Stock Analysis
Will Japan drive our interest rates higher?
In investing, it's important to think unconventionally and creatively while at the same time considering risks - no matter how remote or unmanageable they are.
Is American Express (and financial stocks) still cheap?
There are very few financial companies that one can actually analyze and thus value -- American Express (AXP) is one of them, and I believe it's a great proxy for other financial stocks.
September – the worst month for stocks
September 1st is a very strange day for me. In Russia the school year across the whole country started on September 1st. I vividly remember myself as a child on that day throughout my childhood.
Healthcare Game
In his healthcare proposal President Obama is using a tactic described in behavioral finance as anchoring.
Reappraising China’s ‘Staggering’ Growth
I am not writing this under duress, neither my family nor I were kidnapped by the Chinese government; I simply made a mistake in my last note about China.
IMS Health – Think Longer-term
IMS Health (RX) did not have a spectacular quarter to put it mildly. Revenue decline (on constant currency basis) accelerated to 4% from a 2% decline last quarter.
Microsoft – Is Not Over Until it is Over
I’ve received a few emails asking my thoughts on Microsoft’s (MSFT) quarter. Here is my take: this is probably the least meaningful quarter in the company’s recent history.
Caterpillar’s Earnings
It is interesting to observe the excitement the Street has with Caterpillar's (CAT) earnings. They were better than company thought last quarter.
Random thoughts, Stocks for the Long-Run, no more
Today I’ve caught up on my last three BusinessWeek podcasts, called “Story Behind the Story.” John Burns, BW’s editor, interviews the reporter who wrote this week’s cover story.
Four Reasons Why Investors Are Wrong on IMS Health
The word contrarian is often overused in investing, I have yet to meet an investor who bragged about being a crowd follower; therefore, everyone is a contrarian.
Six reasons why natural gas is better investment than oil
Six reasons why natural gas is better investment than oil
Five reasons to avoid the gold rush
The arguments for why one should sell the cat, pawn the mother-in-law and use the proceeds to buy gold are well known.
How Rising Stocks Lift the Economy
We often talk about how developments in the economy will impact the stock market, but we rarely discuss the other side of the relationship.
Microsoft’s best week in quite a while
Call it the wishful thinking of the guy who owns stock, but the news flow from the company this week was excellent: Microsoft (MSFT).
Susan Boyle of Software or Microsoft’s Got Talent
When I think of Microsoft stock, images of Susan Boyle in "Britain’s Got Talent" come to mind. The Scottish woman appeared and expectations of her singing were in line with her appearance.
What Future Holds?
A friend asked: What do you make of this rally? Is this May 2003 [beginning of four year cyclical bull market], or May 2008? [beginning of dramatic stock market declines]
The Danger of Leveraged ETFs
There is a tremendous misconception that leveraged ETFs are to be used as long-term investments. On the surface they make a lot of sense.
Pricing Power
Got a letter from Bank of America (BAC) today that informed me that I am a great customer and also mentioned that B of A will be raising fees.
Mister Softie, are you serious?
I own Microsoft (MSFT) stock, and I do believe it is one of the steals of the century. But when I read that the code name for a phone, that is supposed to capture the days of glory from Apple's iPhone.
Obama’s First Econ Lesson
Education is expensive, consumes a lot of time and the payoff is not worth the trouble. This is a very early wake up call on socializing medical care in the US.
