Dollars versus Euros, British Pounds versus Euros

If you think that the dollar has dropped substantially against the Euro, check out the above chart, which shows the U. S. Dollar (blue line) versus the Euro, and the British Pound (pink line) versus the Euro. As you can see, from the beginning of 2007, the British Pound has also taken a pretty significant hit.

By Fred Fuld at Stockerblog.com

Amazon Releases Top 10 Investing Editors' Picks

Amazon.com (AMZN) has just released its Editors' Picks for the year, for all book categories. Here are the top 10 books for Finance and Investing.

The Little Book of Common Sense Investing: The Only Way to Guarantee Your Fair Share of Stock Market Returns (Little Book Big Profits)

Invest Like a Shark: How a Deaf Guy with No Job and Limited Capital Made a Fortune Investing in the Stock Market

Wise Investing Made Simple: Larry Swedroe's Tales to Enrich Your Future (Focused Investor)

Your Money and Your Brain: How the New Science of Neuroeconomics Can Help Make You Rich

Hedge Hunters: Hedge Fund Masters on the Rewards, the Risk, and the Reckoning

Mobs, Messiahs, and Markets: Surviving the Public Spectacle in Finance and Politics (Agora Series)

Bonds: The Unbeaten Path to Secure Investment Growth

Crash Proof: How to Profit From the Coming Economic Collapse (Lynn Sonberg Books)

A Demon of Our Own Design: Markets, Hedge Funds, and the Perils of Financial Innovation

The Science of Getting Rich

Get Your Message Out in Times Square

You can now get your message printed on a piece of confetti and have it float down on the New Years Eve celebrants, along with a ton of all the other confetti. There are two ways to get your message out there. The first is by going to the Times Square Information Center. The second is by using the Internet: go to the "Wishing Wall Online" ( http://tinyurl.com/2c5efd )

Bond and Mortgage Insurers

With Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway (BRK-A) getting into the municipal bond insurance business, maybe it's time to take a closer look at the bond and mortgage insurers. Is Buffett getting in because he thinks the industry has hit bottom, or does he think that now is a good time to take advantage of the competition? Time will tell. All of the following have market caps over $1 billion.

MBIA Inc. (MBI) provides financial guarantees for municipal bonds, asset-backed and mortgage-backed securities, and other types of bonds and pools of assets. The stock has a P/E of 4.5 , a PEG of 0.44 , and a yield of 6.10%.

Ambac Financial Group, Inc. (ABK) provides financial guarantee insurance and credit enhancement products. The stock has a P/E of 11.5, a PEG of 0.28, and a yield of 2.9%.

MGIC Investment Corp. (MTG) is a provider of private mortgage insurance for home mortgages. Although the company has been generating negative earnings, the stock pays a yield of 0.40%.

PMI Group Inc. (PMI) is a provider of residential mortgage insurance and structured finance products in the U.S. and in several countries around the world. The stock has a P/E of 6, a PEG of 2.84, and a yield of 1.50%.

Old Republic International Corp. (ORI) insures first mortgage loans on residential properties. It also provides general insurance and title insurance services. The stock has a P/E of 10 , a PEG of 1.52 , and a yield of 4.10%.

Author has no positions in any of the above.

By Fred Fuld at Stockerblog.com

Warren Buffett Setting Up Muni Insurance Company

Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway (BRK-A) is setting up a municipal bond insurance business, which is expected to receive approval from New York Insurance Department on Monday. The company will be in competition with MBIA (MBI) and Ambac (ABK).

Wash Your Business Suit in a Shower

The Japanese clothing company, Konaka, is releasing its "Shower Clean" line of business suits in February. It you don't have time to take them to a dry cleaner, you can just wash them in a warm shower. On top of that, they don't even require ironing. The price range of the suits is expected to be around $250 to $500.

10 Worst Stock Exchanges

Lipper, a division of Reuters Group (RTRSY), just came out with its list of ten worst performing stock exchanges for 2007. The worst was Venezuela, which was down 29% (no surprise there), then Ireland at -25%, Japan at -10%, Sri Lanka, -8%, and Italy at -7%. In case you were wondering who the top performer is, it was China up 87% based on its local currency. None of the North American exchanges made the top five or the bottom ten.

Microsoft Suing for Typosquatting

Microsoft (MSFT) is suing Red Register, a domain name registrar, for typosquatting. Typosquatting is the practice of registering domains which are very similar to or misspellings of trademarked names. The typosquatters then post advertising on the resulting pages for which they receive advertising income. Red Register owns windowslivecare.com, msnmesnger.com, and ageofmathology.com.

Author owns MSFT.

First Apple iPhone Bill 300 pages: Wall Street Video of the Week

This Apple (AAPL) iPhone user received her iPhone bill in a box, containing 300 pages. A nice surprise for a first phone bill.

Author owns AAPL.

GPS Stocks: A Good Direction for your Portfolio?

One of the most popular items on Christmas lists this year were global positioning system [GPS] devices, also known as personal navigation devices [PND]. Many stores sold out of them in early December. What these devices do, in very simple terms, is use satellites to determine your longitude and latitude, basically telling you where you are and where you want to go. Although used in boats and aircraft, their fastest growing market is automobiles. See if any of these GPS related stocks can guide your portfolio in the positive direction.

Many of the the GPS companies are privately held, such as Magellan Navigation, Inc., one of the largest manufactures, along with a couple of the smaller players, such as DeLorme and Rand McNally & Company.

However, one big player in this industry is Garmin Ltd. (GRMN) which trades on NASDAQ and has about 50% of the North American personal GPS market, according to what the company reported in their latest earnings call. The stock has a P/E of 31, a PEG of 1.42, and even pays a yield of 0.7%.

The largest GPS manufacturer in Europe is Tomtom (TMOAF.PK), a Netherlands based producer of personal navigation systems which trades on the Pink Sheets in the United States. The stock has a P/E of 22.

NAVTEQ Corp. (NVT) provides digital map information, software and services to GPS systems and Internet mapping systems. The stock has a P/E of 48 and a PEG of 2.1.

Lowrance Electronics is one of the smaller manufacturers of GPS devices that was acquired by Simrad Yachting which is owned by Kongsberg (KGAUF.PK), which occasionally trades in the US on the Pink Sheets.

Trimble Navigation Ltd. (TRMB) makes GPS devices primarily for commercial and government users. The stock has a P/E of 33 and a PEG of 1.69.

SiRF Technology Holdings Inc. (SIRF) makes and sells semiconductor and software products for global positioning system and other location technologies devices. Although their earnings are currently negative, their stock's PEG is 0.94.

A more remote connection to GPS devices is Sandisk (SNDK) which makes the flash memory used in GPS devices. The stock has a P/E of 105, and a PEG of 0.93.

Tele Atlas NV (TLATF.PK), which provides mapping services for GPS systems, is being taken over by Tomtom.

Author does not own any of the above.

By Fred Fuld at Stockerblog.com

Dubai Company Investing in Sony

Dubai International Capital has purchased a substantial but as yet undisclosed stake in Sony (SNE), which trades on the New York Stock Exchange. This is their first Japanese investment.

Bill Gates Investing in Mexican Beer Company

Bill Gates, through Cascade Investments, has purchased over 10 million shares of the large Mexican beverage company, Fomento Econmico Mexicano, S.A.B de C.V (FMX). also known as FEMSA. FEMSA has three divisions, Coca-Cola FEMSA S.A.B. de C.V. (KOF), which is also a publicly traded NYSE company and distributes Coca Cola beverages; FEMSA Cerveza, S.A. de C.V., which distributes beer, including Sol, Dos Equis, and Tecate; and FEMSA Comercio, S.A. de C.V., which is a chain of convenience stores.

Author owns KOF.

$21 Million Trade Sanctions against the US by Antigua

When the US passed a law in October 2006 banning online gambling in Antigua and Barbuda, the small island nations complained to the World Trade Organization, which awarded them $21 million in trade sanctions.

Gisele Bundchen Stock Index Update

Gisele Bündchen, who was named by Forbes Magazine as the top earning supermodel, earned $33 million in 2006. Guinness World Records said that she is now the richest supermodel in the world. According to several news sources, she reportedly refused US dollars for some of her contracts, and requested Euros instead.

Back in July of this year, I developed the Gisele Bundchen Stock Index, which contained the stocks of companies that Gisele is connected with. At the time, her index was outperforming the stock market. I have updated the index for the year using today's prices for year end, and noticed that Gisele has continued to outperform the Dow Jones Industrial Average significantly. Gisele was up 29% for the year versus 6.5% for the Dow.

What is interesting to note is that when Gisele terminated her agreement back in May with Victoria's Secret, which is owned by Limited Brands Inc. (LTD), Limited was selling for $26.80 per share. The stock is now down to $18.36 per share, a 31.5% drop.

I have kept LTD in the index to be consistent for the year, but it is probably time for a change. Gisele recently signed a contract with Procter & Gamble Co. (PG), to promote their Pantene hair products. In addition, she is also working with Disney (DIS), dressed as Wendy from Peter Pan.

Components of the Gisele Bündchen Stock Index:

LVMUY.PK LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton S.A. owns several companies which Gisele is the spokesperson for, including Louis Vuitton (a luxury French fashion company), Givenchy ( French retailer of clothing, accessories, perfumes and cosmetics), Guerlain (the oldest perfume house in the world), and Céline.
AAPL Appeared on the 'Get a Mac' advertisements to promote the new line of Macintosh's.
LTD Victoria's Secret model, owned by Limited Brands. Note: On May 1st, 2007, Victoria's Secret announced that Bundchen had ended her contract with them.
RL Advertising campaign face for Ralph Lauren, owned by Polo Ralph Lauren Corp.
BULIF.PK Advertising campaign face for Bulgari, Italian jeweler and luxury goods retailer.
PPRUF.PK Celebrity endorsement - Balenciaga, a fashion house, owned by Gucci, owned by PPR SA.
VIV Celebrity endorsement - Vivo Participacoes S.A. largest mobile phone service provider in Brazil and in South America.
NWS Starred in the comedy, Taxi, in her movie debut, and The Devil Wears Prada, both produced by 20th Century Fox, a division of News Corp.
SNE Rumored to be starring in the upcoming Angels and Demons distributed by Sony.
VIA-B She won the the VH1/Vogue Model of the Year, VH1 owned by MTV Networks, which is owned by Viacom, Inc.
LGDDF.PK Lagardere Groupe SCA owns ELLE magazine, on which and in which Gisele's picture has appeared many times.

Assumptions:
This is a price-weighted index, similar to the Dow Jones Industrial Average.
Dividends were excluded.

Author owns AAPL and DIS.

By Fred Fuld for Stockerblog.com.

Top Year End Quarterly Dividend Stocks

With all the market volatility, investors are fleeing to income oriented stocks. At least if the stock goes down, the investors can receive and income while they are waiting for a recovery. Amazingly, there are twenty five stocks which pay their dividends quarterly that yield over 12.5%. And for all the stocks that have price earnings to growth ratios calculated, all but one have PEGs less than 2.0. The entire list quarterly stocks, can be downloaded in an Excel format at WallStreetNewsNetwork.comwhich you can change, add to and sort. For purposes of this analysis, closed end funds [CEFs], real estate investment trusts [REITs], and royalty trusts are considered stocks. Please note that many of these yields may not be sustainable. Also, these are quarterly dividend payers, not monthly dividend paying stocks.

One of the highest yielding CEF stocks on the list is SunAmerica Focused Alpha Growth Fund Inc. (FGF), which pays an outrageously high yield of 45.2%. This yield includes the year end distribution which is composed of short term capital gains along with dividends. The stock's P/E ratio is 6.4.

The highest yielding industrial stock [non-CEF, non-trust] on the list is USA Mobility Inc. (USMO), a wireless communications company based in Alexandria, Virginia, which yields 26%. This 380 million market cap stock has a P/E of 7.0.

One of the highest yielding finance companies on the list is Deerfield Triarc Capital Corp. (DFR), which yields 23.8%. They invest in residential and commercial mortgage-backed securities and other types of debt. Their P/E is 14.7, and the PEG is 0.4.

Nicholas-Applegate International & Premium Strategy Fund (NAI) is the highest yielding international CEF on the list, at a 23.6% yield. It invests in equities outside the United States. The P/E is 5.9.

The highest yielding bank on the list is Washington Mutual Inc. (WM), the Seattle, Washington bank holding company, which yields 15.3%. The stock has a P/E of 4.7 and a PEG of 1.93.

What would a high yield list be without a shipping stock. US Shipping Partners LP (USS) is the highest on the list with a yield of 13.3%. This oil and gas marine transportation company has a P/E of 47.8 and a PEG of 20.92.

For the rest of the list of quarterly high yielders, including one that has a yield of 72.8% and one with a yield of 52.2%, download the list at WallStreetNewsNetwork.com, which also has a list of the highest monthly dividend paying stocks.

Author does not own any of the above.

By Fred Fuld at Stockerblog.com

Will the Apple MacWorld Stock Coorelation Hold Up

Back in January 14, 2007, I wrote about the “MacWorld Expo Apple Stock Price Indicator” which I have been following for years. This is the stock trend of the rising price of Apple Computer stock as the San Francisco MacWorld Expo convention approaches. My previous articles described how in the previous five out of the last six years, Apple Computer stock (AAPL) has increased by at least 8% and as much as 37%, measured from November 15 to the last day of the Expo in January.

At the beginning of this year, the stock repeated its performance, rising about 13% from November 15 to the last day of the Expo on January 12. The overall average for the last six years during this two month time frame was an increase of 14%. What causes this to happen? Probably strong year-end sales of Apple products from holiday shopping, anticipation and release of new products to be released at the Expo, and the heavy promotion of the MacWorld Expo which is indirect stock promotion. As I mentioned in my last article, 'the product buzz created the stock buzz'.

The following table shows the results since 2001. A few notes about this analysis. This just looks at the 'effect' of the MacWorld Expo in San Francisco, not New York or Boston. If a date fell on a weekend, it was moved to the next business day to determine pricing. All prices were adjusted for splits and all returns rounded to the nearest percent.

11/15/2001 ...... 9.73 ..... 1/11/2002 ..... 10.52 ....... 8%
11/15/2002 ...... 7.97 ..... 1/10/2003 ...... 7.36 ...... -8%
11/15/2003 ..... 10.56 ...... 1/8/2004 ..... 11.50 ....... 9%
11/15/2004 ..... 27.62 ..... 1/14/2005 ..... 35.10 ..... 27%
11/15/2005 ..... 62.28 ..... 1/13/2006 ..... 85.59 ..... 37%
11/15/2006 ..... 84.05 ..... 1/12/2007 ..... 94.62 ..... 13%
11/15/2007 .....164.30 ..... 1/18/2008 ..... ?????
Average Return .................................................. 14%

The stock is already up about 19 points from where it was on November 15.

Keep in mind that past performance is not a guarantee of future results. No recommendation is expressed or implied.

Author owns AAPL.

By Fred Fuld at Stockerblog.com

Google, Microsoft and Yahoo Pay Gambling Settlement

Google (GOOG), Microsoft (MSFT), and Yahoo (YHOO), all of which trade on NASDAQ, have agreed to pay settlements totalling $31.5 million due to a civil settlement relating to online ads promoting illegal gambling.

Member of Parliament Accused of Not Being Real by Facebook

Facebook removed British Parliament member Steve Webb's page from their site because they though his profile was fake, in spite of the fact that Webb has been a big supporter of online networking. His page was eventually reinstated after complaints from Webb and his friends. Microsoft (MSFT), which trades on NASDAQ, owns 1.6% of Facebook.

Top Five Best Selling Investment Books

Here are the top selling books, according to Amazon, in the Business and Investing category.

Jim Cramer's Stay Mad for Life: Get Rich, Stay Rich (Make Your Kids Even Richer) by Jim Cramer

The Age of Turbulence: Adventures in a New World by Alan Greenspan

Freakonomics [Revised and Expanded]: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything by Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner

The 4-Hour Workweek: Escape 9-5, Live Anywhere, and Join the New Rich by Timothy Ferriss

The Black Swan: The Impact of the Highly Improbable by Nassim Nicholas Taleb

In case you are wondering what the number 6 book is, it is:

A Bull in China: Investing Profitably in the World's Greatest Market by Jim Rogers

Stock Market Kills Man

According to ChinaDaily, an 81 year old man, who was watching his stocks drop at the Shijiazhuang Stock Exchange, died of a heart attack. His doctor said that people with heart disease should exercise care before investing in stocks.

Moon Real Estate Outperforming US Real Estate

According to UBS Bank, real estate on the moon is up 40% so far this year, obviously outperforming real estate in the United States. The primary owners of moon property are those from Germany, Sweden, the UK and Poland. You could have bought an acre of lunar land for only $16 per acre a couple years ago.

Sunlight May Prevent Lung Cancer: I'm Off to the Beach

Researchers at the University of California, San Diego have determined that the further from the equator, the more likely that a country's residents will have a greater incidence of lung cancer. The scientists believe that this may be due to the Vitamin D from the sunlight, especially UVB light, that helps to inhibit the production of tumors, and people who live closer to the North and South Poles have less exposure to the sunlight than those close to the equator. They looked at over 110 countries around the world.

One thing that the scientists mentioned was that as long as the exposure to sunlight was only moderate, the possibility of causing melanoma did not significantly increase. The research was written up in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health.

By Fred Fuld at Stockerblog.com

Investor Year End Reminder: Farm Your Losses

Don't forget, if you have a lot of capital gains this year and need to reduce your tax exposure, consider liquidating the stocks you are holding at a loss, especially if you don't think they will be moving up for a while. Don't forget the Wash Sale Rule:

A wash sale occurs when you sell or otherwise dispose of stock or securities (including a contract or option to acquire or sell stock or securities) at a loss and, within 30 days before or after the sale or disposition, you:

Buy substantially identical stock or securities,

Acquire substantially identical stock or securities in a fully taxable trade, or

Enter into a contract or option to acquire substantially identical stock or securities.

You cannot deduct losses from wash sales unless the loss was incurred in the ordinary course of your business as a dealer in stock or securities

Talk to your accountant about any tax selling before doing any tax selling.

Who Owns the One Letter Dot Com Domain Names?

Domain names have become a hot item lately, with several selling for over a million dollars. One domain sold for $9.5 million earlier this year. Have you ever wondered who owns a.com, b.com, or c.com. There are only twenty six letter domains that are even possible, but getting those one letter domains is even harder to get than one letter stock ticker symbols.

To start with, the letters 'a' through 'p', 'r' through 'w', and the letter 'y' are all controlled by the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority, also known as the IANA, the organization which oversees the allocation of IP addresses and domain names.

However, q.com is owned by Qwest Communications International Inc. (Q), which is also one of the few companies that has a one letter stock symbol. This data, voice, Internet, and video services company has a forward P/E ratio of 15 and a PEG of 1.7. If you go to q.com, it takes you right to Qwest's web site.

Would you have ever guessed who owns x.com? The owner is Paypal.com, which is owned by eBay (EBAY). Yet, when you go to the x.com website, it doesn't take you to the Paypal website, it takes you to the Paypal Labs website. Paypal Labs displays some of the various experimental beta products they are working on, such as the MySpace Fundraising Badges and the Facebook Request Money app.

Finally, z.com is owned by who else, Nissan North America Inc., which is owned by Nissan Motor (NSANY), which trades on NASDAQ. When you go to z.com, you end up at the nissanusa.com website. Nissan has a P/E ratio of 12 and a yield of 3.57%.

In case you were wondering about the zero dot com through 9.com domains, they are controlled by VeriSign Global Registry Services and are not active websites.

Author owns EBAY and NSANY.

By Fred Fuld at Stockerblog.com

Cement Stocks: A Solid Portfolio Foundation?

Did you know that many thousands of years ago,cement was made out of cow dung, along with lime and mud. This cement was called 'daub'. If you are looking for a good infrastructure play, maybe cement stocks could be a solid foundation for you portfolio. All of the following have market caps above $1 billion.

C R H PLC ( CRH ) is an Irish based cement and building materials manufacturer. The stock has a P/E of 10.99 , a PEG of 1.19 , and a yield of 1.10% .

Cemex ( CX ) is a Mexico based cement and construstion materials manufacturer. The stock has a P/E of 9.79 , a PEG of 3.42 , and a yield of 2.60% .

Eagle Materials ( EXP ) is a Texas based manufacturer of cement and gypsum wallboard. The stock has a P/E of 12.23 , and a yield of 2% .

James Hardie Industries ( JHX ) is a Dutch manufacturer of cement products. The stock has a P/E of 17.32 , a PEG of 2.3 , and a yield of 4.70% .

Texas Industries ( TXI ) is a Texas based manufacturer of cement and building materials. The stock has a P/E of 21.75 , a PEG of 1.54 , and a yield of 0.40% .

Author does not own any of the above.

By Fred Fuld at Stockerblog.com

I've Been Sick: Time for Some Get Well Stocks

Those of you who have been following Stockerblog for a long time have probably been wondering why I haven't posted any articles for a few days. I've been sick. I think I got some kind of e coli sickness from non-US tomatoes that I didn't wash very well. Or it could have been the fish I had for dinner. Anyway, I was bedridden for four days and totally wiped out. However, you aren't interested in reading about my bathroom habits. So let's get on with some stocks that can make us well.

Let's start with Pfizer (PFE), since they just increased their dividend about 10% from 29 cents per share to 32 cents per share. One of their most popular drug is Lipitor, which is used for the treatment of high cholesterol levels in the blood. Most of my friends over the age of 65 are taking Lipitor. They also have many other best selling drugs, several of which you've probably seen advertised on TV, including Norvasc for hypertension, Caduet for cardiovascular problems, Exubera, for glycemic control, Zoloft for central nervous system disorders, Aricept for Alzheimer's disease, Celebrex for arthritis, Zithromax for bacterial infections, Zyvox for bacterial infections, Detrol for overactive bladder, and Zyrtec for allergies. Of course, we can't forget Viagra for erectile dysfunction, with probably one of the best brand recognition of any drug. Pfizer has a P/E of 11 and a 4.8% yield.

Schering-Plough Corp. (SGP) is another company that just announced a dividend but didn't increase it. Schering makes a lot of products for allergy sufferers including Nasonex for nasal allergy, Afrin a nasal decongestant spray, Clarinex for allergic rhinitis, Foradil and Asmanex for asthma, Proventil for bronchospasm, Avelox for respiratory and skin infections. They also make Cipro for infections, Remicade for rheumatoid arthritis, PEG-Intron for hepatitis C, Intronn A for chronic hepatitis B and C, and CORRECTOL laxatives, along with many other products. Shering has a P/E of 21 and a yield of 0.9%.

Johnson & Johnson (JNJ), the famous Band-Aid company, is almost recession proof as people will still buy Motrin, Neutrogena, Pepcid, Splenda, Tylenol, and Listerine, whether there is a recession or not. [I used a lot of Tylenol in the last few days.] The stock has a P/E of 19 and a yield of 2.4%.

Glaxosmithkline plc (GSK) is a British drug and consumer products manufacturer. Their drugs include Advair for asthma, Avandia for diabetes, Lamictal for epilepsy and bipolar disorder, Wellbutrin, for depression, Zofran for nausea Valtrex for herpes, and Flovent, for asthma. The P/E is 14 and the yield of 4%.

Merck & Co. Inc. (MRK) has drugs which include Singulair for asthma, Vasotec for hypertension and heart failure, Fosamax for osteoporosis, and Zocor, for atherosclerosis. Merck has a P/E of 24 and a yield of 2.5%.

Novartis AG (NVS) is a Swiss based health and pharmaceutical products company, which has a P/E of 10 and a yield of 1.7%. Their Sandoz division produces generic pharmaceuticals.

Author owns PFE.

By Fred Fuld at Stockerblog.com

Car Dealer Stocks

Are the stocks of automobile dealers the ultimate contrarian play, with fears of recession, oil near its all time high, and many consumers cutting back on spending due to rising interest rates on their adjustable mortgages? Maybe now is the time to take a closer look at these stocks, especially since several of these companies deal in used cars, making them semi-recession proof. All of the following companies have market caps over $500 million.

Group 1 Automotive ( GPI ) is a Houston, Texas based company which sells new and used vehicles. The stock has a PE of 8.61 and a PEG of 0.66 .

Asbury Automotive Group ( ABG ) is a retailer of both new and used automobiles both directly to customers and by auction. The stock has a PE of 10.73 and a PEG of 0.76 .

Sonic Automotive Inc ( SAH ) is a Charlotte, North Carolina based company which operates over 170 automobile dealership franchises. The stock has a PE of 10.44 and a PEG of 0.83 .

Penske Automotive ( PAG ) is a Michigan based company which operates over 300 retail automotive franchises. The stock has a PE of 14.98 and a PEG of 1.11 .

Autonation Inc ( AN ) is a retailer of new vehicles, used vehicles, vehicle maintenance and repair services. The stock has a PE of 10.93 and a PEG of 1.15 .

Carmax Inc ( KMX ) is a Virginia based retailer of used vehicles The stock has a PE of 22.61 and a PEG of 1.34 .

Copart Inc ( CPRT ) is a remarketer of vehicles using the Internet. They primarily work with vehicle dismantlers for salvage. The stock has a PE of 26.32 and a PEG of 1.63 .

Rush Enterprises, Inc. (RUSHB) is a Texas based company which operates truck dealerships. The stock has a PE of 12.15 .

Author does not own any of the above.

By Fred Fuld at Stockerblog.com

Glow in the Dark Cats Cloned in South Korea

Is there a commercial market for these cats? South Korean scientists have cloned cats by making changes to a fluorescent protein gene. The cloned cats end up glowing in the dark when they are under ultraviolet light.

Watch Out GM and Ford: A Solar Powered Car Kit

This might even make a great gift. A solar powered automobile, called the SUNN, that you can make yourself, and the cost is only $4,500. It has a 20 mile range without a recharge and is street legal with seat belts, windshield wipers, and lights.

You can't use it on the freeway though as it only goes up to 25 miles per hour. Energy cost is only $.01 per mile.

Thanks to InfomationWeek for finding this.

NBC Universal and SanDisk in Partnership

NBC Universal is developing a TV set top web-based video download service with SanDisk (SNDK). SanDisk trades on NASDAQ and NBC Universal is 80% owned by General Electric (GE) and 20% owned by Vivendi (VIVEF.PK).

Starship Enterprise Engraving on an iPod: Wall Street Photo of the Week

The Wall Street Photo of the Week. Check out this great engraving of the Starship Enterprise on an Apple (AAPL) iPod. Apple trades on NASDAQ.

Author owns AAPL.

Amazon.com's Greatest Product Review

One of the nice features of Amazon (AMZN), which trades on NASDAQ, is that customers can post reviews about the products they purchase. BitsandPieces has found the best review ever of an Amazon product.

Biggest Holdings of the Biggest US Investor

Can you name the biggest American investor? No, it's not Warren Buffett; as a matter of fact, it is not a person. It is CalPERS, the California Public Employees' Retirement System, which handles the retirement for well over a million California employees. Total investments are now at about $254 billion, with investments in stocks, bonds, mutual funds, private equity, real estate, and venture capital.

The CalPERS portfolio has had an average annual return of 14.62% over the last three years, not too shabby for a behemoth portfolio of this size with over 4,600 stocks in its portfolio.

You should check out the entire list of stocks in their portfolio at WallStreetNewsNetwork.com, where you can download the entire list which can be sorted and changed. Many of the companies are fairly common, but some I've never heard of and several may even be considered penny stocks as they sell for less than a dollar a share.

Here is a list of their largest shareholdings:

Exxon Mobil Corp. (XOM) has a P/E of 13 and a yield of 1.5%.

General Electric Co. (GE) has a P/E of 17 and a yield of 3%.

Microsoft Corporation (MSFT) has a P/E of 23 and a yield of 1.3%.

Citigroup Inc. (C) has a P/E of 9 and a yield of 6.3%.

Bank of America Corporation (BAC) has a P/E of 10 and a yield of 5.6%.

Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) has a P/E of 19 and a yield of 2.4%.

Wal-Mart Stores Inc. (WMT) has a P/E of 16 and a yield of 1.8%.

Pfizer Inc. (PFE) has a P/E of 12 and a yield of 4.8%.

Procter & Gamble Co. (PG) has a P/E of 23 and a yield of 1.9%.

JPMorgan Chase & Co (JPM) has a P/E of 10 and a yield of 3.3%.

To see the entire list of 4,691 stocks in the CalPERS portfolio as of their latest posting showing last years' holdings, go toe WallStreetNewsNetwork.com, where you can download the file in an Excel format.

Author owns MSFT and PFE.

By Fred Fuld at Stockerblog.com

Dow Jones Develops Olympic Stock Index

An Olympic Stock Index was created by Dow Jones Indexes, the owner of the Dow Jones Industrial Average. The index has 33 Olympic sponsors and suppliers including Adidas AG (ADDYY.PK), Samsung(SSNLF.PK), Manulife Financial Corp. (MFC), China Mobile Ltd. CHL), Coca-Cola Co. (KO) and McDonald's Corp. (MCD). The index is up 34% year-to-date through November.

Funny Mergers

Time for some year end humor. These are the names that would result if the following publicly traded companies were to become involved in a merger.

If the following companies were to merge: Caterpillar, Gottschalks, Uranium Energy, Tongjitang Chinese Medicines, you would end up with Cat Gott Ur Tong.

Du Pont, YouBet.com, Bell Industries, Even Technologies, Magic Software Enterprises = Du, You, Bell, Even, Magic

Honeywell and Dewey Electronics = Honey Dew

Agfeed Industries, Pfizer, Fortune Brands, Fomento Econmico Mexicano = Fee, Pfi, Fo, Fom

Exxon Mobil, Markel Corp., The9 Limited, Spotlight Homes = Ex, Mark, The, Spot

Harken Energy, Herald Resources, Fallen Angels Income Fund and Singapore Fund = Hark, the Herald, Angels, Sing

Deckers Outdoor Corp., The9 Limited, Hallmark Financial Services = Deck, The, Hall

Apple Inc., Omega Navigation Enterprises, Intel = Apple, Ome, I.

For more stock market jokes, go to InvestmentTrivia.com.

By Fred Fuld at Stockerblog.com.

Top Monthly Dividend Stocks for Year End 2007

It may be hard to believe but there are over 350 stocks which pay their dividends monthly. With all the volatility in the stock market recently, many investors are turning to income stocks for at least a part of their portfolio. Monthly dividend stocks are desirable because investors get their investment back faster, compounding is faster, the stocks are more liquid than individual corporate or municipal bonds, and there is no minimum investment. In addition, there may be capital appreciation. To download an Excel list of all the monthly dividend stocks which can be sorted, added to, or changed, go to WallStreetNewsNetwork.com.

It is assumed for this analysis that Canadian oil income royalty trusts, real estate investment trusts [REIT’s], and exchange traded funds [ETF’s] are considered stocks. You should be aware that all yields may change, be reduced, or eliminated. The principal will also fluctuate and may drop in value, offsetting any dividends received. The data on these stocks was gathered during the last week, so yields may have changed. Some of these stocks should be considered extremely speculative. The Canadian oil income royalty trusts have special tax issues that you should be aware of, especially if you are planning on putting them in a retirement plan. A Canadian law which goes into effect in 2011 can affect the price and income of the Canadian stocks.

At the top of the list, in terms of yield, and probably in terms of risk, is the RMK Multi-Sector High Income Fund (RHY), which yields 23.2%. This is a closed end fund which is speculative due to its portfolio holdings which include corporate bonds, mortgage and asset-backed securities, convertible debt securities, distressed securities, and other bonds. Up to up to 20% of its total assets may be invested in distressed securities.

Advantage Energy Income Fund (AAV) is the highest yielding monthly Canadian oil royalty income trust, with a yield of 17.8%. They own and operate interests in oil and natural gas properties in Canada. The forward price earnings ratio is 39.

The highest yielding monthly growth and income fund is Boulder Growth & Income Fund Inc. (BIF), which yields 14.8%. This CEF invests in common stocks both U.S. and foreign, warrants, corporate bonds, treasury bills, and repurchase agreements. It was founded in 1972 and is co-managed by Boulder Investment Advisers and Stewart Investment Advisers.

Neuberger Berman Real Estate Securities Income Fund Inc. (NRO) is the highest yielding monthly real estate closed end fund. The fund, with yields 13.3%, invests in real estate investment trusts and other real estate stocks. Their dividends have been paid monthly since the fund's inception in 2003 and they raised their dividend in May of 2007.

The highest yielding American royalty trust is Mesa Royalty Trust (MTR), with a yield of 9.1%. Mesa is an Austin, Texas owner of oil and gas royalty interests in Kansas; New Mexico, Colorado, and Wyoming. The have been paying dividends monthly since 1988.

The top yielding monthly bond CEF is the New America High Income Fund Inc. (HYB), which yields 11.6%. Their portfolio holds below investment grade corporate bonds. They have paid monthly dividends since April 1988.

The highest yielding convertible fund is the Calamos Convertible Opportunities & Income Fund (CHI), which generates a yield of 11.3%. They invest in convertible bonds and non- convertible bonds of investment grade and non-investment grade. They have paid their dividends monthly since August 2002.

BlackRock Municipal Income Trust (BFK) is the highest yielding municipal bond CEF, with a 6.4% yield. It invests at least 80% of its portfolio in municipal bonds that are investment-grade quality and up to 20% in lower grade munis. It has paid dividends monthly since September 2001.

All the monthly dividend stocks, over 350, in an Excel format are available at WallStreetNewsNetwork.com.

Author does not own any of the above.

By Fred Fuld at Stockerblog.com.

Who Says Radio is Dead: Visual Radio is On Its Way

BBC Radio 1 in Great Britain is experimenting with providing a new feature for its radio listeners, pictures to go along with the sound. They are also considering offering visual advertising with click-throughs.

NY State Attempting to Tax Amazon Online Sales

The state of New York is attempting to charge sales tax on online sales to state residents, especially sales from Amazon.com (AMZN). which trades on NASDAQ, in spite of the seven year Federal moratorium on Interstate taxation. The states justification is supposedly the fact that there are Amazon Associates in New York State.

Steve Forbes wrote an outstanding editorial on this outrageous taxation attempt. Pick up the December 10, 2007 issue of Forbes and check it out. Better yet, get yourself a subscription to Forbes like I have for the last couple decades.

If the libertariotechos in New York are in any way similar to the libertariotechos in Silicon Valley, this tax will never, ever pass.

Libertariotechos is a word that I just made up which describes a person who works in the field of technology who has strong libertarian anti-tax leanings.

By Fred Fuld at Stockerblog.com

Electricity Being Sold on eBay

eBay (EBAY), which trades on NASDAQ, has had listings for a lot of unusual items. Now you can bid on electricity through eBay. The privately held MXenergy, which competes with United Illuminating (UIL) which trades on the New York Stock Exchange, is making this offer on eBay. MXenergy is accepting bids on a megawatt of electricity in the Connecticut area.

Bank Note Business Cards Illegal in Zimbabwe

A Zimbabwean entrepreneur who works as a professional hunter thought he would put his country's almost worthless currency to good use, by turning their banknotes into business cards. Zimbabwe has the worst inflation rate in the world, currently running about 8,000%. Unfortunately, the government didn't appreciate the defacing of their bank notes and have had the man arrested.

Fake Coca Cola

A restaurant owner in Detroit, Michigan has been accused of selling fake Coca Cola using a fake cola syrup instead of the real Coca Cola syrup in soda fountains. Apparently, this is a 10 year felony. Coca Cola (KO) trades on the New York Stock Exchange.

Housing Price Index: Down for the 1st Time in 52 Quarters

This is a graph of the Housing Price Index from the Office of Federal Housing Enterprise Oversight which shows the Housing Price Index on a quarterly basis since 1975. It is hard to see from the chart but this index had only dropped nine times during this time frame:

1975-3rd quarter
1982-3rd quarter
1990-2nd quarter
1990-4th quarter
1991-3rd quarter
1992-2nd quarter
1993-1st quarter
1994-4th quarter
2007-3rd quarter

The latest drop for the third quarter of 2007 is the first quarterly drop in 52 quarters.

By Fred Fuld at Stockerblog.com

Wrong Mortgage-Help Phone Number given out by President Bush

Yesterday, President George Bush gave out an incorrect phone number to the public which was supposed to be for the Homeownership Preservation Foundation. Unfortunately, the number was incorrect; it was the number for a home schooling academy in Texas. The CORRECT number is:

1-888-995-HOPE
or
1-888-995-4673

Cheapest Place to Buy Gas in the US

A few weeks ago, BillionairesLife.com had an article about the most expensive place to buy gas in the US, at $4.03 per gallon. Earlier this week, you could have paid 33 cents per gallon at a gas station in Minocqua, Wisconsin, due to an error in the price setup by one of the employees.

What is most interesting is that both the most expensive and least expensive gas was being sold by Shell stations. Royal Dutch Shell plc (RDS-B) trades on the New York Stock Exchange.

Stockerblog's Opinion of the Mortgage Bailout

Too little, too late.

Talk to some of the people who have already had their homes foreclosed on in the last few months. See what they think. I've talked to them.

Defense and Aerospace Stocks

If you are looking to be defensive with your portfolio, maybe you should consider defense stocks. All of the following have market caps over $350 million.

BE Aerospace Inc. (BEAV) makes interior products for aircraft. The stock has a P/E of 34 , a PEG of 1.06 .

Ducommun Inc. (DCO) aerostructure and electromechanical components for military aircraft. The stock has a P/E of 20.9 , a PEG of 1.12 .

Moog Inc. (MOG-A) makes controls for controls for military aircraft, and manufactures strategic missiles, missile defense, and tactical missiles. The stock has a P/E of 20 , a PEG of 1.13 .

Boeing (BA) manufactures military aircraft, satellites, and missile defense systems. The stock has a P/E of 17.6 , a PEG of 1.14 . The stock has a yield of 1.6% .

AeroVironment, Inc. (AVAV) manufactures unmanned aircraft systems for the U.S. Department of Defense. The stock has a P/E of 20.8 , a PEG of 1.19 .

Northrop Grumman Corp. (NOC) provides aerospace and electronics to the government and the military. The stock has a P/E of 16.3 , a PEG of 1.23 . The stock has a yield of 1.8% .

Raytheon (RTN) makes and markets defense products and services. The stock has a P/E of 12.3 , a PEG of 1.27 . The stock has a yield of 1.6% .

Spirit AeroSystems Holdings Inc (SPR) makes and sells structural components for military aircraft, including low observable products that are radar absorbent and translucent, and other military products. The stock has a P/E of 21.6 , a PEG of 1.35 .

Lockheed Martin Corporation (LMT) manufactures military aircraft. The stock has a P/E of 16 , a PEG of 1.39 . The stock has a yield of 1.5% .

Embraer-Empresa Brasileira De Aeronutica S.A. (ERJ) is a Brazil company that makes aircraft for defense aviation markets. The stock has a P/E of 28 , a PEG of 1.52 . The stock has a yield of 1.2% .

General Dynamics Corp. (GD) market supplies combat vehicles, battle tanks, guns, ammunition and ordnance, armor and other protection systems, along with aerospace products. The stock has a P/E of 20 , a PEG of 1.65 . The stock has a yield of 1.3% .

Elbit Systems Ltd. (ESLT) makes and sells defense electronic and electro-optic systems The stock has a P/E of 35.4 , a PEG of 2.7 . The stock has a yield of 1.2% .

If you want a list of the defense and aerospace stocks in an Excel format, which you can sort, add to, or change, go to WallStreetNewsNetwork.com.

Author does not own any of the above.

By Fred Fuld at Stockerblog.com

Top Stock Gifts for Kids

With the holiday season coming up, parents are looking beyond just toys and games for their children. A great gift is shares in a company that provides products for kids and teenagers, and if you are going to have the shares issued in certificate form, then you want a nice vignette [picture] on the certificate. Maybe you even want to frame it in a removable frame. But you don't want just any old company, you want ones with with strong financials and good potential for for long term growth.

Here is a suggested list of stock gifts for children:

Stocks for Young Kids

Build-A-Bear Workshop Inc. (BBW) colorful certificate with bear logo and buttons. The stock has a P/E of 11 and a PEG of 2.45.

Campbell Soup Co. (CPB) for kids who like their soup, the certificate features a Campbell Soup can. The stock has a P/E of 17, a PEG of 2.6, and a yield of 2.4.

Walt Disney Co. (DIS) several Disney characters in color. PE is 15, PEG is 1.06, and the yield is 1.1%.

DreamWorks Animation SKG Inc. (DWA) the top of Shrek’s head in color. PE of 25, PEG of 1.26.

Hasbro Inc. (HAS) Uncle Pennybags from the Monopoly game. PE of 15, PEG of 1.36, and a yield of 2.3%.

Jack in the Box Inc. (JBX) an early store, Jack, and a hamburger and French fries in color. PE of 15, and a PEG of 1.18.

Mattel Inc. (MAT) kids playing with Hot Wheels, Barbie, and other toys in color. PE of 14, and a PEG of 1.46. The yield is 3.8%.

McDonald's Corp. (MCD) hamburger, fries, and two workers. PE of 31, PEG of 2.31, and a yield of 2.6%.

Wendy's International Inc. (WEN) company logo, two globes. PE of 35, PEG of 1.81, and a yield of 1.8%.

William Wrigley Jr. Co. (WWY) what appears to be a South American native in headdress. PE of 30, PEG of 2.75, and a yield of 1.8%.

Apple Inc. (AAPL) black apple logo. PE of 47, PEG of 1.61.

eBay Inc. (EBAY) colorful logo. PE of 280, PEG of 1.21.

Author owns DIS, DWA, MAT, MCD, AAPL, and EBAY.

By Fred Fuld at Stockerblog.com

Warren Buffett Witness in AIG Fraud Case

It looks like Warren Buffett, of Berkshire Hathaway fame, may be called as a witness in the American International Group $500 million in fake transactions fraud case.

Loan Graphs from the FDIC

Of course, pictures are worth a thousand words, so I thought you would be interested in these charts from the FDIC relating to loan defaults.
The above shows the net charge-offs and non-current loans on a quarter by quarter basis.

The above shows the net charge-offs versus loan loss provisions.


The above is very similar to the first chart, which shows the non-current loans and net charge-offs.

'Who Wants to Marry a U.S. Citizen': Entertainment News of the Week

Morusa Media is producing a new reality television show called 'Who Wants to Marry a U.S. Citizen', which puts together legal citizens and immigrants in a 'Dating Game' style that leads to matrimony.

New Stock Exchange Just Started Trading

The brand new Indonesia Stock Exchange just started trading. The exchange came about from the merger of the Jakarta Stock Exchange and the Surabaya Stock Exchange.379 companies are listed on the exchange with a total market value of $256.41 billion.

Free Way to Test Your Web Pages In Different Browsers

Some of you manage web sites, some of you manage companies that have web sites, and some of you have web sites that others manage. Whenever you post or change web pages, you should always check it in various browsers (IE 6, IE 7, Netscape, Firefox, etc.) and you should also check it on various operating systems, such as Windows, Linux, Mac, Ubuntu, etc. If you don't have all these resources available, you can see what your site looks like in all these different venues by checking out:
browsershots.org

This is a free service, but you can pay a small fee to get a quicker response.

China Railway Stock Up 67% on IPO

The former government owned China Railway rose 67% on the Shanghai Stock Exchange on Friday, the day of its IPO. This was a surprise to many investors after the stock for the truck manufacturer Sinotruk dropped by 15.7% on its first day.

US is in a Recession (according to the India Press)

According to the IndiaDaily, the U. S. is now in a recession, with massive layoffs in the financial service industry, with companies cutting back on expenditures, and a a 16-month high in American unemployment. The actual headline of the article reads 'Massive unemployment in financial services sector throws US into recession.'

Suicides Caused by Volatile Stock Market

According to an article in EarthTimes, two investors have supposedly died from suicide due to stock market losses in Hong Kong. Hospital counsellors have reported that calls about the psychological stress of losing money on investments, has increased significantly.

11.5% Increase in China GDP

China reported an 11.5% increase in their GDP for the first nine months of the year. A spokesman for the National Bureau of Statistics of China said that 41.6% of the growth came from investments, 37% came from retail sales, and 21.4% from exporting.

Debt Free versus Debt-Laden Companies

I write about a very large number of stocks, and one of the the things I've been noticing is that many of the companies that have had problems have a large amount of debt. In addition, I keep seeing a large number of stocks that have been performing well are debt free.

I decided to do a 'quick and dirty' analysis of debt free companies versus companies with a lot of dept. To keep things fairly consistent, I searched for stocks with price to earnings ratios below 30 and price earnings to growth ratios below 2. I then did a random selection of five stocks from each group and looked at the year-to-date returns. This is what I came up with:

High Debt

Goldman Sachs (GS) 13.7%
Morgan Stanley (MS) -21.1%
Lehman Brothers (LEH) -19.6%
Echostar (DISH) 12.3%
SLM Corp. (SLM) -19.7%

Average return -6.9%

Debt Free

Microsoft (MSFT) 14.1%
SAP (SAP) -2.5%
Texas Instruments (TXN) 11.5%
Nvidia (NVDA) 31.1%
T. Rowe Price (TROW) 35.7%

Average return 18.0%

Of course, there are companies like Apple Inc. (AAPL) which are debt free and has had a return of 117.4% year to date, but it wouldn't even be part of the pool of stocks to even randomly extract from, since its P/E of 46.35 is outside the original criteria of 30 or less.

Anyway, it looks like this analysis warrants further research.

Author owns MSFT, SAP, and AAPL.

By Fred Fuld at Stockerblog.com

President John Edwards Stock Index

These are the billionaire contributors to the John Edwards campaign, and the companies they are connected with, with the assumption that major contributors to presidential candidates expect the businesses that they are connected with to benefit. It shows the wealthiest contributors, based on the Forbes 400 list, and the companies they own and/or run as possible investments, assuming the candidate they support wins. Previous presidential candidate indices that have already been covered are the President Hillary Clinton Stock Index, the President Barack Obama Stock Index, the President Rudy Giuliani Stock Index, the John McCain Stock Index, the President Joe Biden Stock Index, the President Mitt Romney Stock Index, and the President Christopher Dodd Stock Index. The following stocks are part of the President John Edwards Stock Index.

Fortress Investment Group (FIG) Peter Briger Jr., Wesley Edens, Michael Novogratz

Dreamworks Animation (DWA) David Geffen, Steven Spielberg

Stryker (SYK) Pat Stryker

Nomura Holdings Inc. (NMR) Peter Briger Jr., Wesley Edens, Michael Novogratz; Nomura bought minority interest in Fortress for $890 million last December

Electronic Arts Inc. (ERTS) Steven Spielberg, developing three videogames for Electronic Arts


Author owns DWA.

By Fred Fuld at Stockerblog.com

Top Stock Market Book Gifts: Over 100 to choose from

Looking for great investment, finance, and stock market books to give your friends and relatives? Here are all the books that I've discussed during the last couple years. These are in no particular order other than the approximate order that I wrote about them.

Something Wild by Linda Davies

Nest of Vipers by Linda Davies

Wilderness of Mirrors by Linda Davies

Joe Wilson and the Creation of Xerox
by Charles D. Ellis

Little Black Book of Connections: 6.5 Assets for Networking Your Way to Rich Relationships
by Jeffrey Gitomer

The Power of Nice: How to Conquer the Business World With Kindness
by Linda Kaplan Thaler

The Reverse Mortgage Advantage: The Tax-Free, House Rich Way to Retire Wealthy!
by Warren Boroson

Your Leadership Legacy: Why Looking Toward the Future Will Make You a Better Leader Today
by Robert M. Galford

Dream Careers: How to Quickly Break Into a Fab Job!
by Tag Goulet

Covert Persuasion: Psychological Tactics and Tricks to Win the Game
by Kevin Hogan

Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap... and Others Don't
by Jim Collins

The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference
by Malcolm Gladwell

Freakonomics [Revised and Expanded]: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everythingby Steven D. Levitt

Jim Cramer's Real Money: Sane Investing in an Insane World by Jim Cramer

All About Hedge Funds : The Easy Way to Get Started by Robert A. Jaeger

Trade Like a Hedge Fund: 20 Successful Uncorrelated Strategies & Techniques to Winning Profits by James Altucher

Investment Strategies of Hedge Funds by Filippo Stefanini

How to Create and Manage a Hedge Fund: A Professional's Guide by Stuart A. McCrary

Funds of Hedge Funds: Performance, Assessment, Diversification, and Statistical Properties by Greg N. Gregoriou

Vault Career Guide to Hedge Funds by Aditi A. Davare and Holly Goodrich

Managing a Hedge Fund by Keith Black

Hedge Fund of Funds Investing: An Investor's Guide by Joseph G. Nicholas

SuperCash: The New Hedge Fund Capitalism by James Altucher

Hedge Fund Masters: How Top Hedge Fund Traders Set Goals, Overcome Barriers, and Achieve Peak Performance by Ari Kiev

Jim Cramer's Mad Money: Watch TV, Get Rich
by James J. Cramer, Cliff Mason

Rich Dad, Poor Dad: What the Rich Teach Their Kids About Money--That the Poor and Middle Class Do Not!
by Robert T. Kiyosaki, Sharon L. Lechter

The Essays of Warren Buffett : Lessons for Corporate America
by Warren E. Buffett, Lawrence A. Cunningham (Editor)

How to Win Friends & Influence People
by Dale Carnegie

Trade Your Way to Financial Freedom
by Van K. Tharp

The Little Book That Beats the Market
by Joel Greenblatt

The Intelligent Investor Rev Ed. (Collins Business Essentials)
by Benjamin Graham, Jason Zweig

Blue Ocean Strategy: How to Create Uncontested Market Space and Make Competition Irrelevant
by W. Chan Kim, Renée Mauborgne

The Pre-Foreclosure Property Investor's Kit: How to Make Money Buying Distressed Real Estate -- Before the Public Auction
by Thomas Lucier

The Pre-Foreclosure Property Investor's Kit: How to Make Money Buying Distressed Real Estate -- Before the Public Auction
by Thomas Lucier

The Pre-Foreclosure Real Estate Handbook: Insider Secrets to Locating and Purchasing Pre-Foreclosed Properties in Any Market
by Frankie Orlando

The Complete Guide to Investing in Foreclosures
by Steve Berges

Buying Real Estate Foreclosures
by Melissa S. Kollen-Rice

How To Buy Foreclosed Real Estate
by Theodore J. Dallow

How to Create and Manage a Hedge Fund: A Professional's Guide

Confessions of a Street Addict
by James J. Cramer

The Essays of Warren Buffett : Lessons for Corporate America
by Warren E. Buffett, Lawrence A. Cunningham

The Little Book That Beats the Market
by Joel Greenblatt

The Neatest Little Guide to Stock Market Investing (Revised Edition) (Neatest Little Guide to Stock Market Investing)
by Jason Kelly

The Second Great Depression
by Warren Brussee

The Wall Street Journal. Complete Real-Estate Investing Guidebook
by David Crook

Rich Dad's Advisors®: The ABC's of Real Estate Investing: The Secrets of Finding Hidden Profits Most Investors Miss (Rich Dad's Advisors)
by Ken McElroy

Rich Dad's Real Estate Advantages: Tax and Legal Secrets of Successful Real Estate Investors
by Sharon L. Lechter, Garrett Sutton

Find It, Fix It, Flip It!: Make Millions in Real Estate--One House at a Time
by Michael Corbett

The Pre-Foreclosure Property Investor's Kit: How to Make Money Buying Distressed Real Estate -- Before the Public Auction
by Thomas Lucier

The Only Three Questions That Count: Investing by Knowing What Others Don't by Ken Fisher

Get Rich With Options: Four Winning Strategies Straight from the Exchange Floor (Agora Series)

Blue Ocean Strategy: How to Create Uncontested Market Space and Make Competition Irrelevant

The Essays of Warren Buffett : Lessons for Corporate America

The Little Book That Beats the Market

When Genius Failed: The Rise and Fall of Long-Term Capital Management

The Intelligent Investor Rev Ed. (Collins Business Essentials)

The Neatest Little Guide to Stock Market Investing (Revised Edition) (Neatest Little Guide to Stock Market Investing)

Trade Like Warren Buffett

How to Pick Stocks Like Warren Buffett: Profiting from the Bargain Hunting Strategies of the World's Greatest Value Investor

The Buffettology Workbook: Value Investing The Warren Buffett Way

J. K. Lasser's Pick Stocks Like Warren Buffett

The Warren Buffett Portfolio: Mastering the Power of the Focus Investment Strategy

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon

Born on a Blue Day: Inside the Extraordinary Mind of an Autistic Savant written by Daniel Tammet

The Little Book of Common Sense Investing: The Only Way to Guarantee Your Fair Share of Stock Market Returns (Little Book Big Profits)

Liar's Poker: Rising Through the Wreckage on Wall Street

The Little Book That Beats the Market

The Neatest Little Guide to Stock Market Investing (Revised Edition) (Neatest Little Guide to Stock Market Investing)

Reminiscences of a Stock Operator (Wiley Investment Classics)

How To Make Money In Stocks: A Winning System in Good Times or Bad, 3rd Edition

Grande Expectations: A Year in the Life of Starbucks' Stock

One Up On Wall Street : How To Use What You Already Know To Make Money In The Market

Trading in the Zone: Master the Market with Confidence, Discipline and a Winning Attitude

The Google Story: Inside the Hottest Business, Media, and Technology Success of Our Time by David Vise and Mark Malseed

Apple Confidential 2.0: The Definitive History of the World's Most Colorful Company by Owen Linzmayer and Owen W. Linzmayer

Billy, Alfred, and General Motors: The Story of Two Unique Men, A Legendary Company, and a Remarkable Time in American History by William Pelfrey

Losing Faith: How the (Andy) Grove Survivors Led the Decline of Intel's Corporate Culture by Bob Coleman & Logan Shrine

Entering Emerging Markets: Motorola's Blueprint for Going Global by Guenter Schoenborn

Softwar: An Intimate Portrait of Larry Ellison and Oracle by Matthew Symonds and Larry Ellison

The Real Thing: Truth and Power at the Coca-Cola Company by Constance L. Hays

Inside Yahoo! Reinvention and the Road Ahead by Karen Angel

The Perfect Store: Inside eBay by Adam Cohen

Amazon.com: Get Big Fast by Robert Spector

I Might As Well Be Naked: How to Survive Airport Screening With Your Clothes On by Natalia Ippolito

The 4-Hour Workweek: Escape 9-5, Live Anywhere, and Join the New Rich

The Only Three Questions That Count: Investing by Knowing What Others Don't by Kenneth L. Fisher

Freakonomics [Revised and Expanded]: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything

Richistan: A Journey Through the American Wealth Boom and the Lives of the New Rich

Jim Cramer's Mad Money: Watch TV, Get Rich

The Only Three Questions That Count: Investing by Knowing What Others Don't

The Pre-Foreclosure Property Investor's Kit: How to Make Money Buying Distressed Real Estate -- Before the Public Auction

Options, Futures and Other Derivatives (6th Edition)

SuperCash: The New Hedge Fund Capitalism (Wiley Trading)

Freakonomics [Revised and Expanded]: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything

Richistan: A Journey Through the American Wealth Boom and the Lives of the New Rich

Jim Cramer's Mad Money: Watch TV, Get Rich

The Only Three Questions That Count: Investing by Knowing What Others Don't

Rich Dad, Poor Dad: What the Rich Teach Their Kids About Money--That the Poor and Middle Class Do Not!

The Pre-Foreclosure Property Investor's Kit: How to Make Money Buying Distressed Real Estate -- Before the Public Auction

Options, Futures and Other Derivatives (6th Edition)

SuperCash: The New Hedge Fund Capitalism (Wiley Trading)

The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid: A Memoir, by Bill Bryson.

The Neatest Little Guide to Stock Market Investing (Revised Edition) by Jason Kelly

The Little Book of Common Sense Investing: The Only Way to Guarantee Your Fair Share of Stock Market Returns (Little Book Big Profits) by John C. Bogle

How To Make Money In Stocks: A Winning System in Good Times or Bad, 3rd Edition by Joel Greenblatt

The Little Book That Beats the Market by William J. O'Neil

Trade Like a Hedge Fund: 20 Successful Uncorrelated Strategies & Techniques to Winning Profits

Trade Like Warren Buffett

SuperCash: The New Hedge Fund Capitalism

An American Hedge Fund: How I Made $2 Million as a Stock Operator & Created a Hedge Fund by Timothy Sykes

Active Value Investing: Making Money in Range-Bound Markets (Wiley Finance), by Vitaliy N. Katsenelson, CFA

The Set-Up by Paul Erdman

The Day Trader by Stephen Frey

100 Minds That Made the Market by Ken Fisher

Jim Cramer's Stay Mad for Life: Get Rich, Stay Rich (Make Your Kids Even Richer) by Jim Cramer

If you can't find any books that strike your interest, how about an Amazon Gift Certificates

By Fred Fuld at Stockerblog.com