectors listed by alpha. We always hear a lot about how the 'big boys' always seem to have more info but imho lack of info is not the problem anymore. These days we're drowning in info and the task we got is making sense of it all.
(mho)
This is the thread where folks swap ideas on savings and investment --here's a list of popular investing links that freepers have posted here and tomorrow morning we'll go on with our--
Open invitation continues always for idea-input for the thread, this being a joint effort works well. Keywords: financial, WallStreet, stockmarket. |
We’ve talked about it on this thread a bunch but the fiscal and regulatory forces exerted on business is the leading cause of slow growth. Growth is just being choked off by the government. All those things you list are the symptoms of that disease.
Pure BS.
For the masses, they can't "manage" a slow modest expansion or control 'boom' growth or insulate from recession or smooth out the bumps or anything else.
What they can usually do is generally insure that the connected wealthy and politicos and the big banks and investments firms will prosper in all economic conditions.
You know, I used to think this was conspiracy theory BS. But man is it true. And it's true for ALL politicians. GOP is just as guilty as the Dems. It's also true for executive and board compensation. The game is rigged by the players. They are all in on it together. I've seen way too much of it to dismiss it.
I have a cousin who is an electrical engineer and he works on black projects and has a security clearance. When my uncle comes to town and tells us about it he grins from ear to ear and I imagine his smile muscles have a difficult time recovering as well.
We have follow through,,,, finally.
Yeah, and here I am packing for a couple days of travel. Ah well, I’ll just quick buy a bunch of stuff and check it Monday. What could possibly happen?
First the news:
Nasdaq Follows Through, Finally Confirming Uptrend
05/27/2014 07:08 PM ET - The Nasdaq and S&P 500 gave bullish signals Tuesday, putting the market on a confirmed uptrend. The Nasdaq climbed 1.2% in higher volume. The gain was sufficiently large to make it a follow-through a confirmation of a long-attempted rally started on April 15. It's unusual for a follow-through to hatch so late...
--and it seems we got this morning's futures consistant w/ our new direction. Back to life in the fast lane. fwiw, Mortgage Index today & GDP w/ claims tomorrow. Other stories:
European Bonds Climb on ECB Bets; Belgian Yields Drop to Record
All this exuberance is really starting to scare me. Tulips anyone?
Yes, sir, that’s always been the way of it. But that’s the way the crumbs get dispersed to us little people.
Some people spend their crumbs week-to-week on instant gratification trinkets. Us saver-type worker bees plan for the future with savings and investments, frequently anchored by a home and/or property. This is all good until our overlords decide to alter the economic matrix to benefit themselves and I’m faced with increasing inflation and a devaluing savings account, as I am now. Or my home investment is treading water if not under it, etc.
I’m not concerned with my condo’s appraisal, as I paid cash for it and I expect to die in it. I’m “in the market” with my 401k and that’s enough for me, the savings money will sit and hopefully will only slightly lose value. I’ve got three years until SS retirement age and my health is only so-so, but I am hoping to have a few ‘golden years’ ahead of me.
Healthcare (and my health) and a totally frigged world economy could change all that. Oh, yeah, and the coming ice age, if it arrives quickly and comes on hard. No one knows yet what the timing or the severity will be but it will happen pretty soon, so say the solar scientists.
If they are correct, I’ll enjoy watching the global warming charlatans squirm but all in all, I’d rather forego that small pleasure and have the world not get considerably, and perhaps a lot, colder.
That’s great, congrats to you and your kid!
Top of the new day to all! Metal futures this AM are off but stock futures are up a bit after yesteday's "mild retreat". Should be more excitement today w/ GDP, claims, home sales, crude & gas inventories. Morning reading:
- Japan Retail Sales Dives Over Tax Increase Israel Diamond Portal - 4 hours ago After Japan increased consumption taxes for the first time in 17 years, retail sales in the country decreased by 13.7% in April, month-over-month, a record drop.
- World stocks lackluster ahead of US growth update Businessweek - 4:09am MUMBAI, India (AP) - World stock markets were mostly down Thursday ahead of U.S. government reports on jobs and economic growth. Expectations the data would paint a mixed picture of the world's biggest economy instilled caution among investors.
- Shares flirt with record highs on ECB easing bets Reuters - 3 hours ago LONDON (Reuters) - Global shares flirted with an all-time peak on Thursday while German bond yields held at the lowest levels in a year on bets the European Central Bank would unveil new stimulus measures next week.
- What's Going On With Gold?Gold's price fell to a nearly four-month low Tuesday, but good luck getting strategists to agree on why. To Deutsche Bank's Jim Reid, the Tuesday gold selloff -- which sent the most actively traded futures contract in New York down 2% -- is about improving U.S. economic data. It's also, per Reid, Barrons.com
NYSE Morning Update:
Ahead of the Bell: Dow futures are trading up 14 points and S&P futures are trading up 2 points. Expectations of monetary easing by the European Central Bank is driving global shares higher. Investors are betting that the ECB will unveil new stimulus measures in the form of interest rate cuts and new long-term cash for banks to lend to small and medium-sized firms. According to reports, ECB policy officials have opened the door to a rate cut, effectively charging banks to hold cash at the central bank’s overnight facility. Bond markets around the globe have pushed yields to the lowest levels in a year on growing evidence central banks can keep stimulating economic growth without igniting inflation.
On the economic calendar today, a second reading of first quarter GDP will be out before the market opens, it is forecast to be -0.5% compared with 0.1%. Weekly jobless claims will also be out before the opening bell and its expected to be 317K versus 326K for the week prior.
Yesterday, stocks fell on speculation the US economy shrank 0.5% last quarter, following a preliminary estimate of 0.1% annualized growth.
The dollar is up against the Japanese yen and down against the euro and the British pound. Gold is trading at $1,252. Crude oil is currently trading at $102 a barrel.
On CNBC this morning, Ken Langone, Co-founder of Home Depot and Chairman, President, and CEO of Invemed Associates, Inc., discussed the pulse of the consumer. Langone said there is no inflation but the economy is not strong. All this talk about a robust economy, Langone said he is not seeing it. The housing rental market is booming because people cant afford to buy a house; the younger generation is renting. Banks are facing a tremendous amount of regulation. He added this is the price we will pay for this insanity of regulation on businesses.
1Q GDP -1.0% 2nd revision
They missed that initial number by a Missouri mile.
Yep. Worst quarter since 2011.
Bill Bennett’s show just reported that the 1st Qtr. GPD was revised downward to -1%. I think most of us were expecting that.
Haha, I see you guys were already all over that! :)
As soon as I saw the initial 1st qtr. GDP at 0.1%, I suspected they had reported it that way so as to avoid reporting a negative growth rate.
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