Friday, August 31, 2012

Gartman on Gold

Bill Gross on Bernanke | All American Investor

If you don't see the video go here -- Bill Gross on Bernanke

Thursday, August 30, 2012

McDonald's (MCD) 2012 Review

McDonald’s operates or licenses more than 33,500 fast food restaurants world wide. 

Over the past ten years, the company has grown profits at a 13% pace but dividends at 26% annualized while earning a 25%+ return on equity. Looking forward, the pace of advance of dividends should slow somewhat although earnings growth is expected to continue at an above average pace as a result of:

(1) global growth not only in the number of restaurants but also in same store sales,

(2) introduction of new higher margin products [McCafe Real Fruit Smoothies, Frappes, Angus snack wraps],

(3) a revitalization program aimed at increasing market share via rising restaurant visits, growing brand loyalty and a new marketing campaign,

Tuesday, August 28, 2012

Morning Journal-Saudi Arabia ups the ante in Syria | All American Investor

Economics

This Week’s Data

The Chicago Fed’s manufacturing index rose 1.9% in July.
http://mjperry.blogspot.com/2012/08/chicago-fed-midwest-manufacturing-grew.html

Other

Weekly update on gasoline prices (short):
http://advisorperspectives.com/dshort/updates/Gasoline-Update.php

Politics

Domestic

International War Against Radical Islam

Saudi Arabia goes on the offensive in Syria (medium):
http://www.zerohedge.com/news/guest-post-endless-war-saudi-arabia-goes-offensive-against-iran

News on Stocks in Our Portfolios

Bank of Nova Scotia reported second quarter earnings per share of C$1.69 versus expectations of C$1.20.


Steve Cook received his education in investments from Harvard, where he earned an MBA, New York University, where he did post graduate work in economics and financial analysis and the CFA Institute, where he earned the Chartered Financial Analysts designation in 1973. His 40 years of investment experience includes institutional portfolio management at Scudder, Stevens and Clark and Bear Stearns. Steve's goal at Strategic Stock Investments is to help other investors build wealth and benefit from the investing lessons he learned the hard way.

Saturday, August 25, 2012

Alzheimer's Reading Room

The Alzheimer's Reading Room is the number one source of life news and information for the entire Alzheimers and Dementia community.

Wednesday, August 15, 2012

Morning Journal-Goldman lowers odds of QEIII


Economics

This Week’s Data


The International Council of Shopping Centers reported weekly sales of major retailers down 0.3% versus last week but up 3.6% versus the comparable period a year ago; Redbook Research reported month to date retail chain store sales down 0.3% versus the similar timeframe in July but up 1.8% on a year over year basis.

June business inventories rose 0.1% versus expectations of an increase of 0.2%; business sales were unchanged.

Weekly mortgage applications fell 4.5% while purchase applications declined 2.0%.


Tuesday, August 14, 2012

United States Population Reaches Milestone

Shortly after 2:29 p.m. EDT today, the U.S. population clock will reach a milestone that is very meaningful to mathematical statisticians: it will show there are 314,159,265 residents, or pi (3.14159265) times 100 million.

Pi is a mathematical constant that is the ratio of a circle’s circumference to its diameter. “This is a once in many generations event...so go out and celebrate this American pi,” said Census Bureau Chief Demographer Howard Hogan.

Internet address:

http://www.census.gov/main/www/popclock.html

Thursday, August 09, 2012

Now, It Is Man vs. Machine

In a move to repair its flagging bond-trading business, Morgan Stanley (MS)  is scrambling to replace some of its well-paid bond traders with computers.

The New York company is hiring programmers and technology specialists to help it trade bonds electronically and handle client orders in the hope of exploiting an expected shift in the way bonds and other fixed income products are traded.

While the effort represents only a part of what the firm is doing to boost low returns in the business, the shift already has reduced the ranks of interest-rate and foreign-exchange traders on some desks by 10% to 20%.

Morgan Stanley's head of interest-rate trading, Glenn Hadden, has told colleagues in recent months and that the trading floor of the future will surround a few traders with the hum of powerful machines. The unit, which has at least 200 staff according to industry estimates, has cut about 10% of staff on some trading desks. Morgan Stanley declines to discuss employment levels, but there according to these estimates the company employs more than 1,000 traders.

Continue Reading Now, It Is Man vs. Machine

Monday, August 06, 2012

Morgan Stanley Gives Four Reasons To Be Bullish On Gold

All American Investor
  1. The market probably doesn't have to worry about the ECB as a major seller.
  2. Physical gold demand is on the rise.
  3. Central banks are driving an unwinding of gold hedges.
  4. Supply in the gold market is falling as mines produce less.
Read more about the reasons behind these assumption.

Morgan Stanley Gives Four Reasons To Be Bullish On Gold