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Tuesday, November 24, 2009

Do I Really Have to Comment On This ?


The WSJ may be good for some things but market forecasts....not so much

After 3 days of looking at this nonsense my head is spinning

WSJ November 23,2009 pg. A1:


Investors Dial Back Risk as Year-End Nears

Signs of wariness are appearing in financial markets as investors worry that the end of the year could bring challenging trading conditions.
Last week saw a steep drop off in stock-market trading volume and a surge in demand for short-term government debt, indications that investors and financial institutions are growing cautious and retreating from riskier bets.
That defensive behavior is relatively common toward the end of the year. But this year it's happening earlier than usual. An uncommon confluence of events is driving the shift. The biggest catalyst is a reluctance among investors to take on new aggressive bets and avoid a late-year blow-up in their portfolios. Many are sitting on big gains after a 58% surge in the Dow Jones Industrial Average since early March and record returns from some corporate bonds.
"People who have booked some significant gains…are looking to take risk levels down," says Brian Fagen, co-head of Americas liquid market sales at Barclays Capital.



WSJ November 24,2009 page C1

What Gloom? Blue Chips Rise 132.79, Gold Joins In



WSJ Novemeber 25 pg c1

Turkey' Day? Stocks Don't Believe It


By E.S. BROWNING


People don't typically give Thanksgiving presents, but the stock market does.

For decades going back at least to the end of World War II, stocks have shown above-average strength over the Thanksgiving period.

The Wednesday before the Thursday Thanksgiving holiday and the Friday afterward normally show higher gains than typical Wednesdays and Fridays, according to data from Ned Davis Research.

In fact, the entire week before Thanksgiving usually is a strong one for stocks, says Paul Hickey of Bespoke Investment Group in Harrison, N.Y.

Alas, the good cheer doesn't last. The week after Thanksgiving typically shows a decline....

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