Friday at the Clothes

• Well, even with the selloff today there was a flurry at the end of the day to close up off the lows.  Enough to keep the SP500 over 1000.  Market down almost 1% for the week, so the win-steak is over!
• Belichick to NFL:  I’m afraid the Death Star is fully operational.  Tom Brady back last night and plays the first half very nicely.
• Oil down to just over $67.  Lots of talk about how if the world economies are improving, then that will increase demand and thus prices.  Of course, oil has come up already from the mid-30s.  Maybe some of that is priced in.

Friday Thoughts

• Well, it was bound to happen eventually.  The market pulling back large as I type.  SP500 now under 1000 again.  The last hour may be interesting, but seems like the bulls have been rescued lately by last ditch efforts in the last hour.  We shall see!
• Working from home today.  Work has been very busy and stressful of late.  I think one sign of economic recovery is that while companies have cut back employees, the work is increasing and existing workers are having to pick up the slack.  Companies won’t rush to hire back; they just let folks go!  Companies will want to see more stable signs.  And those signs usually show up in the rear-view mirror as they analyze company numbers.  So it could be a bit.  Which means we’ll all be worked harder!
• Consumer morale down. U.S. consumers' gloom deepened in early August as worry about scarce jobs and falling income… Yeah, people are worried.  It’s difficult to see the stock market advance and the financial articles talking about a recovering economy when in the real world, your wages are cut and you’re seeing people lose their jobs.  While there seems to be a disconnect, the stock market is looking towards the future, while the company is looking at and reacting to the numbers from last quarter.
• I created a new AudioBoo.  No headset, so the audio is much better this time.  Boo #2 is about Blockbuster and the DVD rental business.  Blockbuster reported poor earnings yesterday in an environment where people are renting more movies.  Yikes!  Here’s the embed, but you can always listen via the widget in the sidebar or by visiting my AudioBoo page. 

Technorati Tags: michelle wie,blockbuster,netflix,redbox

Thursday Randomosity, and AudioBoo!

• The market continues to rally, despite how we’re being told that it shouldn’t continue moving up with out a pause.  Yes, the Nasdaq looks a little tired, but could be regrouping.  I agree that we need a pullback, but not sure how severe that would be or how quickly folks would get back in.  The economy is improving, so the rally should take us higher at some point.  Yes, as always, never in a straight line.  Trying to time the wiggles is pretty difficult in a bull trend.  I prefer to ride it out.  I may shift allocations here and there, but that’s about it. 
• For now.  Subject to change, as always.
• Les Paul pic today.  You understand.
• Blockbuster hit afterhours today.  Who goes to Blockbuster anymore?  It’s all about Netflix and Redbox now.
• I downloaded the free iPhone app AudioBoo to record up to 5 minutes of chatter, then upload to a website.  Added a widget in the sidebar to listen.  If you want to do this and have questions, comment or email me and I’ll give you a cheat sheet.  Now the first recording didn’t go well, as I was on a headset outside.  Maybe it was the wind or other background noise that fried the recording.   The gist of the 3 minute talk was that Sell in May hasn’t worked out too well this year! Will try straight to the iPhone mic, indoors, next time!
• Cool AudioBoo stuff…  You can subscribe to your favorite feeds in iTunes.  Your favorite feeds also has an RSS feed, so you can subscribe in an iPhone app like RSS Player, too.  Even better!
• Michael Vick signs with the Philadelphia Eagles.  So, keep in mind that if you draft Eagles’ wide receivers for fantasy football and Donovan McNabb gets hurt, your receivers are worthless!

Cash for Clunkers Stimulus

This worked out better than any of the other auto stimulus packages. Low interest rates and a recovering economy helpng out, too.

DETROIT (Dow Jones)--Ford Motor Co. (F) boosted its production plans for the rest of the year as consumers, spurred by the "Cash for Clunkers" program, continue streaming into showrooms to buy.

http://online.wsj.com/article/BT-CO-20090813-712491.html

I know folks have pointed out that foreign car companies are selling more cars in this program. But, many of those foreign cars are built here!

-- Post From My iPhone

Looking for Catalysts!

• Note to self: The beginning of the NFL pre-season is not a stock market catalyst.
• The stock meandered around (mostly down) for the day, and closed slightly down. The market has had an amazing run and is quite extended.  It would be normal to get some profit taking and sideways action until the buyers regroup.  It also seems as if we're waiting for some news to react to.  The Fed meets this week, so that could provide some catalyst for something.
• Sorry, Vince Young.  You're just not a market mover!
• I remain 100% long, and realize that a 5% to 7% pullback is likely somewhere on the horizon.  Many have been trying to front run that, and have guessed too early and missed the next bump up.  I believe the market is pricing in a better economy.
• Man, granola sure is a messy snack.  I need to vacuum my workspace here.  Sheez.
• People are searching less for "great depression" these days. H/T to Carpe Diem.
• Weekend?  Worked some, as things have been hectic at the Fun Factory.  Also finished season 3 of Heroes via Netflix streaming.  Got a bike ride in.  Hung out with friends a couple nights.  I'm kind of into the Blue Moon beer these days.
• Ted Nugent, Double-Live Gonzo, Cat Scratch Fever.  LOL.

TGIF!

• Since March, the market has been anticipating an improving economy. We could be seeing the data flow matching market expectations.  The jobs numbers came in better than expected and the unemployment rate fell below 10%. 
• Political ramifications? I hate to be the bearer of bad news for the Republicans, but the economic cycle seems to favor the Democrats in the mid-term election cycle in 2010 and even out to 2012.  The economy may look pretty good as folks head to the election booth.  Folks tend to vote their wallet ahead of any other issue.
• It's Friday.  Quite a week in the market and here at work.  More blogging on the weekend.  I'm beat!

Wednesday's Rescue Randomosity

• Just when we thought the market would never go down again... It went down! The blame goes to a "generally unimpressive batch of economic data."  LOL.  Well, have had quite a run and any excuse for a breather, right?  Even after the morning dive, the market climbed it's way back up the rest of the day before falling in the last hour.  Nothing to dislike.  Expect a rest at some time.  We're also near the end of the monthly strength period, so the 401(k) adds are done for now.
• I remain long, overweighted in the NDX and small caps.  It's been a nice run.
• (I'm getting use to the newer versions of Windows Office software and the iPhone automatically capitalizing the first word in sentences.  Good Lord.)
• Euna Lee, Laura Ling, and Lana Lang released from North Korea.  Er, okay, not really Lana Lang.  That'd be Kristin Kreuk and I have no idea if she's anywhere near North Korea.  But if she is, I hope President Clinton goes over there and gets her out, too.  And speaking of, I have the Legend of Chun-Li DVD from Netflix.  I know it probably is horrible, but with Kristin and Moon Bloodgood, I figurd I HAD to give it a spin.
• I do think Laura and Euna coming home is good news, by the way.  I didn't want that to get lost in the shuffle of me making an excuse to put up a pic of Kristin Kreuk.
• Negotiations over extending cash for clunkers program stalls in the Senate. You know, people seem to like this program.  What's a few billion more in debt at this point?  It's is eventually going to turn into an episode of The Cleaner, where the addict will be forced to give up the junk.  At some point Akani (Grace Park) is coming over to tie you up.
• Cisco earnings fall 46% but beat expectations.  LOL.  Who cares what their earnings are, as long as they can beat a low-ball estimate?
• A 53-year-old man who told police he is secretly engaged to marry Miley Cyrus has been charged with attempting to stalk the teenage "Hannah Montana" star...  Good grief.
• Man, work is reallllly busy.  One sign the economy is recovering despite the bad news in the rear-view mirror.