When the SPDR TRUST (NYSE:SPY), Power Shares QQQ(Nasdaq:QQQQ), and Diamonds trust Series 1 ETF (NYSE:DIA) found a low in March 2009 the public was in despair. People believed that the next great depression was underway. Massive liquidity was put into the market by every central bank in the world. Cash literally poured into every toxic asset that was ever designed. Since that time the markets have responded by moving over 50 percent off their lows. Now what? Are we back to normal yet?

Today the markets want to know what is next from Mr. Bernanke and company (other central banks). Like the Janet Jackson song says, “what have you done for me lately”? What is next for an encore? The general problems such as the severe housing crisis still remains, the high unemployment picture has not changed, banks have cut credit lines are still not lending or making significant loans, and spending by the consumer continues to remain near extremely low levels. While the Federal government can create tax breaks and incentive programs for hurting citizens and residents to make them feel like they are getting something, however, can that really fix the problem?

Where are we now? Currently we are in the middle of a correction. If you have ever gone to a party, you know the party must come to end eventually. Well, the market is telling you that the 2009 party is over for now. Yes, someone will have another party along the way. New spending programs will come up to give the markets a lift. However, someone has to pay for these parties and with the current problems the cash is limited. Therefore, while there will be rallies along the way don’t expect 2010 to be anything like 2009.

Nicholas Santiago

Chief Market Strategist

www.InTheMoneyStocks.com

The following is simply a Just for Laughs article that is intended to bring about a giggle. Enjoy!

Tired of being a successful investor? By following these rules, you can return to your humble roots and make your less wealthy friends tolerate your company again:

1. Believe in the “Experts”

Why should you do your own stock research when there are “experts” around to do all the work for you? If Jim Cramer thinks Starbucks is going to be hot, just reach for your wallet! Or, if your wealthy brother-in-law knows of a great high-tech IPO, write down the name on a cocktail napkin and call your stock broker in the morning. After all, if they’re so smart, why aren’t they rich?

2. Hire Your Own Personal “Expert”

Speaking of stock broker, we strongly recommend hiring someone to make your investment decisions and transactions for you. After all, if you want to lose your shirt in the stock market, one of the best ways to get the job done is to pay a lot of money in fees and commissions. That way, you take on all the risk yourself, are completely dependent on someone else, and any pesky returns wind up funding your stock broker’s vacation trip to Tahiti, not yours.

3. Rely on Your “Inner Knowledge”

You know those investors who research trends and movements in different industries before they select stocks to invest in? Go ahead and scoff at them. You don’t need book knowledge – just a couple of hunches mixed together with a gut feeling and stirred up with a healthy dose of confidence. While you’re at it, toss your stock analysis software out the window. After all, you already know how to lose your shirt at the horse track (just bet on “Hot Chocolate” in the first race, and “Footy Pajamas” in the second race, because they bring up such fond childhood memories). How hard could it be to achieve the same results in the stock market?

4. Be Optimistic

In the stock market, it’s best to look on the bright side of life, so get out that sunny disposition! We strongly recommend telling yourself affirmations in the mirror every morning (“I am a masterful stock market investor, and dog-gone-it, people like me”) and maybe giving your portfolio a pep talk every now and then, too. Because if you want to lose your shirt, attitude is everything, right?

5. Buy High and Sell Low

It’s no fun to buy when everyone is selling. You feel like, “What kind of fool am I?” On the other hand, when the market is hot, and everyone is in the buy, buy, buy mood, that’s definitely the time to buy. You’ll be sure to lose your shirt when you are forced to sell at a tenth of the price.

6. Turn up your nose at index funds. All of them.

Index funds are for wimps. That includes exchange traded funds, too, like the QQQ. After all, index funds are basically a passive way to achieve the same returns as the market over all, with low overhead. And that’s not what you want, is it?

7. Put all your money in the same basket

If you love robotics, or biotechnology, be sure to invest only in those stocks. And while we’re talking about the same basket, make sure that you not only invest in the same industry, but that you only invest in stocks. None of this diversification nonsense, or a portfolio that includes bonds and cash.

Use these tips and not only will you find out whether your spouse really loves you, you might also land yourself in a lower tax bracket. (Take that, Uncle Sam!)

This is a guest post written by Jim Gianoglio of High Growth Stock Investor. Find out how the HGSI stock tracking and stock portfolio software can help you make informed investing decisions.

Do you have a website, blog or item you want to advertise on Facebook for FREE? That’s right… FREE.


Visa is offering its cardholders coupons that can be redeemed to credit their balance.

For those of you who are not advertising on facebook already (and even if you are) and want to give it a try, now there is a completely free way to test the waters.

As part of the Visa Business promotion, Visa are offering $100 USD in advertising credit to Facebook users/advertisers. To get the free credit all you need to do is log into facebook and add the Visa Business Network App. Once added, Facebook will send you a coupon code with instructions on how to add the credit to your account.

Perfect if you want to test the waters on facebook and even more so if you’re already spending a fortune with them.

So far I’ve achieved some nice results from this campaign. The average time spent on my site from Facebook ads was just under 5 minutes, pages visited 2.29 and the bounce rate is around 45%.

Try it out … heck — it’s a free $100.00, you can’t go wrong.

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$50 Facebook Coupon: T5V6-1JKV-TNH9-2MRH
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How has your Facebook Advertising campaign treated you?

Have you ever wondered what make the stock market rise and fall? If you watch the news at all, you will have seen the stock market prices tumble into a deep red sea one day, while rising through the clouds the very next day. Why stock market prices behave in such a way is a complex question with an even more complicated and intricate answer.

There are many factors that affect the price of stocks: Included is inflation, interest rates, domestic political unrest, war or terrorism, crime, fraud and oil or energy prices to name but a few.

All of these factors will drive the price of the stock market up or down. However regardless of these factors, the price of stocks is liquid and it is determined by how much buyers are prepared to spend and how much sellers will take for their stock.

Simply Demand and Supply — that which breathes life to the Stock Market. Understanding this concept can be a strenuous task, as it takes years of hard work to truly champion the seemingly endless abyss of market analysis.

Usually, to tame the rate of inflation, the federal government hikes interest rates. While this slows the inflation rate, it also raises the interest in small lending institution stocks (these are guaranteed by the government, thus VERY attractive here). This in turn moves investors away from equity stocks in lieu of the guarantee available with the small lenders. Risk here is lower, obviously.


This affects stock prices in several areas of the market. What happens is this: say a stock was selling at $20 per share before the interest rate went up from 5% to 6%. So the stock price is figured like this: 1/. 05= $20. After the hike, the price is now down to $16.67 per share or 1/. 06. This represents an almost 17% drop. Taken right across the market, this can adversely affect many other stocks as well and drive the market down temporarily.

A spike in oil prices can and will affect auto prices, food prices, gas prices and many others, thus effectively pushing inflation upwards. This presses the government to raise interest rates and we have the example above all over again.

War abroad can affect the market, too. A recent example is the war in Iraq, which has driven oil prices up to unprecedented levels. We have all seen the exorbitant gasoline prices that have been the result, but now we are seeing hikes in home lending, grocery prices and transportation costs also.

So as you can see, there are many scenarios that can unfold and affect how the stock market prices rise and fall. All these factors play out together in the rise and fall of the stock market. If you watch it closely, you can pick out the trends and accurately predict price hikes, interest rate increases or when inflation will occur again.


Another factor in how the stock market rises and falls is foreign currency rates. As a particular currency fluctuates, stock prices in companies based in that country will react accordingly. When the Japanese yen falls, so does interest in Japanese technology stocks. Conversely, if the US dollar falls to dangerous levels, our government simply prints some more paper money and places it in circulation. This, in my personal opinion, creates a false sense of security in the economy.

US Fed Printing Money to Avoid Immediate Banking Collapse = Higher Long-term Rates

However you look at it, stock prices affect how we live each coming day. All aspects of our daily routines are affected: Grocery prices, gas prices and the cost of living just to name a few. So watch the stock market closely. It affects you whether you know it or not.

Remember, what makes or breaks a Winner is passion for the simplicity, not the lust for the rewards. Years of endless dedication to analyzing price highs and lows, tireless hours spent searching site after site for the latest news headlines — searching for that one instant mouse click that could skyrocket your portfolio. Your heartbeat raises, your palms become sweaty, you look at your computer screen and you smile. Why? Because you realize you have now become what you were meant to be: An Investment Mogul.

Investing is not just a way of making money for me — Investing is my passion, my desire, my love in life.

What does investing mean to you?

http://www.google.com/ig

http://www.smartmoney.com/map-of-the-market

Feel free to leave any additional comments on the resources you use for your investment needs in the section below!

Any real investor wastes no time when given the opportunity to make money. So what are you waiting for?

Wild Treasure is feautring an upcoming investment / finance hunt for a cash prize of $25. There are also other hunts running for $100, $75, and $50 respectively. Dont waste time!
Get in there and start diggin’

I searched deep through the ‘investment closet’ for the most unusual stock symbols. Finding some really hilarious ones, I decided to share them with you… hopefully igniting some giggles along the way! There’s no doubt these companies were shocked when they received their symbol from the exchange. I encourage you to click through to find out what the company really does (some of them you will recognize). If there is no link provided, the company either failed in the past couple years or had their ticker symbol changed (can you blame them?).

While reading these… Try to think of any symbols or companies with funny names that you may know of and share them in the comments section!

AFL.BO Invest in your favorite football locker room
BYO.AX Sounds like a logger party
CHIC The trendy stock
CRZY A highly volatile stock
CTCO.NS City thugs want your money!
GEEK Gotta have something to counter the CHIC stock
DABU.NS Forget Saturday Night Lives “da-bulls” and “da-bears”
BNCO.NS At least they are honest about the way they run their business
EMCO.NS More cons that are up front about their identity
FUN Stock investing can be fun and games
FUSEX No explanation needed here
GASEX The anti-flatulent mutual fund
GODD Now people can invest directly for future sins
HIT Be careful… you may take a hit with this stock
HUMP Forget pump and dump stock schemes
ICSEX Much better than seeing dead people. Alternative meaning: making love in Alaska
IMAN For the gender biased investor
INSEX This fund sees a lot of movement
LESS.BO Must be an F-F (female to female) company or an anti-perspirant company
LMNE Short this one because it is sure to go bad
LUV What’s love got to do with it?
MAN For the gender biased investor
ONE.TO The stock that likes to count
MORE.BO A stock that is sure to make you sweat
MRB.SN Every company needs a good BS-er, this one even named the company after him
MRFIX When your portfolio breaks, add this mutual fund
PNSEX The freaky golden shower mutual fund
RATIX Forget dog ticks, get the New York sewer variety
RATL Must be a baby toy manufacturer
SRRY Our apologies if you invested in this stock
URI The stock with multiple personalities
WMNXX Playboy’s favorite money market fund
WSOb This hot stock goes well with sushi

With everyone (including me) biting their nails at the whole credit crisis going on… should you sell your Visa or MasterCard? We’re hearing that major shareholders and banks are selling stocks of V … Does this mean you follow their lead like a headless chicken?

Plain and simple answer: NO! As this great video states, these companies make money from transactions whether you spend $10 or $100, don’t be foolish! One of the key problems with the market is the many uninformed and childish investors these days. Teenagers and young investors who immediately pull out their $10,000 as soon as an analyst they have never heard of comes on a News Channel, or a website and spreads a negative outlook in the near future.


Very few people are successful when investing in the short-term, when you buy into a company… buy it long term! Learn to trust your instincts and ability to predict a profitable company.

Know where your money is going, and trust your intuition wisely. (Use your Head, not your Heart).

Here are some wise investment sayings by billionaire Warren Buffet, the Chairman of Berkshire Hathaway and the so-called Sage of Omaha. He is currently the best in value investment in the world and operates according to an investment paradigm taught to him by Benjamin Graham. At the same time, this very humble man has a lot of home-spun wisdom and ideas that make him sound very old-fashioned and down-to-earth.

A public opinion poll is no substitute for thought.

The chains of habit are too light to be felt until they are too heavy to be broken.

I don’t look to jump over 7-foot bars; I look around for 1-foot bars that I can step over.

Great investment opportunities come around when excellent companies are surrounded by unusual circumstances that cause the stock to be misappraised.

I never attempt to make money on the stock market. I buy on the assumption that they could close the market the next day and not reopen it for five years. (The idea of buying and holding)

Our favorite holding period is forever.

If a business does well, the stock eventually follows. (Value investing, and fundamental analysis)

If past history was all there was to the game, the richest people would be librarians. (It’s more than analysing the history of the company)

It takes 20 years to build a reputation and five minutes to ruin it. If you think about that, you’ll do things differently.

It’s far better to buy a wonderful company at a fair price than a fair company at a wonderful price.

Look at market fluctuations as your friend rather than your enemy; profit from folly rather than participate in it.

Of the billionaires I have known, money just brings out the basic traits in them. If they were jerks before they had money, they are simply jerks with a billion dollars.

Price is what you pay. Value is what you get.
(I think this is one of the keys to his sayings)

These are investments ideologies and principles every great investor should keep in mind while making daily decisions as a trader. Follow these fundamentals and you should have no problem taking your first few steps towards personal wealth on the right path.

Please note that there are other important factors to consider when choosing a company to invest in.

Analyzing the company’s fundamental is extremely important of any research. The need to look closely at the company’s competitive position, sales and profit margin, capital structure and future prospects are necessary steps in any stock analysis. For example, if the company is growing at 50 percent over a the course of a year and trading with relatively low P/E ratio in comparison to its peers, this would be a strong signal the stock is undervalued.

Given the market is very efficient, undervalued scenarios are difficult to find. While it is difficult, it is not impossible. We see stock priced incorrectly all the time. Typically this occurs when a company delivers unexpected negative news causing investors to panic and sell their positions. In a lot of these cases, this is the best time to buy the stock at a deep discount. The worse time to buy any stock is when it is trading at its 52 week high. In most cases when a stock reaches its 52 high, we typically will unload some of our positions and lock in the profit. Buying when a stock is at its highest point has resulted in negative return; at least this has been from our experience.

A key aspect of this analytical process is company analysis, which involves an in-depth study of the financial condition and operating results of the company. The company’s balance sheet, income statement, and statement of cash flows are all used in company analysis. There are several broad categories one should concentrate on. Here are some recommendations:

1. The liquidity factor is very important as it will tell us the company’s assets (cash and securities) and its debt or liabilities. Obviously, we would be interested in company with little debt and high level of Free Cash Flow.

2. The recent activities of the company are also important. What has the company been doing with their cash? Are they re-investing it in the business or is it sitting in the bank? We prefer companies that choose to re-invest their free cash into the business or return the profits to shareholder in the form of stock buybacks. Dividend is not important to us. In fact, dividend is a tax liability. We would rather see the company use that cash to increase stock holder value.

3. The leverage factor will tell us how much the company is borrowing. It is important to note just because the company is highly leveraged does not necessary signal a red flag. It really depends on what the company is planning to use the funds for. For instance, if the company is borrowing to repurchase shares when interest rate is quite low, that’s actually a good move. Additionally, in some cases, companies will leverage to finance promising technology. In contrast, if the company is leveraging itself to cover their expenses because they are unable to support their operation, this would be a signal of desperation.

4. Profitability and margin is probably the most important area to consider. The profit margin is extremely important. For example, in the case of Intel (INTC) and AMD (AMD), these two companies profit margin has drastically declined as a result of their current price war. Price war is great for the consumers, but hurts the involved company’s bottom line. An excellent case of a company with great margin is Google (GOOG). Unlike companies that sell tangible products, Google provides a service. The systems in which these services are being provided are already in place. While there are routine maintenances and expansions cost, these systems are actively generating revenue. The margin for these types of companies is generally very high, especially when the company clearly holds a large lead over competitors.

When evaluating earning, it is important to look at the quality of the earnings. A quality earning must include recurring income with high cash flow. On the contrary, poor quality earnings usually means there will be a large non-cash component and non-recurring revenue stream. For instance, if a company receives a one time large order for the quarter which then pushes their revenue past expectation, this would be an example for poor quality earnings. The quality of a firm’s balance sheet is also important to consider. Make sure there are no hidden liabilities or obsolete inventory or assets that have market values significantly below book value. Watch out for Window dressing. This is a technique to make financial statements look better than they really are. For example, seasonal factors can distort ratio analysis. At certain times of the year a firm may do much better than other season.

While the process of evaluating companies is indeed a lot of work and involves a lot of efforts, if you consistently keep these things in the back of your mind before deciding to buy or sell, it should help you become a better investor.

I hope this article has been informative, and you all absorb the importance of RSI with respect to other economic factors when making a decision to place your money. Remember… in the end its YOUR money and you want to know WHERE its going. Don’t just throw your cash somewhere because it was publicized on television, or on a website — do your own research, and make your own well informed decisions!