The “fiscal cliff” continued to dominate the markets. The markets shed nearly 2% for the week. The Dow and S&P 500 were down five straight days. All thirty components of the DJIA were negative on Friday. Friday’s post market close behavior of the index futures was very disconcerting. All the…
Well, I am sitting here in Detroit with family enjoying the holiday. Yesterday we got dumped on with several inches of snow and wind causing some pretty big drifts. First big snow of the season. Kids of course loved it and admittedly, so did I. Snow around Christmas is always…
It was an interesting week. Per usual, all eyes were on Washington and the negotiations to avoid the “fiscal cliff.” The rally over the past five weeks has been based on the assumption the Obama Administration and the GOP controlled House of Representatives could and would resolve their impasse before…
‘Twas the morn before Dec Ex and all through the street, Not an option was moving, not even the Greeks. The positions were saved in computers with care, In hopes that by day’s end profits would be there. When tuned to CNBC I saw such a clatter, I sprang…
Unlike the U.S. Congress, the FOMC managed to get some work done last week. The result of their talking to each other led to what is being characterized as QE4. The Fed tied 0% interest rates to specific unemployment and inflation goals. Additional good news came from Asian and European…
I love the Christmas season. There’s a radio station that starts to play Christmas songs around mid November nonstop. As soon as they start, it is the only station we listen to in the car until it stops around New Years. I love the lights and all the rest that…
This graphic is from the website “Friends of the US Chamber.” It is not unique. Similar countdowns are present on numerous other websites and as a constant on numerous financial TV broadcasts. Fellow mentor Steve Papale’s latest blog entry on “At the Margin Decisions” (http://blog.discoveroptions.com/2012/12/papale-at-margin-decisions/) is a very good look…
T minus 24 and counting. I am not a huge fan of CNBC or any of the financial talking head shows but I must admit I have been watching a bit more lately. And plastered at the bottom of the screen is a clock that is ticking down to the…
The markets inched higher showing gains for the second straight week. Market attention remains focused on the “fiscal cliff.’ A continuing game of “He said, he said” whipsawed the markets on a daily basis. The television pundits are taking “fearcasting” to new heights. A CNBC headline proclaimed “MARKETS IN CRISIS!”…
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