• News
• Videos
• Articles
• Forums
• StockMarkets.com ®
• Saturday, 25 May 2013

Make this My Home Page | Tell A Friend | RSS

web StockMarkets.com

This Blog is also available as an RSS Feed

• Solar Energy Surging Ahead as Alternative Energy Option - 4 April 2013

A recent Gallup poll revealed that three out of four Americans are in favor of the United States government increasing the use of solar energy, with up to 71 percent of those surveyed being in favor of developing wind power. The expansion of oil production received the thumbs-up from 46 percent, with only 37 percent approving of expanding nuclear power and less than 30 percent approving of increasing coal production as a means of generating energy. While results of the survey revealed trends associated with geographic location and political affiliation, the overall result was in support of solar power as an alternative source of energy. These finding are supported by activity taking place on Wall Street as solar energy costs come down and more home and business owners take advantage of the option to lease the equipment for solar power generation.

• Foreclosed Homes Group Investment Booming - 19 March 2013

In March 2012 it was reported that the Federal Housing Finance Agency was considering selling off foreclosed homes in bulk, with high-profile investors, private equity and hedge fund firms apparently keen to buy up these properties, some with the intention of cashing in on the growing market for rental accommodation by becoming landlords. Having lost their homes to foreclosures, many Americans are forced to pay rent for alternative housing and the FHFA's first offering of 2,500 foreclosed homes in Chicago, Los Angeles, Atlanta and Phoenix drew a response from more than 4,000 investor groups that appeared undeterred by the possibility of being branded as vulture investors.

• Job Creation Boosts Dow - 7 March 2013

Tuesday on Wall Street saw the Dow Jones industrial average closing at 14,253.77 - a record high since the influential stock market index closed at 14,164.53 in October 2007. While the response to the increase was one of restrained optimism, Wednesday saw the Dow breaking its previous day's record by hitting an intraday level of 14,320.65 before closing at 14,296.24, providing investors with a reason to have a bit more confidence in a market that has been battered about since 2008. The Standard & Poor’s 500 index closed at 1,541.46 on Wednesday, with the Nasdaq Composite index closing at 3,222.36. Up to 53 percent of stocks traded on the NYSE and Nasdaq closed the day higher on Wednesday, with the average trading volume being 3.6 billion shares.

• M&A Activity Benefits Investors - 21 February 2013

A series of mergers and acquisitions in the past few months have been rewarding for investors fortunate enough to have had shares in the companies involved. Just last week, Berkshire Hathaway and 3G capital joined forces to buy HJ Heinz, resulting in Heinz shares rising by 20 percent to $72.50 per share, while shares of Warren Buffet's company rose by one percent. The acquisition of Heinz represents the largest deal of its kind in the food industry ever to have taken place.

• Is the 'January Effect' Still Valid? - 7 February 2013

First observed by investment banker Sidney B. Wachtel in the early 1940s, the term the 'January Effect' is used to described a market anomaly where financial security prices experience an increase in the month of January. There are a number of reasons for the January Effect, with the most common theory being that individual investors holding small stocks may sell their stocks at year end, thereby allowing them to claim a capital loss for tax purposes, and then reinvest in the new year. Another reason suggested is that many investors who receive year-end bonuses in January use these bonuses to purchase stocks, pushing up stock prices.

• Tech Companies Lift Dow Jones to Five-Year High - 24 January 2013

Technology companies were the driving force behind the Dow Jones industrial average reaching a five-year high on Wednesday, closing at 13,799.33 after rising 67.12 points (0.5 percent). Solid fourth quarter earnings were posted by both Google and IBM late Tuesday, surprising many investors who expected tech companies to battle to meet targets at the end of the year. Buoyed up by sales of software services to Russia and Brazil, members of BRICS, IBM's results exceeded expectations and the tech giant was the Dow’s top mover, gaining $8.64 to close at $204.72. The company also increased its earnings outlook for 2013. Google rose $38.63 to close at $741.50 after reporting higher earnings than anticipated.

• Fourth Quarter Earnings Season Kicks Off on Positive Note - 10 January 2013

In keeping with a long-held tradition Alcoa kicked off the US markets earnings season this week, giving markets a boost on Wednesday by meeting analyst forecasts and predicting an increased demand for aluminum in 2013. Investor response was evident in the three main stock market indexes with the Dow Jones industrial average gaining 61.66 points to 13,390.51, while the Standard & Poor's 500 index advanced 3.87 points to 1,461.02 and the Nasdaq composite climbed 14 points to 3,105.81. Agricultural giant, Monsanto, also boosted markets by reporting a revenue increase of 21 percent to $2.94 billion and earnings per share of $0.62, as well as raising its forecast for 2013.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 >