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.
cleaning team near Winnetka ..This is the continuing story of our two imaginary traders,... Read More
Ever done any whitewater rafting or canoeing? Long periods of... Read More
When most analysts, financial planners, fund specialists and investors try... Read More
It has fallen upon the consumer to make our economy... Read More
Checked your 401K lately? Going back to about a year... Read More
Recently I was invited to appear on a live CNNfn... Read More
The single most expensive stock market trades are those made... Read More
As I have said many times before in this column... Read More
Dollar cost averaging is one of the most popular ideas... Read More
What is the Series 7 Exam? If you... Read More
Investing in long-term financial vehicles give you the most gains... Read More
Someday you may want to retire and continue to live... Read More
It takes a total mental commitment to the task. It... Read More
For the last 12 years we have seen the Japanese... Read More
There are many important things you need to know to... Read More
Jack and Jill went up the hill to fetch a... Read More
For weeks, no, months we have been bombarded with nothing... Read More
There has been great condemnation recently because China has been... Read More
When you invest in the stock market for ever-increasing cash... Read More
Buy high and sell low -- It's not a typo.Millions... Read More
Did you run out to buy that duct tape yet?... Read More
The stock market can present you with a lot of... Read More
The greatest stock market myth is the idea that investing... Read More
You probably have been told that options are risky. Even... Read More
Are you attracted to the idea of being in control... Read More
family-safe home cleaners Northbrook ..You have decided to buy some stock or mutual funds,... Read More
Whenever I see mutual fund comparisons in the trade publications... Read More
Stock investment advice is easy to find. Do you get... Read More
This is the continuing story of our two imaginary traders,... Read More
When is a dividend not a dividend?The latest thing "conservative"... Read More
The fight continues to rage among traders who use technical... Read More
Analyzing growth stocks is an important focus for any investor.... Read More
Recently I watched my favorite football team lose a vital... Read More
Last time we looked at the real performance of the... Read More
You must take the time once a month to review... Read More
Being wrong is OK, but let's not carry it to... Read More
The following are a list of nine things you want... Read More
Jack and Jill went up the hill to fetch a... Read More
You'd have had to be living on a desert island... Read More
The World Bank claims that some two billion of the... Read More
That sounds like good advice doesn't it? Don't lose all... Read More
Sidney felt sick as she looked at her latest OptionsXpress... Read More
Since I can remember, and that's a long time ago,... Read More
"Buy and hold" is one of the most heralded investment... Read More
Ever wondered what is a mutual fund? A mutual fund... Read More
Both the stock market and oil prices rallied recently, which... Read More
Today's society gives special recognition to alcoholics, sexaholics, binge-aholics, shopaholics,... Read More
Hello Inflation, it has been awhile, I see you on... Read More
Sometime around 1980, can't remember exactly, there was a flight... Read More
During our travel down life's path we come to many... Read More
Stocks & Mutual Fund |