With all the bad news that has been dumped upon the economy for some reason the stock market is going up. Why?
The SEC (Securities and Exchange Commission) has just set up new guidelines for core earnings. No more proforma computations. You know what proforma means - the company CEO or Treasurer waves his magic wand and says this is what I expect to appear as soon as I let the genii out of the bottle. And pigs can fly. These imaginary numbers may give his company a Price/Earnings ration of 20 which is pretty good by today's standards.
Now those mean guys in Washington have said you must reevaluate your earnings but this time figure in your stock options, pension costs and any restructuring charges. Holy Cow, that makes the P/E ratio 37. And that ain't no bargain when you are buying stock. The 100 year average has run about a 14 P/E. If the company has not been paying any dividends then this is a stock that must be suspect for any long term holding.
Because of these new guidelines the entire S&P Index P/E has gone from a 33 to 49. That is much better than it was in January 2002 when it reached 69. This number makes the entire market overvalued and still leaves me with the question of how can the market advance using these high P/Es?
There are a couple of answers and neither may be the right one.
The market has become severely oversold. The bear people have been riding it down until the news media finally recognized we have a long-term bear market. There have become too many traders who think there is no bottom and are willing to sell anything and everything. Enter the trading bargain hunters. It will now be the bears turn to be punished.
It takes money to put the market up. Where is that coming from? Our white knight, Sir Greenspan, has come in with his bags of money this past week. Look past our borders and you will see stock exchanges in every major country in the world that look sicker than ours. Foreign investors want a new home for their money and it seems the U.S. market looks darn good. As that money has started buying you may begin to see pension plan and mutual fund managers coming into the market.
The talking heads on TV and radio will give many other reasons that can be fueling the market advance and they may also be correct. Our market may be overvalued as we see it, but to others it looks like a bargain. Money is always looking for the greatest return and with wire transfers billions of dollars can and does move in a matter of hours. Oversold to the foreign market traders means underbought. It seems they have put on their buying clothes and want a piece of the action as our market is headed up - at least for a while.
(c) 2005
Al Thomas' best selling book, "If It Doesn't Go Up, Don't Buy It!" has helped thousands of people make money and keep their profits with his simple 2-step method. Read the first chapter to receive his market letter for 3 months at www.mutualfundmagic.com to discover why he's the man that Wall Street does not want you to know.
recurring maid service Buffalo Grove ..Several times each month I am solicited by various market... Read More
What can I expect to make my first year of... Read More
Whenever I see mutual fund comparisons in the trade publications... Read More
All stock trading and investing methods must deal with the... Read More
If you're a normal human being, your need to feel... Read More
Every day I hear someone on CNBC proclaim that "this... Read More
Right now there doesn't seem to be any "gold fever".... Read More
As an investor you will want to check out any... Read More
For years I have been saying you must have a... Read More
When will the stock market stop going down and start... Read More
You have heard about a particular mutual fund from a... Read More
You have decided to buy some stock or mutual funds,... Read More
Do you own any mutual funds? In an IRA or... Read More
You have a lock on your house. You have a... Read More
I am sure that if you have a brokerage account... Read More
What a great statement!I just heard someone use it in... Read More
With the stock market stubbornly refusing to settle down and... Read More
If you have been dealing with mutual funds for any... Read More
As one of my regular readers you know I have... Read More
A common problem I often see when working with living... Read More
How many people went to a cash position this week?... Read More
Index Fund Trading can be one of the most profitable...or... Read More
I feel that an investment strategy in the stock market... Read More
I go to the Money Show every year to visit... Read More
It is commonly reported that the stock market averages about... Read More
premium house cleaning Glenview ..You've decided to try your luck at trading stocks or... Read More
With an insecure job market, overworked employees, insufficient retirement savings... Read More
Hello Inflation, it has been awhile, I see you on... Read More
Over the past few months, several investment professionals have brought... Read More
Four blind men were asked to give a description of... Read More
Stocks breakout from properly formed bases everyday but many investors... Read More
Mutual funds were created with the idea that one person... Read More
Picking a beaten-down stock requires a different kind of selection... Read More
Every successful trader has a winning system. There are of... Read More
Many people would like to diversify their portfolios to expand... Read More
One of the great truisms of Wall Street is "Don't... Read More
First let's see what protectionism is. According to Mr. Webster... Read More
You have a lock on your house. You have a... Read More
Just about everything you have been told about Social Security... Read More
We all know that emotions control every decision that an... Read More
Now that you have some money burning a hole in... Read More
On Monday, November 25, 2000 Investor's Business Daily listed on... Read More
What a great statement!I just heard someone use it in... Read More
The gleam and bright lights of Wall Street lure in... Read More
I have been trading for several decades and was an... Read More
Today we are inundated with tons of information about the... Read More
Every day I hear someone on CNBC proclaim that "this... Read More
If you have been watching the stock market at all... Read More
The basis of diminishing return discussions surround such simple notions;... Read More
One of the great "secrets" of successful people is discipline... Read More
Stocks & Mutual Fund |