Insights

January's newsletter, which is a 2012 forecast issue is due out Thursday. I need to do some minor editing and re-read the monthly newsletter draft after setting it aside from a while. Then I run it past my wife for proof-reading and to make sure I am not talking over...

European markets sold off today after surging yesterday. US markets dropped in the AM but came back to finish flat. That's relative out-performance and is a good sign. Gold, oil and bonds were all up slightly. Right now there are converging trendlines - the...

For the 4th year in a row, markets were up sharply the first trading day of the year. It often continues for the 2nd trading day so look for more gains tomorrow, especially in the AM when European orders come in. Stocks were generally up 1.5% today. Gold was up 2.5%...

Stocks are higher today, not enough to make up for yesterday's drop. Yesterday was only the second down day in the last two weeks but hey you can't go up in a straight line. We have had our Santa Claus rally. We'll see what January holds. January and February are...

New regulations from the Department of Labor go into effect in 2012. The new requirement getting the most attention is that of providing the cost information to participants on how much is coming out of their account both in $ and % for fund costs and any other costs...

Stocks are down 1% - 2% today in the US and Europe. Bond prices are higher and the US dollar is up sharply. Gold and oil are down at least 2%. The higher dollar and lower stock prices are in spite of short-term sovereign debt auctions in Italy and Spain that went much...

I got this in an email. It does not give the source. The comments are those of the original writer. I have no reservations about having a balanced budget but plenty about having a balanced budget amendment. That’s because politicians are likely to take what they view...

Santa is such a last minute guy. Markets are up 4% this week here, Europe and Asia with another half day to go before Christmas. A typical Santa Claus rally keeps going the following week and into the new year. Volume will be light and that can amplify moves. The most...

Yesterday I wrote that the traditional Santa Claus rally had been missing. Europe started the party early today, going up as much as 3% and the US markets have seen that and raised it, up as much as 4%. Even better, the market has continued to climb as the day has...

No sign of Santa yet - the normal "Santa Claus rally" that runs the second half of December and often well into the first quarter is nowhere to be seen yet. Meanwhile, markets in Europe and the US continue the pattern of starting out the day well and seeing gains...