World Biz Info
The source of the best business, financial and legal news
web www.worldbizinfo.com
Business Informations

Just Say NO to Your Stock Broker


We have all heard that slogan that started back when Nancy Reagan was in Washington. It was all about drugs. Now I want to remind you this can be your slogan when you get one of those telephone solicitations from a strange broker or even your own stockbroker who is acting a little strange. By that I mean he wants you to buy something.

Currently we are in an advancing stock market and we all hope it is going to go higher and higher. None of us, definitely including me, knows for sure where it will end up this year. Barron's, the weekly financial publication, has declared on their front page that "THE BULL IS BACK". They are also guessing. But it makes you feel good.

It makes me wonder when I study the fundamentals of the economy how they have come to this conclusion. Unemployment just had an uptick, most companies have yet to declare a dividend, the American dollar is losing value against many foreign currencies, manufacturing capacity utilization is still low and shows no signs of increasing, balance of trade is way out of whack and on and on.

Yes, there is some good news. Many companies are "beating the estimates". That means they are showing greater sales and profits than the brokers on Wall Street thought they would have. This is good press and usually has the effect of pushing stock prices higher. Many of these better profits are at the cost saving of laying off hundreds if not thousands of workers. And worst of all we don't know if these profits are true. Many are profoma meaning management is guessing.

If you are one of those people who hopes the market will go back up so you can get out "even" you are going to find that hope is the most expensive word in the dictionary. But what can you do about it? You are now being given the opportunity to save what is left of your retirement account. On any stock or mutual funds you have it would be a guess to say this is the place to sell. The smart thing is to listen to the market and do what it tells you.

When any equity is advancing you want to set up a trailing stop-loss order and move it up each week as your stock advances. Suppose you bought a stock at $100/share and watched it drop to $15. Pretty disheartening! It has now risen back up to $30 and your broker has assured you it will continue to rise. Maybe. But what if it doesn't?

Tell your broker to put in a stop-loss order about 10% below its current price. He will say you don't need to. This is where you just say 'NO'. Brokers don't watch any but their biggest and most active accounts. He must do as you ask according to regulations.

Put in a stop-loss order today. Protect your retirement account with a simple 'NO'.

INVESTMENT LETTER 3 months free at http://www.mutualfundmagic.com Copyright Albert W. Thomas All rights reserved. Author of "If It Doesn't Go Up, Don't Buy It!" Former 17-year exchange member, floor trader and brokerage company owner. Copyright 2002


MORE RESOURCES:

Los Angeles Times

Energy Investing in a Carbon-Conscious America
Morningstar.com, IL - 9 hours ago
Given that the 110th Congress produced six carbon cap-and-trade bills and that President-elect Barack Obama has so far stood by his campaign rhetoric ...
climate crusaders set to act in Congress MSNBC
google news commentComment by Frank O'Donnell President, Clean Air Watch
all 1,638 news articles


PepsiCo investing $3 bln in Mexico over next 5 years
MarketWatch - Nov 20, 2008
By Wallace Witkowski , , ) said Thursday it plans to spend up to $3 billion to build its brands in Mexico over the next 5 years. ...


ON INVESTING - Top ten tips for year-end tax strategies...
Valley News Today, IA - 16 hours ago
Track investment expenses - Work with your advisor to keep a full accounting of deductible expenses associated with your investment portfolio. ...


BBC News

US panel urges action on China currency, investing
Forbes, NY - Nov 20, 2008
By Doug Palmer WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Congress should pass legislation next year to pressure China to raise the value of its currency and require Beijing's ...
China winning cyber war, Congress warned guardian.co.uk
all 374 news articles


BBC News

Saving and investing: Your questions
BBC News, UK - 4 hours ago
On Monday's programme Vincent Duggleby will put your questions about saving and investing to a panel of experts. In these financially uncertain times, ...


The No Debt Investing Thesis
Motley Fool - 9 hours ago
With all the other action going on in the markets today, I almost forgot that I added a whole slew of green thumbs to my CAPS scorecard today. ...


CNBC

Watsa teams up with his investing hero
ReportonBusiness.com, Canada - 1 hour ago
“It is our first co-investment with Berkshire,” Fairfax spokesman Paul Rivett said. “We are extremely pleased to be investing in a leading industrial firm ...
Buffett firm invests in USG Chicago Tribune
all 36 news articles


Help for mounting 401(k) losses
CNNMoney.com - 21 hours ago
Just telling someone to "stay the course" isn't an adequate answer any time an investor expresses doubt or confusion about an investing or planning strategy ...


International Business Times

ETF Investing: We Get Sick In Recessions! XPH and IHI Healthcare ...
BloggingStocks - Nov 20, 2008
If you see the benefit of this and want to put some money into a health care related investment, look into an Exchange Traded Fund (ETF) that will give you ...
SpeculatingStocks.com Announces Two Possible Ways to Play a ... PR Web (press release)
all 4 news articles


SAP to Bring Unified Interface Across Apps Suite
PC World - 6 hours ago
No, of course not," said Andrew McAfee, a Harvard Business School professor and author of "Investing in the IT That Makes a Competitive Difference. ...
Expert Panel: Why Investing in IT Makes Sense in Troubled Times StreetInsider.com (subscription)
all 11 news articles

investing - Google News

home | site map
© 2006
web www.worldbizinfo.com