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• US & Global Economies Still Under Spotlight - 3 October 2011

As Wall Street enters the final quarter of 2011, investors need to come to grips with some of the fears that drove stocks down on Friday, ending what has been declared as the worst quarter since the beginning of the financial crisis. The Dow Jones industrial average dropped 240 points to close at 10,913, the S&P 500 fell by 30 points to close at 1,131, while the Nasdaq Composite slid 65 points to close at 2,415 – recording declines of 2.1 percent, 2.5 percent and 2.6 percent respectively. For the Dow it was the worst quarter since the first three months of 2009, while for the S&P 500 and Nasdaq it has been the worst since the final quarter of 2008. While investors are, of course, hopeful for improvements moving ahead, indications are that the problems plaguing the US economy, as well as the global economy, are likely to continue unabated for some time.

• European Debt Crisis Impacts Wall Street - 12 September 2011

Rumors that Greece is likely to default on its enormous debt caused ripples of apprehension around the financial world, resulting in investors selling off stocks, and US markets dropping sharply on Friday. Speculation is rife that the country may very well not get the next installment of bailout funds allocated by the European Union, the European Central Bank and the International Monetary Fund – at least until the so-called troika is assured that austerity measures in Greece are going to achieve what they have set out to do, reduce the government’s debt. All seventeen nations using the euro as currency – the Eurozone – need to approve of further bailout funds being issued to Greece. While all eyes are on Greece at present, Portugal, Ireland, Spain and Italy are also struggling, and analysts have expressed doubts that the European Financial Stability Facility (EFSF) will be able to pull all these ailing economies through the current financial crisis.

• Investors Face Lean Week Ahead - 22 August 2011

Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke is due to deliver his keynote speech on Friday at the Kansas City Federal Reserve's annual retreat, and with fears that the economy is heading for a downturn dominating Wall Street, investors are reportedly keen to hear what solutions he may offer. It was this time last year that the Fed offered up a second round of Quantitative Easing, referred to as QE2, as the solution to the economic downturn at the time. This measure was implemented shortly after, but proved not to be the answer to the problem – at least not the cure-all answer.

Stock that Leaves no Stakeholder Behind - 29 may 2008

This article is about Medtronic Incorporated (NYSE: MDT). The financials are impressive. You would expect no less from an NYSE listing. However, profits are not the best parts of this Medical Equipment & Supplies Industry member from Minneapolis, MN.

Fly Over the Stock Market Information Nest - 29 April 2008

You cannot escape the Information Age. Everyone promises not to spam your data. That does not include looking over your shoulder. Do you ever use a search engine? The best one will not disclose your identity. However, they do let you browse trends. Which words do people use for searches? How has this changed over time? You can access anonymous but significant data. Compare results for languages, across countries, and even cities. This applies to stocks as well.

Luxury Goods in Lean Stock Market Times - 2 April 2008

Adversity separates exceptional stock from the market crowd. Bulls are infamous for lacking discretion when they trade. Bears and fear of bears encourages caution. Any sales person can beat a target when the going is good. Superior executives come to the fore in trying times. An investor knows stock value for certain when a company performs in hostile territory.

A Stock Oasis in the Deserted Investment Market - 20 March 2008

It is like copying a piece of paper. You use the brand name of the pioneer even if your copier is Japanese. It is the same with search engines, instant photographs, and now with electronic commerce.