Dividend Paying Stocks

I would like to share with the reader an article printed in the financial section of U.S.A. Today on March 7, 2003 which exemplifies the awesome power of a stock dividend.MICROSOFT TO ISSUE FIRST DIVIDEND TODAY:Microsoft investors will get their first payday today, when the tech giant shells out its... Read More

Investing in the Stock Market - When To!

Is really not as important as to how you invest in the stock market. And how you invest in the stock market should take into consideration what goals you are setting for that stock market investment.For example, are you investing for capital appreciation or for income through dividend paying stocks?... Read More

High Price/Earnings Ratios and the Stock Market: a Personal Odyssey

After some forty years of banking and investments, I retired in 2001. But since I do not golf, I soon found retirement to be very boring. So I decided to return to the investment world after ten months. However, those ten months were not a complete waste of time, for... Read More

Forces that Move Stock Prices

Among the largest forces that affect stock prices are inflation, interest rates, bonds, commodities and currencies. At times the stock market suddenly reverses itself followed typically by published explanations phrased to suggest that the writer's keen observation allowed him to predict the market turn. Such circumstances leave investors somewhat awed... Read More

9 Deadly Trading Mistakes!

The following are a list of nine things you want to avoid at all costs. Anyone of them can literally destroy your financial dreams and goals!1. Trading with money you can't afford to lose.One of the greatest obstacles to successful trading is using money that you really can't afford to... Read More

Making Outsized Returns in the Stock Market - Using the Dow Theory

The Dow TheoryCharles H. DowRobert RheaE. George SchaeferRichard RussellThe Dow Theory Today Charles H. Dow It is interesting and amazing to note that not until Charles Dow started... Read More

Basics of Stock Market

Financial markets provide their participants with the most favorable conditions for purchase/sale of financial instruments they have inside. Their major functions are: guaranteeing liquidity, forming assets prices within establishing proposition and demand and decreasing of operational expenses, incurred by the participants of the market.Financial market comprises variety of instruments, hence... Read More

Planning Your Dive and Diving Your Plan ? Trading!

A colleague of mine just returned from a scuba diving trip in Cozumel, which just happens to be one of my favorite places to dive. Anyway, she was telling me about an unexpected difficulty she encountered while swimming around the corral reef down about 85 feet. It wasn't anything serious... Read More

Trading Education: The Best of Both Worlds!

I made my very first investment in the stock market when I was ten years old. Ever since then I have been hooked! Now I check out hundreds of trades each year with the same excitement andenthusiasm, and each time try to find that one market at the right time... Read More

Historical Briefing: Stocks, Finance and Money

The World Bank claims that some two billion of the world's citizens live on $1 per day or less! That fact absolutely shocked me. With this statistic in mind it becomes important to focus on all of the things that have served as money over the history of civilization. Aztecs... Read More

Oil Stocks CHK WLL - What Is Their Worth?

(1) CHK stock price $16.74, NAV $32.5CHK is my favorite oil or natural gas stock. Here is updated Net Asset Value (NAV) table from CHK July 2004 earning release:Table CHK PV-10 per share NAV vs Natural gas priceN Gas price NAV per share$4.50 $16.11 $5.00 $19.60$5.50 $23.11 $6.00 $26.61 $6.50... Read More

Defining a Long-Term Investment in the Stock Market

For some "long term" would mean holding a stock position over the weekend. For others, it may mean holding a security for at least 1 year for the purpose of declaring a long-term capital gain, thus saving on taxes.The rigid definition of a long-term investment in the stock market would... Read More

Analysts - Do They Really Know The Stock Market?

When you become interested in a stock or mutual fund you can call your broker and he will send you reports on how the company is doing, what their management is like and what might be the projected earnings for the company and how the industry is doing. Great information.You... Read More

Stock Chart Reading

As an investor you will want to check out any equity before you buy it. Many investors go to Morningstar which is one of the largest providers of mutual fund information in the world. It is assumed that their information is correct. After all that is what you are paying... Read More

Forecasting the Stock Market

Every day I see in the financial section of newspapers how to forecast what the market will do in 6 months, 12 months, several years. "Ten stocks that will double in the next 6 months." Right! I have trouble trying to forecast what it will do tomorrow. Do not trust... Read More

How to Make Big Money Safely in Stock Market

(1) Stock Market is Tough Place to Make Any Money ConsistentlyNASDAQ or SP&500 averaged about -6% per year for 5 years between 1999 and 2003. Many individual investors who made killing in the internet bubble period got wiped out during those 5 years. Many who trusted Wall Street experts by... Read More

Mutual Fund Honor Roll ? Buy High, Sell Low by Chasing Performance

Buy high and sell low -- It's not a typo.Millions of investors guarantee their failure by selecting mutual funds and stocks based on quarterly or annual performance records. Do you chase performance? You might be buying high and selling low!As the year draws to a close, millions of mutual fund... Read More

Stock and Fund Dividends

When is a dividend not a dividend?The latest thing "conservative" brokers are preaching these days is to buy stocks that pay dividends. Everyone likes dividends. I know I do, but when Wall Street tells me something I am automatically suspicious because they lie to me every day. Is this a... Read More

Size Counts!

What the heck am I talking about?It is often said that to grow mentally, spiritually, emotionally and personally that you have to stretch and move out of your comfort zone. I definitely believe in this concept, however... When it comes to day trading, swing trading or position trading stocks, futures,... Read More

Picking Mutual Funds to Outperform the Market

With over 6,000 mutual funds available, it may be tempting to pick funds from a popular star or index rating system. Savvy investors, however, balance multiple factors in their selection process. Ratings represent only the historical performance of funds and cannot predict the future. Performance consistency, management skill, and expense... Read More

The Stock Market Investor?s Worst Enemy

Every stock market investor faces one primal enemy. An enemy so perverse, it will drive thousands of investors from the stock market through its ability to defeat even the most practiced investment strategy. Who is this enemy you ask? Your arch nemesis, in this case, goes by the name E.... Read More

Stock Trading Secrets?

How often have you come across an advertisement or e-mail proclaiming to "teach" you the stock trading secrets that Wall Street Insiders don't want you to know? Usually included in the descriptions of these trading products are claims such as "Make 10K monthly in minutes per day", or "Learn the... Read More

Discover the Biggest Trading & Investing Online Mistake

Any online investor / trader seeks an excellent off or online future trading career opportunity. Despite this goal, did you know 95 percent of all traders go broke within the first two months? Why do investors lose vast amounts of wealth in one or more of the following markets ?... Read More

Trading For A Living - Part 1

There can't be many traders who haven't at least considered the idea of telling the boss what they think of him, throwing it all in and going off to trade the stock market for a living. It's a big risk financially, and that uncertainty is what stops most from jumping... Read More

The Top 10 Reasons to Invest in Mutual Funds

Everyone who follows the financial news has heard of mutual funds and knows the stock market has generally risen (with various ups-and-downs) for over 200 years. In fact, by most measures, the stock market has made more money for more people, and done it more reliably, than any other investment... Read More

3 Components Needed for Beating the Market

Time to look back2004 is over, now we are in 2005. This is time to seriously look at performance of your personal investment, such as mutual fund, or individual stocks holdings, etc. Does your fund beat index last year? Does it beat index over past many years? How are you... Read More

The POWER of a Proven Stock Investment Plan

When you invest in the stock market for ever-increasing cash dividend income, verses trying to make a buck in the stock market, your mindset will change. There will no longer be a fear of losing money in the stock market. With the right type of investment plan and investment choices... Read More

Race Horses and Mutual Funds

For years investors have been taught to look into the composition of a mutual funds. In other words the "experts" want you to take the time to analyze the stocks within the mutual fund portfolio, categorize them by industry group and try to understand the objective of the fund manager.... Read More

Invest In The Stock Market For The RIGHT Reason, Using The RIGHT Choices

Invest in the stock market for the RIGHT reason, using the RIGHT choices!Investing in the stock market is not purchasing a stock at 25 dollars a share, hoping it will go to 35 so you can sell it, then hoping it will drop back to 25 so you can buy... Read More

The Right Mutual Funds For Baby Boomers

If you are a baby boomer, time is not on your side. Many baby boomers see retirement age fast approaching with little to nothing in the way of retirement assets that will allow them to actually retire and live a comfortable lifestyle.With the benefit of time in short supply, substantial... Read More

A Triple Dipper: How to Make 3 Profits on 1 Stock Trade

This is a rather simple strategy with which I am sure a lot of seasoned traders are very familiar, possibly under some other name with which I am not familiar. I wanted to write about it because I don't see anyone talking about it anymore. Since the big hey-days of... Read More

Maximizing a Stock Market Investment

Maximizing a stock market investmentThere are several factors an investor in the stock market should consider for a maximum return on an investment:1. All stock purchases should be commission-free.2. All stocks purchased should be from a company that has a history of raising their dividends every year.3. The company should... Read More

Invest, Be Wrong, and Make Money in the Stock Market

I have been trading for several decades and was an exchange member and floor trader for 17 years. You learn fast there or you go broke in a hurry. As you can see I managed to hold my own for a few years until I found the secret and started... Read More

The Three Little Pigs Went to the Stock Market

Three little pigs went to the market to stock up for the future.The first little pig liked chips so he went to the DOW market. He was told by everyone you could always rely on their products. They were always good. The manager told him you could put them away... Read More

Why the Majority Fail at Stock Investing

The gleam and bright lights of Wall Street lure in many new investors each year, only to send them home crying to their friends and family. Why do so many people fail when it comes to the stock market? The reason is very simple: Hard work! Most people are looking... Read More

Ignore Stock Market Talking Heads

You should ignore analysts on TV, the radio, the newspaper and all other TALKING HEADS when it comes to investing! What stocks do they talk about? - The same old group, every day of every year - Why? Because they don't know any better, they are sheep like the general... Read More

Play another Day

Money management starts with protecting your capital, realizing profits and cutting losses. As I have stated in the past, without cash, you can't invest. Cash is king and learning to manage your money is the most important aspect to investing in stocks. The game is won by lowering your risk... Read More

Making a Stock Watch List

I am taking the time to help others learn the basics in evaluating stocks for investment using both fundamental and technical analysis. Both tools are equally important in making serious decisions with your hard earned CASH!If you wish to invest in stocks, treat it like a business, NOT A HOBBY.... Read More

10 Tips For Creating Wealth From the Stock Market

1. Do not spread your money too thin.My friend has a little over $200,000 invested in the stock market through 27 different Mutual funds. In my opinion, 27 Mutual funds is 27 too many collecting load fees, management fees, commission fees, operating and advertising fees. Diversity is important, but just... Read More

Investing in Stocks and The Game of Monopoly

To begin, you might look at playing the stock market as though you were playing a game of Monopoly. That's right; for playing the stock market 'game' is not unlike playing a game of Monopoly. There are definite comparisons and parallels.In Monopoly there are a Boardwalk, a Marvin Gardens, Utilities,... Read More

12 Basic Stock Investing Rules Every Successful Investor Should Follow

There are many important things you need to know to trade and invest successfully in the stock market or any other market. 12 of the most important things that I can share with you based on many years of trading experience are enumerated below.1. Buy low-sell high. As simple as... Read More

Can?t Stand The Heat

It seems that every day I turn on the TV and find a Poker game. Texas No Limit seems to be all the rage these days. I love watching it. When I discuss this with others, their response is always the same, "You should play." Ah, but what they don't... Read More

Investing in the Stock Market

From the book 'The Stockopoly Plan' by the author Charles M. O'MeliaThere are several factors an investor in the stock market should consider:1. All stock purchases should be commission-free.2. All stocks purchased should be from a company that has a history of raising their dividends every year.3. The company should... Read More

Lights of the Stock Market

There are red lights, green lights, blue lights and spot lights. There are orange lights, pink light and flash lights. There are search lights and micro lights. And the one you must obey is the stop light.If you don't stop when the light is red you could easily have an... Read More

Pamplona, the Wild Investment Bulls

You remember (they show it on TV every year) the running of the wild bulls in Pamplona, Spain. Some of the nuttier people get out their capes and stand in their path as they come roaring down the street.Our would-be matadors wave their home made cloaks at the bulls hoping... Read More

The Secret to More Winning Trades is as Simple as Avoiding This Common Mistake

If you're a normal human being, your need to feel good about yourself probably causes you to sell your winners too soon ? and -- your need to avoid feelings of regret, causes you to hang on to your losers too long.At one time or another, we're all guilty of... Read More

Lies, Damn Lies and Mutual Fund Returns

How many times has this happened to you? You're at a social function and the conversation turns to investing. Pretty soon, people are comparing how well their investments are doing. As you might imagine, being an investment advisor this happens to me a lot. However, I recently had an experience... Read More

Psychology ? How to Reduce Negative Thoughts Relating to Trading?

The thinking process of the brain relating to the psychology of trading involves:-- Beliefs -- Feelings -- Values -- Dispositions and -- FaithThe positive or negative energy brings power to a person's actions, which ultimately determines whether a person is a winner or a... Read More

The Secret Method to Selecting a Winning Trading System

Every successful trader has a winning system. There are of course, as many systems out there, as there are traders. Some systems get you to buy on strength and sell on weakness others do the opposite.Some investors succeed as value investors , a la Warren Buffet ; others... Read More

How To Beat The Mutual Fund Companies At Their Own Game

You'd have had to be living on a desert island with no TV, newspaper or internet connection to have missed hearing about the great mutual fund scandal of 2003.The issue was that some mutual fund companies allowed certain hedge funds to engage in after-hours trading, sometimes incorrectly referred to as... Read More

Money, Insanity and Wall Street

Money: the most charged word in the planet. It means something to everyone. For some, money means a blessing, for others it means a disaster.We all have heard stories of people who have lost their fortunes or their life savings trading in the stock market; but, we don't hear much... Read More

What is a Trading Plan ? and Why You Need One?

How do you make money without picking tops and bottoms?I am glad you asked...Successful trading is similar to a successful business. You see, every successful business has a business plan so do successful traders. The astute reader knows that, successful traders have a systematic way they approach the market.The definition... Read More

The Secret Art of Backtesting

If you have not back tested your trading system, you might as well trade with your eyes close. In fact, whatever technical analysis criterion you use to trade with, be it moving averages, candle sticks, volatility breakouts, fibonacci retracements or any other trading system you have devised you're going to... Read More

Losses, not Profits, will Stop You from Trading in the Market

Should the market turn against you, it is important that you design a system that will produce as much loss as you are prepared to take. This loss, known as drawdown, is the maximum amount by which your trading float will temporarily drop at anytime. Doing this in advance, will... Read More

Tips to Finding Other People?s Simple Trading Plans

Did you know you can make money (and a lot of it) by simply modeling someone else's trading plan? Yes, it is true. Unbelievably, there are many of trading gurus doing it RIGHT NOW.All you do is model your system on an already tested and proven trading plan.If you... Read More

Stock Market Diversification

In one of my previous articles (Investing in the stock market -9 powerful tips), tip number one was:1. Do not spread your money too thin.My friend has a little over $200,000 invested in the stock market through 27 different Mutual funds. In my opinion, 27 Mutual funds is 27 too... Read More

Precision Money Management

This article describes the model of a natural relationship between trading system performance, trade position size, stop loss settings and profit goals. The model consists of algebraic equations that specify the trade size and stop loss settings needed to meet profit goals over a specified time period for any consistently... Read More

How To Make, And Keep, Money Trading Stocks

If you are serious about making and keeping money by trading stocks, then there are three things you need to do, and do well.Money managementOrdersTrading systemMoney managementMoney management comes first. Without a rock-solid method of managing your trading funds, you trading results will be only be fair at best. Money... Read More

Prospering with Mutual Funds: How Anyone can ?Afford? an Investment Advisor

Recently I was invited to appear on a live CNNfn television show to discuss my article "How to evaluate Load vs. No Load Mutual Funds." (You can read that article on my website http://www.successful-investment.com/articles21.htm)As the producer and I were working out the logistics of my appearance, she mentioned... Read More

No Load Mutual Funds: Investment Hype vs. Investment Help

With the internet such a huge part of our daily lives, many investors have access to a wide range of instant investment information.Whether you're into stocks, bonds, mutual funds, futures or options, there are tons of electronic investment newsletters offering to turn your small stake into a giant fortune. All... Read More

Buy and Hold: How to Perpetuate Your Investment Losses

A recent cartoon in my daily newspaper showed two guys sitting in a bar. One is saying to the other: "I did learn something from my broker...how to diversify my investment losses."While this struck me as funny, there is certainly an element of truth to it judging by the number... Read More

No Load Mutual Funds or Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs)?

If you are fed up with early redemption charges and ever increasing mutual fund management fees on top of bad-performing fund managers, read on. There is a quiet revolution going on in the no-load mutual fund industry and you, the individual investor, may benefit from it greatly.I am referring to... Read More

How (NOT) to Buy Mutual Funds

When it comes to mutual funds, there is a lot more to success than just finding a good one. Sad investment stories like the following are all too common. I hope my sharing it with you will help you avoid making the same devastating financial mistake one of my former... Read More

How to Maximize Your 401k Mutual Fund Returns

When it comes to 401k's there is an overabundance of sad stories. Here is one that at least has a happy ending-and it's getting happier all the time.Last year (in 2002) a friend of mine-let's call him Jack-phoned and asked if I could help him with his 401k. Jack works... Read More

How to Evaluate Load vs. No Load Mutual Funds

If you have been dealing with mutual funds for any length of time, you undoubtedly have faced the question of which is better: Load Funds or No Load Funds. If you are new to investing, "load" simply refers to the commission paid to the broker selling the fund. "No load"... Read More

How to Find Value in No Load Mutual Fund Investing

What are you thinking when it comes to your no load mutual fund selections? Are you saving pennies and sacrificing dollars?Are you spending your time looking at expense ratios, analyzing Morningstar ratings and searching for funds with low fees and no 12b1 charges? If you are like most people, you... Read More

The Inside Scoop on Mutual Fund Rip Offs

The bear market that showed up at the end of 2000 has every brokerage house-as well as the entire mutual fund industry-scrambling to find creative ways to boost both their image and bottom line. Unfortunately, this is often at the investors' expense.Fund managers are ever on the lookout for ways... Read More

How to Pay Less and Get More: Discount Broker vs Professional

How do you invest? What do you really pay? At the end of the day, what are your real results? These are questions smart investors should be asking themselves (but usually don't). In this era of more fees, misc. charges, holding periods and back end redemptions, even at discount brokers,... Read More

How We Eluded The Bear Of 2000

The date October 13, 2000 will forever be embedded in my mind. It was the day after our mutual fund trend tracking indicator had broken its long-term trend line and I sold 100% of my clients' invested positions (and my own) and moved the proceeds to the safety of money... Read More

Lifestyle Funds Provide Greater Security?

With the stock market stubbornly refusing to settle down and smooth out, Wall Street has been scrambling to come up with "product" they can sell to gun shy investors.One such new concept is the Lifestyle fund; an extremely diversified package designed to be the single fund in an investor's portfolio.There... Read More

Long-Term Investment In Todays Market?

The stock market is very unstable at this time going up and down while interest rates are so low you want to be a borrower and not a lender. Would you like some suggestions on how can you get the most out of low interest rates while being assured your... Read More

Leverage - Margin Debt

What is leverage?Here is a definition of leverage from an online dictionary "leverage - The use of credit or borrowed funds to improve one's speculative capacity and increase the rate of return from an investment, as in buying securities on margin."Essentially, the core idea of leverage is that investors can... Read More

A Common Misconception about Stock Prices

I cringe every time I hear a novice investor tell me that they only purchase low priced stocks because they offer higher potential gains. A common phase I hear is "I like to buy $1 and $2 stocks because they can double easily and I will make a 100% profit".My... Read More

Good Stock Market Tip; Good Return!

Forget making a profit; instead focus on the income provided from your stock portfolio. That's right! Forget making a profit. The burden is now lifted - no more pressure on making a buck in the stock market. (Instead of trying to bend the spoon, that is impossible, instead just think... Read More

A Good Fund Manager

Every Wall Street analyst, financial planner and broker will tell you that the right way to pick a mutual fund is find a good money manager of a fund that has a long time record.Yes, I believe that too, but it is amazing that when you go back in time... Read More

Adding Funds

Someday you may want to retire and continue to live in the life style to which you have become accustomed. According to conventional wisdom you will need less money because you will have fewer expenses than when you had to go to the office every day. Maybe. Let's hope so.Unfortunately,... Read More

Advisory News Letters

Several times each month I am solicited by various market touts who have a newsletter service, faxes or emails they are willing to send me to make me rich. That sure is nice of them.The first thing that pops into my head is if this system is so good why... Read More

Advisory Service for You?

It depends on your level of understanding of the market and the amount of money you have.If you a sophisticated investor with a substantial amount invested you are probably already receiving more than one. If you have very little market savvy it will be difficult to choose one that fits... Read More

Alfred E. Newman

What! Me worry?Many of you remember the cover of MAD magazine. It was one of my favorites. Alfred's only worry was about his front tooth. You and I have other problems.The one big problem we all have is enough income to support our life style. Those who are approaching retirement... Read More

An Old Proverb for Investing

"If you don't know where you are going, any road will get you there."This very much applies to the your retirement plans especially if you are investing in the stock market. The proverb clearly states you need to know where you are going and how to get there. Right now,... Read More

Analyst Reports

When you become interested in a stock or mutual fund you can call your broker and he will send you reports on how the company is doing, what their management is like and what might be the projected earnings for the company and how the industry is doing. Great information.You... Read More

True Investment Road Maps

If you don't know where you are going any road will get there. After you get there you might not like where you ended up. You must plan ahead for your trip.Do you know where you are going with your retirement portfolio? Do you have a plan mapped out? Do... Read More

Acapulco - The Stock Market Dives

There is a famous cliff on the ocean in Acapulco where experienced divers jump into the sea. It is very dangerous because the water at the base of the cliff surges from a depth of 2 feet to 12 feet. The diver must time his leap so the water is... Read More

What Does it Take to be a Stock Trader?

It takes a total mental commitment to the task. It becomes a complete way of life. You cannot be a part timer. You cannot work at a regular job and trade stocks successfully.When you decide to make your living this way you must be willing to work 365 days a... Read More

401K-itis

Are you one of those many people who dread reading their 401K statements? You have been watching it decline for about 2 years and are wondering if will ever stop. Just about everyone says the market will come back. Brokers say you are in for the long haul so don't... Read More

Bad News is Good News

For weeks, no, months we have been bombarded with nothing but negative news about the economy in general and thousands of individual companies. The stock market has dropped thousands of points and more than $8 trillion in paper assets have disappeared.Note I said paper assets because until you turn it... Read More

Mutual Fund Ball and Chain

The broker told me not to sell because the mutual fund I owned had a 2% redemption fee and they would penalize me if I did.I got to thinking about it and did some simple math to see what that would cost me if I sold. Several months ago I... Read More

Bargain Basement - Finding Stocks That Go Up

Have you been listening to the talking heads on CNBC-TV? Or those talk radio stock experts? Getting all those good recommendations on what to buy now. Now?Those guys keep telling me the market is oversold. It can't go any lower. (But it does.) I bet your broker has some hot... Read More

Is The Bear In The Cage?

For the last few weeks we have seen the stock market averages going higher and higher each week yet the economic news is still very bad. Is this bear market coming to an end? Will the stock prices and mutual funds go back up to where they were?It seems all... Read More

Being Wrong Buying Stock is Okay

Being wrong is OK, but let's not carry it to extremes. That applies to everything, but let's limit our discussion here to the stock market.I have been trading for several decades and was an exchange memebr and floor trader for 17 years. You learn fast there or you go broke... Read More

Boiler Room 7/17/00

On Friday or Saturday evening my wife gets a movie from Block Buster and after dinner we sit, hold hands and watch. This week she brought back one that I think every investor or anyone contemplating investing in the market should see. It is called "Boiler Room".How many times have... Read More

The Bottom?

Every day I hear someone on CNBC proclaim that "this is the bottom" and you should get in there and buy all those "bargains". "The valuations of the DOW stocks are a steal."The low of DOW 8,000 immediately after September 11 was "the low" and the market did rally to... Read More

Bottoms Ups

If you have talked to a stock broker or financial planner in the last few days I will bet they all agree that there are some great bargains out there and now is the time to start buying in anticipation that the market will go back up. You will also... Read More

Dont Buy Stocks based on P/E Ratio alone

I use the P/E ratio as a secondary indicator for buying and selling stocks but I don't use the ratio in the same a manner as many value investors teach. I will explain the difference in my methodology for using the P/E ratio to your advantage.Many value investors will pass... Read More

Box Of Chocolates

Ever have one of those sample boxes of candy? Each little piece is beautifully wrapped in colorful foil or decorated with an interesting design. Taste just one. So good! One more. And another. Before you know it the box is empty. Nothing left.This upmove in the stock market is very... Read More

Bull or Bear?

Cat or dog? Maybe Zebra. Shucks, I don't know, but my broker keeps telling me it is a bull and to buy this and that. It looks like he is right - for a change. I remember he said the same thing in 1999 and 2000 and I ended up... Read More

Buy and Hold Investment Philosophy

Wall Street has been preaching the doctrine of Buy and Hold forever. The worst part about it is the small investor (and some big ones) actually believe it. Brokers and financial planners believe it, but when you show them they can get a better return by timing the market they... Read More

Buy Low - Sell High

Now where have I heard that before? I know. It was my broker.So I took his advice and bought some of the stocks he recommended. I am still waiting for the 'sell high' part of the equation. Everything he touted went up for a while and now it is lower... Read More

Buying Mutual Funds

It looks like the market is ready to start up again so it is time to buy mutual funds, but you only want to invest your money in funds that go up. First, you don't want to start with a loss so be sure to purchase no-load mutual funds. There... Read More

Buying New Issues

Has your broker been calling you recently with the "great opportunity" to get in on a new Initial Public Offering? With friends like that you don't need any enemies.I don't care how good this new stock offering sounds. The chances it will stay even or go up are about 1... Read More

Investment Capital Gains

Have you bought any mutual funds this year or late last year while the market was doing its skyrocket thing? Last year it was hard to lose money. This year it has been easy.You should be calling your mutual fund (they all have 800 numbers) to find out if and... Read More

Cash

How many people went to a cash position this week? There is no question that this market has scared the bajebers out of many investors, me included. Fortunately, I started going to cash some time ago, but I did give back a substantial amount of my profit.Your broker never wants... Read More

Catnip of the Stock Market

I have watched my cat play with a bag of catnip. At first he is having fun and slowly he becomes drunk with pleasure and then finally he becomes so tipsy he falls over to sleep it off. The pleasure part is great, but I am not sure if he... Read More

Chart Reading

As an investor you will want to check out any equity before you buy it. Many investors go to Morningstar that is one of the largest providers of mutual fund information in the world. It is assumed that their information is correct. After all that is what you are paying... Read More

China Syndrome

There has been great condemnation recently because China has been selling its goods on the world market at prices below what other countries, especially the U.S., can produce. It has been called exporting deflation.The major reason for these extremely low prices has been their labor costs which I am told... Read More

Choosing An Investment Stock Broker

If you want one.And I don't recommend any broker with whom to trade who will be giving you advice on what to buy and sell. When a broker speaks it is a eulogy for your money. My definition of a broker is one who makes you broker.The reason I say... Read More

How Much Money Can I Make With Trading? What Account Size Do I Need To Start?

What account size do I need?How much money can I make with trading?First of all, let's clarify a common misunderstanding: You never risk your full account size. You always have a "catastrophic stop", and it is important to define the "ruin" before you start trading. Let's say you start with... Read More

Momentum

One of the basic laws of physics states that a body in motion will continue in motion in the direction it is going until interrupted by another force.That basic physics law also applies to stocks and mutual funds. To see this trend it will be very apparent in a weekly... Read More

Moving Averages

Every day on CNBC-TV they show a 200-day moving average line superimposed on the stock price history. It seems they give great credence to this manufactured line as it represents 10 months of price action. What is it? Does it really mean anything?The line represents the addition of the closing... Read More

Market Psychology

Today we are inundated with tons of information about the economy, stocks, government agencies and foreign governments. They show us charts and graphs of the increase/decrease in oil production over the last 5 years, the amount of maple syrup produced in Vermont for the past century, the time it takes... Read More

Market Timing?

The recent criminal fiasco in the mutual fund industry is being used by Wall Street to persuade investors that market timing is a bad thing. The late trading by Janus, Bank America and several other well known mutual funds is falsely being called market timing.Wall Street, better known as Maul... Read More

More Window Dressing

Two weeks ago I wrote about what the Securities and Exchange Commission was doing to regulate the mutual fund industry to help the small investor, the "poor folks". It really added up to zero.Now the SEC is going to make new regulations for hedge funds to protect the rich folks.... Read More

Market Success

Who are the successful investors?There are those who follow the advice of their brokers and financial planners or those who choose to use their own good judgment? If you care to compare the results of the past 4 years from 2000 to now I believe you will see who as... Read More

Mindset

In 1960 an engineer working for a watch company in Switzerland discovered that a small crystal would vibrate at a constant rate. He found this was so accurate that it could be used to calibrate time so he took it to company management and said it would make an entirely... Read More

Mousetrap

The spring-loaded rat catcher is the ultimate low-tech device invented more than 100 years ago and remains the best demouser in the world. It is so simple anyone can master it and best of all you can keep on using it year in and year out. It always works.Now I... Read More

Investing in Dividend Paying Stocks

I was recently interviewed for a press release through a financial question and answer format. One of the questions asked of me in the interview was:Where do you think the stock market is headed over the next five years?My Answer!Charles M. O'Melia: No one knows! There is an old Chinese... Read More

Traders, Defend Against the Dreaded Death Spiral.

It has often been said that there is only two ways to get hurt really bad on a stock trade, getting caught in a "death spiral" by not using DTM: Decisive Trade Management in the way of stop loses and having a stock halted on you. Halts you have zero... Read More

Investment Research - The Dalbar Study

Very few people, even professionals, have heard of the Dalbar Study that originated in 1995. Its purpose is to determine the profitability of trading for the small investor of mutual funds. Their results are even worse than I thought.The BuyNHolders will love the results as it "proves" that buying and... Read More

Direction

It is difficult to make money in a bull market, but what do you do when you are in a bear market? In what direction should you go not only to make money but to protect what you have from loss?Almost immediately investors think what should I buy that will... Read More

Investment Discipline

One of the great "secrets" of successful people is discipline and it doesn't make any difference whether it is manufacturing, processing, servicing or investing in the stock market.Before you can have that discipline you must have a successful plan and stick with it. If the method you use does not... Read More

Dispelling Illusions of the Stock Market

How can you dispel an illusion unless you look directly at it? The magician distracts the eye with one hand while he does his manipulation with the other. You are looking in the wrong place and not seeing what is actually happening.Wall Street has mastered this move even beyond the... Read More

Diversification

Wall Street's watchword has always been diversification, but what does it mean and why do they say it?The standard Wall Street definition is flexible because each broker or financial planner will vary the portfolio based on your age and income. They say that the younger you are the more risk... Read More

Dividends

When is a dividend not a dividend?The latest thing "conservative" brokers are preaching these days is to buy stocks that pay dividends. Everyone likes dividends. I know I do, but when Wall Street tells me something I am automatically suspicious because they lie to me every day. Is this a... Read More

Does Japan Matter?

For the last 12 years we have seen the Japanese stock market slowly sinking from a high of 38,000 to about 8,000, more than a 75% loss and very close to the price of the Dow Jones Industrial Average. Why should we care about their stock market?Please understand that the... Read More

Dollar Cost Averaging

Dollar cost averaging is one of the most popular ideas in the investment community. Everyone seems to like it and it has become a watchword among stock and mutual fund brokers. If it is properly done you will make money, if not you will lose money or at best stay... Read More

Dont Ask Your Broker

Unfortunately, most of you who are reading my column are suffering some substantial losses in the stock market. Whether it is mutual funds or individual stocks everything with mighty few exceptions is going down. Maybe you are just giving back some nice profits, but maybe it is beginning to bite... Read More

Dont Fight The Fed

One of the great truisms of Wall Street is "Don't fight the Fed". For the long term investors this has resulted in greater profits. When the Federal Reserve Board hikes interest rates look out and when the do it 3 times in a row it is called "3 jumps and... Read More

Downdraft

For the year 2000 we have seen hundreds of mutual funds lose 40%, 50% and more of their value. This does not seem right since the fund is supposed to be managed by a professional. How can this "professional" do such a bad job? More than half of the funds... Read More

Duck

Duck! No I don't mean a quack, quack. I meant get down, look out for a huge blob of brown stuff is heading your way.This one is so large it is going to make Enron and Worldcom look like Boy Scouts stealing cookies at a picnic. As a result of... Read More

Duct Tape

Did you run out to buy that duct tape yet? Don't forget the plastic sheeting, bottles of water, canned food and a couple of books to read. What are you waiting for? I know - things to get better so you can resume your normal life style.While you were waiting... Read More

Getting Even

I know there are a lot of you out there who would like to "get even" with the stock market. Many are on the diet of "I hope, I hope". As a professional trader I can tell you that diet will make you very sick.If you play any game of... Read More

Good News?

As the man said, "I've got some good news and I've got some bad news. What do you want to hear first?" It was replied, "Tell me the good news first". The good news is that they are going to make some changes in the mutual fund industry reporting to... Read More

Hedge Funds

You read and hear a lot about hedge funds. Unfortunately, most of what you hear is negative because it comes from the major media that has an interest in reporting negatives about them because the major media is supported by so-called standard mutual funds and brokerage companies that spend big... Read More

The Holy Grail (of Investment)

Every year I go to the Money Show in Orlando, Florida. Thousands attend. It is mostly an older crowd with the youngsters about 40 years of age. I have been saying for years that until you have lost enough money trying to make a fortune you will not become serious... Read More

Gold Fever

Right now there doesn't seem to be any "gold fever". Very few are out looking to strike it rich in this sector.Way back when at Sutter's Mill in California the discovery of gold was accidental. One of Sutter's employees picked up a shiny stone out of the stream and suddenly... Read More

The Great Stock Market Secret

When the stock market is going up and all your stocks and mutual funds are making money you feel like a genius. It is too bad that some folks don't remember what happened in 2000. Of course, right now we are in one of those genius phases.Your broker and financial... Read More

Hill of Hope

Just about now everyone is confused as to which way the stock market is going to go - up or down. For the past 3 years it has been headed south, but the Wall Street experts have told us that the market never goes down 4 years in a row... Read More

The Golden Goose is Sick

It is finally catching up with them. The brokerage companies I mean. For years they have been feeding bad food to their flock and now the flock is rebelling. The customer has been low man on the totem pole for too long. That food has been the disinformation that has... Read More

Gurgle Gurgle

Caught in a whirlpool and being sucked under. No life vest or other device to save you. Gurgle, gurgle. Down you go.This last couple of weeks in the stock market kinda feels like that whirlpool when you look at your financial statements. Of course, your broker will tell you this... Read More

Hold Em and Fold Em

When most analysts, financial planners, fund specialists and investors try to decide whether to buy a particular stock they immediately go to the financial statements to determine the growth potential of the company. Numbers and more numbers. Then management analysis and industry speculation. Unless you are an experienced financial analyst... Read More

How Much Information Do You Need?

You have decided to buy some stock or mutual funds, but wonder which one to buy. You need more information so you call your broker for advice. A so-called "full service" broker will bury you with all kinds of reports, analysis sheets and other pretty pieces of paper, but will... Read More

Economists

In today's volatile and confusing stock markets everyone is searching for a guru who knows which way the market is going and when. Ask any economist and he will have an answer. Ask 2 economists and you will have 2 answers. Ask 3 economists - ad infinitum.At the Federal Reserve... Read More

Emotional Involvement

I'll bet with almost anyone that has stocks or mutual funds in his portfolio that he has losers, but he won't sell them because he "likes them" or some similar excuse. This is the philosophy of a loser.You cannot become emotionally involved with anything you have bought whether it is... Read More

Enron Cure

Let's hope you did not have any of the Enron stock. Maybe you know someone who did and lost everything, but you certainly might know several people who owned stock that lost almost everything. They probably aren't talking about it.According to Investor's Business Daily newspaper there are 1,387 companies that... Read More

Evaluation I

An insane person cannot evaluate an insane evaluation system.As you know I have been trying to restore sanity to the insane premises Wall Street has been teaching its brokers and you for all these years. Their insanity has become so pervasive that it has become conventional wisdom. The brokerage houses... Read More

Economists #2

Economists know more about how the fragments of society work than anyone. In school they are taught to break down the economy into its tiniest parts and to quantify each minutiae so it can become part of a formula. Once done those econometric formulas should become a viable equation to... Read More

Emotional Maturity

If you are going to be a winner in the stock market you must have emotional maturity. I did not say you had to be smart or know how to pick stocks and mutual funds.Once someone buys a stock or mutual fund he immediately seems to have a love affair... Read More

Enronization

Even if you don't own any of their stock or any stock at all you will want to read this.What Enron corporate officers did with their accounting firm is nothing new. It has been going on for years, but recently has become more egregious. Hiding facts from stockholders by showing... Read More

Evaluation II

As I said in Part I everyone in the insane asylum looks normal, but at least the doctors are sane. Unfortunately, in the insane asylum known as the stock market all the doctors (brokers) are also insane.The doctors in the insane asylum went to medical school to learn how to... Read More

The Elephant

Four blind men were asked to give a description of an elephant. They had not seen one or ever encountered such a beast.One grabbed hold of its tail. Another put his arms around a leg. The third gripped its trunk and the fourth walked into the side. The description given... Read More

Emotional Trading

The single most expensive stock market trades are those made with emotions, but, of course, you are not an emotional trader are you?Before you bought that stock, mutual fund or Exchange Traded Fund (ETF) you did your research to be sure that what you were buying would return a good... Read More

Eternal Sunshine

There is a current movie entitled "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind". It is about a man who has had a painful love affair and will do anything to rid his mind of those pain thoughts of a former love. He sees an advertisement that offers just such a service.... Read More

Keep Your Profits

It looks like we have now entered a new bull phase in the stock market and I have a question for you. Will you give back the profits that you make this time as you did in 2000? You sure don't want to, but you are not going to get... Read More

Inverted Interest Rates

Inverted interest rates? What's that? Who cares? Even if you don't understand what Mr. Greenspan is saying (and almost nobody does) it is important to you because it could mean you might lose you job next year or have to cut back on some of the things you want to... Read More

Investment Clubs

Because you don't feel too sure about which stock or mutual fund to buy you decide to become a member of an investment club. Each of the members contribute a certain amount of money each month and then meet to decide what to buy or sell.It is a nice camaraderie,... Read More

It Cant Be Done

Wouldn't it be nice if you were only in the stock market when it was going up and have everything transferred to cash while it is going down? It is called 'market timing' and your broker or financial planner will tell you "it can't be done". What that person just... Read More

Stock Market Insanity

Let's first define insanity. It is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result. And that is what most investors do and they can't understand why they are not able to make money in the stock market.Do these investors need a psychiatrist, a psychologist, a talk... Read More

Its A Bull, Its A Bear, Its Suptertrader!

The higher the market goes the more confusing are the "experts". In the September 14 issue of Investor's Business Daily newspaper we find the great prognosticators such as:Sheldon Jacobs, editor of No-Load Fund Investor newsletter quoted that he is recommending having more cash in your portfolio.Louis Navallier, manager of three... Read More

Intervention

Intervention. Now don't let that big word scare you. The talking heads on TV have been discussing it all week because the major banks of the world are going to "prop up" the Euro.What the heck is the "euro"? This is a currency just like the British Pound, the French... Read More

Is Your Garage Full Of Junk?

I have a 2-car garage. There are nice shelves on one side and a good practical workbench with a vice on the other side. Plenty of room for 2 cars yet I have to be careful when I pull in so I won't run over stuff stacked on each side.... Read More

Its A Duck

If it walks like a duck, quacks like a duck and looks like a duck it must be a duck.In the stock market if there are more buyers than sellers, more stocks are going up than down and the trend of the general market is higher it must be a... Read More

Its Better

Question: How does it get better when it gets worse?Last week we had a jobs report from Washington that there were fewer jobs created than they had anticipated, but the stock market took that as good news and the DOW had a strong rally. WOW! The bad news somehow turned... Read More

Market Globalization

Just 30 years ago the stock market was a shadow of what it is today. There were many fewer shareholders and the daily volume was a fraction of what it is at present. No one thought you would every be able to trade a billion or more shares in one... Read More

Market Timing

Every broker and financial planner will tell you that you cannot time the stock market. I saw John Bogle, the great seer of Vanguard, on CNBC saying it can't be done. Of course, it is easy to understand why he and every other mutual fund manager would say that as... Read More

Dont Spend Another Dollar on Business Opportunities Until You Read This

With an insecure job market, overworked employees, insufficient retirement savings and parents wanting the option to stay home with their kids, it is not surprising that many individuals are taking the leap into online business opportunities.The need to create a secondary income is a smart move for people who recognize... Read More

Shorting Stocks ? The Basics, Part I of II

What does it mean to short a stock?This means that you borrow the stock from your broker to sell to a third party. The idea is to buy back the stock at a lower price, returning the shares to your broker while leaving the remaining cash in your account as... Read More

Shorting Stocks ? The Basics, Part II of II

After the publication of the first part of this two part series, I had a few questions asking if shorting stocks is legal and I will quickly reply with a big YES. Some people believe that shorting shares of American companies is not patriotic or does not seem like the... Read More

Trading as a Business

What can I expect to make my first year of trading?We get questions like this one quite often. We find that most aspiring traders don't have a clue as to what to expect from the market. Yet here they are, putting up their money. Most are going to learn the... Read More

Bollinger Bands Strategies

The Bollinger Band theory is designed to depict the volatility of a stock. It is quite simple, being composed of a simple moving average, and its upper and lower "bands" that are 2 standard deviations away. Standard deviations are a statistical tool used to contain the majority of movement or... Read More

Peer Groups

Whenever I see mutual fund comparisons in the trade publications and in the financial section of the newspaper they almost always mention a specific fund and tell you how good it is in relation to its peer group. A peer group is a specialized sector of mutual funds that all... Read More

Why This Bear?

People are constantly asking me why is the stock market going down. What is causing this bear market? It is relatively simple so don't ask an economist. He will give you a 200-page answer that is undecipherable. Can you understand Mr. Greenspan?Let's first realize what it is that makes a... Read More

Kick The Tires

Before you buy another car you walk around the lot, kick the tires, slam the doors and look at the mileage indicator. That's an odometer. I know. That is about all the "research" you can do other than what the car salesman tells you and I hope you know better... Read More

How To Buy And Hold

One of the most believed bits of conventional wisdom from Wall Street is to Buy and Hold. Any stock or mutual fund should be put away for eternity and never sold. This is total hogwash and is guaranteed to reduce your investment income.Brokerage companies never will advise you to sell.... Read More

Rebalance And Diversify

The stock market has not been very kind to your investments lately. Your broker knows this so you may have received a call from him suggesting it is time to 'rebalance and diversify' your portfolio.What does this really mean? He wants you to sell some of your holdings and buy... Read More

Social Insecurity

Just about everything you have been told about Social Security is an obfuscation. That is a big word for convoluted truth or lie.In a recently published obscure government document by the presidential Social Security commission there are two pages that expose the truth. Neither Democrats nor Republicans want you to... Read More

Risk Control

Everything you invest in has risk so you want to do your research before you put your money on the line.For example, when McDonald's opens a new restaurant (please, don't call it a hamburger joint) they will investigate as many of the relevant facts as possible. The demographics of the... Read More

Protect Your 401K

Checked your 401K lately? Going back to about a year ago many of these retirement accounts have shrunk by 30%, some even more. What Happened?You have been putting money in for years and your employer may have been contributing to your plan also. It is not supposed to get smaller.... Read More

One Way Street

Ever turn down a street, get half way and suddenly realize it is one way and you are going the wrong way? Is that the way you feel when you look at your stock brokerage statement?In either case don't panic. You can get out of that one way street by... Read More

Top 25 Growth Funds

On Monday, November 25, 2000 Investor's Business Daily listed on page B1 the Top 25 Growth Mutual Funds for the last 36 months along with their performance for the year 2000 to date. Only four showed a profit this year of 21% and the other three had increases of 12%,... Read More

How To Pick A Mutual Fund

Mutual funds by definition are a mixed bag of stocks, bonds and a little cash. Their price per share is the NAV, Net Asset Value of the total amount of money in the mutual fund divided by the number of shares. They seek to be fully invested at all times.The... Read More

365/7/24

What does it take to be a stock trader? It takes a total mental commitment to the task. It becomes a complete way of life. You cannot be a part timer. You cannot work at a regular job and trade stocks successfully. When you decide to make your living this... Read More

Political Investing

We have two candidates for president that have really different ideas on how to make the economy grow.Bush believes in the entrepreneurial approach. People should be allowed to invest in themselves. He even wants to let people have some of the 15% that now goes to the Social Security "trust... Read More

Stops Make Money

During the day I watch CNBC-TV, the stock market channel. Fortunately, I keep the sound muted or I would be hollering at the dumb "experts" being interviewed. The experts seem to know all about the market except they don't know how to protect their capital.Every few minutes there is a... Read More

Choosing A Fund

For years I have been saying you must have a fund that is outperforming the S&P500 Index. Well, I've changed my mind. Now I think your fund should be outperforming the NASDAQ Composite Index. So far this year, March 30, the S&P is up 1.3% and the NASDAQ Composite is... Read More

The Information Age

It is wonderful to be alive in the information age. We know in a matter of seconds the change in the value of gold in Switzerland, the death of a world leader or the birth of a peasant in Israel.We are inundated with facts and figures and the emotional tribulations... Read More

Managing Investing and Stock Market Risks

Reduce your investing and stock market risks by:Setting your sights on the long term, patiently riding with the ups and downs!If you have the time to be patient, you can benefit from time diversification. The more numerous good years for stocks outweigh the bad, pulling your return up.Thus, if you... Read More

8 Penny Stocks to Avoid

There are many good penny stock investments available, which could turn a small amount of capital into a small fortune very quickly. However, to discover these you need to know what to look for and what to avoid. When searching for that one big payoff, steer clear of the following... Read More

Stock Loans

Hedge current portfolio positions and gain access to capital resources through loans against free trading, aged affiliate or aged non-affiliate securities. Make proper use of your assets while waiting for performance and hedge your position should the asset move against you.Whether you need to borrow cash for personal or business... Read More

What is Involved in Peak Performance Trading?

There is so much involved in developing peak performance, that I recommend that all traders have a business plan. We recommend that the business plan cover all of the following areas.? Your vision.? Your purpose.? Your objectives.? A thorough self-assessment of your strengths and weakness, based upon real trading logs... Read More

Long Term Financial Vehicles

Investing in long-term financial vehicles give you the most gains but it also puts your funds at greater risk. There is much truth to the saying, "there is no gain if there is no risk". Still you can reduce your chances of losing your hard earned money, by researching and... Read More

Trading Baskets II: The Crapolio, A Roll of the Dice in the Stock Market

In a previously written article, we expanded the use of the term "Trading Baskets" to include stocks from different sectors or industries. Now I want to share with you an approach to day trading or swing trading that I had some success with back in the wild and woolly, pinnacle... Read More

Frog In The Pot

You remember the story about the frog that was put into a pot of cold water on the stove. He was not concerned. Someone lit the burner and the water began getting warm, the frog was very comfortable and as the water became warmer he was so relaxed and complacent... Read More

The I Word is Coming to a Town Near You

Hello Inflation, it has been awhile, I see you on your way back again. Inflation? What inflation? Oh things like; Energy, diesel fuel, Aviation Fuel, Gasoline, Natural Gas, Milk, Wheat, Corn, Beef, Poultry, Hogs, Soy Beans, Building materials, paper, housing, Auto Prices, Health Care, Insurance, etc. You know the basics.... Read More

Staying Sane While Wall Street Crashes

Everybody is riding the Wall Street Roller coaster. Even if you are not invested, the headlines scream out one word: PANIC!It's hard not to join in the panicking. The Panic Crowd seems to be having all the fun these days. But they don't have all the happiness. You see, it's... Read More

The Value of Stocks of a Company

The debate rages all over Eastern and Central Europe, in countries in transition as well as in Western Europe. It raged in Britain during the 80s: Is privatization really the robbery in disguise of state assets by a select few, cronies of the political regime? Margaret Thatcher was accuse of... Read More

A Penny for Your Stocks

According to Investopedia Inc. the penny stock market has seen phenomenal growth this past decade. From '94 to '03, the Over-the-Counter Bulletin Board trading volume increased an astounding 8900%, equaling a total of 63% of the NASDAQ and 78& of the NYSE share volumes. Many an investor has succumbed to... Read More

What Our Investment Advisor Wont Say Off The Bat

Most advisors will tell you they can beat the market. They may even point to years in which they did. But now you will learn the little known fact that is seldom mentioned outside the financial world. It is very, very, VERY DIFFICULT TO BEAT THE MARKET.The market in the... Read More

My Neighbor Got A New Car

I don't know what kind it is, but I saw it on TV running full speed along the shore (I don't live near the shore) throwing up spray or maybe it was that one climbing up the steep mountain trail thru the mud, rocks and snow. Very exciting. (I don't... Read More

Why Stock Is More Risky Than Options!

You probably have been told that options are risky. Even worse, that you can lose your shirt trading them!Well, what is the truth?Let's take a look at stock ownership. What can happen if you buy stock?The price can go up.The price can go down.The price can go sideways.In the first... Read More

What is the Most Important Indicator of All?

Most stock market traders have a favorite technical indicator.The one that they have the most confidence in. The one that, from experience, they trust the most. Or the one that they always look at first.For some it is the RSI. Others like the Stochastic or the MACD . Or one... Read More

The Seven Mistakes All Novice Traders Make and How to Correct Them

We learnt the following the hard way! If any of these things applies to you, don't worry ? there is an easy solution!MISTAKE ONELack of Knowledge and No PlanIt amazes us that some people expect to trade the stock market successfully without any effort. Yet if they want to take... Read More

Never Fall In Love!

Recently I watched my favorite football team lose a vital game.I simply love this team.I became so emotional about it; I thought "?this isn't good for my health". Can you believe that, but that's how we get when we are passionate. I simply couldn't believe (I didn't want to believe)... Read More

Attitude Is [Almost] Everything

I often play a little game with myself when I have to go shopping; to the post office or on other errands.Sometimes I will just go about my business and make little comment or eye contact with the person serving me. Other times I will smile and talk to the... Read More

What Can Model Airplanes Teach You About Trading?

I was devastated!I just couldn't believe it. I was 10 years old and my dreams were shattered. I never wanted to look at another model airplane again!But I'm getting ahead of myself. Let me start at the beginning.When I was about 8 years old my older brother got interested in... Read More

How Eating Bitumen Made Me a Better Trader

Trading is a fascinating activity.There are so many layers to it. And so many paths that you can go down.Soon after we first got interested in the stock market I became captivated by technical analysis. I finally felt that I was in control. It gave me great confidence to have... Read More

You Don?t HAVE To Be Trading

As a novice trader, you'll often feel the need to trade.You may be bored or frustrated. Or you just want to try a certain type of trade.STOP!Realize that you don't have to be trading all the time to be successful. In fact not trading is often the very best decision... Read More

Do You Know What is the Single MOST Critical Mistake in Trading the Stock Market??

Well maybe that's overstating it a little, but it's certainly one of the most important.It is?(drum roll please)? "the need to be right"!Now that probably wasn't what you were expecting. You might have thought it was going to be something like not picking the trend or putting too much money... Read More

?Fears Only Enemy Is Action?

What a great statement!I just heard someone use it in the context of personal and financial success and it struck me as a brilliant summary of an issue we raise in the SMG Tutorials.Fear is a huge issue with a lot of traders. And interestingly, not just fear of failure... Read More

Stock Trading Success

The ABC's of Stock Trading SuccessStock trading success...why is it so elusive?With all the trading information, systems, trading advice and assistance available today, the fact that most people who attempt to profit from trading Stocks lose money seems quite bizarre.Can you imagine the millions of dollars that must have been... Read More

No Load Mutual Funds: Boost Your Portfolios Returns

Investors who exclusively use broadly diversified, no load mutual funds for their stock investments often lose out on opportunities to increase the reward potential of their portfolios. This article looks at two methods investors may use to enhance the performance of their portfolio of diversifed, no load mutual funds.Diversify, diversify,... Read More

Trapeze Artist - Swinging with the Stock Market

When we go to the circus we see a trapeze artist working on a high wire or swing either alone or with other athletes. They know what they are doing because of constant practice, but every once in a while there can be a mistake, even a small one that... Read More

The Next Bull Market

We are already in it, but you can't see it. It doesn't look like the one we had in '99. Like the magician who has you watching what he wants you to and with the other hand he is doing something else that is what is happening in the stock... Read More

Prosperity

It has fallen upon the consumer to make our economy strong. All the politicians, economists and talking heads on TV are telling him (that's you and me) to get out there and spend your money. Buy that new car, build a new house and fly off to some remote place... Read More

Finding A Good Stock

One of the things people are always asking me is how can I find a good stock. The answer I give does not please them. I say, "You are not qualified to pick stock. You don't know how so don't try. Put your money in a no-load mutual fund that... Read More

The Surgeon General

The Surgeon General of the United States says that smoking cigarettes is harmful to your health. It is printed on every pack of smokes you buy. When was the last time a smoker read or paid any attention to it?Don't you wish your brokerage account had some kind of warning... Read More

Stealth Bull

If you have been watching the stock market at all you are probably very confused. You are not alone. One day is a hundred points up for the DOW and the next a hundred down. What is going on? There are many stocks that are going up and unless you... Read More

What To Buy Now

I am sure that if you have a brokerage account with a "full service" broker you have been getting calls about what to buy and sell. If you have big losses in certain stocks you might be hit with that great Wall Street lie to buy more so you can... Read More

Complacency

During the month of January the Dow Jones Industrial Average, usually referred to as the DOW, had an almost 1,000 point range, most of it down and the average investor has yawned and said 'so what, this has happened many times before'.Is there any reason to worry now?The terrible event... Read More

Low Tide

When you stand on the ocean shore and watch the waves breaking you might become aware that the tide is coming in or going out. It is a slow process to watch the water retreat and when it finally gets to its lowest point it is almost impossible to tell... Read More

How To Be A Winner

Everyone who invests in the stock market wants to be a winner. Each person's definition of a winner will be somewhat different, but there is hardly one who isn't looking for that stock that will double in price within one year.Can it be done? Yes, but when you look at... Read More

Inertia

One of the basic laws of physics is that a body in motion will remain in motion unless disturbed by another force. What has this to do with the stock market?For the last 2 years the long-term trend of the market has been down with a few momentary deviations. When... Read More

Its Snowing

The Winter Games for the Olympics are coming up soon and many will want to go to see the giant slalom event. That's the one where the skier starts off from the little hut at the top of a long slope, picks up speed and makes his way around poles... Read More

Outsourcing

It's about time someone spoke the truth concerning outsourcing. The politicians sure won't. They prefer to do finger-pointing saying it is "his fault". It is those greedy manufacturers who want to make bigger profits by having cheap labor in Asia perform your task for less money.Did anyone ever tell you... Read More

My Stock - Right or Wrong

We all know the expression, "My country, right or wrong", but have you ever thought about the stocks or mutual fund you own and said to yourself, "My stock - right or wrong" and held on to your position even as you saw your hard-earned money disappearing?This is the Buy... Read More

Fools Gold

The stock market has been in an up trend for more than a year. Almost everyone is feeling good and many believe we are back in the old bull market with the previous high of the Dow Jones Industrial Average just about to be broken.This could be the case, but... Read More

Fake Money

Reach in your pocket and take out that big roll of bills. Depending on how many of them you have you feel pretty good. BUT did you know they are not worth the paper they are printed on? Huh? Let me explain.Yes, those bills are legal tender because those guys... Read More

Stock Analysis

I receive emails from Morningstar. This company provides statistics and analysis of just about every publicly traded stock company you can think of as well as voluminous information on mutual funds around the world.You can ask them about a company's sales, management, marketing plan, their performance within a corporate sector,... Read More

NASDAQ 800?

In November of 2000 when the NASDAQ was trading at 3000 I wrote in this column that the NASDAQ Index would fall to 1500 and I got lots of heat for saying it. Microsoft had fallen from $129 to $60 per share. You know where they are today.The talking heads... Read More

Low Expense Ratio

One of the big advertising kicks today from mutual funds is to tell how low their expense ratio is and that you will make a great deal more money if you buy and hold with them. Partly true, but that is not the whole story.What is the expense ratio? It... Read More

Valuation

Every day I hear from the "experts" on CNBC-TV and the radio gurus that the way to buy stocks is find value. One man's Rembrandt is another man's connect-the-dots and fill in the spaces. Valuation is like beauty. It is in the mind of the beholder.If valuation is the key... Read More

Inertia Syndrome

When it comes to buying a stock or mutual fund most people act pretty quickly. There are some who will take the time to get a report from Morningstar (it is worthless) or get reports from their broker (also worthless) or even do a search on the Internet (if you... Read More

Perfect Storm

Having lived aboard a sailboat for 2 years I was stricken when I saw the movie "PERFECT STORM". I know these are things you want to avoid at all costs. Even little storms can play havoc with your life style on a boat.From a world view it looks like we... Read More

Complacency Indicator

If you haven't heard of the technical indicator with the stock market symbol VIX it is now time to pay some attention to it. When the number is running low, as it is now, around 15 to 18 it means everyone is happy and thinks the stock market is going... Read More

Paddle Your Canoe

At some time in your life you have been on a river in a canoe and hopefully you had a paddle. You know about being up the creek without one.You quickly learned that paddling up stream is much harder than paddling down stream. The lesson of going with the flow... Read More

Trading Systems

To become a successful trader you must have some kind of method or system to follow that will keep you on track. You may be buying and selling on tips, the weather or phases of the moon (there is a system like that).The two basic methods are based either on... Read More

Expense Ratios

Mutual funds and brokers are always preaching not to buy any fund with a high expense ratio. That is the annual costs of the fund to pay for trading of stocks within their portfolio, salaries, rent, telephone, analysts, etc. Most of them tell you not to buy one that exceeds... Read More

Protectionism

First let's see what protectionism is. According to Mr. Webster it is the advocacy, system, or theory of protecting domestic producers by impeding or limiting, as by tariffs or quotas, the importation of foreign goods and services.That sounds pretty good. It is something that will protect the jobs of our... Read More

Stuff

I continually hear from economists, talking heads, other market letter writers, analysts and assorted "experts" that I need to know all kinds of "stuff" about the stocks and mutual funds I am going to buy and I should keep up with them on a regular basis.What is this important "stuff"?Let's... Read More

Discipline

One of the great "secrets" of successful people is discipline and it doesn't make any difference whether it is manufacturing, processing, servicing or investing in the stock market.Before you can have that discipline you must have a successful plan and stick with it. If the method you use does not... Read More

What Are You Waiting For?

Do you own any mutual funds? In an IRA or 401K or wherever. Privately or at work.Have you called your fund manager to find out what is going on with your fund? Are they under investigation for late trading, improper pricing, deviation from length of sales defined in the prospectus... Read More

Performance Funds

Mutual funds are doing more and more to discourage investors from leaving them and taking their money to a better performing fund. What does better performing mean? It has nothing to do with who the manager is, what the expense ratio is or how well they performed over the past... Read More

The Big Bad Bear

The big bad bear is stirring again. So far he has stretched, yawned and peaked out of his cave. After his almost year-long nap he is hungry. A nice big steak would hit the spot.That steak comes from cattle and not too far from his den there is a fat... Read More

Which Way The Market

I am hearing predictions by brokers, financial planners, talk show hosts and the talking heads on TV that the market is going back to its old highs - DOW 11,700 and NASDAQ 5000 here we come.It seems to me that in 2000 I heard these same people saying there was... Read More

Selling

The stock market has been going up for more than 7 months and many investors who held on through the big crash of 2000 are seeing their portfolios get back some of what had disappeared. Is now the time to sell those equities that are 'even' with what you paid... Read More

VooDoo Training For the Stock Market

If you go to Haiti or other places in the Caribbean you may run into the Voodoo tradition of magic. There are long and mostly noisy rituals with the medicine man spouting words that bring great power and conjure up whatever it is the supplicant desires. Great amounts of smoke... Read More

Financial Crime

Congress recently passed another new law that is supposed to outlaw financial crime. Corporate officers will be sent to jail for "cooking the books" as it is called. Among other things it is taking the stockholders money and paying themselves huge bonuses for nonperformance. These guys are even worse than... Read More

Look Out The Window

Quick, look out the window. It's raining. No, the sun's out. No, it's cloudy. Wait a second, it is changing again, but I can't tell what it is going to do.Kinds like the stock market. Up one day, down the next, then goes sideways. That stock I bought is not... Read More

War Market

There is no question that the stock market is being affected by war jitters. When it looks like peace we have a strong rally. When it looks like shooting will begin momentarily the market takes a dump. What should you do with your stock, mutual funds or cash that is... Read More

Selection Vs Direction

As I have said many times before in this column it really doesn't make any difference what you buy ? stocks, funds or indexes - it takes smarts to know when to sell. Direction of the general market is more important than selection of any equity.Everyone from the multimillion dollar... Read More

Humpty Dumpty the Stock Market Falls Down

Humpty Dumpty had a great fall and all the King's horsemen could not put Humpty Dumpty back together again.The Stock Market has had a great fall and all the brokers, CEOs, analysts and politicians have not been able to get it back up again.Oh, it will go up again, but... Read More

Never Lose Money

Never lose money in the stock market again. Yeah, I know. Don't buy any stock, but that is not what I meant. There is a clear and easy way to protect your capital ? what you have now and what you might decide to buy in the future. And don't... Read More

Pathways

During our travel down life's path we come to many places where the trail divides and we must make a decision. Some involve psychological (emotional) choices ? marriage, divorce, leaving home, career changes, etc. Others are monetary ? buying a new car, home, starting your own business, investing, etc. Many... Read More

I Love To Lose Money

Well, not really. What I mean is I don't mind losing a small amount when I have to sell a stock or mutual fund that is going down or taking away the profit I have made. During this past 3 years I have made money each year because I was... Read More

Mr. Market

I constantly hear the talking heads on CNBC-TV, the radio and other places talking about THE market. Of course, they mean the stock market which actually now is world wide and no longer just concentrated in New York. To every New Yorker New York is the center of the world... Read More

Roller Coaster

I love roller coasters. The steeper the better. High and fast and curvy. Yahoo! Let's go again. But to get to the drop off point you have a slow grind up.Kinda reminds me of the stock market for the past 3 years. From 1982 to 2000 it was 18 years... Read More

How Commodity Trading Differs from Stock Trading

There are major differences between trading stocks and trading futures. While stories of fortunes made or lost overnight on the futures markets are largely untrue, the futures trader, if using a sound trading system, can usually make more money on the futures market and make it much faster. However, if... Read More

Stock Valuation using the SMP Model

Disclaimer: Please note that I do not necessarily purchase, own, or partake of any of the securities or other financial instruments mentioned in this article. I also do not take any responsibility for any actions resulting from any actions taken by anyone who reads this article. You are responsible for... Read More

Cash Is A Position

I go to the Money Show every year to visit with friends who have booths and are speakers. Then when folks are filing out of lectures I listen to their comments on what I know the speaker has been saying.The Money Show is for investors from all walks of life;... Read More

Swing Trading Strategies

Using Swing Trading Strategies and Technical Analysis when Trading Stocks to Make Consistent Trading Profits.This article is one small part of a series of lessons using Swing Trading Strategies and Technical Analysis developed by WD Gann which are designed to show how anyone can build a profitable Stock or Commodity... Read More

DIY Portfolio Management

Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs) are growing. Investors are choosing low annual expense and market return over high annual expense and promised performance.Total ETF inflow is growing faster than Mutual Fund inflow. ETF inflow grew from $42.5 billion in 2000 to $54.4 billion in 2004. In contrast, mutual fund inflow fell... Read More

Option Trading Basics

Options trading can increase the profits you make when trading Stocks if you understand how to use them and know what you are doing. Options can be a very useful tool that the average investor can use to enhance their returns.This article - Options Trading Basics, looks at what options... Read More

Investing Basics - Stocks, Mutual Funds, Real Estate & Online Investing

Have you ever thought of investing? Do you have a family that you would like take care of? Does the idea of making money with stocks, bonds, mutual funds and real estate interest you?Investing is essential to making money. Whether it be stock investing, investing online, real estate investing, finance... Read More

Index Fund Trading Using Technical Analysis and Swing Trading Strategies

Index Fund Trading can be one of the most profitable...or most costly exercises you will ever do.While trading a basket of Stocks has it's advantages, such as removing the risk of any single company you own Stock in going bust and taking all of your money with it, Indexes tend... Read More

The Stock Market - Part 1: Believe It Or Not, Its Always Been Your Best Friend And Always Will Be

Regardless of the fact that the world's stock markets have shown absolutely no growth between the date of writing this article (Late April 2005) and the late 1990s, they should still be looked at with more than just a sideways glance.Speak gently to them, speak well of them to your... Read More

Buying Stocks and the Importance of Correct Timing

An investor can find and research the best stock on the market, one with huge potential but if the general market indices are negative, it will most likely be the wrong time to buy. A stock with tremendous accelerating earnings, rising sales, an up-trending chart pattern and a strong industry... Read More

Trading Tips No 2: The Big Lie in the Stock Market

It is commonly reported that the stock market averages about 10% per year return over the long term (decades). So the investor that buys and holds a diversified portfolio of stocks or mutual funds is led to believe that their portfolio will grow by 10% per year on average. You... Read More

Stock Trading - Daddy, Why Arent We Rich?

One Saturday morning, while he was sitting at his computer studying the market, David's 7 year old daughter came up, tugged at his shirt sleeve, and said, "Daddy, why aren't we rich?" He looked his child in the eye, and thought to himself, what a great question - Why aren't... Read More

Stock Trading Diversification

This is the continuing story of our two imaginary traders, Peter and Paul.Peter is a professional trader, Paul is not. Peter has a tested, proven, written trading plan that he follows each time he enters a trade, Paul does not.Peter and Paul have had vastly different Stock trading experiences -... Read More

Your Trading Objective: Why is that so Important?

You've decided to try your luck at trading stocks or commodities, but so called experts tell you that you need to determine your trading objective. What exactly does that mean and why is it so important? Well, it's really a question of your trading philosophy. A trading objective basically identifies... Read More

The Shadow

The Shadow knows. There used to be a radio program called The Shadow where the hero, Lamont Cranston, the Shadow, would overcome the shadowy forces of doom by clouding the vision of those around him. "Who knows what evil lurks in the hearts of men" was their intro line. They... Read More

How Covered Calls Turned a Trader Around

Sidney felt sick as she looked at her latest OptionsXpress trading statement. In just 8 months, she had managed to turn her $120,000 account balance into less than $70,000.Tears welled up in her eyes as she realized that the financial freedom she so desperately sought was slipping uncontrollably out of... Read More

Struggling Stocks, Booming Commodities

04/28/2005NASDAQ dropped -12.5% year to date in 2005. S&P500 index suffered -5.7% this year. US stock market has been terrible over past few months.Not only general market is down, oil stocks recently had a significant correction as well. It is easy to be nervous because of the short term setback.... Read More

Using Sector Funds to Construct Diversified Mutual Fund Portfolios

'Sector funds are too risky.' 'I doubled my money with Fidelity Select Technology in 12 months!' 'Avoid sector funds.' If all of this sounds confusing, you are not alone. Sector funds are among the more misused and misunderstood investments. So, how should you use sector funds?Before looking at one of... Read More

Why Is The Macedonian Stock Exchange Unsuccessful?

The Macedonian Stock Exchange (MSE) is not operating successfully. True, some of the parameters which we use to measure the success of a stock exchange have lately improved in the MSE. For instance, the monthly money volume has increased together with the number of transactions. But this is a far... Read More

Again With the Bubbles?

A few years back ? it seems like an eternity today ? the U.S. stock market experienced a severe bubble burst. Legitimate stocks rose beyond reasonable valuations and ideas merely in the germination stage sold for prices far beyond those of real proven companies. When the bubble burst, billions of... Read More

A Personal Stock Market Investment Philosophy

∙ Make every investment in the stock market a long-term investment.My Mother worked as a teller in a small bank in Dover, New Jersey. The name of the bank was called The Dover Community Bank. While working at the bank (she eventually became a branch manager) she enrolled in the... Read More

Commoditizing the world

Let's discuss commodities; with the latest Enron situation, it is important to understand the way things work. A commodity is anything useful, especially a transportable agricultural product or mining product. This comes from the Latin word "commoditas" meaning roughly advantage, convenience. So then what is a commodity? Well we consider... Read More

Mutual Fund Expense Lies

When purchasing mutual funds we are cautioned to read the prospectus, look at past performance, check out the fund manager's record and see what their expense ratios have been.We are also told that we should not buy funds with expenses exceeding 1% to 1.5%. When you ask the fund salesman... Read More

Successful Trading ? Establish Your Risk Level

Before you embark upon a journey of trading stocks or futures, and before you make any trades, you MUST determine and establish your risk level. Traders that fail to do this are usually doomed from the start. The fact is that most trading accounts that go bust are because of... Read More

Successful Trading ? Taking Profits - Part 1

So you're started trading, you bought some positions with your online broker, you've set some reasonable stop-losses to protect your account and all of a sudden one of your positions move strongly in your favor ? so what do you do now? This my friend, is probably the hardest situation... Read More

Successful Trading ? Taking Profits - Part 2

Suppose your position has made a big move and you moved your stop to your purchase price as recommended. Then let's say your stock continues to make a big move and now we're asking again the questions we asked back in the first paragraph. The first profit taking technique you... Read More

What is a Mutual Fund?

Ever wondered what is a mutual fund? A mutual fund is a pool of money run by a professional or group of professionals called the "investment adviser."A mutual fund is a company that pools money from many investors and invests the money in stocks, bonds, short-term money-market instruments, other securities... Read More

Advantages and Disadvantages of Mutual Funds

Outlined below are some of the advantages and disadvantages of mutual funds. Every investment has advantages and disadvantages. But it's important to remember that features that matter to one investor may not be important to you. Whether any particular feature is an advantage for you will depend on your unique... Read More

Different Types of Mutual Funds

This is a guide to the different types of mutual funds. When it comes to investing in mutual funds, investors have literally thousands of choices.Before you invest in any given fund, decide whether the investment strategy and risks of the fund are a good fit for you. The first step... Read More

Price to Earnings Ratio - P/E

After finding the price of a particular stock, usually the next number everyone looks at is the P/E ratio.P/E is the ratio of a company's share price to its per-share earnings.A P/E ratio of 10 means that the company has 1 of annual, per-share earnings for every 10 in share... Read More

Zero Sum Game

Most people think the stock market is a zero sum game because there is a buyer for each seller and seller for each buyer so each cancels the other and everything is equal. Not quite.There are losers here, both the buyer and the seller because each one paid a commission... Read More

You Wont Like This

Why? Because I am going to shatter your conventional wisdom as I have many times in previous columns about the lies that Wall Street continues to tell you. This time we are going to go deeper into the economy to unearth the truth about lies the politicians are telling you.Let's... Read More

Why Buy and Hold?

Since I can remember, and that's a long time ago, the Wall Street brokerage companies, mavens and mutual fund managers have been exhorting the mantra of Buy and Hold for all your investments. There have been erudite studies published that this is the only way to go.Does it really work... Read More

Whitewater Stock Market

Ever done any whitewater rafting or canoeing? Long periods of tranquil river followed by short periods of terror. Suddenly the water grips your vessel and you are pushed and shoved by massive currents over which you have no control. Missing boulders you paddle as hard as you can. You almost... Read More

When Should I Sell?

People are always asking me when should I sell my stock or mutual funds?There are some relatively easy answers to this. In fact, so simple that you won't believe them, but they are things I have learned over the past 30 years as a professional trader on the floor of... Read More

Trading For A Living

How many times have you said to yourself, "I'd like to quit this job and just make a living trading in the stock market"? Well, maybe you can, BUT...There a few things to consider.First, you have to have enough money to generate the income you need for your daily expenses... Read More

The 1% Solution

You probably know the story of Sherlock Holmes and the 7% solution. He had a drug addiction. He needed the drug. He was able to control his addiction by taking the drug in a 7% concentration. Anyone with common sense knows you cannot survive on 7%. It is a slow... Read More

Pension Plans

If you have a pension plan at work you will want to read this and if you don't you will still want to because it affects your retirement account.There are two kinds of formal retirement plans that are set in place by employers. The least complicated is the Defined Contribution... Read More

Whos Calling?

Its dinnertime and the phone rings. It's Joe Noname with SuchNSuch Investment Company and has he got a deal for you.Joe wants to be friendly and engage you in a few not-too-personal questions just to break the ice before he gets into his too-good-too-be-true pitch. Stock, oil, Internet, telecommunications, you... Read More

Where Is The Rabbit?

We need a rabbit!This was a pretty horrible week for the market with two 100-point days and Friday closing on the lows.During these past few days Sir Alan told us things are looking up and the economy is basically strong. Mr. Market didn't hear him. It seems that jaw boning... Read More

When?

When will the stock market stop going down and start up again? If we knew that we'd all be jillionaires. So what do you do now while stocks are going down and stealing away your money every day?What does history tell us? Here is one very interesting fact. From 1920... Read More

Wall Street Paradigm

In 1960 an engineer working for a watch company in Switzerland discovered that a small crystal would vibrate at a constant rate. He found this was so accurate that it could be used to calibrate time so he took it to company management and said it would make an entirely... Read More

Time Out

Are you paying any attention to your retirement savings? Do you have it in cash or an account with a broker? Maybe you have a professional manager who is investing your money as you add to it every month.Is your account increasing in value every year? If it isn't why... Read More

The 10 Commandments

Wall Street has been preaching for years and years to investors how and where to put their money. The "experts" have put forth these ideas for so long that they seem to be carved in stone just like Moses did with God's 10 Commandments. The only difference is that what... Read More

Your Job

There are so many kinds of work that needs to be done and you are doing one of those jobs right now ? unless you are one of those two and a half million that have been laid off during the past 3 years. The press continues to blame China... Read More

Why Change Funds?

On November 17 I bought 7 different mutual funds and went to a 100% invested position. One of the funds I bought was Robertson Stevens Information Age (RSIFX) and it has made money as have the other six.My readers know I don't recommend buying individual issues. Instead I let the... Read More

Who Knows?

The Shadow knows. Remember him? It seems a shadow has a firm grip on this stock market. Since the terrible break in mid-April we had a rally and then a decline. Trying to choose a suitable stock or mutual fund has been like grasping at shadows.Two great Wall Street gurus,... Read More

Where Is The Beef?

Where is the beef? Or maybe it should be where is the bull? Market, that is? The chief investment strategists and analysts of the major brokerage houses have been promising us a new bull market.So far the bull hasn't come in from the distant pasture.Some of the cows have been... Read More

What To Buy?

Now that you have some money burning a hole in your pocket and the stock market is going up you have decided to buy some stock or maybe a mutual fund, but you have the momentous decisions to what to buy.At this point you have three decisions to make besides... Read More

VIX

No, this is not a symbol for some Latin number. The Wall Street mavens talk about this market timing device as if they knew how to use it to determine which way the stock market is going ? up or down. It is pretty obvious that brokers, analysts and financial... Read More

The Club

Yesterday I received my monthly issue of MONEY magazine. This issue has the special feature called "The Ultimate Investment Club" that highlights their picks for the top mutual fund managers. Let's see how their members made money for their shareholders.My readers know that the only thing that counts in my... Read More

Take The Time

You must take the time once a month to review your investment portfolio. It won't take long - less than one hour, maybe 15 minutes.I don't believe the average working person or business owner should own anything but mutual funds because these are the easiest to buy and evaluate. However,... Read More

Trading Stocks ?Never Forget About A Past Trade

We all know that emotions control every decision that an investor makes in any type of money related vehicle. Whether is be the stock market, real estate, art work or antiques, emotions ultimately set the final price on both sides of the transaction. Some investors have greater control over their... Read More

Trading Tips No 5: Stock Trading Curve Drawdown and Commitment

All stock trading and investing methods must deal with the inevitable drawdown from the most recent peak in one's stock trading curve to a bottom before reversing and making a new high. Seasoned systems traders are well familiar with the drawdown phenomenon and the importance of drawdown as a percentage... Read More

Trading Tips No 6: The High Cost of Low Cost Stock Market Information

It has been said that low cost or even free stock market information or trading advice can be the most expensive advice you can get. The meaning is clear. You get what you pay for.In order to win in the markets consistently, you must have a winning edge and you... Read More

Trading Tips No 8: Picking the Best Stock Market Price

Carefully thinking through your goal as a trader is of prime importance, when picking the best stock market price. It is very difficult if not impossible to meet a goal that is ill defined. Is your goal to trade frequently, irrespective of market conditions irregardless of what the stock market... Read More

Long Term Investing

In his wonderful book, 'Multiple Streams of Income', best selling author Robert Allen advises Investors to divide their Stock Market investment and trading capital into three portions -50% invested long term (forever) in an Index Fund, 30% invested in Accelerated Stock strategies and 20% in options or high risk investment... Read More

Starbucks Stock is Up

Starbucks earnings are up again and so is their stock slightly. It appears they are exporting America's weakness to caffeine and sugar around the world. This seems to serve the company's profits well and nations like China have quite an emerging population to sell to. Think of the exporting of... Read More

The Stock Market - How Just One Question Will Tell You All You Need To Know About Your Stock Broker

Last time we looked at the real performance of the stock market (we used the Dow Jones as a reference point) and the apparent performance that makes the headlines and can be seen by a casual look at a chart or "ballpark" figures - briefly; the Dow went up, for... Read More

The Stock Trading Plan - Why You Must Have One To Trade Successfully

This is the continuing story of our two imaginary traders, Peter and Paul.Peter is a professional trader, Paul is not. Peter has a tested, proven, written trading plan that he follows each time he enters a trade, Paul does not.Peter and Paul have had vastly different Stock trading experiences -... Read More

Trend Trading - Trading Stocks Using Technical Analysis and Swing Trading Strategies

Peter is a professional trader, Paul is not. Peter has a tested, proven, written trading plan that he follows each time he enters a trade, Paul does not. Peter has agreed to meet with Paul to help Paul become a more successful trader.Paul was early for his first appointment to... Read More

Option Spread Trading

Spread trading is a technique that can be used to profit in bullish, neutral or bearish conditions. It basically functions to limit risk at the cost of limiting profit as well.Spread trading is defined as opening a position by buying and selling the same type of option (ie. Call or... Read More

Structured Settlement; Lawyers in NY and Mutual Funds

Minority Report the movie may not be far off if the Head of the SEC has anything to say about it. At a Senate Banking Committee hearing on CSPAN, William Donaldson said that the beloved SEC can no longer sit back and "mop-up" after scandals break. This idea of Mopping... Read More

Hot Stock Trader: How to Pick Momentum Stocks with Ease and Simplicity

Most stock traders know that momentum trading can be a very profitable activity. You can make big amounts of cash in a short period of time. The problem is, that if you don't know what stocks to look for and how to approach them and leave everyting to chance, you... Read More

Investment Attorneys and Garbage Stocks

How is it possible that trash Companies are posting less than expected results? Trash Companies are thought of by prudish investors as some of the safest stocks to own. Ask Warren in his Buffet of Essays on Corporate America. Companies which service the needs of the people tend to stay... Read More

Investment Lawyers and Trash Stocks

The trash business in its efforts to cook their books trying to keep pace may find itself in some trouble. The efficiency per Garbage Truck unit numbers was growing exponentially at a time when consolidation has slowed as there is a decreasing number of worthy deals to make for a... Read More

Investing in Trash Company Stocks

Refuse is a serious issue in any society, about as serious as cleaning the water and air, even more so to some degree, especially if you study your history with regards to the plague. This is why it is considered one of the better long-term hold stocks to have in... Read More

Laws and Efficiencies and Theories of Diminishing Returns

The basis of diminishing return discussions surround such simple notions; that when you have a very fast aircraft, you also have coefficients of drag issues. When you are building a quarter mile car and want to go faster you must realize that for every tenth of a second you need... Read More

Red, Green, Yellow - or - Stop, Go, Go Very Fast: Which Describes Your Online Trading?

Ever notice how behavior in one area of life can apply to behavior in other areas of life? For example, I've noticed a number of things while driving that apply to online trading. One of them is regarding how people behave toward traffic signals.In the USA, where I live, all... Read More

Big Buildings Can Mean Big Economic Disaster

AS BUILDERS BEGIN WORK ON THE FREEDOM TOWER in New York City, to be the world's tallest building, economist Mark Thornton offers a history-based theory of the relation between super-buildings and the economy. Thornton surveyed economic performance worldwide following the completion of each of the world's tallest skyscrapers, and suggests... Read More

Seecrets on Investment: Tired of Making Huge Losses in the Stock Market ? Part 2

Fundamental analysis.Fundamentals analysis says the best way to predict the future trends of a stock is to understand the financial figures of the underlying company. The fundamental analyst would calculate a theoretical value of the company using cash flow analysis, recent dividends and earnings, future dividends and earnings projections plus... Read More

Overseas Investing: Going Against the Mainstream

TOO OFTEN, INVESTORS SIMPLY CHOOSE TO follow the crowd. This strategy works in the short term, but can lead to difficulty in the longer haul. It also prevents investors from finding the great opportunities that experts have missed.Most of the time, when the market is rising merrily, following the crowd... Read More

Dont Buy Worldcom! A Guide to Wise Bottom Fishing

Over the past few months, several investment professionals have brought up the topic of the down-and-out company of the day and whether to buy now as a speculation. Last year, K-Mart was the big news, and everyone wanted to know whether this was a good stock play. Today the news... Read More

Value Investing: Selecting From The Bargain Bin

Picking a beaten-down stock requires a different kind of selection process. Normally, most companies beaten down this far have no earnings to speak of. Of course, if the company continues to earn money, one can apply normal valuation techniques. By that measure, many of these stocks appear outrageously undervalued: an... Read More

The Stock Market is a Roller Coaster: Prepare for the Ups and Downs

IT'S REMINISCENT OF THE OLD children's tale about an old Chinese farmer who tells his friends his story, and they enjoin with "That's good" or "That's bad" on alternating lines:Farmer: My horse ran away.Friends: That's bad.Farmer: She came back with a majestic stallion by her side.Friends: That's good.Farmer: My son... Read More

Analyzing Growth Stocks: An Important Focus For Any Investor

Analyzing growth stocks is an important focus for any investor. This is especially important, since stocks are an irreplaceable part of any good investment plan, and since unbiased stock research is hard to find. Still, we need to look at the big picture once in a while. Since so much... Read More

Exchange Traded Funds Primer

Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs) are a group of passive index funds that trade on an exchange like an individual stock. At the time of writing there are 162 ETFs with $220 billion in assets under management trading on U.S. exchanges.ETFs hold a basket of securities that mimic the results of... Read More

Stock Market Investments

If there is one term over-used when talking about making investments in the stock market I would think that term would be: buy low, sell high.Buy low? Sell high? How low is low and how high is high? I like the term buy low, sell dear, much better! But better... Read More

Stock Options Trading Strategies - Lean

Professional stock options traders use the term lean to refer to one's perception about the directional strength of the stock. When you own a stock option and intend to hold it for a period of time, you are aware that you will probably be holding it while it goes up... Read More

Stocks Options Trading

Let's assume that you want to make some serious money and you have chosen to take things into your own hands rather than depend upon a "professional trader" to make your trading decisions. This is usually only recomended if you can afford to lose the money that you are trading... Read More

How to Read an Annual Report

Every publicly traded company is required by the SEC(Securities and Exchange Commission) to provide annual reports to it's shareholders, and the general public as well. These annual reports contain very important financial information, as well of summaries of the companies progress made by the CEO, board members, etc. I use... Read More

Hedge Fund Advertising

Have you seen all those big full page ads for hedge funds in the Wall Street Journal, the Financial Times, Investors Business Daily? You haven't. Maybe they are being drowned out by the regular mutual funds who continually tell you how great they are.Shucks! I forgot. Hedge funds are not... Read More

Online Investing & Online Stock & Share Trading: Difficulty in Taking Stop Losses in the Market

This is an extract of an article which was first printed in Daryl Guppy's Newsletter Tutorials in Applied Technical Analysis on 26 March 2005 and is reprinted here with his permissionA stop loss is a predetermined exit point. When a trade is first planned, the stop loss is designed to... Read More

Online Investing & Stock & Share Trading: 4 Reasons Why Most Online Investors & Traders Go Broke

Are you attracted to the idea of being in control of your financial future, but confused about how to start investing in the stock or share market, while avoiding costly mistakes?Or maybe you're disappointed with your performance so far?Does it sometimes feel like every time you take the plunge and... Read More

Quality Investment Information: Standing Firm In the Face of Opposition

THERE'S SOMETHING TO BE SAID FOR standing firm in the face of opposition. Interestingly, most of the best stock decisions have come at times when the mainstream is saying precisely the opposite. Predictions like these can be valuable if one is to build an investment strategy around their view of... Read More

Buy and Hold Investment Strategy

"Buy and hold" is one of the most heralded investment strategies promoted today. "Buy and hold" is also one of the few investment methods where you are guaranteed to lose money 2 out of every 5 years...so why do it?Before expanding on the questionable value of "buy and hold", it's... Read More

Stock Investment Advice

Stock investment advice is easy to find. Do you get cold called by brokers with the latest investment tip? I have, as have countless others around the globe. And many of us have lost a lot of money to these people. So, how can you avoid some of these pitfalls?In... Read More

Robert Rodriguez Weathers the Stock Market

Robert Rodriguez likes to buy stocks at their lows. When there are not enough stocks hitting new lows, he closes his fund and piles up cash. This is what he has been doing lately. His moves deserve attention for good reasons, his $1.7 billion FPA Capital Fund has averaged an... Read More

Market Experience of a Naïve Stock Operator

Sometime in the third quarter of 1997, someone told me that I should play the stock market. Knowing nothing about the stock market, I turned to some colleagues to seem to know a lot about it. Following their advice, I opened an account with a stock brokerage company. Well, up... Read More

Stocks & Oil, Sat Jun 18th, 2005

Both the stock market and oil prices rallied recently, which seems to be a paradox, because high oil prices are negative for earnings (i.e. a higher production cost and a higher consumer tax). However, the stock market was worried about another "soft patch," of slower economic growth, and the sharp... Read More

Understanding a Stocks PEG Ratio

A PEG ratio cannot be used alone but is a very powerful tool when integrated with the basics (price, volume and chart reading). You must enjoy crunching numbers and have a calculator handy to estimate your own PEG ratio. Access to quality statistical information from the web such as past... Read More

Stock Market Investing: Knowing When (and when not) to Sell

One of the greatest challenges of investing in stocks is developing a "sell discipline". Some of the most adept investors struggle with the decision of when to sell.First, recognize that there are no absolute formulas to tell us to sell at precisely the right time. Instead, we'll need to consider... Read More

Stock Market Volatility

In my opinion, due to the volatility of stock market prices (the rise and fall of stock prices), an investment plan should incorporate both the traits of stick-to-itiveness and common sense, and must have an advantageous, predetermined approach for maximizing each investment in the stock market.Stick-to-itiveness and common sense ?... Read More

Learn to Calculate a Stock?s Pivot Point

Stocks breakout from properly formed bases everyday but many investors don't understand how to locate a pivot point or what patterns to study that may contain this very important buy signal. A pivot point can be described as the optimal buy point or the area at the end of a... Read More

Online Broker Trade History Not Doing the Job

Let me start by saying that...Most online brokers do not make it easy for their clients!There are absolutely no standards for trade history reporting from one broker to the next. This presents a real challenge for any trader who wants to analyze his or her trade history.How does one get... Read More

Trading vs Investing

I often hear from people, "I don't trade. I invest. I buy a mutual fund and I hold it". Mr. Investor, did you know you are trading on a regular basis? Are you aware that mutual fund managers are changing their positions by selling certain stocks and buying others?Mutual funds... Read More

Price Targets

Every day in any financial publication you will find the Wall Street mavens giving their predictions on many stocks. It was issued here and should go there. It is now undervalued and is worth that much more. Really?Has anyone gone back to check out these predictions? I haven't, but I... Read More

Lemmings Are Gathering

Before they go over the cliff to their destruction these little furry ones get together for a party and celebration. Each tells the other how smart he has been with his investments and buying and selling of stocks and real estate.Wait a minute. Did I say lemmings? I think I... Read More

Shadow Bull

As one of my regular readers you know I have been a stock market bear for the past 2 years and have encouraged everyone to put their money into a money market account or a short-term no-load bond fund and for the more adventurous what is called a bear mutual... Read More

Nest Eggs and Omelets

Do you have a nest egg? You know, a place you are stashing away money for the future - retirement, down payment on a house, the kids education. That kind of thing. How're you doing?If you have been putting it in the stock market you have been watching it get... Read More

Stock Insurance

You have a lock on your house. You have a lock on your car. You have a lock on your tool shed. Do you have a lock to protect your stock market investments?Maybe you have a safe at home for your valuables such as jewelry, rare coins, special documents and... Read More

Overvalued & Underbought

With all the bad news that has been dumped upon the economy for some reason the stock market is going up. Why?The SEC (Securities and Exchange Commission) has just set up new guidelines for core earnings. No more proforma computations. You know what proforma means - the company CEO or... Read More

The Cub; II

We keep hearing about this bear market and that the bottom is "in" or "very close" so we should be invested in these bargain basement prices to take advantage of the next bull so we won't lose out on the expected huge profits.This is not a big bear market -... Read More

Patterns

The Law of Chaos is the theory of random unpredictable action applied to the cosmos, mathematics, mechanics, almost everything. Those who believe it will definitely think the stock market is in chaotic state at this time. Don't you believe it.When I was a floor trader people would ask me how... Read More

Municipal Bonds

Because there are so many stocks that are NOT paying dividends and also going down people are looking for a safe investment that will pay a decent return and also won't lose money. Slowly folks are beginning to think about bonds of which there are all kinds.Cities and counties have... Read More

This Market Is Different

All of the talking heads have been telling us that this market is different. You are going to have to be patient and soon (hopefully in your lifetime) the DOW and the Nasdaq will be back at their old highs. They cite all the statistics about how the economy is... Read More

Mutual Funds are Dead

You may have wondered why your mutual funds have been going down for the past 2 years. The answer is very simple, but not one you will hear from Wall Street as they want you to send money.In order for stock mutual funds to go up you must have a... Read More

I Love You, Warren Buffet

Sometime around 1980, can't remember exactly, there was a flight of money from many countries to Switzerland. The clock makers had so much money pouring in that the banks took interest rates to zero and even for a period of time were actually making you pay ½% interest to them... Read More

How to Pick Winning Stocks

There is nothing more exciting than finding an undervalued stock and seeing it explode out of nowhere rising in value 100% or more in a few weeks. Some stocks can move as much as 1000% in a year and?. Even after the stock market crashed in 2000, some stocks still... Read More

Smart Day Trading Strategies to Help You Make Money in the Stock Market

Stock trading can be a very profitable activity. You can make big amounts of cash in a short period of time. The problem is, that if you don't know what stocks to look for and how to approach them and leave everyting to chance, you could end up wasting money... Read More

Understanding Stock Market Indexes

A stock market index is a statistical measure of changes in the securities markets. An index represents a portfolio of securities traded on the market that is considered to be reasonably representative of the market as a whole. Each index has its own method of calculation. It is generally expressed... Read More

Hedge Funds: the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

Alfred Winslow Jones started hedge funds in 1949. He was a pioneer of non-traditional investment strategies. "Non-traditional" categorizes hedge funds quite accurately. Hedge funds have the potential to make an investor quite a bit of money, but many do not understand the nature of hedge funds. Hedge funds have undergone... Read More

Two for the Money

Look back over the years and try to remember how many different stocks and mutual funds you have owned. Suppose you had owned only 2 different equities during that entire time. One when the market was going up and the other when the market was going down.And you always make... Read More

Stock Market Investing Odds

The greatest stock market myth is the idea that investing in stocks is a form of gambling!The financial markets are often compared to a casino. Put some money on X stock and you might as well be playing craps!If that's your impression, and it's keeping you out of the markets,... Read More

Stocks: Understand What You Buy!

"There is nothing more frightful than ignorance in action!" Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749 - 1832)I don't really know how cars actually work. Not really! I know how to drive them, but if you asked me how they work, I would not really know how to definitely explain it.That small... Read More

The Stock Market Doesnt Care if You are a Beginner?. Get Prepared to Succeed at Trading

Stock trading remains a very competitive field and the stock market doesn't care if you are an experienced stock trader or an aspiring one. The rules and the trading opportunities are the same for all of us, so either youre going to make money when you pick a stock and... Read More

E-mini Day Trading - Day Trading for Beginners - Stock Market Timing Software

I mean it when I say that. While plastic silverware is fine for picnics and parties, it is totally inappropriate in a surgeon's hand with an open brain in front of him. Not only are plastic forks built incorrectly to perform delicate surgery, their cheap construction may actually cause further... Read More

Online Trading Strategy: Collecting Cash when Stocks Go UP - It PAYS to Know More than Others

When it comes to stock market trading it PAYS to have more knowledge than the rest of the pack. Pure gold can be harvested in each profitable trade that you accomplish.But when you don't know what you are doing stock trading can become a very difficult and life consuming business.... Read More

Wal-Mart: Discount Store, Discounted Stock?

As GuruFocus updates the stock buys and sells of gurus, Wal-Mart (WMT), the discount retail giant, stands out as the stock with a high ValueRank (7 out of 10). Just recently, Clipper Fund's James Gipson and T. Rowe Price Equity Income Fund's Brian Rogers bought Wal-Mart.Oakmark's legendary fund manager Bill... Read More

Stock Market Course .... Day Trader Online Seminar ... Can You Generate Profits Trading from Home?

When it comes to stock market trading it PAYS to have more knowledge than the rest of the pack. Pure gold can be harvested in each profitable trade that you accomplish.But when you don't know what you are doing stock trading can become a very difficult and life consuming business.... Read More

The Skinny on Mutual Fund Investing

Mutual fund investing is a lot like Thai cooking. Everyone has heard of it, most know a little something about it, but very few actually know how to do it and do it well. To invest in mutual funds wisely, it is important to have a good grasp on what... Read More

Understanding the Bulls and the Bears

If you've ever flipped on the television to CNN Financial or paged through the finance section of your local newspaper, you may have seen or heard references made to "the bulls and the bears." If you didn't know what was meant by those terms, you're about to find out. I... Read More

Discover the Retirement Breakthrough the Federal Government Created for You - The Roth IRA!

If you don't know what a Roth IRA is then stop everything, print this article and read it carefully as this will certainly be the most valuable information you read this year. This next retirement account is to your net worth what light bulb was to electricity. Let me tell... Read More

Will the Stock Market be Lower in October?

The stock market often closes a week in the middle of a "perceived primary-trend range." SPX closed at about 1,234 Fri, which is between a multi-year Fibonacci level at 1,253 (i.e. 38.2% retracement level from the peak in 2000 to the trough in 2002) and the 20 day MA at... Read More

A Stock Market Investment Strategy

I feel that an investment strategy in the stock market can instill in the individual investor not only an assured confidence in all future stock market investments, but also an almost Zen-like sense of peace and well being. A stock market investment strategy spelled out, proven, and instilling within the... Read More

The 401(K): How The Insider Has Stolen Your Retirement!

Mutual funds were moderately successful in creating a presence in the stock market until the advent of the investment retirement account and in particular the 401(k). Corporate insiders persuaded the federal government to allow for the 401(k) in lieu of offering employees the traditional pension. When this happened the employees... Read More

Mutual Funds: The Modern Den of Thieves!

Mutual funds were created with the idea that one person can specialize and manage the investments of a large pool of money from multiple investors. Before the great depression mutual funds were called investment pools and mutual fund managers were called pool operators. The bull market of the 1920's created... Read More

What the SEC Really Thinks About Mutual Funds!

Let's go into the details of why non-indexed mutual funds are such a bad deal. When Arthur Levitt became the head of the Security Exchange Commission in 1993 he had to sell off all of his individual stocks so that people would not claim that he was doing any dirty... Read More

Stock Market Education; Day Trading for Beginnners; How to Pick Stocks

The trading method you employ to approach the stock market can make a big difference in your results.Stock trading is a very competitive field and in order to succeed you need to FOCUS on a set of simple strategies that you can implement without hesitation.The real "secret" of the stock... Read More

Some Good News for A Change

Before we get into all the good news out there, let us first take a look at what the term "news" really means. By definition, the term "news" means the exception to the norm. If it is expected to happen then it is not news. If it differs from the... Read More

Dont Lose All Your Money

That sounds like good advice doesn't it? Don't lose all your money.After all what is an investor without funds in the brokerage account? Hint: BROKE!On the subject of investing, this means getting out of a trade when it goes against you. Don't lose all your money. This is the MOST... Read More

Choosing a Stock Broker

If you were to find that you had some severe illness that required surgery, would you attempt to perform that surgery upon yourself? What if your car broke down and needed a valve job? Would you get out the Craftsman tool set you got for Christmas three years ago and... Read More

So, What is This Stock Market Thing Anyway?

We've all heard of the stock market and probably have a general idea of what it is and how it works either from high school economics classes, television financial reports, and the countless film depictions of what happens on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange. But how does... Read More

On Line Stock Trading: Small Cap & Micro Stocks Go Up and Down - How Can You Profit?

Success in small cap & micro cap stock trading like with any other business in life comes from being able to see the big picture and from paying attention to the small details.Let's say for example that you are a business owner and you have a jewelry store on a... Read More

Hot Stock Investing ... How to Pick Hot Stocks with Momentum Stock Trading

Profitable day traders recognize that momentum trading is among the fastest & most effective ways to harvest BIG piles of cash in the stock market.The problem is that if you don't know what stocks to look for and how to approach them while limiting your risk, you won't even get... Read More

What the Hell is a Stock option?

A 'stock option' is a contract between two parties giving the buyer (also known as the 'taker') the right, but not the obligation, to either buy or sell a specific quantity of shares at a pre-agreed price (known as the 'strike price' or 'exercise price') by a certain future 'expiry'... Read More

Are You A Stockaholic?

Today's society gives special recognition to alcoholics, sexaholics, binge-aholics, shopaholics, chocaholics and other "-aholics". What about stockaholics? Stockaholics are people who are overly obsessive about their stock market investments.As approximately 50% of U.S. households directly or indirectly invest in the stock market, it is likely that there already exists a... Read More

Is the Stock Market for You?

Many people would like to diversify their portfolios to expand their holdings. Making it big in the stock market has been a dream for many people who want to strike it rich. Many movies and books have been made portraying the ins and outs of the stock market, for some,... Read More

Trade Stocks for Real

I read a comment by a forum member on another site earlier today that suggested that every investor should back test their system for at least twenty years. I disagree and will now tell you why. Back testing and paper trading seem to be the most over emphasized techniques offered... Read More

The Problem With Hedge Funds

Are hedge funds a suitable investment for you? Hedge funds are an appropriate investment for qualified purchasers with a net worth above one million dollars and an annual income exceeding two hundred and fifty thousand dollars. Purchasers are often required to sign an acknowledgement confirming their qualifications to invest in... Read More

A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Stock Market

On the 40 year journey through the turmoil of a volatile stock market I've noticed "P/E Ratios," "Consensus Estimates," " Bull and Bear Markets," stock ratings of 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, star ratings of 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. Also, stock ratings of "buy," "strong buy," "sell," "hold;" stock... Read More

Oil Stocks As A Long Term Investment

The demand for world oil is increasing while world reserves are decreasing. This is a known fact. The current price of oil can certainly confirm this statement. Consensus also agrees that we will never see $25.00 oil again. The logical conclusion to our above statement is oil stocks should be... Read More

Selling Strategies - Setting a Stop Loss

Sometimes the best way of lowering exposure to risk is not to invest at all! However, when we make the decision to jump into the muddy waters of the stock market, its always a good idea to have a life jacket ready, just in case.We all have stories of that... Read More

Small-Cap Stocks: The Beginning of the Journey

When an individual investor wants to roll up his sleeves and do some research in the pursuit of the next big winner in the stock market, the place many start is in the small cap sector.As with the other capitulation sizes (capitalization is a stock's market value), no one can... Read More

Mid-Cap Stocks: Asset Class with an Identity Crisis

Much like the middle child, mid-cap stocks have long struggled to find their identity. Carved out from the upper echelons of the small caps and the lower end of the large caps, the mid-cap sector has a rough definition of stock with a market capitalization of greater than $2 billion,... Read More

The Exclusive Club of Large Caps

Picture one of those clubs where only the real heavyweights need apply. In the library the old aristocrats, General Motors and JP Morgan, are dozing in their leather chairs. On the terrace, a late luncheon is underway for those who have only improved their standing through marriage. ExxonMobil and Citigroup... Read More

Living Trust Investing: Income Considerations when the Grantor Dies

A common problem I often see when working with living trust beneficiaries and trustees is the lack of attention in rethinking income strategies in the event of the grantor's death.When the grantor of a living trust dies, the trustee (especially a family member or close friend) sometimes feels reluctant to... Read More

Dividend Reinvestment Plans: Investing on Automatic Pilot

If you're like many investors who squander those small dividend checks from your stock portfolio, a Dividend Reinvestment Plan (DRP) might be just what you need. Just as its name implies, a Dividend Reinvestment Plan allows you to reinvest some or all of those dividends into more stock of the... Read More

Is Active Trading The Answer?

One of the main reasons many of us get into investing is to become financially independent. Who isn't trying to amass a portfolio with enough income to ensure that we don't have to work when we should be playing golf or traveling the world. While there are several strategies to... Read More

A Stock Market Investment Plan that Never Lets You Down

The bulls and bears of the stock market are both tempting and scary to the investors. Speculators are enchanted by the stock market's potential to help them in making quick money with a big M. While those who tread with care and caution, often shy away for fear of losing.... Read More

The Importance of Using Stop Loss Orders When Spread Trading the Financial Markets

A Guide to Using Stop Loss Orders Stop losses are market orders designed to allow you to limit your losses.When you place a stop loss you are instructing the spread betting company or stock broker to cut your position when it reaches a certain loss level (or in some cases,... Read More

How to Short Stocks? How to Make Money when Your Stocks Go Down by Shorting

The stock market can present you with a lot of hot stocks every day. Many of them are new technology stocks that come from the nanotech, biotech, voip, healthcare, homeland defense or internet sectors.Most of them may seem promising, but the truth is that a good number of these trading... Read More

Parachute Investing

Ever jumped out of an airplane? It's OK if you have on a parachute. Pretty dumb if you don't.Every buy any stocks, mutual funds or Exchange Traded Funds? It's OK if you know how much you are willing to risk. Pretty dumb if you don't.Parachute investing is buying an equity... Read More

Why Technical Indicators

The fight continues to rage among traders who use technical indicators and those who prefer fundamental information to establish new positions and to exit current positions.The fundamentalist believe in knowing all the facts about a company such as price earnings ratios, sales growth, product margins, management capabilities, cost of production,... Read More

Mutual Fund Commissions

You have heard about a particular mutual fund from a friend, saw it advertised on TV or read about it in some publication thought it would be a good buy. Next you call your broker to get his advice before you buy because he is an expert and is there... Read More

Jack and Jill

Jack and Jill went up the hill to fetch a bucket of ?money. Money? They are continuing to fill their bucket with stocks without any consideration to the value of these equities. They are not worried at all as they are buying "safe" mutual funds.Everyone knows mutual funds are safe.... Read More

KISS Formula

There are formulas for just about everything, but it has been shown that the simpler the formula or method of doing a particular task the better it works. It has evolved down to KISS ? Keep It Simple Stupid.This also applies to trading in the stock market. There are literally... Read More

Why Investors Use Financial Planners

Do you have a financial planner? Does one of your friends have a financial planner? Maybe you take your advice from your broker. As I have said countless times before a broker will make you broker. And a financial planner won't do any better. I know. You thought they would.Let's... Read More

Series 7 Exam

What is the Series 7 Exam? If you are looking to become a licensed Stockbroker, you need to know about the Series 7. The Series 7 is a 250 question exam that when passed, licenses you to act as a Registered Representative. Persons who receive this... Read More

Stock Market System ... ONLINE STOCK TRADING ... Beyond Day Trading Basics & Tips

Day trading is all about making buy and sell decisions. When you make a trade either your going to lose money or your going to make money, and some other times you will break even. When you win some body else will lose and so forth, but that's NOT what's... Read More

Different Ways of Buying Stocks

Let's say you are interested in this one company. You read its annual report, like what you see and your calculation indicates that the stock is trading way below its fair value. You are excited. It is time to buy! Hang on for a second. There are several techniques of... Read More

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Do You Know What is the Single MOST Critical Mistake in Trading the Stock Market??

Well maybe that's overstating it a little, but it's certainly one of the most important.It is?(drum roll please)? "the need to be right"!Now that probably wasn't what you were expecting.... Read More

How to Evaluate Load vs. No Load Mutual Funds

If you have been dealing with mutual funds for any length of time, you undoubtedly have faced the question of which is better: Load Funds or No Load Funds. If... Read More

How To Make, And Keep, Money Trading Stocks

If you are serious about making and keeping money by trading stocks, then there are three things you need to do, and do well.Money managementOrdersTrading systemMoney managementMoney management comes first.... Read More

Again With the Bubbles?

A few years back ? it seems like an eternity today ? the U.S. stock market experienced a severe bubble burst. Legitimate stocks rose beyond reasonable valuations and ideas merely... Read More

Paddle Your Canoe

At some time in your life you have been on a river in a canoe and hopefully you had a paddle. You know about being up the creek without one.You... Read More

Trading Education: The Best of Both Worlds!

I made my very first investment in the stock market when I was ten years old. Ever since then I have been hooked! Now I check out hundreds of trades... Read More

The Importance of Using Stop Loss Orders When Spread Trading the Financial Markets

A Guide to Using Stop Loss Orders Stop losses are market orders designed to allow you to limit your losses.When you place a stop loss you are instructing the spread... Read More

Stock Market Investing Odds

The greatest stock market myth is the idea that investing in stocks is a form of gambling!The financial markets are often compared to a casino. Put some money on X... Read More

The Shadow

The Shadow knows. There used to be a radio program called The Shadow where the hero, Lamont Cranston, the Shadow, would overcome the shadowy forces of doom by clouding the... Read More

What Our Investment Advisor Wont Say Off The Bat

Most advisors will tell you they can beat the market. They may even point to years in which they did. But now you will learn the little known fact that... Read More

Social Insecurity

Just about everything you have been told about Social Security is an obfuscation. That is a big word for convoluted truth or lie.In a recently published obscure government document by... Read More

Mutual Fund Commissions

You have heard about a particular mutual fund from a friend, saw it advertised on TV or read about it in some publication thought it would be a good buy.... Read More

The 1% Solution

You probably know the story of Sherlock Holmes and the 7% solution. He had a drug addiction. He needed the drug. He was able to control his addiction by taking... Read More

Analyzing Growth Stocks: An Important Focus For Any Investor

Analyzing growth stocks is an important focus for any investor. This is especially important, since stocks are an irreplaceable part of any good investment plan, and since unbiased stock research... Read More

Forces that Move Stock Prices

Among the largest forces that affect stock prices are inflation, interest rates, bonds, commodities and currencies. At times the stock market suddenly reverses itself followed typically by published explanations phrased... Read More

Stock Market Investing: Knowing When (and when not) to Sell

One of the greatest challenges of investing in stocks is developing a "sell discipline". Some of the most adept investors struggle with the decision of when to sell.First, recognize that... Read More

Gold Fever

Right now there doesn't seem to be any "gold fever". Very few are out looking to strike it rich in this sector.Way back when at Sutter's Mill in California the... Read More

Stops Make Money

During the day I watch CNBC-TV, the stock market channel. Fortunately, I keep the sound muted or I would be hollering at the dumb "experts" being interviewed. The experts seem... Read More

How to Short Stocks? How to Make Money when Your Stocks Go Down by Shorting

The stock market can present you with a lot of hot stocks every day. Many of them are new technology stocks that come from the nanotech, biotech, voip, healthcare, homeland... Read More

Selling

The stock market has been going up for more than 7 months and many investors who held on through the big crash of 2000 are seeing their portfolios get back... Read More