This year has been undeniably slow for any investor looking for IPO activity. Just over a dozen companies have gone through a 2009 IPO, compared to 35 last year. The trend to inactivity hasn’t been stopped, despite rising stock prices. Oddly enough, IPOs are booming in private markets, where businesses aren’t burdened with costly regulations and accounting rules. Read more…
The new climate change bill threatens virtually every business, consumer and citizen with higher prices for virtually every product. The new legislation could send energy prices skyrocketing and big business out of the United States. To put it simply, the new climate change bill is a tax on productivity, one we don’t need considering the current state of affairs in the US economy. Read more…
First time home buyers are out in force. Once recent study concluded that 20% of all home shoppers were motivated by the credit, adding a significant number of people to a near deserted real estate market. But all may not be well, the home buyer tax credit has long withstanding implications on the future of the US economy. Read more…
The stimulus package wasn’t a small measure, and as such it has a very big influence on the wellbeing of the economy. It was just four months ago that the nation would face economic peril were the stimulus left unpassed. But today, only 6% of all funds released through the program have been spent, and most projects won’t even begin until 2010. Read more…
Generally when the government gets involved in any business, its bad, but never for Wall Street. This time, as it pertains to healthcare, I honestly have no idea what might make a great investment. We know it won’t be the insurers, they’re going to have to compete with a company that can post a loss. Maybe hospitals, but who knows how much regulation the healthcare bill might entail. Read more…
The US trade deficit has slowed to $30 billion per month. In April, the deficit was even lower to $29.2 billion, helped by a drop in the imports of foreign goods and lower commodity prices. The problem however, is soon to grow larger, due to a variety of market fluctuations. Read more…
Finally, helicopter Ben Bernanke is under scrutiny for the various issues that he and his cronies have orchestrated. Bernanke’s run as the inflation helicopter pilot may soon be over with two key events happening in Washington DC right now. Read more…
Congress is up to no good again. This time however, a million or so people are going to make out like bandits, and so are the car companies. A new cash for clunker program from Congress will give people up to $4500 to trade in an existing car for a higher MPG new car. That’s a deal, especially if you’re driving just plain garbage. Read more…
Making money in the stock market requires you know what’s going on, unless of course you subscribe to the random walk theory. But is it about being right, or is it about being first, or is it being right first? Read more…
At first I thought currency ETFs were rather interesting. They were the only way to get into currencies without a forex account or a brokerage account, which very few stock traders actually possess. If anything I would have expected these funds to gain a lot of traction, especially with how volatile the currency markets are right now. A look into why they’re disappearing and what may be next for currency ETFs. Read more…
Treasury bubble began to burst in early May. With the next two treasury auctions of long dated maturities on June 10-11 and early July, the 10 and 30 year could take a real beating. Proshares TBT ETF has been popular lately. Direxion just came out with a similar product, TMV. This could benefit someone if they feel like rolling the dice.
The stock market may have improved, but that is simply the value of companies, not the value of the economy. The vital signs of the US economy may as well be running flat, the automakers are going into bankruptcy, banks can legally “cook the books” and there are some very scary things happening in the market as we speak. Here’s just four signs the economy isn’t getting better… Read more…
