The big-picture story out there continues to be the battle between bad news (rising infections, high unemployment, too many crumbling businesses) and good news (progress toward vaccines, therapeutics, etc.; accommodative policies from the Fed; improving fundamentals for some businesses arising from the pandemic). there’s...
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Stocks produced one of their strongest quarters in living memory, with the S&P 500 returning 20.5% in the period ending June 30. The index has nearly fully regained its previously-lost value, declining only 6% for the first half of the year. Investors frequently how...
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The S&P 500 soared 46% from the March bottom in about 11 weeks, the fastest such rise in history. It couldn’t keep that up forever and it was bound to falter eventually.
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How to Learn More about the Companies You Own
As the new Chief Analyst for the Undervalued Stock Advisor, I’d like to thank you for reading this month’s letter. I know you have many sources of investment ideas and advice, and I appreciate your in...
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The big news affecting the market this week is the upward trend in coronavirus cases in some states and the resulting concern that an economic rebound will be curbed sooner than hoped.
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While there are growing signs of risk, the market is, as always, difficult to predict in the near term. If it does selloff, that’s okay. Stocks in this portfolio are well positioned to endure further hardship and thrive beyond this crisis. Another down in...
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There have been so many changes in 2020, it pains me to heap another change onto your laps, and yet it is time for me to do so. I’ve implemented the next phase of my longtime career plan by establishing a U.S. equity fund...
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The market continues to recover from last week’s short but intense decline. In our portfolio there’s been a dearth of news flow. That’s fine with me. I think we could all use a little less stimulation and step back from our computers and devices...
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It’s been another crazy week in pandemic-land. After an interruption last week, the market seems to have resumed its ascent.
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Right now, U.S. stock markets are surging, largely due to the Federal Reserve’s bond-buying binge. As bond prices rise from the increased demand, bond yields fall (and they’re tremendously low).
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We’re finally starting to see signs that investors are realizing that risk actually does exist in the market (I think).
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From an investor’s point of view, I will be cautious about owning P&C insurance stocks. We won’t know the cost of all the damage until second and third quarter earnings reports, but you can be sure that profits will suffer.
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The S&P 500 is now up over 40% from the bottom in March and less than 10% from the all time high. Forget about a bear market. It’s not even a correction any more.
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How to Monitor Future Trouble in the Housing Market
U.S. stock markets continue to rise, carrying the majority of our portfolio stocks upward. There’s price resistance on the S&P 500 index at about 3,200, so that’s where I will anticipate an end to the run-up...
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In the market, there seems to be some rotation going on. Or at least that was my sense of things over the first two and a half trading days of the week.
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The stock market rally is now more than two months old. The S&P 500 has rallied 35% since March 23 and is now just about 10% below the all-time high.
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The S&P 500 Index and the Dow Jones Industrial Average began new run-ups yesterday, while the NASDAQ Composite Index continues its uptrend. I’m glad that investors are continuing to make money during this market rebound.
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Enjoy the current strength but be aware of the environment we’re in, and why. Accept that we could see a significant retreat in the prices of many of our stocks in the near term, but that the fundamental reasons behind their current strength persist...
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We are in the midst of a rally that has continued for about two months. This market seems to want to go higher. While the rally has slowed significantly from the initial bounce off the lows in March, the overall market is still an...
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In keeping with last week’s comments, the stock market continues to show a willingness to rise in the near term. More than any other industry, oil refining stocks offer strong upside, including two within our portfolios.
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