SURPRISING RETAIL SALES FUEL GAINS:

FEBRUARY 13, 2008: SURPRISING RETAIL SALES FUEL GAINS: Experts were expecting a .3% dip but they got a .3% gain instead which sparked optimism among the bulls sending stocks higher. The Nasdaq advanced 2% in lighter trade than yesterday. First Solar beat street estimates and vaulted 30% today. Other solar stocks were also strong like JASO, STP, and SPWR. Ben Bernanke speaks tomorrow and options expiration is on Friday so we could have a few more days of strength at the least. The DOW and S&P appear to be headed towards their 50-day moving averages which has been a place of resistance. The Nasdaq is now 17% off it’s October highs. Stimulus packages, multiple rate cuts, bail-outs, etc. may have brought us a ‘counter-trend’ rally but have failed to change the direction of the markets, which is decidedly down. Counter-trend rallies during corrections are by no means a signal to jump back in the markets. Bear market rallies can be sharp to the upside and come back down even faster. It’s best to wait for a ‘follow-through’ day before committing money to the long side of stocks. Don’t forget that the banking system is in serious trouble, the housing sector is in ‘melt-down’ mode and the consumer feeling the pinch of higher inflation and less access to credit. More info at www.goldenticker.com Legendary Investor Julian Robertson talks about the dollar and recession.

WALL ST. RALLIES ON MORE RATE CUT HOPES

FEBRUARY 1, 2008: The Nasdaq rallied 1% today and 3.75% for the week on improving volume. Small caps have been the strongest and the S&P 600 is approaching its 50-day moving average (see chart). Yahoo vaulted 48% on take-over talks with Microsoft in its effort to compete with Google. Intuitive Surgical, one of our favorites of the last rally, gapped up 20% in heavy volume on good earnings. Google fell further below its 200-day line in heavy volume after missing their numbers. The street was expecting 70,000 new jobs but non-farm payroll numbers showed 17,000 jobs were lost – a surprise hit. This was the first drop in 4-years. Traders are betting that this weakness forces the Fed to cut interest rates further next month. Stimulus packages, multiple rate cuts, bail-outs, etc. have brought us a “counter-trend” rally but have failed to change the direction of the markets, which is decidedly down. Counter-trend rallies during corrections are by no means a signal to jump back in the markets. Bear market rallies can be sharp to the upside and come back down even faster. It’s best to wait for a ‘follow-through’ day before committing money to the long side of stocks. Don’t forget that the banking system is in serious trouble, the housing sector is in “melt-down” mode and the consumer feeling the pinch of higher inflation and less access to credit. More info at www.goldenticker.com

Jim Rogers tells the Financial Times that “Bernanke has been a disaster.” (video)

Greenspan Defends Himself & Promts His Book at the Same Time

JANUARY 28, 2008: The Nasdaq gained 1% but volume was light as traders await Wednesday’s Fed meeting where they are widely expected to cut rates by 1/2%. The Nasdaq has been rallying lately on falling volume-a sign that this unconfirmed rally could fail. Former leaders like Google, Amazon.com, and Apple are still below their 200-day moving averages-a major sign of weakness. Potash, Monsanto, and Deere have been holding up better than most stocks but are rallying on decreasing or ‘wedging’ volume. Laggard groups like homebuilders, financials, and retailers were strong today giving this latest rally has the feel of ’short covering. Counter-trend rallies during corrections are by no means a signal to jump back in the markets. Bear market rallies can be sharp to the upside and come back down even faster. It’s best to wait for a ‘follow-through’ day before committing money to the long side of stocks. More info at www.goldenticker.com

Rick Santelli vs Ben Bernanke

Rick Santelli has been dead on during this current financial crisis. In this video he
critisises Ben Bernanke’s comments that a lower dollar does not affect prices at home.

The late economist Milton Friedman discusses greed and capitalism.

The late-great Milton Friedman discusses greed and capitalism with Phil Donahue.

JANUARY 23, 2008: After a brisk morning sell-off the indexes rallied strongly reversing earlier losses.The Nasdaq was up 1.1% and erased a 3% loss, the Dow rallied 2.1% after a huge 600pt intra-day swing. Financials, Building, and Transport stocks led the way up. Apple was hit hard today and was down over 20% intra-day before recovering some of its losses. News that bond insurers MBIA and AMBAC may get some help appeared to stoke the markets. Today’s strong rally had the feel of ’short covering’ and is by no means a signal to jump back in the markets. Bear market rallies can be sharp to the upside and come back down even faster. It’s best to wait for a ‘follow-through’ day before committing money to the long side of stocks. More info at www.goldenticker.com

The Inevitable Collapse of the US Dollar – A “must see” video.

Peter Schiff has been a voice of reason for many years and now many of his dire predictions are materializing.

The Stock Market Will Crash Tomorrow-Jan. 22, 08

We’ll be watching you Ben Bernanke (Music Video)

Clever music video puts its unique spin on Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke and the CBS (Central Banking System).

Cramer exposes the corruption on Wall St. & the banking sector.

http://www.cnbc.com/id/22706231 A MUST SEE VIDEO

Why isn’t the Securities and Exchange Commission getting more involved in the whole banking sector writedown situation? Especially since the numbers are likely to get worse, not better? That’s what Jim Cramer, CNBC’s resident stock guru, wants to know.

“It’s all fiction!” he declared during a forceful exchange (see it in full in the accompanying video) on CNBC’s “Squawk Box.”

“How can we have these levels of fiction in financials after Sarbanes-Oxley? How do people get away with this? How do they live with themselves?”

Cramer made his comments while reviewing results from Merrill. But his real consternation surrounded the insurers who cover banking investments. Some of those insurers haven’t come clean about their liabilities, Cramer speculated. Eventually they will, and then the “fiction” will disappear, he said.

The banking sector and its related industries are all too chummy, Cramer accused. That led the numbers related to mortgage investments — investments that are currently souring — to break from reality.

“I think the financial guys all belong to the same club and they got to protect each other,” he said.

Worse, those executives behind the current credit crunch are unlikely to get any punishment for their mistakes and disingenuousness about their numbers, Cramer opined.

“I’m fed up with it. The American people should be fed up with it. And the SEC should be fed up with it,” Cramer said.