The market continues to attempt to find a footing. Essentially, we are still somewhat on hold as a result of events unfolding between the United States, Iraq and the United Nations. There just doesn't seem to be a meaningful signal that Iraq has decided to disarm. |
The market is clearly in a cha-cha mode. There's very little conviction and that's why we're seeing this kind of volatility. |
The market is clearly in a cha-cha mode. There's very little conviction and that's why we're seeing this kind of volatility. |
The market is in a wait-and-see mode. It's waiting for confirmation of an economic recovery, some kind of resolution on Iraq and on what the Federal Reserve is going to do in its meeting this month. |
The potential is that there could have been a surprise that could have influenced the Fed next Tuesday, and clearly that hasn't happened. But employment is a lagging indicator. So the report is not a reflection of where the economy is going, but where it's been. |
The real issue is that energy prices keep rising -- it's like an invisible tax on the market and the consumer. |
The U.N. says go slow, the U.S. says the fact that Blix can't find anything is more of a comment on Blix than anything else. The point is, Bush is not going to be deterred by these findings. |
There's no real compelling reason for stocks to be up. But you've got little new news and there's an upward bias, so we're up today after a few days of selling. |
These accounting worries go right to the underpinnings of trust and confidence. If trust isn't there, you're tugging at the loose thread of a cheap polyester suit. People are worried about what other shoes are getting ready to drop. |
This is not an expensive stock. We think Merrill certainly has a significant amount of upward opportunity. |
Three years ago people actually thought that the Dow could go to 36,000 and it did the opposite. It's when people have really given up on the prospect of a real rally that you see a real rally, but try telling that to most investors now. Three years ago there was no reality dose, today there's no perspective. |
Today, there isn't any economic news, and the earnings news is having an impact on those stocks but not the broader market. |
Wal-Mart is ? I would argue is a fairly recession-resistant retail. |
We expect the year to end 2 to 3 percent higher or lower than where it is now. The case for it going down is a massive run of profit taking. The case for it going up is people wanting to get a jump on the January rally. |
We think one of the more exciting opportunities this year in the market are in the tech sector. |