Stocks Move Back To The Upside

After moving mostly lower over the past few sessions, stocks moved notably higher over the course of the trading day on Thursday. The markets benefited from a positive reaction to the latest developments overseas as well as some upbeat U.S. jobs data.

The major averages gave back some ground in the final hour of trading but remained firmly positive. The Dow rose 72.46 points or 0.5 percent to 13,485.97, the Nasdaq jumped 42.90 points or 1.4 percent at 3,136.60 and the S&P 500 climbed 13.83 points or 1 percent to 1,447.15.

The strength on Wall Street was partly due to optimism about the possibility of further stimulus from China, with reports suggesting that the China Securities Regulatory Commission will take steps to prop up the domestic equity market. Continue reading "Stocks Move Back To The Upside"

Gold Will Break Previous High in Near Term: Brien Lundin

The Gold Report: We just had a third round of bond buying in quantitative easing (QE). Will QE3 help the economy?

Brien Lundin: It will not help the economy, but it will help Wall Street. It will help elevate the stock market, including precious metals and resource stock prices. Although that was not the Fed's stated goal, it will be the ultimate result.

As I have written lately, we now have "QE as far as the eye can see." There is no end to it. The Federal Reserve will use QE until it works. If it does not work, the Fed will ratchet up the program and print more money until it does work.

The Fed is using the brute force of money creation to eliminate the U.S. unemployment problem, but that is not a foundation upon which a sustainable recovery can be built. At the same time that the Fed is trying to build a towering economy, it is eroding the very foundation of that economy by issuing vast pools of liquidity. Continue reading "Gold Will Break Previous High in Near Term: Brien Lundin"

Stocks fall on European unrest

Stocks saw considerable weakness during trading on Wednesday, adding to the steep losses posted in the previous session. Lingering concerns about the financial situation in Europe continued to weigh on the markets along with a negative reaction to U.S. housing data.

Housing stocks moved sharply lower on the heels of the new home sales report, dragging the Philadelphia Housing Sector Index down by 3 percent. With the loss, the index pulled back further off the nearly five-year closing high it set last Friday.

M/I Homes (MHO) and Meritage Homes (MTH) posted particularly steep losses within the housing sector, tumbling by 8 percent and 7.3 percent, respectively.

Oil service stocks also moved sharply lower over the course of the trading day, dragging the Philadelphia Oil Service Index down by 2 percent. The weakness in the sector came as the price of crude oil extended a recent downward move, closing below $90 a barrel. Continue reading "Stocks fall on European unrest"

There are Just Two Key Rules for Avoiding Stock Bubbles

By Dan Steinhart, Casey Research

Warren Buffet's #1 rule of investing is "Don't lose money."

It's good advice, though not to be taken literally; all investors lose on occasion. Still, it is a worthy goal for which to aspire. And to have any chance of reaching it, you must learn how identify and avoid bubbles.

Which is easier said than done. We've all seen that seductive sector that just keeps going up…and up… and up… coaxing in more and more unwitting investors along the way. At its peak, even the most strident skeptics concede that sky-high prices are the new industry norm.

And then…POP! Continue reading "There are Just Two Key Rules for Avoiding Stock Bubbles"

Cutting-Edge Technologies Will 'Green' Fracking: Keith Schaefer

Fracking in the U.S. is here to stay, affirms Keith Schaefer, editor of the Oil & Gas Investments Bulletin. North American business is dependent on cheap energy, and even energy utilities are switching from coal to natural gas. Although environmental concerns remain, the industry has incentive to do the right thing, says Schaefer. In this exclusive interview with The Energy Report, Schaefer profiles service companies that are using cutting-edge technology to make fracking safer, greener and cheaper.

The Energy Report: Keith, considering that natural gas prices are still near all-time lows, can you still argue that fracking has improved North American energy markets?

Keith Schaefer: In just a few short years, fracking grew the supply of natural gas way ahead of demand. The price of natural gas fell from $89/thousand cubic feet (Mcf) to $2/Mcf! Natural gas is the low-hanging fruit for the energy sector and for consumers. Cheapened feedstock provides a huge boom for American business. Continue reading "Cutting-Edge Technologies Will 'Green' Fracking: Keith Schaefer"