Investors dance as Steve Ballmer exits

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Description: News of Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer’s retirement sent shares surging. Wall Street has criticized Ballmer for not moving into mobile quickly enough. Source: CNNMoney.com – video report Date: August 23, 2013 Link: http://money.cnn.com/video/investing/2013/08/23/investing-the-buzz-microsoft-steve-ballmer.cnnmoney/index.html   Questions for Discussions: Why did Microsoft stock jump on the news that Steve Ballmer was going to retire? Why have… Read more »

HP is back from the dead

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Description: Hewlett-Packard is the top Dow stock in 2013 after being a dog the past three years. Investors love Meg Whitman’s turnaround strategy. Can the comeback continue? Source: CNNMoney.com – video report Date: August 21, 2013 Link: http://money.cnn.com/video/investing/2013/08/21/investing-the-buzz-hewlett-packard.cnnmoney/index.html Questions for Discussions: Why has HP stock value turned around? What are investors expecting from the long… Read more »

Without Seamless, Fewer Customers and Higher Margins

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Description: Earlier this month, Pedro Muñoz told customers that his restaurant, Luz, would no longer use popular online food-delivery service Seamless because the site took a 14 percent commission and waited too long—more than a month, a lifetime in the overhead-heavy restaurant business—to give Luz its cut. Source: Businessweek.com Date: August 23, 2013 Link: http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2013-08-23/without-seamless-fewer-customers-and-higher-margins#r=hp-ls… Read more »

A Surprising Reversal for Emerging Stock Markets

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Description: FOR more than a decade, investors loved emerging markets. Now many seem to fear them. Source: NYTimes.com Date: August 23, 2013 Link: http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/24/business/economy/a-surprising-reversal-for-emerging-stock-markets.html?ref=business Questions for Discussions: Summarize the analysis presented in the report. How should investors be expected to behave over the next year?

Don’t invest in your company’s stock : Be wary of employer stock in your 401(k)

Posted by & filed under Financial analysis, Growth & Valuation.

Description: If ever you needed another reason not to invest in your company’s stock inside your 401(k), this would be it. Source: Marketwatch.com Date: August 24, 2013 Link: http://www.marketwatch.com/story/dont-invest-in-your-companys-stock-2013-08-24 Questions for Discussions: What does this report say about investing in companies with 401(k) plans? What is the explanation for the stock performance? What are the… Read more »

High speed trading showdown

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Description: Citadel’s Jamil Nazarali and former high speed trader David Lauer weigh the pros and cons of computerized stock trading for investors and society. Source: CNNMoney.com – video report Date: August 14, 2013 Link: http://money.cnn.com/video/investing/2013/08/14/investing-high-speed-trading-good-or-bad.cnnmoney/index.html Questions for Discussions: What does this report say about high speed trading? What do you think regulators’ roles should be… Read more »

The business of Ashton Kutcher

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Description: Ashton Kutcher is more entrenched in the tech world than simply playing the role of Steve Jobs. He actually throws around big dollars investing in some of the hottest startups. Source: CNNMoney.com – video report Date: August 16, 2013 Link: http://money.cnn.com/video/technology/2013/08/16/t-ashton-kutcher-business-steve-jobs.cnnmoney/index.html Questions for Discussions: Is Ashton Kutcher a typical venture capitalist? Why do you… Read more »

Carl Icahn Says an Apple Buyback Is a No-Brainer. Or Is It?

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Description: Those Apple guys must be idiots. That’s what Carl Icahn says, having bought up more than $1 billion of its shares with the sole objective of having management do the same. With more than $146 billion of cash in Apple’s (AAPL)pocket, using it to buy back shares is a “no-brainer,” Icahn told CNBC. Source:… Read more »

Quit worrying about a 1987-style crash

Posted by & filed under Economic Analysis, Financial analysis, Governments & Regulators, Growth & Valuation, Industry Analysis.

Description: More and more I am hearing and reading about the coming of a 1987-style crash. There are interviews in which the subject chats about how we have to prepare for it. Articles are being published telling us that this year’s percentage gains rival those of 1987 with the clear implication being that another crash… Read more »

The charts that point to an imminent Fed taper

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Description: Week in charts: Inflation nudges higher to Fed target rate Source: Marketwatch.com Date: August 16, 2013 Link: http://www.marketwatch.com/story/the-charts-that-point-to-an-imminent-fed-taper-2013-08-16?siteid=nwtwk Questions for Discussions: What does this report suggest is happening? What do the charts mean to you?