10/20/08

Economics

This Week’s Data

Other

An up date on the Baltic Dry Index (indicator of world commerce):

http://bigpicture.typepad.com/comments/2008/10/baltic-dry-inde.html

Chart porn on bank liquidity:

http://econompicdata.blogspot.com/2008/10/liquidity-provided-to-banks-doubles.html

An update on the impact of rising (falling) commodity prices on the consumer:

http://bespokeinvest.typepad.com/bespoke/2008/10/commodities-fro.html

And a close look at lower gasoline prices:

http://mjperry.blogspot.com/2008/10/falling-gas-prices-save-consumers-188.html

Good news on LIBOR:

http://econompicdata.blogspot.com/2008/10/frozen-markets-become-slushy-libor-down.html

Politics

Domestic

A look at McCain and Obama’s tax plans:

http://www.american.com/archive/2008/october-10-08/dollars-and-sense

Chuck Hagel as secretary of defense:

http://www.powerlineblog.com/archives/2008/10/021822.php

International War Against Radical Islam

The Market

Technical

This is a great read for anyone that invests (must read):

http://traderfeed.blogspot.com/2008/10/when-good-trading-leads-to-bad-trading.html

A look at past lows:

http://traderfeed.blogspot.com/2008/10/will-we-know-when-weve-made-low.html

A week with the volatility index:

http://econompicdata.blogspot.com/2008/10/vix-it-has-been-heck-of-week.html

Weekly update of indicators from Traderfeed:

http://traderfeed.blogspot.com/2008/10/indicator-update-for-october-20th.html

82 of the S&P 500 have reported third quarter earnings as of the close Friday. Their dollar weighted earnings have decline 9.1%; however, 59% of the companies reporting have been expectations.

Fundamental

Buffett’s New York Times editorial:

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/17/opinion/17buffett.html?_r=1&ref=opinion&oref=slogin

Subscriber Alert

The High Yield Portfolio will utilize the recent strength to Sell the small remainders of its holdings in Magellan Midstream Ptrs (MMP) and Nustar Energy (NS).

News on Stocks in Our Portfolios

Positive comments on the coal stocks (Peabody Energy--Aggressive Growth Portfolio):

http://www.zacks.com/newsroom/commentary/index.php?id=8895

A positive write up on Lowe’s (Aggressive Growth Portfolio):

http://www.thestreet.com/p/_htmlrmd/rmoney/retail/10442810.html

Schlumberger (Aggressive Growth Portfolio) reported third quarter earnings per share of $1.25 versus expectations of $1.29 and $1.09 recorded in the third quarter of 2007.

Stryker (Aggressive Growth Portfolio) reported third quarter earnings per share of $.66 versus estimates of $.67.

Positive comments on CR Bard (Dividend Growth Portfolio):

http://www.zacks.com/newsroom/commentary/index_pdf.php?id=8915

VF Corp (Dividend Growth Portfolio) raised its quarterly dividend per share from $.58 to $.59.

Kinder Morgan Energy Ptrs (High Yield Portfolio) raised its quarterly cash distribution from $.99 to $1.02.

More Cash in Investors’ Hands