Monday, May 31, 2010

Stocks going Ex Dividend the Second Week of June 2010


Here is our latest update on the stock trading technique called 'Buying Dividends'. This is the process of buying stocks before the ex dividend date and selling the stock shortly after the ex date at about the same price, yet still being entitled to the dividend. This technique generally works only in bull markets. In flat or choppy markets, your have to be extremely careful.

In order to be entitled to the dividend, you have to buy the stock before the ex-dividend date, and you can't sell the stock until after the ex date. The actual dividend may not be paid for another few weeks. WallStreetNewsNetwork.com has compiled a downloadable and sortable Excel list of the stocks going ex dividend during the next week or two. The list contains many dividend paying companies, all with market caps over $500 million, and yields over 3%. Here are a few examples showing the stock symbol, the ex-dividend date and the yield.

Ameren Corporation (AEE) market cap: $5.6B ex div date: 6/7/10 yield: 6.4%

Westar Energy, Inc. (WR) market cap: $2.4B ex div date: 6/7/10 yield: 5.7%

H&R Block, Inc. (HRB) market cap: $5.2B ex div date: 6/8/10 yield: 3.7%

The additional ex-dividend stocks can be found at wsnn.com. (If you have been to the website before, and the latest link doesn't show up, you may have to empty your cache.) If you like dividend stocks, you should check out the high yield utility stocks and the Monthly Dividend Stocks at WallStreetNewsNetwork.com or WSNN.com.

Dividend definitions:

Declaration date: the day that the company declares that there is going to be an upcoming dividend.

Ex-dividend date: the day on which if you buy the stock, you would not be entitled to that particular dividend; or the first day on which a shareholder can sell the shares and still be entitled to the dividend.

Record date: the day when you must be on the company's books as a shareholder to receive the dividend. The ex-dividend date is normally set for stocks two business days before the record date.

Payment date: the day on which the dividend payment is actually made, which can be as long at two months after the ex date.

Don't forget to reconfirm the ex-dividend date with the company before implementing this technique.

Author does not own any of the above.

By Stockerblog.com

Saturday, May 29, 2010

Milk Can Cause Fat Reduction for Women: Time to Look at Milk Stocks


According to a new study by Canadian researchers at McMaster University, drinking a couple glasses of milk after an exercise workout, can cause women to lose more fat than if they imbibe a energy drinks. The study can be found in the Medicine and Science in Sport and Exercise. Apparently, a prior study showed the same benefit for men with increased muscle mass and lowered fat. Maybe now is a good time to look at milk stocks.

Companies in the dairy products business with market capitalizations above $350 million are limited. The largest in terms of market cap is Groupe DANONE (DANOY.PK), is a French company founded in 1899 which has ADR’s that trade on the Pink Sheets. They produce fresh dairy products under Danone brand, including yogurts, dairy desserts, infant foods, and probiotic dairy products. One of their major brands is Dannon yogurt. They also distribute Evian water. The stock has a forward P/E of 13.5.

Second largest at one tenth the size by market cap is Dean Foods Co. (DF). This Dallas, Texas based company distributes branded and private label dairy products, including yogurt, butter, cheese, cottage cheese, sour cream, half-and-half, whipping cream, dairy coffee creamers, and ice cream. The company's forward P/E is 8.7 with a PEG of 1.1.

Wimm-Bill-Dann Foods OJSC (WBD) is the third largest company, and is based in Moscow, Russia. The company produces pasteurized milk, yogurt, butter, cream, cheese, kefir, cottage cheese, sour cream, puddings, and cheese. The P/E is 15.2, their PEG is .53.

A U. S. based company with an international flavor is Synutra International Inc. (SYUT), which is in the business of marketing dairy-based nutritional products, nonfat dry milk and anhydrous milk-fat in China. The stock carries a P/E of 37.3.

Lifeway Foods Inc. (LWAY) is a manufacturer of health food dairy products, including kefir drinks, cheese, yogurt, and other health food products. The stock has a forward PE of 23.3 and a PEG of 1.07.

It looks like everyone's got milk all over the world. For other lists of stocks in interesting industries, check out WallStreetNewsNetwork.com.

Author does not own any of the above.

By Stockerblog.com

Friday, May 28, 2010

Guest Article: Gulf Spill Puts US Energy Bill on Slippery Slope

With energy, Senate Democrats find themselves between a rock and two hard places. Nonetheless, Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., and Sen. Joe Lieberman, I-Conn., have introduced their climate and energy bill.

Its timing is awful. Its fate is uncertain. Yet its sponsors felt it had to be done now.

While the Gulf of Mexico is being damaged by a runaway well, spewing millions of gallons of oil-like bile from hell, any energy bill has the chance that it will be amended to become an anti-energy bill and will fail when hoped-for Republican support evaporates.

At present there is fairly wide industry support for the Kerry-Lieberman bill, particularly from the electric utility industry. Leaders of the industry and its affiliated groups, like the Nuclear Energy Institute, were in on the writing of the bill. Tom Kuhn, president of the Edison Electric Institute, and Jim Rogers, president of Duke Energy, stood shoulder to shoulder with Kerry and Lieberman when they announced their bill.

The three pressure sources driving the bill are:

• The November elections and the desire of endangered Democrats to show that they have done something about climate change and have tackled long-term energy problems.

• The Environmental Protection Agency plans to start regulating carbon dioxide as a pollutant next year, if Congress does not act.

• The environmental disaster in the Gulf, and its effect on public attitudes to energy development and energy companies.

The bill differs from the House bill, passed last June, which emphasized cap-and-trade to control carbon emissions; although both bills introduce carbon restriction by sector over time, and could be reconciled in a House-Senate conference committee, according to Chris Holly of The Energy Daily.

The carbon-reducing provisions in the Senate bill not only rely on pollution credits but also a wide range of incentives, including carbon capture, enhanced subsidies for nuclear and alternative energy.

The bill’s original intent was also to give a boost to offshore drilling, thus pleasing Republicans and the oil industry. But the Gulf disaster has changed that. The bill as introduced now contains language that will allow states to prohibit drilling off their shores—a potential killer of nearly all new leasing and exploration. And drilling is pushed 75 miles out to sea.

Just weeks ago, the bill looked as though it could pass the Senate with support from at least one Republican, Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, one of the original authors. But Graham withdrew when Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nevada, said he would put immigration reform ahead of the energy bill.

While Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., the minority leader in the Senate, has come out against the bill, Graham still likes it but believes its chances of passage are slight. Kerry still believes Graham would vote with the bill, giving the Democrats that essential 60th vote, if the Democrats all stick together, which is unlikely with the bill’s nuclear and offshore leasing provisions.

A more likely result is that the bill will open old debates about big energy, like oil and nuclear, and pit it against alternative energy, mostly wind.

Comment on the bill has come slowly, as interest groups calculate the political alignment and realignment that the bill will bring about.

Offshore drilling gets more politically toxic as each day of failure to contain the situation in the Gulf passes. Nuclear gets more dubious as cost calculations rise. With or without legislation, the smart money is turning to natural gas for electrical generation and interstate trucking. At present, gas is cheap and plentiful.

There is a lot of money—$2 billion—in the bill for carbon-capture and sequestration, but this is ill-defined; and the idea of pumping millions and millions of tons of carbon dioxide into the earth remains a legal nightmare and a hard sell to some environmentalists. Clean coal, it seems, can never be pristine.

Here, then, is a bill for all seasons. Actually, more of a manifesto: an election manifesto.

Source: http://oilprice.com/Energy/Energy-General/Gulf-Spill-Puts-US-Energy-Bill-on-Slippery-Slope.html

By Llewellyn King in Washington DC for OilPrice.com who offer detailed analysis on Crude oil, Natural Gas, Geopolitics, Gold and most other Commodities. They also provide free political and economic intelligence to help investors gain a greater understanding of world events and the impact they have on certain regions and sectors. Visit: http://www.oilprice.com

Book Review: Buy - Don't Hold

The book Buy--DON'T Hold: Investing with ETFs Using Relative Strength to Increase Returns with Less Risk by Leslie Masonson gives a great outline of and a case for making money and reducing risks with exchange traded funds. His Six Step Road to Success is very clear and easy to understand.

He recommends ignoring Wall Street experts and avoiding mutual funds, and spells out many reasons for using ETFs instead. He covers the various stock market indictors that should be utilized and provides several very useful web sites that can be used as resources. If you want to increase the return on your portfolio and lowering your risks, get the book Buy--DON'T Hold

Guest Article: Lake Erie Wind Farm to be First Freshwater Offshore Project in U.S.

The first step in an ambitious project to generate 1,000 megawatts of electricity from offshore wind turbines in Lake Erie was taken this week with an order to General Electric for five massive turbines.

The Lake Erie Energy Development Corp., a Cleveland-based nonprofit, said the direct-drive turbines will provide 4 MW each of electricity and would be operational by the end of 2012, generating enough electricity to power 6,000 homes.

“ Ohio 's greatest potential for creating wind energy is offshore in Lake Erie , and this partnership marks a significant step forward,” said state governor Ted Strickland.

The Lake Erie project, the first freshwater offshore wind farm in the U.S. , will use GE’s next-generation wind turbine, the largest in its product line, designed specifically for offshore deployment. It will incorporate direct-drive technology from ScanWind, a Norwegian company acquired by GE last year, and will feature GE’s advanced loads controls and aero-elastically tailored blade technology.

The first turbines will be located 6 miles north of Cleveland Browns’ stadium, according to LEEDCo officials. The initial phase will cost between $80 million and $100 million.

The announcement, made at the American Wind Energy Association’s Windpower 2010 conference, came less than a month after the Obama administration approved the Cape Wind project for a wind farm offshore from Cape Cod .

The New York Power Authority in December put out a request for proposals for an offshore wind farm in Lake Ontario or Lake Erie . The deadline for the New York Great Lakes Offshore Wind Project proposals is June 1.

Under the Ohio agreement, GE will build and maintain the initial 20-megawatt wind farm. The Fairfield, Connecticut-based company will also work with LEEDCo to create a strategic plan to identify cost reductions that can help make offshore wind energy in the Great Lakes economically viable.

“Together, we aim to develop a cost-effective approach for installing and maintaining offshore wind turbines with the highest possible availability,” said LEEDCo president Lorry Wagner. “We are confident that as the GE product line develops and our methodologies mature, the combination will promote a self-sustaining and growing market for offshore wind in Lake Erie and the Great Lakes .”

Source: http://oilprice.com/Alternative-Energy/Wind-Power/Lake-Erie-Wind-Farm-to-be-First-Freshwater-Offshore-Project-in-U.S.html

By. Darrell Delamaide for OilPrice.com who offer detailed analysis on Crude oil, Natural Gas, Geopolitics, Gold and most other Commodities. They also provide free political and economic intelligence to help investors gain a greater understanding of world events and the impact they have on certain regions and sectors. Visit: http://www.oilprice.com

New Apple TV $99

The new Apple (AAPL) TV will be based on the iPhone 4 and will have 16 gigs of flash storage. It will have only two ports and sell for just $99.

Another Volcano Warning in Iceland

Scientists are now warning that there may be another volcano eruption soon, that will be from a volcano that is larger than Eyjafjallajökull. The report was issued by by the University College of London Institute for Risk and Disaster Reduction.

If you want a souvenir from the last volcanic eruption, you can buy some volcano ash.

Thursday, May 27, 2010

Supermodel Gisele is Still Outperforming the Stock Market


Gisele Bündchen, the richest supermodel in the world and wife of football star Tom Brady, is still in first place in terms of supermodel earnings, making approximately $25 million per year. Heidi Klum is in second place at $16 million, with Kate Moss in third place.

Gisele is connected to a lot of publicly traded companies, acting as spokesperson for their products. Tracking the stocks she is connected with from January of 2007, the Gisele Bundchen Stock Index has greatly outperformed the Dow Jones Industrial Average.

The stocks in her portfolio include:

Volkswagon (VLKAY.PK) TV commercial spokesperson

Polo Ralph Lauren Corp. (RL) Advertising campaign face for Ralph Lauren, owned by Polo Ralph Lauren Corp.

Vivo Participacoes (VIV) Celebrity endorsement - largest mobile phone service provider in Brazil and in South America

News Corp. (NWSA) 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.

Procter & Gamble (PG) Celebrity endorsement

Disney (DIS) Celebrity endorsement - appeared in the 'Year of a Million Dreams' celebration photoshoot

The Gisele Index is UP 2.6% for the last few years since January 2007 versus the Dow which was DOWN 18.7% during the same period. By the way, Apple (AAPL) used to be part of her index because she appeared on the 'Get a Mac' advertisements to promote the new line of Macintosh's a few years ago. If Apple was still in the index, her return would be much higher.

Other celebrity stock indexes you may be interested in include the Heidi Klum Stock Index, the Eva Longoria Stock Index, the Angelina Jolie Stock Index, the Jessica Alba Stock Index, the Nicole Kidman Stock Index, the Freida Pinto Stock Index, and the Supermodels Stock Indices.

Assumptions:
The Gisele Index is a price-weighted index, similar to the Dow Jones Industrial Average.

Author owns DIS, NWS-A, and AAPL.

By Stockerblog.com

Top Yielding Tobacco and Cigarette Stocks


Barrack Obama was the first smoking president of the United Stated in many years. I don't know if he has quit smoking yet, but there are still a lot of people out there who do. If you have no objection to investing in cigarette stocks, you may want to consider the tobacco companies, especially because of their extremely high yields.

Vector Group Ltd. (VGR) is a Florida based company that has numerous brands of cigarettes including Liggett, Grand Prix, Eve, Pyramid, USA and nicotine-free Quest. The stock has a PE of 35, and pays a yield of 10.4%.

Reynolds American Inc. (RAI) makes and markets cigarettes and other tobacco products including the Camel, Kool, Pall Mall, Doral, Winston, Salem, Misty, Capri, Dunhill, State Express 555, and Natural American Spirit brands. The stock has a PE of 15, and pays a yield of 7.1%.

Altria Group Inc. (MO) is a Virginia based company that makes and markets cigarettes, cigars, and beer. It is the largest cigarette company by market cap in the US. The stock has a PE of 12, and pays a yield of 6.9%.

British American Tobacco plc (BTI) is a London based company that markets cigarettes and cigars under the Dunhill, Kent, Kool, Lucky Strike, Pall Mall, Rothmans, Vogue, Viceroy, and Peter Stuyvesant brands. It is one of the largest cigarette companies in the world by market cap. The stock has a PE of 15, and pays a yield of 7.7%.

Philip Morris International, Inc. (PM) markets Marlboro, L&M, Philip Morris, Chesterfield, Parliament, Lark, and Virginia Slims outside the United States. The stock has a PE of 13, and pays a yield of 5.3%.

Lorillard, Inc. (LO) has the Newport, Kent, True, Maverick, Old Gold, and Max brands. The have a PE of 12, and a yield of 5.5%.

If you like high yield stocks, you should check out electric utilities and gas utilities. You can also download an Excel database of monthly dividend stocks and utility stocks at WallStreetNewsNetwork.com.

Author does not own any of the above.

By Stockerblog.com

First Human Infected with a Computer Virus

A researcher at the University of Reading in the UK, has intentionally infected himself with a computer virus. He planed a computer chip in his hand, infected it with a virus, and has shown that the chip can affect other computers wirelessly from his hand.

Wednesday, May 26, 2010

Loews Dog Surf Contest - How About a Surfing Stock Index?

Last Saturday, on May 22, the annual Loews Dog Surf Contest was held in Coronado, California. Yes, you read that right, a surfing contest for dogs. If you weren't able to get to Southern California to see the event, you can see some of the highlights in the following video.

We've already published the dog lovers portfolio. But how about a surfing portfolio.

Quiksilver Inc. (ZQK), located in Huntington Beach, California, is the major player in the surfing arena in the United States, producing and distributing surfing apparel, footwear, accessories, and related surfing products. The stock has recently been generating negative earnings, but has a forward PE of 18.5. The PEG ratio is 3.04.

Billabong International ADR (BLLAY.PK) is another producer of surfboard shorts, swimwear, T-shirts, jackets, and footwear. The company, which is based in Australia, also sponsors pro surfing tournaments in Australia, South Africa, and Spain. The stock has a market cap of $2.5 billion.

There is also International Surf Resorts, Inc. (ISFR.OB), which is a development stage company which plans on operating as a provider of international surf resorts. This is an extremely low cap stock which rarely trades and should be considered very speculative.

Relative of the author owns ZQK.

By Stockerblog.com

Most of Canada's Bottled Water has Bacteria: Time to Buy Water Utilities


According to C-CREST Laboratories, 70 percent of bottled water in Canada were found to have excessive amounts of bacteria, above the recommended norms specified by US Pharmacopeia. No word yet on US water, but maybe it is time to start drinking tap water.

Yes, water companies have issues, such as maintaining supply and dealing with regulatory agencies. Buyt they also have plenty of advantages, es[ecially dividends.

Water utilities provide favorable yields between 2% and 5%. Maybe they aren't as high as electric utilities or gas utilities, but there are about a dozen water utility stocks with dividends that were turned up by WallStreetNewsNetwork.com. Here are a couple examples.

American States Water Company (AWR) is a $600 million market cap utility which produces, purchases and distributes water in both California and Arizona. The company pays a yield of 3.1% and have a forward PE of 15.5.

SJW Corp. (SJW) is a San Jose, California water utility with a market cap of over $400 million. It yields 2.8% and has a forward PE of 21%

The York Water Company (YORW), based in Pennsylvania, pays a yield of 3.9% and has a forward PE of 18.2.

To see a list of the rest of the top yielding water stocks, including four that yield more than 4%, which you can download, add to, change, and sort, check out WallStreetNewsNetwork.com.

Author does not own any of the above.

By Stockerblog.com

Apple Beats Microsoft as the Largest Tech Company in the World

Microsoft Corporation (MSFT), with a market cap of 223.13 billion at the time this is being written, has dropped to second place in terms of technology companies. Now Apple (AAPL) is now the leader at a market cap of 226.04 billion. iPod, iPhones, and iPads are really helping the company out in terms of revenues and earnings.

Weight Loss Pill Alli May Cause Severe Liver Damage

According to the Food and Drug Administration, the weight loss pill Alli may cause severe liver damage. GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) sells an over-the-counter version of the drug and Roche (RHHBY.PK) sells a prescription version. The FDA has added a warning label.

Tuesday, May 25, 2010

What Stock Went From 15 cents to $999 on Monday?

No this isn't one of those weird prints from the big drop a couple weeks ago on Thursday, May 6. Although it might be a new weird print. The stock, Energy Fuels Resources Inc. (EFRFF.PK) went from 15 cents to $999 on Monday, according to Yahoo (YHOO) Finance and Google (GOOG) Finance, according to a report by the Daily Sentinel. Energy Fuels is a uranium development company. By the way, the stock dropped back down to 15 cents the next day.

Los Angeles Stock Exchange Opening as a Nightclub

The Los Angeles Stock Exchange building at 618 S. Spring St. in downtown Los Angeles, which was built in 1929, will soon have a 250,000 square foot night club for dancing opening shortly. Much of the building's interior history will be preserved, including the vault.

Geithner played Basketball in China

Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner played basketball with some students in China. He is on part two of the video.

9/11 Attack Caused Miscarriages of Male Babies

According to a report by the BMC Public Health, the 9/11 World Trade Center attacks induced stress which caused a significant 12% increase in the miscarriage of male fetuses, during the month of September 2001. In addition, fewer boys were born in all of the states during the period of three to four months after the attack. Reportedly, "communal bereavement" affects pregnant women and unborn baby boys more than others. The research was done at the University of California, Irvine.

200 British Airways Flights Cancelled

The second day of the British Airways (BAIRY.PK) strike by the airline cabin crews have caused 200 short flights and 28 long flights to be cancelled.

Stocks Going Ex Dividend the First Week of June


Here is our latest update on the stock trading technique called 'Buying Dividends'. This is the process of buying stocks before the ex dividend date and selling the stock shortly after the ex date at about the same price, yet still being entitled to the dividend. This technique generally works only in bull markets. In flat or choppy markets, your have to be extremely careful.

In order to be entitled to the dividend, you have to buy the stock before the ex-dividend date, and you can't sell the stock until after the ex date. The actual dividend may not be paid for another few weeks. WallStreetNewsNetwork.com has compiled a downloadable and sortable Excel list of the stocks going ex dividend during the next week or two. The list contains many dividend paying companies, all with market caps over $500 million, and yields over 3%. Here are a few examples showing the stock symbol, the ex-dividend date and the yield.

Regal Entertainment Group (RGC) market cap: $2.2B ex div date: 6/1/2010 yield: 5.0%

FPL Group, Inc. (FPL) market cap: $20.3B ex div date: 6/2/2010 4.0%

Frontline Ltd. (FRO) market cap: $2.2B ex div date: 6/2/2010 yield: 4.7%

Kimberly-Clark Corporation (KMB) market cap: $24.8B ex div date: 6/2/2010 yield: 4.3%

Old Republic International Corporation (ORI) market cap: $3.1B ex div date: 6/2/2010 yield: 5.2%

Potlatch Corporation (PCH) market cap: $1.3B ex div date: 6/2/2010 yield: 6.0%

The additional ex-dividend stocks can be found at wsnn.com. (If you have been to the website before, and the latest link doesn't show up, you may have to empty your cache.) If you like dividend stocks, you should check out the high yield utility stocks and the Monthly Dividend Stocks at WallStreetNewsNetwork.com or WSNN.com.

Dividend definitions:

Declaration date: the day that the company declares that there is going to be an upcoming dividend.

Ex-dividend date: the day on which if you buy the stock, you would not be entitled to that particular dividend; or the first day on which a shareholder can sell the shares and still be entitled to the dividend.

Record date: the day when you must be on the company's books as a shareholder to receive the dividend. The ex-dividend date is normally set for stocks two business days before the record date.

Payment date: the day on which the dividend payment is actually made, which can be as long at two months after the ex date.

Don't forget to reconfirm the ex-dividend date with the company before implementing this technique.

Author does not own any of the above.

By Stockerblog.com

Monday, May 24, 2010

Chocolate Fights Wrinkles and Aging


According to the largest chocolate maker in the world, Barry Callebaut AG (BYCBF.PK), its new chocolate bar which contains lots of antioxidants should slow down the aging process, improve skin condition, and may eliminate wrinkles. It has already been proven that dark chocolate helps lower blood pressure and reduces the possibility of strokes.

Barry Callebaut, a Swiss company that is even larger than Nestle (NSRGY.PK), was created with the merger of Callebaut based in Belgium and the French company Cacao Barry. It operates in 26 countries around the world. It trades on the Swiss Exchange and various European stock exchanges, and occasionally on the pink sheets.

This may create a new trend for chocolate companies. Check out our article on chocolate stocks. By the way, did you know that there is a car that runs on chocolate?

Author does not own any of the above.

By Stockerblog.com

Top Yielding ETF's

ETFs, also known as Exchange Traded Funds, are not just for traders; many of them generate significant income. However, there are actually dozens of ETFs which pay dividends, and WallStreetNewsNetwork.com has turned up more than 15 with yields above 3%. Other advantages to the income ETFs are the diversification of securities in the portfolio and the liquidity, better than a bond mutual fund. There are several ETF categories to choose from including high yield bond, real estate, and emerging markets bond. Here are a few examples.

The PowerShares High Yield Corporate Bond (PHB) ETF pays a yield of 8.5%, and attempts to track the Wachovia High-Yield Bond index. The fund has been paying monthly dividends since December of 2007.

The iShares S&P U.S. Preferred Stock Index (PFF) ETF yields 7.4% tracking the S&P U.S. Preferred Stock Index. They have been paying dividends almost every month since May 2007. The ETF specializes in preferred stocks.

A way to get worldwide diversification is through the PowerShares Emerging Markets Sovereign Debt ETF (PCY) which invests in emerging markets bonds. It currently yields 6.3%.

Do your homework on these ETFs before investing, especially the yield calculations, since many of the yields are based on recent higher than typical dividends that may not be maintained in the future. Always check the historical dividend payment history. A good starting point for high yield ETF ideas is the free database at wsnn.com, which can be downloaded, sorted, added to, and changed.

Author does not own any of the above.


By Stockerblog.com

Guest Article: Don't be surprised when one euro equals one dollar!

Don't be surprised when one euro equals one dollar... it could happen.

As everyone in the Western World knows, Europe has been having its share of major problems. All of Europe’s trials and tribulations have had a dramatic affect on the performance of the euro, recently putting it under severe pressure.

Unlike the United States, where we can print money and inflate ourselves out of most problems, the Eurozone is accountable to the 16 nations who gave up their own currency to join.

I have had a lot of calls and e-mails about doing a video on the euro, so I looked at the markets and made a video to share my thoughts with you.

In my latest video I'll explain how our "Trade Triangle" technology has been very accurate since the beginning of the year for the euro. Although we've nailed the market thus far, it leads to the big question: Have we seen the euro bottom out?

I hope my new video answers that question and highlights some of the reasons why I believe we could be seeing some strong opportunities in this market.

The video is available for viewing now and there is no charge or registration requirement.

All the best,
Adam Hewison
President, INO.com
Co-creator, MarketClub

Guest Article: Growing Revolutionary Guard Spells Uncertainty For Oil Investors In Iran

As the United States edges closer to issuing a fresh round of sanctions against Iran, foreign investors so far unmoved by international pressure will end up doing business with a Revolutionary Guard that makes even local firms nervous, an analyst warns.

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, known as the IRGC or Revolutionary Guard, is a military branch set up after the 1979 revolution to protect the regime and has become more ingrained in the Iranian economy particularly under President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s administration.

In recent weeks, the Revolutionary Guard has declared that it can assume control of the energy industry if Westerners flee under the crush of coming U.S. sanctions. Over the last two-and-a-half decades, the powerful force has gradually moved into sectors like construction, energy and telecommunications, said Alex Vatanka, a scholar at the Washington-based Middle East Institute.

Given Iran ’s oil and gas reserves and the country’s reliance on revenues from crude exports, “it’s very logical for the IRGC’s economic arm” to seek an even stronger footing in the energy sector as U.S. and United Nations financial penalties against firms operating in Iran pick up steam, Vatanka told OilPrice.com.

The IRGC has the “political muscle to push political contracts” through, but it is questionable whether the group is best-suited to coordinate these efforts on a domestic level, he said. “We know their intentions in the Iranian oil industry, and [local firms are] very often hesitant when they see IRGC involvement,” he noted.

Foreign companies would be “equally, if not more hesitant, to deal with the IRGC” because the organization is at the forefront of any U.S. government or U.N. attempt to apply new sanctions, he said.

“So it really just raises the stakes for any foreign participant in these projects,” Vatanka said.

The overriding challenge is whether a firm, domestic or otherwise, can ever have a “fair struggle with the IRGC, if I can put it this way,” Vatanka explained. “They are politically so powerful that they can nullify, change terms and take the credit for anything that’s done positively and claim it to be their own. And if you stand up to them, they would basically label you against the Islamic Revolution.”

He said questions also linger about the kind of revenue-sharing the Revolutionary Guard would offer international companies.

And whether the Revolutionary Guard can even fulfill Iran ’s “very big intentions” in the gas sector remains to be seen, Vatanka said, noting “there’s no evidence to suggest that they have, in any way or shape, invested technologically in energy. If it was about missiles, it would have been a totally different matter.”

In March, Iranian Oil Minister Masoud Mirkazemi said the Islamic regime is seeking a $200 billion investment in oil, gas and refinery industries over the next five years.

Iran has only waning pools of oil but may become a “huge provider of natural gas on a global scale,” Vatanka said.

Iran holds the world’s third-largest proven oil reserves and the world’s second-largest natural gas reserves, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. This includes the South Pars gas field, the “largest natural gas deposit in the world, which Iran shares with the state of Qatar ,” added Vatanka.

The Iranian oil industry has traditionally been aligned with “pragmatic conservatives,” he added, but there has been a shift toward “principalists, the people around Ahmadinejad,” particularly in “this pivotal” sector of the Iranian economy.

In April, Ahmad Ghalebani took over as head of the National Iranian Oil Co. from oil-industry veteran Seifollah Jashnsaz, according to Iranian press reports. Like the Iranian oil minister, Ghalebani does not hail from the oil industry, the reports state.

Regardless of the typical rhetoric emanating from Iran , the country has always had a “pretty well-oiled bureaucracy,” but these “relatively new faces and voices” have spurred more uncertainty for foreign firms, Vatanka said.

Iran has pressured a number of firms to honor previous agreements or pull out of the country entirely. Iran recently gave a two-week ultimatum to Royal-Dutch Shell and Repsol of Spain to forge ahead with their involvement in projects related to the South Pars gas field or be replaced by local firms.

Around the same time, the regime also announced that it is awarding major gas contracts to Chinese, Malaysian and Indian firms for South Pars instead of Western firms widely regarded as frontrunners, according to Iranian news reports.

India is not likely to give up its investments in Iran “without considerable pressure” from the U.N., noted Robert Ebel, a senior adviser in the energy and national security program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, a Washington-based think tank. Not only does India have business interests in the country, Iran provides it with “over 400,000 barrels of oil a day,” Ebel told OilPrice.com.

At the moment, India has proposed resuming talks with Iran on importing gas through a pipeline passing through Pakistan , according to Indian press reports.

China , which has a big interest in Iran as an oil supplier, is unlikely to be fully supportive of the United States and the U.N., Ebel said. About 430,000 barrels of oil move from Iran to China every day, he added. China , India and Japan probably account for half of all Iranian oil exports, Ebel noted.

On the weekend, the head of Brazil 's energy regulator was reported as saying that his country could assist Iran with equipment and engineering if Iran offered drills to help Brazil in the exploration of deep-water oil.

Despite these holdouts, many firms have already caved into pressure and abandoned some of their investments as talk of sanctions builds, said Ebel.

Russia ’s Lukoil has stopped gas sales to Iran , while India 's Reliance Industries will not renew a contract to import crude oil from Iran this year.

China and Japan are cutting crude-oil imports from Iran . Vitol, Glencore and Trafigura have all stopped their gas supplies to the country. And Shell also stopped selling gas to the regime.

At a congressional hearing last week, the U.S. Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee issued international firms a stark warning: “Either do business with Iran ’s $250 billion-a-year economy, or do business with America ’s $13-trillion economy, but you cannot do business with both.”

The proposed U.S. legislation is known as the Iran Refined Petroleum Sanctions Act and will be tougher on firms than its predecessor, the Iran Sanctions Act. The revised law will pursue financial institutions and firms that do business in Iran ’s energy sector or help the regime build its refining capacity.

The Government Accountability Office, an arm of Congress, released a report during the hearing that found that seven of 41 companies previously identified as doing business with Iran received combined payments of nearly $880 million from the Defense Department. This includes $319 million to Repsol and $312 million to Total of France for the purchase of fuel.

Ultimately, the relationship between Iran and the international community will be tough to walk away from, Vatanka of the Middle East Institute told OilPrice.com. While Iran still needs Western technology to expand its energy industry, he said, large companies seeking growing markets will be hard-pressed to “totally look away and abandon Iran for good.”

Source: http://oilprice.com/Geo-Politics/Middle-East/Growing-Revolutionary-Guard-Spells-Uncertainty-For-Oil-Investors-In-Iran.html

By Fawzia Sheikh for Oilprice.com who offer detailed analysis on Crude oil, Natural Gas, Geopolitics, Gold and most other Commodities. They also provide free political and economic intelligence to help investors gain a greater understanding of world events and the impact they have on certain regions and sectors. Visit: http://www.oilprice.com

Texas Rangers Bankrupt - A-Rod Owed $25 Million

The Texas Rangers baseball team has declared bankruptcy. The team's biggest creditor is Alex Rodriguez of the New York Yankees who is still owed money for deferred compensation.

Toyota Invests in Tesla

Toyota Motors (TM) has agreed to invest $50 million in the electric car company, Tesla Motors. This is the second auto company to do so, as Daimler (DAI) had previously bought slightly less than 10% of the company.

Have You Seen How Philips is promoting Their Cinema 21:9 LCD TV?

Koninklijke Philips Electronics NV (PHG) is using the short film Carousel to promote its Cinema 21:9 LCD TV. This clip from the film is an unusual 3 dimensional stop action feature. Warning: some violence.

Philips trades on the New York Stock Exchange.

Sunday, May 23, 2010

BP Oil Spill Causes Meat Cleaver Fight

Many articles have discussed the far reach of the BP (BP) oil spill into so many different areas, primarily environmental and political. But who would have thought that it would cause a domestic disturbance argument over the spill where the boyfriend threatens his girlfriend with a meat cleaver. It just happened in Uniontown, Pennsyvania.

The man has been arrested.

BP trades on the New York Stock Exchange.

Saturday, May 22, 2010

Book Review No One Would Listen [Madoff Scandal]

The book No One Would Listen: A True Financial Thriller by Harry Markopolos is the unbelievable but true riveting story of how one man (along with a small team) tried to expose the Bernie Madoff swindle and scam. He ran into numerous roadblocks from the Securities and Exchange Commission, even though he provided very thorough and extensive reports to the agency. The excuse given by the SEC for ignoring him was that he didn't work for Madoff and Madoff didn't personally provide him with information.

As Markopolos continued to pursue his exposure, he felt that his life was in danger, not only from Madoff but many of the unsavory firms and individuals who were Madoff investors and wouldn't look too kindly on someone who was trying to bring the firm down. Markopolos had people following him, had to increase his home security, and carried a gun with him at all times.

He provides detailed transcriptions of conversations he had with members of the SEC and the press, in his attempt at bringing this scandal to light. Unfortunately, almost no one would listen, until Madoff admitted his guilt himself. If you want a full account of this whistleblowing attempt, read No One Would Listen.

Friday, May 21, 2010

Day Traders Do It Daily T Shirt

If there are any day traders out there, you should get the Day Traders Do It Daily T Shirt.




And for the day trading coffee drinkers, the Day Traders coffee mug.

Zuckerberg of Facebook Portrayed as Sex Maniac

A new movie that is being released, called The Social Network, portrays Mark Zuckerber, the founder and head of Facebook, as a sex maniac. Zuckerbergf will be portrayed by actor Jesse Eisenberg. Justin Timberlake will play Sean Parker, co-founder of the music piracy site Napster. The movie is adapted from The Accidental Billionaires by Ben Mezrich, and the screenplay is by Aaron Sorkin, who was the creator of The West Wing.

The release date is October 15. Facebook is still a private company, but Microsoft (MSFT) owns a small position in the company.

Stocks Going Ex Dividend the Fourth Week of May 2010


Here is our latest update on the stock trading technique called 'Buying Dividends'. This is the process of buying stocks before the ex dividend date and selling the stock shortly after the ex date at about the same price, yet still being entitled to the dividend. This technique generally works only in bull markets. In flat or choppy markets, your have to be extremely careful.

In order to be entitled to the dividend, you have to buy the stock before the ex-dividend date, and you can't sell the stock until after the ex date. The actual dividend may not be paid for another few weeks. WallStreetNewsNetwork.com has compiled a free downloadable and sortable Excel list of the stocks going ex dividend during the next week or two. The list contains many dividend paying companies, all with market caps over $500 million, and yields over 3%. Here are a few examples showing the stock symbol, the ex-dividend date and the yield.

Sun Life Financial Inc. (SLF) market cap: $17.0B ex div date: 05/24 yield: 4.8%

Great Plains Energy Incorporated (GXP) market cap: $2.5B ex div date: 05/26 yield: 4.5%

Integrys Energy Group, Inc. (TEG) market cap: $3.8B ex div date: 05/26 yield: 5.6%

The Empire District Electric Company (EDE) market cap: $742.3M ex div date: 05/27 yield: 6.7%

First National Bank Alaska (FBAK) market cap: $614.0M ex div date: 05/27 yield: 5.5%

The additional ex-dividend stocks can be found at wsnn.com. (If you have been to the website before, and the latest link doesn't show up, you may have to empty your cache.) If you like dividend stocks, you should check out the high yield utility stocks and the Monthly Dividend Stocks at WallStreetNewsNetwork.com or WSNN.com.

Dividend definitions:

Declaration date: the day that the company declares that there is going to be an upcoming dividend.

Ex-dividend date: the day on which if you buy the stock, you would not be entitled to that particular dividend; or the first day on which a shareholder can sell the shares and still be entitled to the dividend.

Record date: the day when you must be on the company's books as a shareholder to receive the dividend. The ex-dividend date is normally set for stocks two business days before the record date.

Payment date: the day on which the dividend payment is actually made, which can be as long at two months after the ex date.

Don't forget to reconfirm the ex-dividend date with the company before implementing this technique.

Author does not own any of the above.

By Stockerblog.com

Guest Article: BP Gets Pass From Obama Administration

BP Gets Pass From Obama Administration To Potentially Pollute Lake Michigan

The Obama administration, already charged with providing political cover for BP in the Gulf of Mexico mega-oil disaster, is also charged with allowing BP to renege on agreements between the firm, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the state of Indiana to prevent pollution of Lake Michigan from the firm's Whiting, Indiana refinery near Hammond.

In 2007, the EPA, under the Bush administration, said it was powerless to stop BP from dumping more toxic waste into Lake Michigan from its expanded refinery that was processing increased amounts of heavy crude oil from Canada .

However, the EPA did urge BP to mitigate the increased pollution of solid waste and ammonia by taking other proactive steps to limit environmental damage, including financing projects for other plants along the Grand Calumet River and Lake Michigan to reduce their pollution and other clean-up and run-off water-filtering projects.

Environmental groups opposed the EPA permit to expand its Lake Michigan refining operations. BP's position was bolstered by federal and state court decisions that shot down the suits from the environmental groups. BP also took out newspaper advertisements and paid Internet bloggers to defend the refinery's expansion. The payment of money to bloggers by BP is also evident in the number of pro-BP postings on the web concerning the mega-oil disaster.

The Obama administration, including EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson, has permitted BP to violate the promises it made to the state and federal courts that steps would be taken to mitigate the effects of increased Lake Michigan pollution.

Informed sources in Chicago have told WMR that what is occurring in the Gulf of Mexico could very well happen to Lake Michigan when considering that BP not only continues to pollute the lake at higher rates but also has a record of safety and environmental infractions at the expanded Indiana refinery.

Source: http://oilprice.com/Energy/Energy-General/BP-Gets-Pass-From-Obama-Administration-To-Potentially-Pollute-Lake-Michigan.html

By the Wayne Madsen for Oilprice.com who offer detailed analysis on Crude oil, Natural Gas, Geopolitics, Gold and most other Commodities. They also provide free political and economic intelligence to help investors gain a greater understanding of world events and the impact they have on certain regions and sectors. Visit: http://www.oilprice.com

Movie Admission Hits $20

Unbelievable, in this recession, that people are still attending movies like crazy, and are willing to pay up for the privilege. (A reverse barometer to the economy?). I understand that during the Depression, attending motion pictures became a very popular outing, since it was relatively inexpensive, you could walk to the theater, so no travel expenses, and it took people's minds off the economic situation.

Now theater prices have hit $20, primarily in New York City, for the Shrek Forever After movie, created by DreamWorks Animation SKG Inc. (DWA).

Author owns DWA.

BP Knew About Well Problem in Advance According to Report

According to an article by Thom Hartmann, BP (BP) had received advice from Schlumberger (SLB) before the well blowout that the well had problems and should have been shut down. The Schlumberger crew reportedly got out of there about six hours before the problems began.

Thursday, May 20, 2010

Beware of Fake Checks from the SIPC

News release from the Hastings Group for the SIPC:

The Securities Investor Protection Corporation (SIPC), which maintains a special reserve fund mandated by Congress to protect the customers of insolvent brokerage firms, warned today that consumers should not accept SIPC checks that are presented online or in person by con artists seeking to buy personal goods.

SIPC officials said the fake checks include an actual SIPC account number that is used only for deposits. No checks of any kind are issued on the account in question.

In over a half dozen cases so far, one or more individuals have presented the phony SIPC checks to “pay” for an item on Craigslist or in face-to-face transactions. In some cases, the bad check passer or passers are trying to purchase items for less than the face value of the phony check and then asking for the balance in return, or for the balance to be forwarded to a third party.

As far as SIPC is aware, the face amounts of the fraudulent checks are less than $5,000. No SIPC funds have been stolen in this scheme.

SIPC President Stephen Harbeck said: “I want to be very clear that SIPC does not issue checks of this kind. As such, the public should not accept SIPC checks from any person purporting to buy goods for their personal use.”

SIPC was alerted to the scheme by consumers who were suspicious of the checks and did not proceed. However, at least one person has been victimized so far in the scheme.

The matter has been referred by SIPC to the proper authorities for investigation.

Green Jokes from My Green Stock Speech Last Week

What do you call an electric car with two exhaust pipes? A wheelbarrow.

How do you make an electric car go faster? A two truck.

What's the best way to charge a lithium ion battery? A credit card.

What did the California wind farm say to Governor Arnold? We're big fans of yours.

What do you call the shock absorbers on an electric car? Passengers.

What do you call an electric car at the top of a hill? A miracle.

"According to a new UN report, the global warming outlook is much worse than originally predicted. Which is pretty bad when they originally predicted it would destroy the planet." ~ Jay Leno

Jay Leno tried one of those new Smart Cars a couple weeks ago. He drove to work, parked in his usual spot on the street in front of the studio. He then tried to open his car door and noticed that they had built a concrete wall there. It turned out to be the curb.

For more jokes, go here and http://stockerblog.blogspot.com/2007/12/funny-mergers.html.

More jokes can be found at investmenttrivia.com.

Visualizing Obama's Budget Cuts

A college student explains what this means.VERY well done!
This is worth spending one minute and thirty eight seconds to watch!

Hedge Funds Shorted Stocks at 1 cent a share

It may be hard to believe, but hedge funds shorted stocks at one cent a share. This is due to the fact that market makers need to made markets all the time and sometimes put in a bid of one cent.

Well the market makers got lucky and bought shares at a penny when hedge fund computer programs sold at the market during the market crash on May 6. A couple of stocks that supposedly traded for pennies include Accenture plc (ACN) and Proctor & Gamble (PG).

App for Customs Laws

The Dutch government has an app for smart phones called the 'OK app', such as the Apple (AAPL) iPhone to tell travelers what items they can and cannot bring in to certain countries. It is reportedly the first app issued by the Dutch government.

Guest Article: Don't be surprised when one euro equals one dollar!

Don't be surprised when one euro equals one dollar... it could happen.

As everyone in the Western World knows, Europe has been having its share of major problems. All of Europe’s trials and tribulations have had a dramatic affect on the performance of the euro, recently putting it under severe pressure.

Unlike the United States, where we can print money and inflate ourselves out of most problems, the Eurozone is accountable to the 16 nations who gave up their own currency to join.

I have had a lot of calls and e-mails about doing a video on the euro, so I looked at the markets and made a video to share my thoughts with you.

In my latest video I'll explain how our "Trade Triangle" technology has been very accurate since the beginning of the year for the euro. Although we've nailed the market thus far, it leads to the big question: Have we seen the euro bottom out?

I hope my new video answers that question and highlights some of the reasons why I believe we could be seeing some strong opportunities in this market.

The video is available for viewing now and there is no charge or registration requirement.

All the best,
Adam Hewison
President, INO.com
Co-creator, MarketClub

Wednesday, May 19, 2010

Are Casino Stocks Worth a Bet?


Last week, when I was in Las Vegas to give a couple of speeches, I noticed how packed the city was. I thought there was a recession on, but the economic downturn seems to be over in Vegas.

According to the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, during the first three months of the year, visitors to the city were up by 12%. Hotel occupancy went from 71.1% to 82.4%, and there was an amazing 48% increase in the number of conventions.

So maybe, just maybe, there is a turnaround play in the casino stocks. WallStreetNewsNetwork.com has come up with a list of all the major casino companies, along with their financials. And unfortunately, the financials for many of these stocks don't look good.

For example, Wynn Resorts (WYNN) has a very high trailing price to earnings ratio of 121 and forward PE of 47. But on the positive site, latest revenues were up over 22% and the company pays a yield of 1.2%. Wynn has Wynn Las Vegas casino resort in Las Vegas, and the and Wynn Macau casino resort located in Macau.

The Las Vegas Sands (LVS) which has casinos in Las Vegas, Macau, Singapore, and Pennsylvania, has a forward PE of 32 and a favorable price earnings to growth ratio of 0.59. Revenues were up 23.7% for the latest quarter. The company doesn't pay a dividend.

Another way to bet on the casino industry is through the manufacturers of the slot machines and the other electronic gaming machines, such as WMS Industries Inc. (WMS). The Illinois company, which has been around since 1946, has a trailing PE ratio of 26, a forward PE of 21, and a PEG ratio of 1.11. There is no dividend, but earnings were up 35.2% for the latest quarter on a revenue increase of 9.2%.

For a list of all the top casino stocks, including some that pay dividends of 1.2% and greater, go to WallStreetNewsNetwork.com.

Author does not own any of the above.

By Stockerblog.com

Bernie Madoff Play Cancelled

A play about noted fraudster Bernard Madoff has been canceled, due to a complaint from Elie Wiesel, who's character was supposed to appear in the play. Wiesel threatened legal action if the play continued.

Guest Article: Psychological Plunge in Oil Prices Makes OPEC Nervous, Official Says

The plunge in oil prices in the wake of the euro crisis has OPEC worried.

Qatar oil minister Abdullah bin Hamad Al Attiyah emerged as an unofficial spokesman for the oil cartel over the weekend in a series of news agency reports from the Gulf that signaled the group’s concern.

On Monday, as oil futures briefly dipped below $70 a barrel after settling Friday at $71.71, Al Attiyah told reporters that a price below $70 a barrel was too low for companies to maintain investment and expand capacity. Such investment is crucial to avoid a supply shortage in the future, Al Attiyah said.

He reiterated that following the lead of Saudi King Abdullah’s pronouncement about a “fair” oil price in December, OPEC officials want to see a price between $70 and $80 a barrel.

At another industry event on Saturday, Al Attiyah told news agencies that the drop in oil prices was “psychological” and not based on fundamentals. He said the crisis concerning Greece and the euro was causing the drop and speculation about “contagion” would continue to depress oil prices.

“The whole world then started to ask the question about if it will move to other countries,” the Qatar minister said, according to agency reports. “We're watching, with nervousness.”

Qatar , one of the world’s leading producers of natural gas, is a relatively small oil producer, but is closely allied with the main Gulf producers – Saudi Arabia , Kuwait and United Arab Emirates .

Concern about the future of the joint European currency continued to batter financial and commodity markets on Monday, as prices fell and the euro declined further against the dollar and other currencies.

At a meeting of the Arab OPEC members earlier this month, Kuwaiti oil minister Ahmad Abdullah Al-Sabah said a price below $65 a barrel would “ring a bell” for the oil cartel and could prompt them to hold an emergency meeting ahead of the next scheduled meeting Oct. 14.

OPEC could react to a low price by cutting production, as it did in 2008 when the financial crisis lowered demand and sent oil prices plunging.

Source: http://oilprice.com/Energy/Oil-Prices/Psychological-Plunge-in-Oil-Prices-Makes-OPEC-Nervous-Official-Says.html

By. Darrell Delamaide for Oilprice.com who offer detailed analysis on Crude oil, Natural Gas, Geopolitics, Gold and most other Commodities. They also provide free political and economic intelligence to help investors gain a greater understanding of world events and the impact they have on certain regions and sectors. Visit: http://www.oilprice.com

Tuesday, May 18, 2010

What Warren Buffett is Buying and Selling

Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway (BRK-A) (BRK-B) has announced some major portfolio changes, most described in its filings with the SEC. Here are his holding updates:

Sold:

Sun Trust Banks (STI )
Travelers (TRV)
United Health (UNH)
Wellpoint (WLP)

Reduced holdings:

Carmax (CMX)
ConocoPhillips (COP)
Costco (COST)
Gannett (GCI)
Johnson & Johnson (JNJ)
M&T Bank (MTB)
Moody's (MCO)
Procter and Gamble (PG)

Increased holdings:

Becton Dickinson (BDX)
Iron Mountain (IRM)
Republic Services (RSG)

Author does not own any of the above.

Rice Bras May Give Victoria's Secret and Hanes a Run for the Money

The Triumph bra manufacturing company in Japan has come out with their annual unique brassiere, and this year is a great one for women who like to garden. It is called the "Grow-Your-Own Rice Bra", and allows the wearer to grow rice out of the pot cups while wearing them. Watch out Victoria's Secret (LTD), Frederick's of Hollywood (FOH), and Hanes (HBI).

US May Implement Market Curbs in June

The Securities and Exchange Commission and the major U.S. exchanges are planning on implementing circuit breaker trading curbs as early as mid-June. These triggers would stop trading in a stock if it dropped more than 10% in five minutes.

What a ridiculous rule. Whatever happened to the free enterprise system? Will the government next start telling us what prices stocks should trade at? Gimme a break.

The Highest Home Improvement Return: A New Front Door


You would think that will all the home improvements available to the homeowner, that maybe a kitchen remodel or a bathroom remodel would provide the highest return on your investment.

However, according to a recent report, the best improvement you can make is a Steel Entry Door Replacement, which would generate an average return on investment of 128.9%. In second place is an Attic Bedroom with an 83.1% return, and third is a wood deck addition with a return of 80.6%.

Germany Plans to Ban Short Selling

Short selling will be banned in Germany starting midnight tonight, per a decree from German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble.

In addition, Germany is considering a stock transaction tax. It will be called "a financial transaction or finance activity tax".

Coca Cola Happiness Machine

Coca Cola installed a Coke machine, which it converted to a Happiness Machine, at a college campus. Check out this video. It will make you happy.



Coca Cola trades on the New York Stock Exchange.

Monday, May 17, 2010

Google Discriminating Against Cougars?


Cougars (mature women who date younger men) have been ubiquitous in the news lately. We even wrote about the Cougar Stock Portfolio a couple weeks ago.

However, according to the New York Times, Google (GOOG) has refused to run ads for CougarLife.com, a site which matches mature women with men who are younger. This in spite of the fact that Google does accept ads for services matching older men with younger women, such as ArrangementSeekers.com, a site owned by the same company that owns CougarLife, according to the report.

Sustainable Bricks Made with Urine

Will this be the answer to the real estate crisis? How about cheap bio-manufactured bricks made with easy to get items: urine, sand, and bacteria. They can be cooked at room temperature. No more coal fired plants.

The bricks were invented by an American professor of architecture in Abu Dhabi.

This could give new meaning to 'a brick ....house'.

'Gimme Your Beer or I'll Throw a Can of Beer at You'

In Pueblo, Colorado, a couple of robbers used a case of Bud Lite beer to hit a convenience store clerk on the head in order to steal some beer.

Bud Lite is made by Anheuser-Busch InBev (BUD), with the unforgettable stock symbol 'BUD', and trades on the New York Stock Exchange.

Real Estate News of the Week: Underground Nuke-proof Desert Bunker


A company called Vivos, based in Del Mar, California, is now offering space a nuclear-proof underground bunker in the Mojave Desert. The cost is only $50,000. The location encompasses 13,000 square feet, and includes a gymnasium, an atrium, and a jail! There are 132 spaces available and 50% have already been taken.

People are signing up due to fear of earthquakes, terrorism, anarchy, nuclear attacks and the end of the world in 2012.

Top Yielding Electric Utilities


There are 30 electric utilities that yield 4% or more, in addition to providing relative safety, security, and stability. WallStreetNewsNetwork.com has come up with a list of numerous electric utility stocks that pay high dividends. Historically, utilities have paid favorable dividends for many years with low volatility.

Here are some examples of utility stocks that pay higher yields than what you would receive on a CD.

FirstEnergy Corp. (FE) has a yield of 6%, and has a forward PE of 9.4.

Integrys Energy Group, Inc. (TEG) has a yield of 5.6%, and has a forward PE of 14.6.

Pinnacle West Capital Corporation (PNW) has a yield of 5.8%, and has a forward PE of 11.9.

Westar Energy, Inc. (WR) has a yield of 5.3%, and has a forward PE of 13.1.

You can access a free downloadable Excel database of high yield electric utility stocks, which you can add to, change, and sort, at WSNN.com.

Author does not own any of the above.

By Stockerblog.com

What Google is Saying About Gold and Greece

Whenever you type something into Google, it always gives you some suggestions based on what people are currently typing in. So what are the Googlers currently saying about gold?


Interesting comments are 'Gold is money and nothing else' and 'Gold is a bad investment.'

And what are they saying about Greece?



Comments about Greece include "Greece is bankrupt,' 'Greece is broke,' and my personal favorite 'Greece is in what country.'

Sunday, May 16, 2010

Weird and Crazy Company Names of Stocks

It is amazing that there are several publicly traded companies that have strange names. We first reported about the stock called Crazy Woman Creek Bancorp Inc. (CRZY.PK) back in 2007. Crazy Woman is a bank holding company for Buffalo Federal Savings Bank, which serves the Johnson, Campbell, and Sheridan counties in Wyoming. The stock has a P/E of 23. Earnings for the latest quarter were up 69%.

There is also Crazy Horse Resources (CZH.V) which trades on the Vancouver Stock Exchange. Speaking of horses, there is also Bucking Horse Energy (BUKHF.PK) and Gold Horse International (GHII.OB). And although unicorns are not exactly horses, they look pretty similar. So we have Unicorn Org. (UNICORN.BO) which trades on the Bombay Stock Exchange and Unicorn AIM VCT plc (UAVX.L), traded in London, which is a United Kingdom-based investment management company.

As for other animals, I turned up a company with the unusual name of Foley Dog Show Organ (FLDG.PK), and all I could find out about it, besides the fact that it trades on the Pink Sheets, is that it is or was a popular dogs publication company.

For other dog stocks (no pun intended), there are Blackdog Resources (DOG.V) and Bull Dog Sauce Company (BGDSF.PK).

Some stocks that may be the cat's meow include Mad Catz Interactive Inc. (MCZ), which makes accessories for videogame platforms, personal computers, and iPods, Big Cat Energy Corporation (BCTE.OB), which has technology which allows coal bed methane operators to re-inject water produced from productive coal seams, and Storm Cat Energy Corp. (SCUEF.PK).

Let's round out the animals with Cockatoo Coal (CKATF.PK), Cockatoo Ridge Wines (CKTOF.PK), Snake Eyes Golf Clubs Inc (SNKEQ.PK), and finally Coda Octopus Group, Inc. (CDOC.PK), a company which markets underwater technologies and equipment for imaging, mapping, and defense and survey applications.

A stock called Love & Play (56N.F) last traded for 0.002 euros on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange. They operate something called 'Coffee and Stay' shops and erotic products.

Finally, we will end this on a small note with a bank called the little bank (LTLB.OB). That's right, the way you see it written is the way it actually is, in all lower case letters, in 'e.e.cummings Style'. The stock has a PE ratio of 29 and pays a yield of 1.4%. Earnings were up 14% for the latest quarter.

If you know of any other weird names of stocks, please post.

Author does not own any of the above.

By Stockerblog.com

Craigslist Launches Weekly Documentary Series

Craigslist, the leading online classifieds site, has decided to produce a weekly Internet series that documents people utilizing the Craigslist services. The initial series will have 14 episodes. You can see their first episode below. eBay (EBAY) reportedly owns approximately 25% of Craigslist.

Saturday, May 15, 2010

Bank Closures: No End in Site


If you look at the above chart, you will notice the trend of closures since the year 2000. Last month, April, there were 23 bank closures, the most closures in the history of the FDIC, with the exception of one spike in July of 2009. The latest month of May shows only one week of data.

The latest banks to 'bite the dust' include:
Midwest Bank and Trust Company
Southwest Community Bank
New Liberty Bank
Satilla Community Bank
1st Pacific Bank of California
Towne Bank of Arizona
Access Bank
The Bank of Bonifay

Guest Article: Oil Prices Drop Further in Week as Euro’s Travails Continue

Oil Market Summary from: 05/10/2010 to 05/14/2010

Crude oil prices plunged nearly 4% on Friday and were off almost 20% from their 18-month high less than two weeks ago, as the euro continued to lose ground against the dollar and U.S. oil inventories continued to build.

The benchmark West Texas Intermediate contract settled at $71.61 a barrel on Friday, down $2.79 on the day, compared with $75.11 a week earlier, and the lowest price in three months. Oil prices hit an 18-month high of $87.15 on May 3.

The euro on Friday reached its lowest point against the dollar since October 2008, falling below $1.24 from just above $1.25 on the previous day. As the dollar strengthens, it puts downward pressure on oil prices.

Oil futures fell below $71 a barrel in intraday trading, and analysts now feel that prices may test the $70 threshold. OPEC has repeatedly said it would like oil prices to stay in a range of $70 to $80 a barrel, and the oil cartel might be prompted to cut production if prices fell below $70.

The buildup of inventories continued to weigh on the Nymex contract. The European benchmark, ICE’s Brent crude, which normally trades at a discount to WTI, settled at $77.18 on Friday.

The weekly inventory report from the U.S. Energy Information Administration on Wednesday showed an increase of 1.95 million barrels in oil stocks. In Cushing , Okla. , the delivery point for Nymex crude, inventories rose by 784,000 barrels to a record 37 million barrels.

The oil price decline on Friday came in spite of an increase in the Reuters/University of Michigan consumer sentiment index for May. The index rose to 73.3 from 72.2 in April, indicating a possible pickup in demand.

Also on Friday, it was announced that U.S. retail sales rose 0.4% in April, to $366.4 billion – the seventh straight month sales have risen.

Pressure on the euro continued even though European leaders last weekend agreed on a nearly $1 trillion package to back euro zone members and the European Central Bank reversed its earlier position and agreed to buy member’s government bonds to counter selling pressure in international bond markets.

While the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico has seemed to have little direct effect on prices, President Barack Obama pledged on Friday that the U.S. government would review its regulatory procedures for oil companies in the wake of the accident.

Earlier in the week, the administration said it would split up the government agency responsible for offshore drilling so that supervisory and enforcement responsibilities would be separate from leasing and revenue collection.

Source: http://oilprice.com/Energy/Oil-Prices/Oil-Prices-Drop-Further-in-Week-as-Euros-Travails-Continue.html

By. Darrell Delamaide for Oilprice.com who offer detailed analysis on Crude oil, Geopolitics, Gold and most other Commodities. They also provide free political and economic intelligence to help investors gain a greater understanding of world events and the impact they have on certain regions and sectors. Visit: http://www.oilprice.com

Friday, May 14, 2010

Waddell & Reed was 'Mystery Trader' in Market Plunge According to Reuters

According to a document which was obtained by Reuters, it was Waddell & Reed Financial Inc. (WDR) that was responsible for the market plunge. It was apparently due to a large order of e-mini contracts during a 20-minute span, and was not related to high frequency traders. About 9 percent of the volume in e-minis was related to one sale.

Sarkozy Threatens to Pull France out of the Euro


France may pull out of the Euro if President Nicolas Sarkozy follows through with his threat. He even pounded his fist on the table.

Thursday, May 13, 2010

Gold Vending Machine: It's Made of Gold and It Dispenses Gold


How would you like to go to an ATM machine and have a 10 gram gold bar pop out? There is now a vending machine at the Emirates Palace in Dubai which will allow people to purchase gold bars and gold coins. The machine updates the price of gold every 10 minutes. There are 320 different gold items to choose from.

By the way, the machine itself is gold plated.

Market Drop Update: Caused by Space Alien Invasion According to a Congressman


So much for 'fat fingers' causing the huge market drop last week. Now it looks like it may be due to an invasion by aliens from outer space, according to Congressman Paul Kanjorski of Pennsylvania. His exact word were "I don't want to cause any panic or fright, but it could be anywhere from a cyber attack to an alien invasion to just stupid programing."

Stocks Going Ex Dividend the Third Week of May 2010


Here is our latest update on the stock trading technique called 'Buying Dividends'. This is the process of buying stocks before the ex dividend date and selling the stock shortly after the ex date at about the same price, yet still being entitled to the dividend. This technique generally works only in bull markets. In flat or choppy markets, your have to be extremely careful.

In order to be entitled to the dividend, you have to buy the stock before the ex-dividend date, and you can't sell the stock until after the ex date. The actual dividend may not be paid for another few weeks. WallStreetNewsNetwork.com has compiled a free downloadable and sortable Excel list of the stocks going ex dividend during the next week or two. The list contains many dividend paying companies, all with market caps over $500 million, and yields over 3%. Here are a few examples showing the stock symbol, the ex-dividend date and the yield.

Microchip Technology Inc. (MCHP) market cap: $5.3B ex div date: 05/17 yield: 4.8%

Regency Centers Corporation (REG) market cap: $3.3B ex div date: 05/17 yield: 4.5%

Duke Energy Corporation (DUK) market cap: $22.1B ex div date: 05/19 yield: 5.7%

Hawaiian Electric Industries, Inc. (HE) market cap: $2.1B ex div date: 05/19 yield: 5.5%

The additional ex-dividend stocks can be found at wsnn.com. (If you have been to the website before, and the latest link doesn't show up, you may have to empty your cache.) If you like dividend stocks, you should check out the high yield utility stocks and the Monthly Dividend Stocks at WallStreetNewsNetwork.com or WSNN.com.

Dividend definitions:

Declaration date: the day that the company declares that there is going to be an upcoming dividend.

Ex-dividend date: the day on which if you buy the stock, you would not be entitled to that particular dividend; or the first day on which a shareholder can sell the shares and still be entitled to the dividend.

Record date: the day when you must be on the company's books as a shareholder to receive the dividend. The ex-dividend date is normally set for stocks two business days before the record date.

Payment date: the day on which the dividend payment is actually made, which can be as long at two months after the ex date.

Don't forget to reconfirm the ex-dividend date with the company before implementing this technique.

Author does not own any of the above.

By Stockerblog.com