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Markets Stabilized… For Now

Here is the segment I did with Fox Business. I think Adam Shapiro was trying to interview me as a bull, but he ended up calling me a bear. Truth is, I am an opportunist right here and willing to play both sides of the market for a while. I think big rallies can be sold and short-term panics can be bought. http://video.foxbusiness.com/v/2506211035001/markets-stabilizedfor-now/   Read More
Date: July 1, 2013

Market angst pushes stocks into ‘pullback’ territory

Thanks to Adam Shell for the quote in the USA Today article below. http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/markets/2013/06/24/stock-pullback-intensifies/2453507/ Adam Shell, USA TODAY 9:34 p.m. EDT June 24, 2013 Pullbacks of 5% or more are considered normal. But with stocks in an early summer swoon and angst over the Federal Reserve’s plan to pull back on stimulus, investors wonder when the selling will end.   Story Highlights S&P 500 suffers first 5% dip since late 2012 as losses mount Pros debate whether the selling is […]   Read More
Date: July 1, 2013

Just a Few Words Please

Here is the segment I did on Squawk on the Street the other day with Rich Bernstein. Rich does good work but geez, can I get a word in? http://video.cnbc.com/gallery/?video=3000178049&play=1 Stocks rallied for the second day in a row and while it seems like investors have forgotten about the Fed’s tapering, I don’t believe the decline is over just yet. Another 100 points in the Dow and it will be time to lighten up again.   Read More
Date: June 27, 2013

The Times They are a Changin’… BEWARE

The latest Street$marts has been posted. http://www.investfortomorrow.com/newsletter/CurrentStreet$marts20130623.pdf Heading to Fox Business shortly. Should be an “interesting” discussion given the volatility and fear in the martkets.   Read More
Date: June 25, 2013

CNBC and Fox Business This Week

I am going to be on CNBC’s Squawk on the Street on June 24 at 10am and Fox Business’ Markets Now on June 25 at 1pm. Going out on a limb that the bond market just bottomed and is about to begin a meaningful rally. Bond proxies and like stock sectors to follow. Telecom, utilities, etc. Volatility should be here for a while but that’s no reason to go hide in a bunker!   Read More
Date: June 24, 2013

And Now China

Financial markets have been hit with the double whammy. First, Bernanke described the Fed’s plan for tapering asset purchases later this year and next and overnight, China reported weaker economic data and some trouble in their banking system. The markets responded with much selling on the heels of yesterday’s sell off, taking the Dow under 15,000. The next downside target for the major stock market indices is just below their respective May lows. After that, markets are probably looking at a […]   Read More
Date: June 20, 2013

Bernanke’s Successor

First President Obama says that Ben Bernanke has stayed on longer than he planned. Then he slaps him upside the head by saying that he has stayed longer than he was supposed. And when given the opportunity to walk that comment back, the president not only declines but also doesn’t give Bernanke any real ringing endorsement. All very interesting to say the least! Federal Reserve Vice Chair, Janet Yellen, is the odds on favorite to succeed Bernanke next year and […]   Read More
Date: June 20, 2013

Pre Fed Chatter

As expected, here was the usual spirited discussion I had on CNBC’s Squawk Box before the Fed meeting. I firmly believe that when the Fed reduces the amount of money printing, that is a form of stimulus reduction and interest rates increase. With the Fed Funds rate at essentially 0%, Bernanke used money printing as another tool to effectively have negative rates. http://www.cnbc.com/id/100823745   Read More
Date: June 19, 2013

OUCH!!!

Tough week for Ben Bernanke gets worse as he throws ice cold water on the stock and bond markets, hinting that the $85B per month in money printing will begin to be reduced later this year and eventually ended in 2014 with rates rising in 2015. As much as I love Big Ben, I have less confidence in the Fed’s long-term forecast than my local weatherman’s five day forecast. Bernanke can jawbone all he wants, but I for one will be […]   Read More
Date: June 19, 2013

It’s All About Big Ben

The stock market rally that began last Thursday continued into the “all important” Fed meeting on Wednesday. It seems like every Fed announcement is now hailed as the most important one ever and this one is certainly no exception. To keep everyone on their toes, Bernanke & Company changed the announcement time to 2:00pm with the press conference beginning at 2:30pm. There has been a strong tendency for the market to close higher almost 70% of the time on announcement […]   Read More
Date: June 19, 2013

Squawk Box TOMORROW at 6:30am

I am going to be on CNBC’s Squawk Box tomorrow, June 18, at 6:30am discussing the upcoming Fed meeting and the market impact their announcement could have.   Read More
Date: June 17, 2013

Who Turned the Lights Out?

After a nice opening by the bulls on Wednesday, the bears came out en mass to print a fairly ugly day across the board except for gold and the stocks. It looks like stocks are heading back to revisit the lows from last week which should happen in the next few days. The stock market is now as oversold as it has been at any time since the November bottom. Failure to respond positively over the coming week would be […]   Read More
Date: June 14, 2013

Where Did the Bulls go?

I did not like the action today to begin the new week. After Thursday and Friday, the bulls needed to hold serve and not let the bears see any weakness. Monday and Tuesday saw the bears take over and that does not bode well in the short-term, even though the stock market is oversold. More caution is warranted.   Read More
Date: June 12, 2013

Bears in Full Attack Mode

Just one week ago, all the talk was about Dow 16,000 and even higher. They said the year was just like 1995. HA! Years like 1995 come along once every investment cycle, almost like we saw in 2003. The major indices were solidly red today for the second time in four sessions. Contrary to popular belief, trees don’t grow to the sky and neither do stocks! So far, this is an orderly and healthy pullback that should max out at the […]   Read More
Date: June 7, 2013

Bears Still Fleeing Bonds et al

It’s been a relentless assault on the bond market and other interest rate sensitive instruments of late. Treasury bonds, mortgage backed securities, high quality corporate bonds, junk bonds, utilities, REITs have seen intense selling pressure that has only paused for a day here and there since late April. Telecom, REITs and high yield bond mutual funds all hit our sell triggers last month and it certainly feels like consumer staples mutual funds and a few more bond ETFs aren’t too far behind. […]   Read More
Date: June 5, 2013

Apple Is Still Vulnerable, Could Test $250 in Bear Market

A familiar and often controversial topic over the past year or so has been my very negative forecast for Apple. As you know, we do not buy or sell individual stocks as part of our investment strategies but used to view Apple as THE market leader and now a bellwether stock. Long-term, nothing has changed in my view, but I do think a potential rally is setting up that could take the shares into the mid $500s. I will discuss […]   Read More
Date: June 5, 2013

Why Bernanke Can’t Be Fully Transparent

After being interviewed by Melissa Francis for so many years both at Fox Business and CNBC, it was great to finally meet her in person on set. She definitely does not lob softball questions! Here is the segment from the other day. http://video.foxbusiness.com/v/2404884981001/why-bernanke-cant-be-fully-transparent/  Action in the stock market on Thursday and Friday was positive enough to indicate at least one more run to all time highs sooner than later. It was be interesting to what leads and lags if that […]   Read More
Date: May 30, 2013

Bond Market Sending Warning Sign

Tuesday’s stock market rally looked better in the media than in reality. Early strength was sold and there was not much conviction from the buyers. Unless we see the bulls step up and close above Tuesday’s high, stocks look like they need a pause or pullback here. Closing below Dow 15,175 should set off even more selling while closing above 15,550 should entice more buyers back in.   I am concerned here that high yield bonds have taken it on the […]   Read More
Date: May 30, 2013

Gold Skeptics Have Peaked but Gold Prices Haven’t

The other day I spent some time with my friends at Yahoo Finance recording several segments. Here is the one I did on why I have become more bullish on gold recently after watching the metal fall from $1900 to $1320. http://finance.yahoo.com/blogs/breakout/gold-skeptics-peaked-gold-prices-haven-t-paul-155320270.html   Read More

Big Ben Pours Cold Water on Bulls

The stock market saw a very dramatic and emotional reversal today as fresh all time highs were seen in the morning followed by a vicious selling wave from the highs until 3:30. The hardest hit sectors all focused on dividends that would become less attractive if interest rates rose. Utilities, telecom, REITs and financials. Pundits were quick to compare today’s action to that seen at THE peak in 2007 and 2000, but I believe that is misplaced. While the price behavior […]   Read More