Everyone has centered their portfolio on the emerging market middle class,overlooking that they make 8,000 a year,not 50,000 a year like the American middle class,and buy different things than Americans do,points out value investor Bill Smead,CEO and CIO of Smead Capital Management in Seattle.As things slow in the economy,the consumer staples companies won't have the customers that they thought they would in the emerging markets.Earnings are going to be difficult.What will accelerate,will be domestic revenue streams,and the S&P 500 is not well set-up for that.
The balance sheet of the average 28 year-old is the best it's ever been,because the majority of 28 year-olds were married in previous decades.Since people wait so late to get married,they don't worry about student loan debt until they get a wife and a child-someone to worry about other than themselves.Warren Buffet has staked his company Berkshire Hathaway on them,with second tier companies that cater to them in its portfolio.
These millenials are doing things later,but they're going to do them.These echo-boomers are going to be the most exciting emerging market you ever saw.They're just getting married and having their first child,and when they do,they're going to want that stand-alone home.Everybody's scrambling around trying to find companies that make money off of them.*
The Ireland-based retailer Primark is coming to America in 2015.They sell bargain fashion,such as jeans for 7.00 a pair.They may well change the retail landscape.Primark Stores,Ltd. is a subsidiary of Associated British Foods.It has stores throughout Western Europe,where it sells its own brands of children's,men's and women's wear;homeware,acessories and foot wear;as well as beauty products and confectionary.Walmart,watch out.*
Right now,a lot of the offshore oil players are feeling the pain at a search cost of 50.00 a barrel,while the onshore oil shale search is only 20.00 a barrel,says Chad Brownstein of Rocky Mountain Resource Holdings.What you're going to see in the market in 2015 is,a lot of activism turning their guns on the oil companies.Hedge funds will come after small and mid-cap firms to consolidate and sell them.*
Everyone is saying stocks are overvalued,but they're not-when you look at a 2.2% yield on a ten year Treasury note,I think stocks are still a good value,said CNBC stock market reporter Bob Pisani.You've got dividends and earnings going up.*
Some large-cap stocks to consider:Gannett(CGI),eBay(EBAY),Amgen(AMG),Bank of America(BAC),Merck(MRK).They were the top five holdings of the Smead Value Fund(SMVLX) as of September 30,2014.
Monday, December 29, 2014
Thursday, December 25, 2014
Wednesday, December 24, 2014
Tuesday, December 23, 2014
Monday, December 22, 2014
Santa Claus Rally Continues;Where Oil Is Headed
I want to wish all of you a Happy and Merry Christmas.Thank you for coming to the blog.It's a Christmas party day.
Wall Street was in a party mood,with tech stocks leading the way as investors gobbled up shares of Intel,Qualcomm,Apple and Facebook.The S&P 500 reached its 50th record high of 2014 today,closing at 2078.54,up 0.38%.The Dow Jones Industrial Average also broke its record,closing at 17959.44,up 0.87%;and the NASDAQ closed up for the day at 4781.42,up 0.34%.*
I think oil probably does stay down here-maybe just a tad lower,says Dennis Gartman of The Gartman Letter.I think the time for being overly bearish on crude oil has probably passed.I doubt that we're going to see a great good deal lower from here.Clearly we see demand has decreased a good bit,and supply has increased a good deal.Libya and Kurdish have come back on the market.This was very complicated.There were a lot of things happening.
The Keystone Pipeline would have an amazing response.It can only be beneficial to us and to our Canadian friends to the north.*
I'm really skeptical about China,said author and investment banker Chis Whalen.China is pulling in credit.I think we're pretty stable into next year.I think oil will stabilise in the mid-60s.There are two stories here:large cap oil got sold off;I think you'll see the majors recover.The small ones that have been in the loan markets are going to have to deal with this.
I think in a lot of ways,consumers have still been suffering,because the cost of living still goes up.While low oil prices are good for the US,they're not good for the rest of the world.What's the catalyst for growth in the emerging markets if commodity prices are flat?Mr.Whalen inquired.*
Apple Computer(AAPL),Intel(INTC),Qualcomm(QCOM),Facebook(FB)
Wall Street was in a party mood,with tech stocks leading the way as investors gobbled up shares of Intel,Qualcomm,Apple and Facebook.The S&P 500 reached its 50th record high of 2014 today,closing at 2078.54,up 0.38%.The Dow Jones Industrial Average also broke its record,closing at 17959.44,up 0.87%;and the NASDAQ closed up for the day at 4781.42,up 0.34%.*
I think oil probably does stay down here-maybe just a tad lower,says Dennis Gartman of The Gartman Letter.I think the time for being overly bearish on crude oil has probably passed.I doubt that we're going to see a great good deal lower from here.Clearly we see demand has decreased a good bit,and supply has increased a good deal.Libya and Kurdish have come back on the market.This was very complicated.There were a lot of things happening.
The Keystone Pipeline would have an amazing response.It can only be beneficial to us and to our Canadian friends to the north.*
I'm really skeptical about China,said author and investment banker Chis Whalen.China is pulling in credit.I think we're pretty stable into next year.I think oil will stabilise in the mid-60s.There are two stories here:large cap oil got sold off;I think you'll see the majors recover.The small ones that have been in the loan markets are going to have to deal with this.
I think in a lot of ways,consumers have still been suffering,because the cost of living still goes up.While low oil prices are good for the US,they're not good for the rest of the world.What's the catalyst for growth in the emerging markets if commodity prices are flat?Mr.Whalen inquired.*
Apple Computer(AAPL),Intel(INTC),Qualcomm(QCOM),Facebook(FB)
Thursday, December 18, 2014
Tuesday, December 16, 2014
Monday, December 15, 2014
The Problem With Falling Oil Prices
Plummeting oil prices are affecting those who deal in bundles of loans to energy companies.Collateralised Loan Obligation managers are being forced to sell.We're seeing a lot of pressure on these businesses that have automatic sell programs.I believe we're at a technical level here that's being forced to be sold by the global markets,said Chad Brownstein,CEO of Rocky Mountain Resource Holding Inc.I clearly believe that a stable number for the energy industry is about 70.00 a barrel.*
The problem they're going to have is,the large offshore oil drillers are going to feel it.The real victims are the large drillers at a cost of 50.00 a barrel to produce.Oil services are going to get hurt,the technical levels and the prices of the debt that are attached to the major oil companies.Currencies of oil dependent countries such as Canada,Mexico and Norway are getting crushed,Mr.Brownstein pointed out.*
Sustained low prices could halt some drilling projects,postpone others,squeeze certain fracking operations and even lead to the loss of certain jobs within the energy sector,wrote contributor Kevin Mahn in the December 3 issue of Forbes magazine.The net long-term effect could actually become somewhat of a drag on US GDP if oil prices drop further and/or remain at those lower prices for an extended period of time.*
If credit dries up for energy companies,restaurant chains may suffer in oil-dependent states like Texas and California.Every major restaurant chain has high exposure in these states.*
Rocky Mountain Resource Holdings is a limited liability company that acquires and develops natural resource assets such as oil and gas reserves,agribusiness,energy infrastructure,and industrial minerals and chemicals.With offices in Los Angeles and Denver,it seeks to leverage its deep relationships in the industry to facilitate off-market acquisitions of private assets,including family-owned assets,in the midst of both asset and generational transitions,the company says.*
In Monday trading,WTI crude closed at 55.91 a barrel,down 2.14,or 3.70%;while Brent crude closed at 61.06 a barrel,down 1.83,or 2.96%.
The problem they're going to have is,the large offshore oil drillers are going to feel it.The real victims are the large drillers at a cost of 50.00 a barrel to produce.Oil services are going to get hurt,the technical levels and the prices of the debt that are attached to the major oil companies.Currencies of oil dependent countries such as Canada,Mexico and Norway are getting crushed,Mr.Brownstein pointed out.*
Sustained low prices could halt some drilling projects,postpone others,squeeze certain fracking operations and even lead to the loss of certain jobs within the energy sector,wrote contributor Kevin Mahn in the December 3 issue of Forbes magazine.The net long-term effect could actually become somewhat of a drag on US GDP if oil prices drop further and/or remain at those lower prices for an extended period of time.*
If credit dries up for energy companies,restaurant chains may suffer in oil-dependent states like Texas and California.Every major restaurant chain has high exposure in these states.*
Rocky Mountain Resource Holdings is a limited liability company that acquires and develops natural resource assets such as oil and gas reserves,agribusiness,energy infrastructure,and industrial minerals and chemicals.With offices in Los Angeles and Denver,it seeks to leverage its deep relationships in the industry to facilitate off-market acquisitions of private assets,including family-owned assets,in the midst of both asset and generational transitions,the company says.*
In Monday trading,WTI crude closed at 55.91 a barrel,down 2.14,or 3.70%;while Brent crude closed at 61.06 a barrel,down 1.83,or 2.96%.
Thursday, December 11, 2014
Tuesday, December 9, 2014
Monday, December 8, 2014
Sunday, December 7, 2014
Thursday, December 4, 2014
Monday, December 1, 2014
Market Prospects December 2014
Jefferies and Company says that generic drugmaker Mylan Labs is the most likely Pfizer takeover target.Pfizer,the world's largest drug company,is also rated a buy by Jefferies.*
Gold has really been pressured by the rising dollar and falling inflation expectations,said Ari Wald,CFA,CMT,executive director and market technician with Oppenheimer&Co.'s Portfolio Strategy Team.The setup is actually there to turn lower again.I'd be selling here for the next few months,Mr.Wald advised.*
The Alpine Global Infrastructure Fund has a five star rating by Morningstar Associates.In the developed markets,the infrastructure is aging;while in the emerging markets,infrastructure is being built for the first time.Canadian Pacific is one of the fund's holdings because the transport of crude oil by rail is growing.Rail allows a flexibility to go to different refineries;while pipelines are point to point.When real inflation rises,that would be the risk to owning shares of Canadian Pacific,said Joshua Duitz,CPA,co-portfolio manager at Alpine Woods Investments LLC.
Social infrastructure firms such as prison outsourcers like Geo Group are also owned by the fund.Geo has 77,000 beds and 6,000 vacancies.*
Mylan Labs(MYL),Pfizer(PFE),Canadian Pacific(CP),The Geo Group Inc(GEO),Alpine Global Infrastructure Fund(AIFRX)
Gold has really been pressured by the rising dollar and falling inflation expectations,said Ari Wald,CFA,CMT,executive director and market technician with Oppenheimer&Co.'s Portfolio Strategy Team.The setup is actually there to turn lower again.I'd be selling here for the next few months,Mr.Wald advised.*
The Alpine Global Infrastructure Fund has a five star rating by Morningstar Associates.In the developed markets,the infrastructure is aging;while in the emerging markets,infrastructure is being built for the first time.Canadian Pacific is one of the fund's holdings because the transport of crude oil by rail is growing.Rail allows a flexibility to go to different refineries;while pipelines are point to point.When real inflation rises,that would be the risk to owning shares of Canadian Pacific,said Joshua Duitz,CPA,co-portfolio manager at Alpine Woods Investments LLC.
Social infrastructure firms such as prison outsourcers like Geo Group are also owned by the fund.Geo has 77,000 beds and 6,000 vacancies.*
Mylan Labs(MYL),Pfizer(PFE),Canadian Pacific(CP),The Geo Group Inc(GEO),Alpine Global Infrastructure Fund(AIFRX)
Thursday, November 27, 2014
Wednesday, November 26, 2014
Monday, November 24, 2014
Investing Ideas November 2014
Yum Brands,parent of Kentucky Fried Chicken and Pizza Hut,has been upgraded from hold to buy at Janney Capital Markets,mainly on undervaluation.The firm got a new price target of 88.00 a share.*
Don't expect Apple Computer to go higher,according to Pacific Crest Securities.There is a potential lack of growth beyond the iPhone 6,and the iWatch and other products won't be able to make up for it.*
Lumber Liquidators was raised from equal weight to overweight at Morgan Stanley,with an 85.00 a share price target.The company has about 10% square footage growth and powerful store remodel/relocate benefits in its favour.Rising home prices and lower fuel costs should also help Lumber Liquidators.*
The low gas prices should also help big box retailers such as Target and Best Buy,says Stifel Nicolaus.Another plus is the strength of their online businesses alongside their brick and mortar stores.Wal-Mart has already seen share price appreciation from these factors.*
Yum Brands(YUM),Best Buy(BBY),Wal-Mart(WMT),Target(TGT),Apple Computer(AAPL)
Don't expect Apple Computer to go higher,according to Pacific Crest Securities.There is a potential lack of growth beyond the iPhone 6,and the iWatch and other products won't be able to make up for it.*
Lumber Liquidators was raised from equal weight to overweight at Morgan Stanley,with an 85.00 a share price target.The company has about 10% square footage growth and powerful store remodel/relocate benefits in its favour.Rising home prices and lower fuel costs should also help Lumber Liquidators.*
The low gas prices should also help big box retailers such as Target and Best Buy,says Stifel Nicolaus.Another plus is the strength of their online businesses alongside their brick and mortar stores.Wal-Mart has already seen share price appreciation from these factors.*
Yum Brands(YUM),Best Buy(BBY),Wal-Mart(WMT),Target(TGT),Apple Computer(AAPL)
Thursday, November 20, 2014
Tuesday, November 18, 2014
Monday, November 17, 2014
Which Stocks To Invest In,November 2014
You should find companies that produce most of their earnings here in the US,says Barry James of James Advantage Funds.The Federal Reserve moved to the side when it ended its bond-buying program recently,so we could see some more volatility,but overall,we're still pretty positive on stocks.Companies that Mr.James likes include:
Alaska Airlines(ALK)
Dr.Pepper Snapple(DPS)
Hanes Brands(HBI)*
Paul Dietrich,CEO of Fairfax Global Markets LLC,prefers value stocks.These companies are undervalued and have huge free cash flow.Value investors are outperforming the benchmarks,and will continue to outperform.He likes companies such as:
Macy's(M)
Micron Tech(MU)
Alaska Airlines(ALK)*
Alaska Airlines is one of the most frequently recommended stocks,as are other airlines.Airlines are currently benefitting from lower oil prices and not increasing their capacity-which means more crowded planes,but helps their profit margins.
Alaska Airlines(ALK)
Dr.Pepper Snapple(DPS)
Hanes Brands(HBI)*
Paul Dietrich,CEO of Fairfax Global Markets LLC,prefers value stocks.These companies are undervalued and have huge free cash flow.Value investors are outperforming the benchmarks,and will continue to outperform.He likes companies such as:
Macy's(M)
Micron Tech(MU)
Alaska Airlines(ALK)*
Alaska Airlines is one of the most frequently recommended stocks,as are other airlines.Airlines are currently benefitting from lower oil prices and not increasing their capacity-which means more crowded planes,but helps their profit margins.
Thursday, November 13, 2014
Monday, November 10, 2014
Business Briefing:Disney Optimistic About Holidays
Walt Disney's Q3 revenue came in at 12.39 billion dollars versus an estimate of 12.37,while earnings were in line with the estimate at 0.89 cents per share.The revenue strength was due to record theme park attendance and studio profits more than doubling.*
We're not concerned about oversaturation with Marvel films;we have a great brand,CEO Bob Iger told CNBC.We have a number of plans for Star Wars:The Force Awakens between now and December 2015 when the film comes out.We're very excited about it.It's going to take a little while to finish it.
We had a good year at the Hong Kong and Tokyo Disneylands and Disney World.We just have a product that continues to be in demand.We have a Frozen castle show that's going into Orlando this holiday season.Our bookings are up for the quarter about 10%.Our cruise business is also doing very well.We're in the direct to consumer business in many ways,and ESPN is an example of that.
You have to conclude that the multi-channel bundle is the dominant method that consumers use to get TV in their homes.What we do know,we're incredibly well-positioned as a company with the strength of our brand.We're taking a cautious approach.The prudent thing to do is to maintain the value.We think the holiday season is going to be very,very strong,Disney CEO Bob Iger predicted.*
Walt Disney Company(DIS)
We're not concerned about oversaturation with Marvel films;we have a great brand,CEO Bob Iger told CNBC.We have a number of plans for Star Wars:The Force Awakens between now and December 2015 when the film comes out.We're very excited about it.It's going to take a little while to finish it.
We had a good year at the Hong Kong and Tokyo Disneylands and Disney World.We just have a product that continues to be in demand.We have a Frozen castle show that's going into Orlando this holiday season.Our bookings are up for the quarter about 10%.Our cruise business is also doing very well.We're in the direct to consumer business in many ways,and ESPN is an example of that.
You have to conclude that the multi-channel bundle is the dominant method that consumers use to get TV in their homes.What we do know,we're incredibly well-positioned as a company with the strength of our brand.We're taking a cautious approach.The prudent thing to do is to maintain the value.We think the holiday season is going to be very,very strong,Disney CEO Bob Iger predicted.*
Walt Disney Company(DIS)
Friday, November 7, 2014
Thursday, November 6, 2014
Tuesday, November 4, 2014
Monday, November 3, 2014
Wallenda Shares Secrets of His Tightrope Success
Aware of the big Chicago crowd of 50,000 below him Sunday night as he broke the world record for highest incline of a tightrope walk,Nik Wallenda welcomed their presence.He is used to such throngs,he explained to a global audience.The crowd somehow builds confidence in me.*
Wallenda,35,heir to the family legacy in acrobatics that dates back over 200 years,admitted to concern about wind,however.Even hearing light winds is extremely intimidating.I trained immensely in Sarasota,Florida.Clearly,it paid off.I felt confident and was able to make it across here.*
The two feats involved walking up a cable from the Marina City West Tower to the Marina City East Tower at a steep incline,then taking a shorter walk over a thinner wire blindfolded.Doing that with seemingly minimal effort,he broke a second world record-for highest blindfolded tightrope walk.A pinger set up at the last minute at the other end of the cable definitely helped,Wallenda said.*
After the Grand Canyon walk,I knew I had to train five times harder,the high wire expert continued.I went to my knees that time and thought I might have to grab onto that wire.*
The Discovery Channel telecast had an audience in more than 220 countries and territories.There were tweets about it coming in from Columbia,Brazil and Spain,as well as posts on Facebook and Instagram.Appropriately enough,Allstate Insurance was one of the live broadcast's sponsors.*
For an encore,Wallenda is planning to recreate his great grandfather Karl Wallenda's crossing of a gorge in the state of Georgia on the 45th anniversary of the stunt,including performing two headstands in the process.*
Allstate(ALL),Discovery Communications(DISCA)
Wallenda,35,heir to the family legacy in acrobatics that dates back over 200 years,admitted to concern about wind,however.Even hearing light winds is extremely intimidating.I trained immensely in Sarasota,Florida.Clearly,it paid off.I felt confident and was able to make it across here.*
The two feats involved walking up a cable from the Marina City West Tower to the Marina City East Tower at a steep incline,then taking a shorter walk over a thinner wire blindfolded.Doing that with seemingly minimal effort,he broke a second world record-for highest blindfolded tightrope walk.A pinger set up at the last minute at the other end of the cable definitely helped,Wallenda said.*
After the Grand Canyon walk,I knew I had to train five times harder,the high wire expert continued.I went to my knees that time and thought I might have to grab onto that wire.*
The Discovery Channel telecast had an audience in more than 220 countries and territories.There were tweets about it coming in from Columbia,Brazil and Spain,as well as posts on Facebook and Instagram.Appropriately enough,Allstate Insurance was one of the live broadcast's sponsors.*
For an encore,Wallenda is planning to recreate his great grandfather Karl Wallenda's crossing of a gorge in the state of Georgia on the 45th anniversary of the stunt,including performing two headstands in the process.*
Allstate(ALL),Discovery Communications(DISCA)
Saturday, November 1, 2014
Friday, October 31, 2014
Thursday, October 30, 2014
Public Utility Commission:Prepare Now For Winter
It's best to take proactive steps now to manage your energy usage this winter,says the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission.Turn down the thermostat to 68 degrees F.Change dirty filters that restrict air flow.Seal leaks around your home.Turn down the hot water heater setting.It's never too early to prepare.Remember Hurricane Sandy two years ago and the rare October snowfall called "Snowtober."*
After last year's Polar Vortex,the PUC changed its regulations.They now require more transparency from electric suppliers.The contract has to be in plain English;must state when the contract ends;any variability in the rate.As of December 15,the ability to quickly change from one electric or natural gas supplier to another will change from up to 60 days now,to three business days.
Make sure there is no cancelation fee;whether it is a monthly or a yearly product;if there is a cap.Never be afraid to call and ask the PUC.Many utilities have a full time weather forecaster to help them make power trades.Natural gas is now in the 3.50-4.20 range,which is very good for customers.Fifty percent of Pennsylvanians now have gas heat.The payback from switching to it may now come in less than two years.Unfortunately,there is now a lack of infrastructure for natural gas in many rural areas-and even in some urban ones.The cost to run a gas line to your home can be in the thousands of dollars.It may be possible for a community to make a joint request for gas service to a utility,thus lowering the cost per household.*
We have fined a number of suppliers for false marketing and bait and switch practices.We have assessed multi-million dollar fines against them.The ultimate penalty is to pull their license and put them out of business,the PUC explains.*
Two-thirds of a bill is in the generation supply charge.Now more than ever,it's critical for customers to shop around.Don't pay the bulk rate when you can get a good deal.*
Other remedies for high utility bills include air-sealing in attics and basements;3M window covering,which is considered the best cost-saving in the industry;and weather-stripping doors,the PUC points out.
After last year's Polar Vortex,the PUC changed its regulations.They now require more transparency from electric suppliers.The contract has to be in plain English;must state when the contract ends;any variability in the rate.As of December 15,the ability to quickly change from one electric or natural gas supplier to another will change from up to 60 days now,to three business days.
Make sure there is no cancelation fee;whether it is a monthly or a yearly product;if there is a cap.Never be afraid to call and ask the PUC.Many utilities have a full time weather forecaster to help them make power trades.Natural gas is now in the 3.50-4.20 range,which is very good for customers.Fifty percent of Pennsylvanians now have gas heat.The payback from switching to it may now come in less than two years.Unfortunately,there is now a lack of infrastructure for natural gas in many rural areas-and even in some urban ones.The cost to run a gas line to your home can be in the thousands of dollars.It may be possible for a community to make a joint request for gas service to a utility,thus lowering the cost per household.*
We have fined a number of suppliers for false marketing and bait and switch practices.We have assessed multi-million dollar fines against them.The ultimate penalty is to pull their license and put them out of business,the PUC explains.*
Two-thirds of a bill is in the generation supply charge.Now more than ever,it's critical for customers to shop around.Don't pay the bulk rate when you can get a good deal.*
Other remedies for high utility bills include air-sealing in attics and basements;3M window covering,which is considered the best cost-saving in the industry;and weather-stripping doors,the PUC points out.
Saturday, October 25, 2014
Shop Talk-October 25,2014
Dear Readers,
It looks like peak colour has arrived in the Mid-Atlantic region of the USA this weekend.It's a great chance to take it all in from your car,on the trail or from your window.
It's important for all of us to also view the ads by clicking them when we can.This supports the blogs that serve us.
So have a great weekend in this autumn or spring time,as the case may be.
Andrew
It looks like peak colour has arrived in the Mid-Atlantic region of the USA this weekend.It's a great chance to take it all in from your car,on the trail or from your window.
It's important for all of us to also view the ads by clicking them when we can.This supports the blogs that serve us.
So have a great weekend in this autumn or spring time,as the case may be.
Andrew
Thursday, October 23, 2014
Wednesday, October 22, 2014
Fighting Words:Leon Panetta's New Book
Former US Defense Secretary Leon Panetta has been promoting his scrappy new book "Worthy Fights:A Memoir of Leadership in War and Peace."I wanted to tell my story,because,in many ways,it's the American story.I am the son of immigrants,Mr.Panetta explained on The Diane Rehm Show.We are going to have to fight to keep this country strong.I thought it was important for us to do everything necessary to help the Syrian opposition.It was important for us to arm the opposition to Assad.The President was right to draw a red line against Assad's use of chemical weapons.I think when the President pulled back,that was a mistake that sent the wrong message to the world.The whole world was watching.*
I think ISIS is as fanatical,dangerous and evil as al Qaida was.We've developed a strong coalition.That's important.We're going to need boots on the ground,but they don't have to be US boots.In Syria,we don't have a force that's been developed.That's going to take time.It is going to be critical for us to go after ISIS' command and control headquarters,which are in Syria.*
I respect the President.He was strongly supportive of the operations I was involved in.My concern is,what's going to happen with this political gridlock here in Washington.I think it's important fpr neither the President nor the leadership to give up,but to provide leadership for a strong America.Overall,I was honoured to serve this President.In 50 years,I've never seen Washington as divided and dysfunctional as it is today,but the President can't just sit back.He's got to get involved.You can't give up on that fight.I get the sense there isn't a willingness to engage.It's going to take work,as in immigration reform.I think he is discouraged,frustrated,angry-but you're the President of the United States,and the country depends on you.No President can simply sit back and allow this country to be in gridlock for the next two years.The issue is about whether we're going to govern this country.You have to stay constantly in the ring,and you have to keep fighting.*
It's important to get our allies to help us identify those elements of the Syrian opposition we can train.This is part of what I call the long continuum of the War On Terrorism that started on 9-11.We've had some success.but terrorism has matastasised.What we need to do is develop a comprehensive strategy.We are going to have to confront,not just ISIS,but other elements as well in order to win this war.I pray that we can develop the opposition forces.Part of the Presiden'ts role is to listen to your commanders as you wage this war.We are going to have to be flexible,to adapt.The responsibility of the President as Commander-in-Chief is to work with his military leaders,to educate the American people about what we are confronting.It may be a long war.It's going to take patience and determination,but ultimately it's the right war,because we have to defend this country,Leon Panetta,who served Presidents Nixon,Clinton and Obama,told the prominent radio talk show host Diane Rehm.
I think ISIS is as fanatical,dangerous and evil as al Qaida was.We've developed a strong coalition.That's important.We're going to need boots on the ground,but they don't have to be US boots.In Syria,we don't have a force that's been developed.That's going to take time.It is going to be critical for us to go after ISIS' command and control headquarters,which are in Syria.*
I respect the President.He was strongly supportive of the operations I was involved in.My concern is,what's going to happen with this political gridlock here in Washington.I think it's important fpr neither the President nor the leadership to give up,but to provide leadership for a strong America.Overall,I was honoured to serve this President.In 50 years,I've never seen Washington as divided and dysfunctional as it is today,but the President can't just sit back.He's got to get involved.You can't give up on that fight.I get the sense there isn't a willingness to engage.It's going to take work,as in immigration reform.I think he is discouraged,frustrated,angry-but you're the President of the United States,and the country depends on you.No President can simply sit back and allow this country to be in gridlock for the next two years.The issue is about whether we're going to govern this country.You have to stay constantly in the ring,and you have to keep fighting.*
It's important to get our allies to help us identify those elements of the Syrian opposition we can train.This is part of what I call the long continuum of the War On Terrorism that started on 9-11.We've had some success.but terrorism has matastasised.What we need to do is develop a comprehensive strategy.We are going to have to confront,not just ISIS,but other elements as well in order to win this war.I pray that we can develop the opposition forces.Part of the Presiden'ts role is to listen to your commanders as you wage this war.We are going to have to be flexible,to adapt.The responsibility of the President as Commander-in-Chief is to work with his military leaders,to educate the American people about what we are confronting.It may be a long war.It's going to take patience and determination,but ultimately it's the right war,because we have to defend this country,Leon Panetta,who served Presidents Nixon,Clinton and Obama,told the prominent radio talk show host Diane Rehm.
Saturday, October 18, 2014
Monday, October 6, 2014
What Google Looks For When It Hires
Eric Schmidt,president and former CEO of Google,described the staff there as the best collection of new technologists he had seen in at least a decade,when he came to Google from Novatel.We wrote a plan with new product ideas that would redefine the conversation.You had to build a product that was extraordinarily good and fast catching-on.
You really don't want internecine competition within a company.That wastes resources.The goal is to come up with good idea and get people excited about it,not to reach consensus.The millenials we hire are better prepared,better educated,more collaborative and socially conscious.We provide everything except housing:food,a pet-friendly workplace,breakfast,lunch and dinner.*
My relinquishing the CEO position has been an exceptional transition and very good for everyone.I moved on when I realised that Google founders Larry Page and Sergei Brin had become seasoned industry executives.The Google board has about nine or ten members,a third of them women.*
We look for smart creatives.They must be technical in something,analytically.They must have some business acumen.They have to be curious.We want those with great insights and ideas-even if they're wrong.In every survey,Google is rated the number one place to work for new graduates.Often the best referrals are from colleagues.The top students have a natural interaction with faculty.We want people who are busy.The world changes because people are passionate.This is your identity.It's not a job;it's a calling.
They'll figure it out if you let them.Large corporations tend to operate with a one year time frame.You have to figure out how you are going to deal with new ideas over the next five years.The characteristic today is that new ideas happen faster,Google president Eric Schmidt pointed out.*
Google,Inc(GOOG)
You really don't want internecine competition within a company.That wastes resources.The goal is to come up with good idea and get people excited about it,not to reach consensus.The millenials we hire are better prepared,better educated,more collaborative and socially conscious.We provide everything except housing:food,a pet-friendly workplace,breakfast,lunch and dinner.*
My relinquishing the CEO position has been an exceptional transition and very good for everyone.I moved on when I realised that Google founders Larry Page and Sergei Brin had become seasoned industry executives.The Google board has about nine or ten members,a third of them women.*
We look for smart creatives.They must be technical in something,analytically.They must have some business acumen.They have to be curious.We want those with great insights and ideas-even if they're wrong.In every survey,Google is rated the number one place to work for new graduates.Often the best referrals are from colleagues.The top students have a natural interaction with faculty.We want people who are busy.The world changes because people are passionate.This is your identity.It's not a job;it's a calling.
They'll figure it out if you let them.Large corporations tend to operate with a one year time frame.You have to figure out how you are going to deal with new ideas over the next five years.The characteristic today is that new ideas happen faster,Google president Eric Schmidt pointed out.*
Google,Inc(GOOG)
Thursday, October 2, 2014
Wednesday, October 1, 2014
Shop Talk-October 1,2014
Dear Readers,
I am back after ten days of technical problems,having lost a WiFi signal.Hope to be back on track now.Thanks for staying with this blog.
It is fully autumn in the Northern Hemisphere now,the leaves changing colour according to the latitude you are at.Have a great autumn or spring.
Andrew Taylor
Publisher
I am back after ten days of technical problems,having lost a WiFi signal.Hope to be back on track now.Thanks for staying with this blog.
It is fully autumn in the Northern Hemisphere now,the leaves changing colour according to the latitude you are at.Have a great autumn or spring.
Andrew Taylor
Publisher
Thursday, September 18, 2014
Monday, September 15, 2014
Westpac Exec:Why a Market Correction is in the Making
We're setting up assuming Sydney will become a renminbi trading hub,said Rob Whitfield,Group Executive of Westpac Institutional Bank.The November G20 meeting is absolutely an incentive to a free trade agreement with China.A China slowdown would slow down the economy.It would certainly affect our performance.*
I do see that we will really see a significant,meaningful asset price correction.Credit spreads are narrow,forcing a move by many into higher risk assets.Junk bond yields are at all time lows.Asset bubbles are emerging as share markets have posted successive record highs in recent times despite tapering and mixed economic results.It is my view that the current environment is ripe for a market correction that both looks and feels like what we experienced in 1994.At that time,US Treasury bond prices plummeted,causing the Fed to raise rates,which resulted in higher borrowing costs and a market correction.
Such an event need not freeze the credit markets this time the way the global financial crisis did,however.The financial system has been reformed since then.
The failures that perpetuated the recent crisis today no longer exist,Mr.Whitfield pointed out,and our ability to withstand shocks is much stronger.*
There's massive risk on the Scottish independence vote.A lot of the uncertainty has been priced in.Certainly there are lots of signs we've started to see a sea change with the US dollar,a big divergence between the US and the rest of the world.A lot of ugly ducklings are out there.It filters through the Federal open market committee on Wednesday-more event risk.There could be a lot of dollar-buying across the board,and Treasury-selling.If Fed chair Janet Yellen surprises it,the market will feel very disappointed.*
Westpac(WBK)
I do see that we will really see a significant,meaningful asset price correction.Credit spreads are narrow,forcing a move by many into higher risk assets.Junk bond yields are at all time lows.Asset bubbles are emerging as share markets have posted successive record highs in recent times despite tapering and mixed economic results.It is my view that the current environment is ripe for a market correction that both looks and feels like what we experienced in 1994.At that time,US Treasury bond prices plummeted,causing the Fed to raise rates,which resulted in higher borrowing costs and a market correction.
Such an event need not freeze the credit markets this time the way the global financial crisis did,however.The financial system has been reformed since then.
The failures that perpetuated the recent crisis today no longer exist,Mr.Whitfield pointed out,and our ability to withstand shocks is much stronger.*
There's massive risk on the Scottish independence vote.A lot of the uncertainty has been priced in.Certainly there are lots of signs we've started to see a sea change with the US dollar,a big divergence between the US and the rest of the world.A lot of ugly ducklings are out there.It filters through the Federal open market committee on Wednesday-more event risk.There could be a lot of dollar-buying across the board,and Treasury-selling.If Fed chair Janet Yellen surprises it,the market will feel very disappointed.*
Westpac(WBK)
Thursday, September 11, 2014
Wednesday, September 10, 2014
Monday, September 8, 2014
Words of the Day:Cybersecurity,Antitrust and Alibaba
I'm paranoid enough that I get a new credit card every three months,said Ken Westin,Tripwire security researcher.I'm guessing at least one or two retailers a week are going to be coming out with an announcement.I'm expecting to see more shoes drop.
I think the Home Depot hackers are a much more sophisticated group than those that hacked Apple's iCloud accounts of celebrities.Odds are,they're operating outside the US.Once those credit cards get exfiltrated out of the US to Russia or Eastern Europe,it's almost impossible to follow up on the investigation.*
Microsoft has an antitrust law problem in China.Their office was raided by Chinese authorities in July.This is pretty serious for Microsoft,said David Evans,Vice President and Chairman of Global Economics.It's not clear what exactly the allegations are.The full array of claims I don't think we know at this point in time.I think the point is,it's a law that was passed in 2008.This is a baby antitrust law.It's really a very new thing in China.This is actually very quick for China to be taking the law so seriously and acting so aggressively.*
Alibaba,the Chinese Internet titan,has valued itself at 162.7 billion dollars prior to its initial public offering on the New York Stock Exchange later this month.Alibaba will announce share pricing on September 18 and go public the following day.Its publicity roadshow begins at the Waldorf Astoria in New York today,followed by two weeks of meetings with prospective investors.
Alibaba has spent 4.6 billion dollars on 2014 deals.There will be questions about this M&A strategy,as profit margins are crimped when a business expands too rapidly.The company also has an ownership structure that is not investor-friendly.Investors have less of a say in big company decisions than they would like.
It does concern me,says Jeff Sica,founder and president of SICA Wealth Management,because transparency is clearly one of the clouds on their horizon.The top question is,is Alibaba going to be able to operate under the standards of the NYSE?*
Microsoft(MSFT,Home Depot(HD),Apple Computer(AAPL)
I think the Home Depot hackers are a much more sophisticated group than those that hacked Apple's iCloud accounts of celebrities.Odds are,they're operating outside the US.Once those credit cards get exfiltrated out of the US to Russia or Eastern Europe,it's almost impossible to follow up on the investigation.*
Microsoft has an antitrust law problem in China.Their office was raided by Chinese authorities in July.This is pretty serious for Microsoft,said David Evans,Vice President and Chairman of Global Economics.It's not clear what exactly the allegations are.The full array of claims I don't think we know at this point in time.I think the point is,it's a law that was passed in 2008.This is a baby antitrust law.It's really a very new thing in China.This is actually very quick for China to be taking the law so seriously and acting so aggressively.*
Alibaba,the Chinese Internet titan,has valued itself at 162.7 billion dollars prior to its initial public offering on the New York Stock Exchange later this month.Alibaba will announce share pricing on September 18 and go public the following day.Its publicity roadshow begins at the Waldorf Astoria in New York today,followed by two weeks of meetings with prospective investors.
Alibaba has spent 4.6 billion dollars on 2014 deals.There will be questions about this M&A strategy,as profit margins are crimped when a business expands too rapidly.The company also has an ownership structure that is not investor-friendly.Investors have less of a say in big company decisions than they would like.
It does concern me,says Jeff Sica,founder and president of SICA Wealth Management,because transparency is clearly one of the clouds on their horizon.The top question is,is Alibaba going to be able to operate under the standards of the NYSE?*
Microsoft(MSFT,Home Depot(HD),Apple Computer(AAPL)
Saturday, September 6, 2014
Thursday, September 4, 2014
Wednesday, September 3, 2014
Shop Talk-September 3,2014
Dear Readers,
I have taken some time off while I relocated to the state of Pennsylvania from Maryland.Thank you for your continuing interest.
It is now meteorological autumn,but it has been wickedly hot in the Mid-Atlantic region.By Sunday,it will be cooling off,however.The light will change.
I wish you all a great autumn or spring,as the case may be.
Andrew Taylor
Publisher
I have taken some time off while I relocated to the state of Pennsylvania from Maryland.Thank you for your continuing interest.
It is now meteorological autumn,but it has been wickedly hot in the Mid-Atlantic region.By Sunday,it will be cooling off,however.The light will change.
I wish you all a great autumn or spring,as the case may be.
Andrew Taylor
Publisher
Thursday, August 28, 2014
Tuesday, August 26, 2014
Monday, August 25, 2014
Trouble at SeaWorld and Independent Business;Walmart OK
SeaWorld's ebitda,or operating cash flow,was down 14-16%,and attendance came in below estimates.This is an astounding decline,said CNBC analyst Jim Cramer.This is just an abberation.I've never seen a complete collapse of ebitda.
This thing is just in trouble.The CNN documentary on SeaWorld must have played a role.*
The CNN documentary "Blackfish" covers the killing of a trainer by an orca at the Orlando,Florida SeaWorld in 2010.California is considering legislation to ban orca shows at amusement parks following the shocking incident.The company said it believes attendance in the quarter was impacted by demand pressure related to media attention surrounding proposed legislation in the state of California.*
If you're self-employed,your deductibles are out of control,Cramer observed.The cost of health care in this country is soaring with the Affordable Care Act.It's going to cost too much to have a baby-something to think about.This is what the companies involved in health and human services for independent business organisations are telling me.I don't mean to be political.Deductibles are flying high.*
Walmart has cut its full year forecast,but Raymond James analyst Budd Bugatch isn't too concerned.I feel pretty good about the report,Mr.Bugatcher said.Sales were better than expected.I think the costs were about health care,and a little bit about the economy as well.The new US CEO will take over an operation that is a pretty good operation.Returning growth to the core will be a key objective of his.
In the electronics area,Walmart has just gone through a project reboot.Our outperform rating is that investors with a large portfolio should overweight the stock and pay attention to it.*
Greg Foran is the new Walmart US CEO,having previously headed the company's Asia division.In a conference call,he told analysts that being in stock,clean stores and the right price were among his priorities.
Wal-Mart(WMT)
This thing is just in trouble.The CNN documentary on SeaWorld must have played a role.*
The CNN documentary "Blackfish" covers the killing of a trainer by an orca at the Orlando,Florida SeaWorld in 2010.California is considering legislation to ban orca shows at amusement parks following the shocking incident.The company said it believes attendance in the quarter was impacted by demand pressure related to media attention surrounding proposed legislation in the state of California.*
If you're self-employed,your deductibles are out of control,Cramer observed.The cost of health care in this country is soaring with the Affordable Care Act.It's going to cost too much to have a baby-something to think about.This is what the companies involved in health and human services for independent business organisations are telling me.I don't mean to be political.Deductibles are flying high.*
Walmart has cut its full year forecast,but Raymond James analyst Budd Bugatch isn't too concerned.I feel pretty good about the report,Mr.Bugatcher said.Sales were better than expected.I think the costs were about health care,and a little bit about the economy as well.The new US CEO will take over an operation that is a pretty good operation.Returning growth to the core will be a key objective of his.
In the electronics area,Walmart has just gone through a project reboot.Our outperform rating is that investors with a large portfolio should overweight the stock and pay attention to it.*
Greg Foran is the new Walmart US CEO,having previously headed the company's Asia division.In a conference call,he told analysts that being in stock,clean stores and the right price were among his priorities.
Wal-Mart(WMT)
Thursday, August 21, 2014
Monday, August 18, 2014
Thursday, August 14, 2014
Monday, August 11, 2014
Should This Market Be Trusted?
Leading investor and musician Roger McNamee,co-founder of venture capital firm Elevation Partners,doesn't think so,he told CNBC's "Squawk Alley" programme today.A plethora of worries from the Ebola outbreak,to gridlock in Washington D.C. and geopolitical crises have affected Mr.McNamee.The rate of chaos is increasing a lot,and to me,that just makes me incredibly nervous,McNamee said.It changes how much exposure to the market I want to have.I don't understand how you can have so much chaos in the world and still have prices going up every day.I think this is a really important time for people to ask themselves how confident are they in the fundamentals of things they own,and how confident are they that there's a happy ending this year for the economy and the stock market.
For his part,Mr.McNamee has moved about a third of his portfolio from stocks to US Treasury bonds.*
Roger McNamee managed the top-rated Science and Technology Fund and co-managed the New Horizons Fund at T.Rowe Price Associates before co-founding Elevation Partners,a firm that concentrates on the interesction of Media and Entertainment with consumer technology.He also plays guitar and bass with the band Moonalice.*
T.Rowe Price Group,Inc(TROW)
For his part,Mr.McNamee has moved about a third of his portfolio from stocks to US Treasury bonds.*
Roger McNamee managed the top-rated Science and Technology Fund and co-managed the New Horizons Fund at T.Rowe Price Associates before co-founding Elevation Partners,a firm that concentrates on the interesction of Media and Entertainment with consumer technology.He also plays guitar and bass with the band Moonalice.*
T.Rowe Price Group,Inc(TROW)
Thursday, August 7, 2014
Monday, August 4, 2014
Thursday, July 31, 2014
Monday, July 28, 2014
GoPro Promises;Ricciardo Wins
GoPro is now promising retailers they will have the new version of their camera out in time for the holidays,said CNBC host Jim Cramer.It's something very important to the young people.It's like Apple,people waiting for the next iteration.*
Nothing is enough for the industrials right now.Maybe it's because housing is weak.I think maybe buyers want too much from the industrials right now.*
I think tech is next.You're not seeing the next leg up.You need to see Twitter deliver something.I'm talking about the zeitgeist of the market.I just worry that you could get a bleed-off.*
Consolidation is not a dirty word.It just happens to be where we are right now.We're consolidating,popular investing expert Jim Cramer noted.*
Daniel Ricciardo of Australia won the Formula One Hungarian Grand Prix Sunday.It was his second win in the last five races for Red Bull Racing.He waged a closely-fought battle with Spaniard Fernando Alonso,who came in second for Ferrari.The Ferrari fans were ecstatic just to get a podium finish,it's been such a tough season for them.They out-cheered the other fans.*
GoPro(GPRO),Twitter(TWTR),Apple(AAPL)
Nothing is enough for the industrials right now.Maybe it's because housing is weak.I think maybe buyers want too much from the industrials right now.*
I think tech is next.You're not seeing the next leg up.You need to see Twitter deliver something.I'm talking about the zeitgeist of the market.I just worry that you could get a bleed-off.*
Consolidation is not a dirty word.It just happens to be where we are right now.We're consolidating,popular investing expert Jim Cramer noted.*
Daniel Ricciardo of Australia won the Formula One Hungarian Grand Prix Sunday.It was his second win in the last five races for Red Bull Racing.He waged a closely-fought battle with Spaniard Fernando Alonso,who came in second for Ferrari.The Ferrari fans were ecstatic just to get a podium finish,it's been such a tough season for them.They out-cheered the other fans.*
GoPro(GPRO),Twitter(TWTR),Apple(AAPL)
Shop Talk:Assorted Thoughts
Dear Readers,
Don't forget,you can help support this blog by viewing an advertisement-and thanks in advance.*
I hope you are having a good and peaceful summer,wherever you are.A lot of you are Italian and Russian.Good to have you along.Ciao.*
Congratulations,Vincenzo Nibali,2014 Tour de France winner.A great moment for Italia.*
Russia will host the 2018 FIFA World Cup.A great future event for Russia.*
OK,bye for now."Keep on a'rockin'."
Andrew Taylor
Publisher
Don't forget,you can help support this blog by viewing an advertisement-and thanks in advance.*
I hope you are having a good and peaceful summer,wherever you are.A lot of you are Italian and Russian.Good to have you along.Ciao.*
Congratulations,Vincenzo Nibali,2014 Tour de France winner.A great moment for Italia.*
Russia will host the 2018 FIFA World Cup.A great future event for Russia.*
OK,bye for now."Keep on a'rockin'."
Andrew Taylor
Publisher
Saturday, July 26, 2014
Thursday, July 24, 2014
Monday, July 21, 2014
Mars,Science and Industry,part 3
Discovery-guided people will be on their own on Mars,adapting because of light-time communication delays,said Dr.William Gerstenmaier,NASA Human Exploration and Operations Associate Administrator,at the Humans 2 Mars summit at George Washington University in April 2014.It's a kind of exploration we've never done before.We will always be able to adapt better than our robots,asking queations.Science has given us the questions to ask.Mars has never disappointed.It's a discovery engine,so let's keep going.*
Life-support systems must last for months on Mars,not 84 hours like the Apollo missions.It will take some time to get those technologies and breakthroughs ready.The space station is the proving ground-that's the key.The life-support system will be wrung out and tested on the station.We're testing not only the technologies,but looking at the requirements,such as radiation exposure:how much of a risk is acceptable?*
We do a lot of autonommous procedures on the station now,added Dr.Michael Gazarik,Associate Administrator of the Space Technology Mission Directorate.We will not reduce all the risk to zero,but to a reasonable level.*
Exploration is going and coming back.I think we're talking about pioneering,as moving human presence off the earth and into the solar system.It will take a combination of government,international partners and industry.It's got to be the whole of the agency and the international community pulling together,Dr.Gerstenmaier continued.The private sector has worked on engine development and water generators on the ISS.We've got to continue to look at that.
Solar electric propulsion is for entry,descent and landing on Mars.That is exclusively government.Companies can build their own labs in space,inspired by the ISS.A crew-tended module around the Moon will help us get ready for Mars,and there can be pre-positioning of equipment around Mars.The Chinese will be a key player somewhere along the line.
Eighty percent of the deep space software will be on Exploration Flight Test-1 in December,the Orion heat shield test mission.Modest investments are being made in nuclear thermal propulsion,which is generally considered the best system for reaching Mars.Solar electric propulsion is best for the Moon deep space mission and is championed by industry.
Multiple and pre-positioned modules can be used for habitation and descent to Mars.It will be done more over a number of years.It's not a single mission.It will be done in a sustainable,affordable way,Dr.Gerstenmaier explained.*
Lockheed Martin(LMT),Boeing(BA),Alliant Techsystems(ATK),Honeywell(HON),Cobham PLC(LSE:COB),Rockwell Collins(COL),Orbital Sciences(ORB)
Life-support systems must last for months on Mars,not 84 hours like the Apollo missions.It will take some time to get those technologies and breakthroughs ready.The space station is the proving ground-that's the key.The life-support system will be wrung out and tested on the station.We're testing not only the technologies,but looking at the requirements,such as radiation exposure:how much of a risk is acceptable?*
We do a lot of autonommous procedures on the station now,added Dr.Michael Gazarik,Associate Administrator of the Space Technology Mission Directorate.We will not reduce all the risk to zero,but to a reasonable level.*
Exploration is going and coming back.I think we're talking about pioneering,as moving human presence off the earth and into the solar system.It will take a combination of government,international partners and industry.It's got to be the whole of the agency and the international community pulling together,Dr.Gerstenmaier continued.The private sector has worked on engine development and water generators on the ISS.We've got to continue to look at that.
Solar electric propulsion is for entry,descent and landing on Mars.That is exclusively government.Companies can build their own labs in space,inspired by the ISS.A crew-tended module around the Moon will help us get ready for Mars,and there can be pre-positioning of equipment around Mars.The Chinese will be a key player somewhere along the line.
Eighty percent of the deep space software will be on Exploration Flight Test-1 in December,the Orion heat shield test mission.Modest investments are being made in nuclear thermal propulsion,which is generally considered the best system for reaching Mars.Solar electric propulsion is best for the Moon deep space mission and is championed by industry.
Multiple and pre-positioned modules can be used for habitation and descent to Mars.It will be done more over a number of years.It's not a single mission.It will be done in a sustainable,affordable way,Dr.Gerstenmaier explained.*
Lockheed Martin(LMT),Boeing(BA),Alliant Techsystems(ATK),Honeywell(HON),Cobham PLC(LSE:COB),Rockwell Collins(COL),Orbital Sciences(ORB)
Thursday, July 17, 2014
Tuesday, July 15, 2014
Monday, July 14, 2014
"Get Over It":NASA Administrator Bolden-Mars,Science and Industry part 2
There's been a lot of skepticism and carping aimed at NASA's complex and evolutionary post-shuttle manned spaceflight program.A somewhat exasperated NASA official laid out the agency's plans in April 2014 at the Humans 2 Mars Summit at George Washington University.Our goal right now is to have an American orbital capability by 2017,said NASA Administrator Major General Charles F. Bolden,US Marine Corps Retired.SpaceX is only one competitor.It hasn't been chosen yet.*
The US Government can't do everything.We are not gonna get 4% of the Federal budget to go to Mars or any other place.We're gonna have to figure out how to get to Mars on the budget proposed today,plus some modest increases.I believe that's possible.*
The Juno probe is on the way to Jupiter,and New Horizons is on the way to Pluto.We hope to make an announcement on the commercial crew spacecraft by late summer or fall.
We made a decision on manned spaceflight and some people in this room don't like it.We're oh so close to getting a commercial capability.Get over it.This is the path we have chosen.Help us to get it right.We can tweek this.We now have hardware under construction.We need your help.One percent of the Federal budget would be like a gold mine.
Commercial cargo is the first step.We've got to get to commercial crew and do it consistently.We're gonna fly the Orion spacecraft in the fall,General Bolden said.*
Lockheed Martin(LMT),Boeing(BA),Alliant Techsystems(ATK)
The US Government can't do everything.We are not gonna get 4% of the Federal budget to go to Mars or any other place.We're gonna have to figure out how to get to Mars on the budget proposed today,plus some modest increases.I believe that's possible.*
The Juno probe is on the way to Jupiter,and New Horizons is on the way to Pluto.We hope to make an announcement on the commercial crew spacecraft by late summer or fall.
We made a decision on manned spaceflight and some people in this room don't like it.We're oh so close to getting a commercial capability.Get over it.This is the path we have chosen.Help us to get it right.We can tweek this.We now have hardware under construction.We need your help.One percent of the Federal budget would be like a gold mine.
Commercial cargo is the first step.We've got to get to commercial crew and do it consistently.We're gonna fly the Orion spacecraft in the fall,General Bolden said.*
Lockheed Martin(LMT),Boeing(BA),Alliant Techsystems(ATK)
Thursday, July 10, 2014
Tuesday, July 8, 2014
Monday, July 7, 2014
Mars,Science and Industry-part I
The average person may not be up to date on Mars,but the ranks of science and industry are earnestly exploring the topic on a daily basis.The opportunities the red planet beckons us with demand nothing less.*
Mars is not another earth,said James Garvin,chief scientist at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center.Speaking at the Humans 2 Mars summit at George Washington University in April 2014,he noted that Mars doesn't read our textbooks;it's an ever-changing frontier.The Mars we see is extremely cold,oxydising,and has lost its magnetic field.It is not good for spacesuits;but it's good for science.The atmosphere is very thin,so surface pressure is very low-only 10% of earth's.*
There is abundant evidence of ancient water on Mars.It may have had a global ocean or seas.
Is the Mars of today reflecting a history of life? With 150 million square kilometers of surface,you can't go everywhere to find out.The MAVEN spacecraft is on the way to help,however.The kids of 2000 will see a new Mars in the textbooks of 2014.It's a diverse planet,with complexity.*
We actually have a mini-Mars observing system in place now with our most recent probes,the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter;Curiosity and Odyssey rovers;and ESA Mars Express,as well as legacy instruments.They show a Mars that is profoundly interesting,alluring,and compelling us to get ourselves there.
Mars has relict magnetic signatures.Inside,it is very different from earth.We want to touch the rocks,go to places with the chlorides that preserve evidence of life.
The Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter is a reconnaissance platform like nothing else ever put in space.The Curiosity rover,that has been sending back data for more than 600 days now,has weather and radiation experiments.She's been a beauty,performing beyond expectation.She carries 14 experiments.We can now measure rocks on Mars as well as we can measure Moon rocks in laboratories on earth,Dr.Garvin pointed out.*
Lockheed Martin(LMT)
Mars is not another earth,said James Garvin,chief scientist at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center.Speaking at the Humans 2 Mars summit at George Washington University in April 2014,he noted that Mars doesn't read our textbooks;it's an ever-changing frontier.The Mars we see is extremely cold,oxydising,and has lost its magnetic field.It is not good for spacesuits;but it's good for science.The atmosphere is very thin,so surface pressure is very low-only 10% of earth's.*
There is abundant evidence of ancient water on Mars.It may have had a global ocean or seas.
Is the Mars of today reflecting a history of life? With 150 million square kilometers of surface,you can't go everywhere to find out.The MAVEN spacecraft is on the way to help,however.The kids of 2000 will see a new Mars in the textbooks of 2014.It's a diverse planet,with complexity.*
We actually have a mini-Mars observing system in place now with our most recent probes,the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter;Curiosity and Odyssey rovers;and ESA Mars Express,as well as legacy instruments.They show a Mars that is profoundly interesting,alluring,and compelling us to get ourselves there.
Mars has relict magnetic signatures.Inside,it is very different from earth.We want to touch the rocks,go to places with the chlorides that preserve evidence of life.
The Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter is a reconnaissance platform like nothing else ever put in space.The Curiosity rover,that has been sending back data for more than 600 days now,has weather and radiation experiments.She's been a beauty,performing beyond expectation.She carries 14 experiments.We can now measure rocks on Mars as well as we can measure Moon rocks in laboratories on earth,Dr.Garvin pointed out.*
Lockheed Martin(LMT)
Saturday, July 5, 2014
Thursday, July 3, 2014
Monday, June 30, 2014
Thursday, June 26, 2014
Pharma Flash:AbbVie Continues To Court Shire PLC
AbbVie,the Chicago-based biopharma concern,is continuing its courtship of Ireland's Shire PLC,despite repeated rejections on the grounds that AbbVie made an inadequate offer.It has made a third offer of 46 billion dollars,also promising a plan to buy back shares and offer shares as well as cash to Shire shareholders.*
Shire has several ADHD drugs in its portfolio,such as Adderall.The deal would also be an inversion for AbbVie,i.e.,by being Ireland-based,it would lower AbbVie's tax rate to 13% and free up overseas cash.That's significantly less taxes than US competitors pay.*
AbbVie was formerly part of Abbott Laboratories.It was spun off on 1 January 2013 as a global biopharma firm.With 25,000 workers,AbbVie has launched a Phase III study of Veliparib for Advanced Breast Cancer.
AbbVie claims the proposed combination is strategically compelling to AbbVie and Shire and would create a larger and more diversified biopharmaceutical company with multiple leading franchises and significant financial capacity for future acquisitions,investment and enhanced shareholder distribution and value creation.It offers attractive free cash flow and an enhanced return of capital policy.The new company would be listed in both London and on the NYSE.*
AbbVie(ABBV),Shire PLC(SHPG)
Shire has several ADHD drugs in its portfolio,such as Adderall.The deal would also be an inversion for AbbVie,i.e.,by being Ireland-based,it would lower AbbVie's tax rate to 13% and free up overseas cash.That's significantly less taxes than US competitors pay.*
AbbVie was formerly part of Abbott Laboratories.It was spun off on 1 January 2013 as a global biopharma firm.With 25,000 workers,AbbVie has launched a Phase III study of Veliparib for Advanced Breast Cancer.
AbbVie claims the proposed combination is strategically compelling to AbbVie and Shire and would create a larger and more diversified biopharmaceutical company with multiple leading franchises and significant financial capacity for future acquisitions,investment and enhanced shareholder distribution and value creation.It offers attractive free cash flow and an enhanced return of capital policy.The new company would be listed in both London and on the NYSE.*
AbbVie(ABBV),Shire PLC(SHPG)
Monday, June 23, 2014
Shop Talk:Summer 2014
Dear Readers,
You may notice some changes in the publication schedule.This is ultimately due to budget cutbacks.Some items may be posted earlier than usual,or perhaps later.They may be shorter,but every effort to preserve standards will be made.
Thank you to those who have clicked an ad recently.That's what really helps.
Have a great Summer 2014.
Andrew Taylor
Publisher
You may notice some changes in the publication schedule.This is ultimately due to budget cutbacks.Some items may be posted earlier than usual,or perhaps later.They may be shorter,but every effort to preserve standards will be made.
Thank you to those who have clicked an ad recently.That's what really helps.
Have a great Summer 2014.
Andrew Taylor
Publisher
Monday Newsline:Asian Shares Rise;GE Acquires Alstom Power;Michelle Wie Champion
Asian shares rose Moday,but trimmed their early gains as trading progressed,with the CNBC 100 ASIA IDX falling from an 0.24% gain down to an 0.13 rise.The Hang Seng index,for instance,had been up 0.25,but even slipped into negative territory,down 0.11%.India's Nifty Fifty futures were down 0.32%.
The CNBC 100 ASIA IDX was lifted by a strong ASX 200 as Australians were reassured by robust commodity prices,with both NYMEX and Brent crude futures appreciating on the Iraq crisis,and copper and aluminium markets being cheered by the flash HSBC China PMI Index,which showed expansion of Chinese manufacturing for the first time in six months.The index registered 50.8 in June versus 49.4 for the final May reading.A reading of 50 or above means increased factory activity.
South Korea's KOSPI was up 0.35% on the strength of Samsung Electronics' good showing.*
The S&P futures presaged a positive morning for US stocks,with the S&P futures up 0.25%.This follows on a record high for the S&P 500 and Dow Jones indexes on Friday.
One factor in play this morning is General Electric's succussful 17.6 billion dollar bid for the power assets of the French company Alstom,beating out the German conglomerate Siemens.This was in part due to several trips to Paris by GE CEO Jeff Immelt to sell the deal to French authorities.*
In sport,American Michelle Wie,24,long one of the star players of LPGA golf,finally achieved the milestone of winning her first major championship Sunday as she took the US Women's Open at Pinehurst Resort in North Carolina.It was the end of a long quest by the tall Stanford graduate and onetime wunderkind to meet the high expectations which were set for her.She clinched the national trophy with a two under par 70 on the rigorous Donald Ross Pinehurst #2 course.She now has won a total of four LPGA tournaments,her popularity with the media and her colleagues tending to exceed her actual career accomplishments until this point.*
General Electric(GE),Samsung Electronics Ltd(OO5930:Korea SE)
The CNBC 100 ASIA IDX was lifted by a strong ASX 200 as Australians were reassured by robust commodity prices,with both NYMEX and Brent crude futures appreciating on the Iraq crisis,and copper and aluminium markets being cheered by the flash HSBC China PMI Index,which showed expansion of Chinese manufacturing for the first time in six months.The index registered 50.8 in June versus 49.4 for the final May reading.A reading of 50 or above means increased factory activity.
South Korea's KOSPI was up 0.35% on the strength of Samsung Electronics' good showing.*
The S&P futures presaged a positive morning for US stocks,with the S&P futures up 0.25%.This follows on a record high for the S&P 500 and Dow Jones indexes on Friday.
One factor in play this morning is General Electric's succussful 17.6 billion dollar bid for the power assets of the French company Alstom,beating out the German conglomerate Siemens.This was in part due to several trips to Paris by GE CEO Jeff Immelt to sell the deal to French authorities.*
In sport,American Michelle Wie,24,long one of the star players of LPGA golf,finally achieved the milestone of winning her first major championship Sunday as she took the US Women's Open at Pinehurst Resort in North Carolina.It was the end of a long quest by the tall Stanford graduate and onetime wunderkind to meet the high expectations which were set for her.She clinched the national trophy with a two under par 70 on the rigorous Donald Ross Pinehurst #2 course.She now has won a total of four LPGA tournaments,her popularity with the media and her colleagues tending to exceed her actual career accomplishments until this point.*
General Electric(GE),Samsung Electronics Ltd(OO5930:Korea SE)
Friday, June 20, 2014
Pfizer,Cellectis Ink Cancer Immunotherapy Pact
Pfizer,the world's largest pharmaceutical company,has signed a deal with French biotech firm Cellectis to develop and commercialise CAR-T immunotherapies in the field of oncology directed at several targets.Cellectis' CAR-T technology utilises engineered T-cells from a single donor for use in multiple patients,rather than engineering a patient's own T-cells to target tumour cells.*
Cellectis' CAR-Ts are off-the-shelf products which can be industrialised and standardised.They may be shipped in advance and would be accessible to cancer centers all over the world without the need for a local CAR-T processing facility,which is an enormous advantage.*
Cellectis plans to open a US site for this collaboration with New York-based Pfizer.Cellectis CEO Andre Chulika,PhD,said we look forward to working closely with the team at Pfizer on researching and developing novel CAR-T therapies that could potentially change the way cancer is treated.
Mikael Dolsten,MD,PhD,Pfizer President of R&D,added that combining the innovation and scientific expertise of Cellectis with Pfizer's deep oncology and immunology experience creates a world-class partnership designed to deliver a new generation of CAR-T immunotherapies for cancer patients with urgent medical needs.*
Cellectis will receive an upfront payment of 80 million dollars plus R&D costs.It will also receive development,regulatory and commercial milestone payments of 185 million per Pfizer product,as well as tiered roylaties on net sales.Pfizer will also purchase about 10% of Cellectis capital through newly issued shares of Cellectis,pending shareholder approval.*
Pfizer(PFE),Cellectis(ALCLS:EN Paris)
Cellectis' CAR-Ts are off-the-shelf products which can be industrialised and standardised.They may be shipped in advance and would be accessible to cancer centers all over the world without the need for a local CAR-T processing facility,which is an enormous advantage.*
Cellectis plans to open a US site for this collaboration with New York-based Pfizer.Cellectis CEO Andre Chulika,PhD,said we look forward to working closely with the team at Pfizer on researching and developing novel CAR-T therapies that could potentially change the way cancer is treated.
Mikael Dolsten,MD,PhD,Pfizer President of R&D,added that combining the innovation and scientific expertise of Cellectis with Pfizer's deep oncology and immunology experience creates a world-class partnership designed to deliver a new generation of CAR-T immunotherapies for cancer patients with urgent medical needs.*
Cellectis will receive an upfront payment of 80 million dollars plus R&D costs.It will also receive development,regulatory and commercial milestone payments of 185 million per Pfizer product,as well as tiered roylaties on net sales.Pfizer will also purchase about 10% of Cellectis capital through newly issued shares of Cellectis,pending shareholder approval.*
Pfizer(PFE),Cellectis(ALCLS:EN Paris)
Tuesday, June 17, 2014
Prospects in Energy and Tech
The Permian Basin is an energy-rich sedimentary formation primarily in West Texas and Southeast New Mexico.Permian Basin shale oil is said to be second only to Saudi Arabia.Pioneer Energy is the Permian,said CNBC host Jim Cramer.EOG Resources is there,too,and so is Cemerex Energy.
Energy is the hottest IPO sector,up 27% in 2014.*
Google made 20 acquisitions in robotics in 2013-also in artificial intelligence.It's no longer just search.It's a way to be diversified without buying a bunch of names.This is truly a robotics company.They have their eye on the future.Ten to fifteen years out,it seems Google has gobbled up all the talent.
IBM and CISCO also buy into artificial intelligence,while Intel is now into wearable tech and robotics.3-D imagery and artificial intelligence are disruptive.
Intel has raised its guidance and was upgraded by Morgan Stanley.Intel's going right to 40.Business is much stronger,the yield's still three and change.We have a leader in old tech.You have to dust off the old playbook of what to do when Intel gets it right.The engineers are in charge-a 100% change in leadership.They are in gaming;they are in mobile.Look out,Samsung.*
Sony is bringing PlayStation TV out this fall.*
I think that Yahoo is a buy off of Alibaba going public soon,Cramer noted.*
Goldman Sachs has upgraded Hewlett-Packard from sell to neutral.HP's management has executed far better than we anticipated,Goldman said.The stock has appreciated 50% since it was downgraded.*
Twitter's COO Ali Rowghani has resigned-perhaps on a lack of user growth.Twitter does not intend to hire a replacement.On day to day usage and monetising,Twitter isn't in the same league as Facebook,CNBC's John Forte pointed out.*
The merged Sprint/T-Mobile company is to be branded T-Mobile.A definitive agreement is still weeks away.They agreed on a two billion breakup fee.They have to develop a playbook for DOJ opposition.Without the merger,neither firm is capitalised enough to compete with the other two telecoms,CNBC colleague David Faber said.
Sprint(S),T-Mobile US Inc(TMUS),Intel(INTC),Hewlett-Packard(HPQ),Pioneer Energy(PXD),Google(GOOG),Facebook(FB),Cemerex Energy(XEC),EOG Resources(EOG)
Energy is the hottest IPO sector,up 27% in 2014.*
Google made 20 acquisitions in robotics in 2013-also in artificial intelligence.It's no longer just search.It's a way to be diversified without buying a bunch of names.This is truly a robotics company.They have their eye on the future.Ten to fifteen years out,it seems Google has gobbled up all the talent.
IBM and CISCO also buy into artificial intelligence,while Intel is now into wearable tech and robotics.3-D imagery and artificial intelligence are disruptive.
Intel has raised its guidance and was upgraded by Morgan Stanley.Intel's going right to 40.Business is much stronger,the yield's still three and change.We have a leader in old tech.You have to dust off the old playbook of what to do when Intel gets it right.The engineers are in charge-a 100% change in leadership.They are in gaming;they are in mobile.Look out,Samsung.*
Sony is bringing PlayStation TV out this fall.*
I think that Yahoo is a buy off of Alibaba going public soon,Cramer noted.*
Goldman Sachs has upgraded Hewlett-Packard from sell to neutral.HP's management has executed far better than we anticipated,Goldman said.The stock has appreciated 50% since it was downgraded.*
Twitter's COO Ali Rowghani has resigned-perhaps on a lack of user growth.Twitter does not intend to hire a replacement.On day to day usage and monetising,Twitter isn't in the same league as Facebook,CNBC's John Forte pointed out.*
The merged Sprint/T-Mobile company is to be branded T-Mobile.A definitive agreement is still weeks away.They agreed on a two billion breakup fee.They have to develop a playbook for DOJ opposition.Without the merger,neither firm is capitalised enough to compete with the other two telecoms,CNBC colleague David Faber said.
Sprint(S),T-Mobile US Inc(TMUS),Intel(INTC),Hewlett-Packard(HPQ),Pioneer Energy(PXD),Google(GOOG),Facebook(FB),Cemerex Energy(XEC),EOG Resources(EOG)
Monday, June 16, 2014
Monday Newsline:Kaymer Snares US Open as NBC Era Ends
Germany's Martin Kaymer became the first man from his country to win the prestigious 114th US Open Sunday at Pinehurst Resort,North Carolina,and Comcast NBC Universal sadly marked its final broadcast of the storied golf tournament after 20 straight years of coverage.Kaymer,29,had previously won the 2010 PGA Championship at Whistling Sraits,Wisconsin;the World Number One ranking for eight weeks in 2011;10 tournaments on the European Tour-plus the Ryder Cup as a member of Team Europe;as well as the 2014 Players Championship a few weeks ago in Florida.
Kaymer's nine under par 72 blew away the rest of the field by a margin of at least eight strokes.His closest competitors were Americans Erik Compton and Ricky Fowler,who shared second at one under par.Compton,34,a survivor of two heart transplants who is happy to just be alive,became the sentimental favourite as he notched his best PGA showing ever.*
Europeans have taken the last two US Open trophies,with Englishman Justin Rose taking America's national championship last year.Speaking of Kaymer's performance,Ricky Fowler said that Martin was in his own golf tournamnet.Seeing how in control his golf game was kind of pushes me,becuase I was not far off.*
Phil Mickelson,44,was calm as he reflected on his road ahead.The Hall of Famer had carded a poor seven over par at Pinehurst as his putting seemed to desert him,but he looked forward to the next four or five years and the exciting courses on the US Open schedule.The US Open is the only one of the four majors he has yet to win,and only five other men have accomplished this grand slam of golf.*
Meanwhile,the broadcast booth was dealing with another kind of drama.NBC analyst Johnny Miller choked up as he and colleague Dan Hicks signed off.After 20 consecutive years of televising United States Golf Association events,Comcast's NBC Universal and partner Disney's ESPN were outbid by News Corp's Fox Sports last August for the next 12 years of USGA events,which besides the US Open include the US Senior Open,US Women's Open and USGA amateur events.Fox got a 12 year multimedia deal running from 2015 through 2026.Its winning bid was reportedly around 74 million dollars a year-twice what NBC/ESPN were paying.
Fox Sports has zero experience at golf coverage,so there's a big unknown for USGA golf fans in the years ahead.The USGA is the official governing body of the sport in the USA.*
US futures and Asian markets reflected concern about the Iraq crisis and the Federal Reserve possibly raising interest rates sooner rather than later.The S&P futures were down 6.78 points,while the Dow and NASDAQ futures dropped 48.0 and 9.66 points,respectively.Oil futures climbed 0.4%,and gold rose 0.6% as Treasury rates fell.Most Asian markets were down or virtually flat on the Iraq and Fed worries.The Nikkei was down 1.04%,while the Hang Seng fell 0.6% and the KOSPI was flat in Monday trading.
Comcast(CMCST A),News Corporation(NWS)
Kaymer's nine under par 72 blew away the rest of the field by a margin of at least eight strokes.His closest competitors were Americans Erik Compton and Ricky Fowler,who shared second at one under par.Compton,34,a survivor of two heart transplants who is happy to just be alive,became the sentimental favourite as he notched his best PGA showing ever.*
Europeans have taken the last two US Open trophies,with Englishman Justin Rose taking America's national championship last year.Speaking of Kaymer's performance,Ricky Fowler said that Martin was in his own golf tournamnet.Seeing how in control his golf game was kind of pushes me,becuase I was not far off.*
Phil Mickelson,44,was calm as he reflected on his road ahead.The Hall of Famer had carded a poor seven over par at Pinehurst as his putting seemed to desert him,but he looked forward to the next four or five years and the exciting courses on the US Open schedule.The US Open is the only one of the four majors he has yet to win,and only five other men have accomplished this grand slam of golf.*
Meanwhile,the broadcast booth was dealing with another kind of drama.NBC analyst Johnny Miller choked up as he and colleague Dan Hicks signed off.After 20 consecutive years of televising United States Golf Association events,Comcast's NBC Universal and partner Disney's ESPN were outbid by News Corp's Fox Sports last August for the next 12 years of USGA events,which besides the US Open include the US Senior Open,US Women's Open and USGA amateur events.Fox got a 12 year multimedia deal running from 2015 through 2026.Its winning bid was reportedly around 74 million dollars a year-twice what NBC/ESPN were paying.
Fox Sports has zero experience at golf coverage,so there's a big unknown for USGA golf fans in the years ahead.The USGA is the official governing body of the sport in the USA.*
US futures and Asian markets reflected concern about the Iraq crisis and the Federal Reserve possibly raising interest rates sooner rather than later.The S&P futures were down 6.78 points,while the Dow and NASDAQ futures dropped 48.0 and 9.66 points,respectively.Oil futures climbed 0.4%,and gold rose 0.6% as Treasury rates fell.Most Asian markets were down or virtually flat on the Iraq and Fed worries.The Nikkei was down 1.04%,while the Hang Seng fell 0.6% and the KOSPI was flat in Monday trading.
Comcast(CMCST A),News Corporation(NWS)
Friday, June 13, 2014
Two More Women Hanged in India
The body of a 19-year-old woman was found hanging from a tree in Uttar Pradesh state in Northern India on Thursday.Her family claims she was raped,but a post-mortem examination couldn't confirm that.On Wednesday,a 44-year-old woman was also found hanging from a tree in the same state.Again,her family alleged rape which her post-mortem couldn't confirm.
These two deaths bring to four the number of women murdered in Uttar Pradesh since 29 May,when the bodies of two teenagers who were found to have been gang-raped were discovered hanging from a tree.Those two killings resulted in protests by hundreds of outraged citizens.
On 14 January,a Danish tourist,51,reported that she had been gang-raped and beaten in the Indian capital,New Delhi,when she asked a group of men for directions.
The pattern of violence against women in India became a burning national issue in December 2012,when a young medical student was gang-raped and killed on a bus in New Delhi.Stricter laws to protect women were passed after that incident,but with little if any effect.Less than a year later,a 20-year-old student was gang-raped and killed in Kolkata,India on 7 June 2013,her battered body found near a canal.
These two deaths bring to four the number of women murdered in Uttar Pradesh since 29 May,when the bodies of two teenagers who were found to have been gang-raped were discovered hanging from a tree.Those two killings resulted in protests by hundreds of outraged citizens.
On 14 January,a Danish tourist,51,reported that she had been gang-raped and beaten in the Indian capital,New Delhi,when she asked a group of men for directions.
The pattern of violence against women in India became a burning national issue in December 2012,when a young medical student was gang-raped and killed on a bus in New Delhi.Stricter laws to protect women were passed after that incident,but with little if any effect.Less than a year later,a 20-year-old student was gang-raped and killed in Kolkata,India on 7 June 2013,her battered body found near a canal.
Tuesday, June 10, 2014
Where To Invest Summer 2014
Deutsche Bank downgraded Dollar General on margin concerns,but Goldman Sachs said the stock is too low,and we're gonna stand by it,CNBC host Jim Cramer said.Too many people downgraded it on what turned out to be a decent quarter.*
Target stores are looking a little dowdy.*
Teen apparel retailer Quiksilver,Inc's balance sheet's not that good there.They lost their surfer spokesman Kelly Slater.*
Union Pacific said autos are great.Once they start ramping up those factories so they can run more,it looks really good for the economy-sorry to be so cheerful.*
Salesforce.com is in that very challenged area.You saw that software as a service got hammered yesterday.It's not the place to be.*
Ford's May sales were up 3.0%,beating the Edmunds estimate of 0.9;GM's were up 12.6%.GM totally blew their numbers away.It's been a monster bad stock.My charitable trust owns it.It's been very low in relation to its sales.*
I went to the Ford F-150 plant,and that is a winner.They make a big margin on the F-150.*
I don't know golfer Phil Mickelson from Adam.FBI agents walked up to him at a tournament.Listen,when the FBI shows up like that,they're making a statement,a frightening statement.*
I like First Solar very much,but they've been eviscerated by Chinese dumping.We're in a bit of a war with China financially.*
One of the things that happens in a bull market is,a guy upgrades a stock and it goes higher.Every one of the health maintenance stocks is on fire.Wellpoint is higher,and I think it deserves to be.You have takeovers,you have analysts making big calls,and it's working.There was a lot of fear and a lot of pain about that stock.I think you'll see the analysts come out of their foxholes and their pillboxes.*
AT&T expects to save 1.6 billion dollars in content costs after year 3 of the DirectTV deal,a 20% cut,adds Cramer colleague David Faber.It is certainly front and center for many of these companies as they see the Comcast-Time Warner Cable and AT&T-DirectTV mergers come into effect.One day CBS and Viacom coul come back together,but I don't want to get too far ahead of myself.Disney is by itself.It's so much bigger than everybody else.They have so many different parts.They have the theme parks.*
Rite-Aid is back.It's no longer a turnaround;it's an earnings per share story.I buy my beer at Rite-Aid.I'm not kidding.When you go into your drugstore,they don't look like they used to,CNBC Wall Street expert Jim Cramer pointed out.*
AT&T(T),Rite Aid Corporation(RAD),Ford Motor Company(F),Dollar General(DG),General Motors(GM),Walt Disney(DIS)
Target stores are looking a little dowdy.*
Teen apparel retailer Quiksilver,Inc's balance sheet's not that good there.They lost their surfer spokesman Kelly Slater.*
Union Pacific said autos are great.Once they start ramping up those factories so they can run more,it looks really good for the economy-sorry to be so cheerful.*
Salesforce.com is in that very challenged area.You saw that software as a service got hammered yesterday.It's not the place to be.*
Ford's May sales were up 3.0%,beating the Edmunds estimate of 0.9;GM's were up 12.6%.GM totally blew their numbers away.It's been a monster bad stock.My charitable trust owns it.It's been very low in relation to its sales.*
I went to the Ford F-150 plant,and that is a winner.They make a big margin on the F-150.*
I don't know golfer Phil Mickelson from Adam.FBI agents walked up to him at a tournament.Listen,when the FBI shows up like that,they're making a statement,a frightening statement.*
I like First Solar very much,but they've been eviscerated by Chinese dumping.We're in a bit of a war with China financially.*
One of the things that happens in a bull market is,a guy upgrades a stock and it goes higher.Every one of the health maintenance stocks is on fire.Wellpoint is higher,and I think it deserves to be.You have takeovers,you have analysts making big calls,and it's working.There was a lot of fear and a lot of pain about that stock.I think you'll see the analysts come out of their foxholes and their pillboxes.*
AT&T expects to save 1.6 billion dollars in content costs after year 3 of the DirectTV deal,a 20% cut,adds Cramer colleague David Faber.It is certainly front and center for many of these companies as they see the Comcast-Time Warner Cable and AT&T-DirectTV mergers come into effect.One day CBS and Viacom coul come back together,but I don't want to get too far ahead of myself.Disney is by itself.It's so much bigger than everybody else.They have so many different parts.They have the theme parks.*
Rite-Aid is back.It's no longer a turnaround;it's an earnings per share story.I buy my beer at Rite-Aid.I'm not kidding.When you go into your drugstore,they don't look like they used to,CNBC Wall Street expert Jim Cramer pointed out.*
AT&T(T),Rite Aid Corporation(RAD),Ford Motor Company(F),Dollar General(DG),General Motors(GM),Walt Disney(DIS)
Monday, June 9, 2014
Monday Newsline:Japan's Strength;Sony's Morpheus;Daniel Ricciardo
Asian shares were cheered by good data from Japan and China Monday morning,as well as a steady jobs report from the US on Friday.The MSCI Asia Pacific index rose 0.20%.
The Japanese economy grew a surprising amount in Q1,with the GDP up 6.7% versus an estimate of 5.6.Japanese manufacturing shares were strong,with Alps Electric up 4.0%;Panasonic up 3.0;and Hitachi Construction Machinery up 2.8.The Nikkei rose 0.41%.*
China showed strong exports in May,with a trade surplus of 35.9 billion dollars,up 7.0% on the year.It was the highest surplus since 2008.China's growth target is 7.5%.*
India's SENSEX index was up 0.6% on hopes new Prime Minister Narendra Modi will unveil economic reforms.*
Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott will travel to Washington this week to meet with President Barack Obama.The two leaders will discuss trade,Asia-Pacific affairs and Afghanistan.Australian markets were closed Monday for the Queen's Birthday holiday.*
Sony will display its Project Morpheus PS4 virtual reality headset at the E3 electronic entertainment show in Las Vegas this week.The Morpheus is a response to Facebook's Oculus headset.Sony has sold two million more Playstation 4 consoles than Microsoft's Xbox 1.
The Sony Morpheus headset is more physically attractive than the Facebook Oculus,which could be a significant edge in itself.The Morpheus features a sleeker,more stylish and space age design than the boxy Oculus.*
In sport,South Korea's Inbee Park notched another LPGA victory at the Manulife Financial LPGA Classic in Waterloo,Ontario.Park shot an incredible 23 under par 61 to edge American Kristie Kerr and her 20 under par 63.China's Shanshan Feng was third with an 18 under par 63.
In motor racing,Australia's Daniel Ricciardo,24,sped to the first victory of the season for Red Bull Racing,while his teammate,World Champion Sebastian Vettel,took third at the Canadian Grand Prix in Montreal.It was also Ricciardo's first F1 victory,while Vettel has yet to win this year.Germany's Nico Rosberg of Mercedes AMG came in second on the podium.*
Sony(SNY),Panasonic(Tokyo:6752;US OTC:PCRFY),Facebook(FB)
The Japanese economy grew a surprising amount in Q1,with the GDP up 6.7% versus an estimate of 5.6.Japanese manufacturing shares were strong,with Alps Electric up 4.0%;Panasonic up 3.0;and Hitachi Construction Machinery up 2.8.The Nikkei rose 0.41%.*
China showed strong exports in May,with a trade surplus of 35.9 billion dollars,up 7.0% on the year.It was the highest surplus since 2008.China's growth target is 7.5%.*
India's SENSEX index was up 0.6% on hopes new Prime Minister Narendra Modi will unveil economic reforms.*
Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott will travel to Washington this week to meet with President Barack Obama.The two leaders will discuss trade,Asia-Pacific affairs and Afghanistan.Australian markets were closed Monday for the Queen's Birthday holiday.*
Sony will display its Project Morpheus PS4 virtual reality headset at the E3 electronic entertainment show in Las Vegas this week.The Morpheus is a response to Facebook's Oculus headset.Sony has sold two million more Playstation 4 consoles than Microsoft's Xbox 1.
The Sony Morpheus headset is more physically attractive than the Facebook Oculus,which could be a significant edge in itself.The Morpheus features a sleeker,more stylish and space age design than the boxy Oculus.*
In sport,South Korea's Inbee Park notched another LPGA victory at the Manulife Financial LPGA Classic in Waterloo,Ontario.Park shot an incredible 23 under par 61 to edge American Kristie Kerr and her 20 under par 63.China's Shanshan Feng was third with an 18 under par 63.
In motor racing,Australia's Daniel Ricciardo,24,sped to the first victory of the season for Red Bull Racing,while his teammate,World Champion Sebastian Vettel,took third at the Canadian Grand Prix in Montreal.It was also Ricciardo's first F1 victory,while Vettel has yet to win this year.Germany's Nico Rosberg of Mercedes AMG came in second on the podium.*
Sony(SNY),Panasonic(Tokyo:6752;US OTC:PCRFY),Facebook(FB)
Friday, June 6, 2014
Today's European Issues on President's Mind-plus a Jim Kelly update
On the eve of the 70th anniversary of the liberation of Europe by the D-Day invasion,the President of the United States reflected on a number of controversies in Europe today,and also on the release of a US soldier,Army Sergeant Bowe Bergdahl,by Taliban militants in Afghanistan.We are at a point where Mr.Putin has a chance to get back in the lane of international law,said President Barack Obama at a Thursday press conference with British Prime Minister David Cameron in Brussels,Begium.If Mr.Putin takes those steps,it is possible for us to begin to rebuild trust.The fact that some Russian troops have withdrawn from the Ukrainian border does not mean we can afford three or four or six months of drift.
I have no doubt I'll be seeing President Putin at the D-Day observances.He and I have always had a businesslike relationship.I will be delivering the same message:Russia has a legitimate interest,but it's up to the people of Ukraine to make its own decision.The destabilising actions we now see,funded and encouraged by Russia,are unacceptable.If he continues undermining the sovereignty and integrity of Ukraine,we will have no choice but to impose more sanctions,Mr.Obama indicated.*
On the issue of Scotland possibly leaving the United Kingdom,he noted that,from the outside at least,it looks as if the UK-Scotland union has worked pretty well,but ultimately that is for the people of Scotland to decide.As to Britain possibly leaving the European Union,it's important for us to know that Great Britain has a seat at the table of the larger European project.It's hard for me to imagine that project would go well without Great Britain.I'm sure the people of Great Britain will make the right decision.*
I'm never surprised by controversies that are whipped up in Washington,the President continued.We had a prisoner of war whose health had deteriorated,and we had an opportunity and we seized it,and I make no apologies for that.This basic principle that we don't leave anybody behind dates back to the beginning of the Republic.As Commander in Chief,I am responsible for these kids.I write too many letters to folks who don't get to see their children again.We don't condition whether we make the effort to get someone back,the President explained.*
Jim Kelly update:A large crowd of Buffalo Bills great Jim Kelly's friends and former NFL colleagues gathered in the Buffalo suburb of Batavia,New York Tuesday for the 28th Jim Kelly Celebrity Classic,the annual charity golf tournament of the Kelly for Kids Foundation.Jim is still in a Buffalo hospital recovering from six weeks of chemotherapy and radiation treatments for his recurrent oral cancer that has spread into his sinus area.
Jim's pain has subsided,older brother Dan Kelly said,but he will still need 6-8 weeks more rest after about another week in hospital,before he can be tested to determine how successful his treatment has been.
This year's tournament should raise more than 250,000 dollars,according to Dan.The Foundation has donated more than five million to regional charities since its inception.
I have no doubt I'll be seeing President Putin at the D-Day observances.He and I have always had a businesslike relationship.I will be delivering the same message:Russia has a legitimate interest,but it's up to the people of Ukraine to make its own decision.The destabilising actions we now see,funded and encouraged by Russia,are unacceptable.If he continues undermining the sovereignty and integrity of Ukraine,we will have no choice but to impose more sanctions,Mr.Obama indicated.*
On the issue of Scotland possibly leaving the United Kingdom,he noted that,from the outside at least,it looks as if the UK-Scotland union has worked pretty well,but ultimately that is for the people of Scotland to decide.As to Britain possibly leaving the European Union,it's important for us to know that Great Britain has a seat at the table of the larger European project.It's hard for me to imagine that project would go well without Great Britain.I'm sure the people of Great Britain will make the right decision.*
I'm never surprised by controversies that are whipped up in Washington,the President continued.We had a prisoner of war whose health had deteriorated,and we had an opportunity and we seized it,and I make no apologies for that.This basic principle that we don't leave anybody behind dates back to the beginning of the Republic.As Commander in Chief,I am responsible for these kids.I write too many letters to folks who don't get to see their children again.We don't condition whether we make the effort to get someone back,the President explained.*
Jim Kelly update:A large crowd of Buffalo Bills great Jim Kelly's friends and former NFL colleagues gathered in the Buffalo suburb of Batavia,New York Tuesday for the 28th Jim Kelly Celebrity Classic,the annual charity golf tournament of the Kelly for Kids Foundation.Jim is still in a Buffalo hospital recovering from six weeks of chemotherapy and radiation treatments for his recurrent oral cancer that has spread into his sinus area.
Jim's pain has subsided,older brother Dan Kelly said,but he will still need 6-8 weeks more rest after about another week in hospital,before he can be tested to determine how successful his treatment has been.
This year's tournament should raise more than 250,000 dollars,according to Dan.The Foundation has donated more than five million to regional charities since its inception.
Tuesday, June 3, 2014
Tech and Oil Deals;Inflation Rising
I am looking for tech deals and oil deals,said CNBC host Jim Cramer.Oracle should buy Concur Solutions-it's such a great company,I can't believe it's still independent.Anadarko Petroleum's now a clear story.It's one of the great oil stocks that's been held back by litigation.
Hillshire Brands-this is Sara Lee.Sara Lee,congratulations."We break out Hillshire Brands and we see the hidden value in Hillshire." Now Pilgrim's Pride and Tyson Foods want to acquire Hillshire.
With Twitter,a lot of what's going on is,people realise the shares lockup has expired.If you can make Twitter into something that you don't have to tweet,but still use as your personal news service,then I am positive on Twitter.*
There's been significant buying of Interpublic Group,and people are saying it's by Elliot Management Group,points out Cramer's colleague David Faber;while Beats was bought by Apple for three billion.Apple seeks the most innovative products and services.They got Dr.Dre and Tommy Iovine in the Beats deal.It's a play for wearable tech.*
Fundamentally,inflation is picking up across the board,said John Brynjolfsson of Armored Wolf Investments.Wage inflation is picking up.
I don't think Fed policy has untimately changed the laws of physics.It doesn't make sense to have a zero percent Fed funds rate.It's not a logical equilibrium.I'm long bunds right now,short treasuries.I'm very uncomfortable with the size of the Fed's balance sheet.It can't get out of hand.That's why it's better to tighten sooner,rather than later.*
Apple(AAPL),Hillshire Brands(HSH),Anadarko Petroleum(APC)
Hillshire Brands-this is Sara Lee.Sara Lee,congratulations."We break out Hillshire Brands and we see the hidden value in Hillshire." Now Pilgrim's Pride and Tyson Foods want to acquire Hillshire.
With Twitter,a lot of what's going on is,people realise the shares lockup has expired.If you can make Twitter into something that you don't have to tweet,but still use as your personal news service,then I am positive on Twitter.*
There's been significant buying of Interpublic Group,and people are saying it's by Elliot Management Group,points out Cramer's colleague David Faber;while Beats was bought by Apple for three billion.Apple seeks the most innovative products and services.They got Dr.Dre and Tommy Iovine in the Beats deal.It's a play for wearable tech.*
Fundamentally,inflation is picking up across the board,said John Brynjolfsson of Armored Wolf Investments.Wage inflation is picking up.
I don't think Fed policy has untimately changed the laws of physics.It doesn't make sense to have a zero percent Fed funds rate.It's not a logical equilibrium.I'm long bunds right now,short treasuries.I'm very uncomfortable with the size of the Fed's balance sheet.It can't get out of hand.That's why it's better to tighten sooner,rather than later.*
Apple(AAPL),Hillshire Brands(HSH),Anadarko Petroleum(APC)
Monday, June 2, 2014
Monday Newsline:Good Data Encourages Asia;Matsuyama Wins
Several Asian markets were closed Monday for the Dragon Boat Festival,including China,Hong Kong and Taiwan.Of those that did open,the Nikkei rose strongly,up 2.07% on good reports.Japanese capex rose 7.4% in Q1,and the Nikkei saw its first monthly gain in five months in May.*
The China PMI indicated that factory activity increased by the most in five months,although home prices were down slightly on the month.Asian markets were also impressed by the record high achieved by the S&P 500 Index last week.The ASX 200 rose 0.47% and the KOSPI was up 0.35%.Indian stocks also gained,rising 1.0%.
Gross operating profits rose 3.0% on the quarter in Australia,helping the stock market there.
Overall,a positive economic climate is encouraging equity investors worldwide.*
In sport,the young Japanese golfer Hideki Matsuyama,22,sent cheer to his nation as he defeated American Kevin Na in a playoff at The Memorial Tournament in Dublin,Ohio.It was his first victory on US soil,and the first ever win by a Japanese golfer at the prestigious PGA event.
Australian Will Power won the first of two Indycar races comprising the Chevrolet Belle Isle Detroit Grand Prix on Saturday,and came in second in the Sunday race,maintaining his lead in the overall Indycar Series standings.Helio Castroneves of Brazil won Sunday's race.Both drivers are members of Team Penske.
The China PMI indicated that factory activity increased by the most in five months,although home prices were down slightly on the month.Asian markets were also impressed by the record high achieved by the S&P 500 Index last week.The ASX 200 rose 0.47% and the KOSPI was up 0.35%.Indian stocks also gained,rising 1.0%.
Gross operating profits rose 3.0% on the quarter in Australia,helping the stock market there.
Overall,a positive economic climate is encouraging equity investors worldwide.*
In sport,the young Japanese golfer Hideki Matsuyama,22,sent cheer to his nation as he defeated American Kevin Na in a playoff at The Memorial Tournament in Dublin,Ohio.It was his first victory on US soil,and the first ever win by a Japanese golfer at the prestigious PGA event.
Australian Will Power won the first of two Indycar races comprising the Chevrolet Belle Isle Detroit Grand Prix on Saturday,and came in second in the Sunday race,maintaining his lead in the overall Indycar Series standings.Helio Castroneves of Brazil won Sunday's race.Both drivers are members of Team Penske.
Friday, May 30, 2014
Kellys Thankful as Cancer Treatment Ends
Buffalo Bills great Jim Kelly has completed his six weeks of treatment for the recurrence of oral cancer.The NFL football star got his last dose of radiation Wednesday,and finished chemotherapy last week.The radiation was particularly painful,causing him to lose the skin from the roof of his mouth.He had to be fed through a tube.
His wife,Jill Kelly,tweeted the following:
At 1 pm today!IT IS FINISHED!
GLORY TO GOD!!!!
DONE!
She went on to tweet:
High Fives.Tears.And A LOT OF THANKS AND PRAISE!!!!
Again,THANK YOU FOR PRAYING!*
Next will be two to three months of assessment to deteremine if more surgery will be needed.Jim underwent his first operation last June.The squamous cell carcinoma returned and started to spread up his orbital nerve.
This blog will stay on the story.
His wife,Jill Kelly,tweeted the following:
At 1 pm today!IT IS FINISHED!
GLORY TO GOD!!!!
DONE!
She went on to tweet:
High Fives.Tears.And A LOT OF THANKS AND PRAISE!!!!
Again,THANK YOU FOR PRAYING!*
Next will be two to three months of assessment to deteremine if more surgery will be needed.Jim underwent his first operation last June.The squamous cell carcinoma returned and started to spread up his orbital nerve.
This blog will stay on the story.
Tuesday, May 27, 2014
Weathering Change:Hewlett-Packard CEO Confident
The shift to mobile devices and cloud computing have had a substantial impact on the financial health of legacy technology companies such as Hewlett-Packard.
We had a very good quarter,said Hewlett-Packard CEO Meg Whitman.In fact,our operating margins were up.We think we're gonna have a couple more good quarters.I remain confident in the future of Hewltt-Packard.
Neither PCs nor printers have disappeared.We've been able to stem the decline in our legacy businesses.Any acquisitions we make are likely to be small to medium-sized,directly aligned to our strategy.
After this restructuring program,then we have to build productivity and efficiency into the DNA of Hewlett-Packard.We will build that into our operations.There will be no more big restructurings.The good news is,the rate of decline has slowed dramatically.My view is,the turnaround is right on track.
We need to make scale work to our advantsge.The business will rebound in the years ahead,Hewlett-Packard CEO Meg Whitman predicted.
Upon further review,it is totally clear the turnaround is working,agreed CNBC host Jim Cramer.
There has been a 39% climb in share price since Whitman took the reins at HP in 2011,although the company's sales have been declining the past few years.She is making up to 16,000 more job cuts to lower costs,as well as the 34,000 that were previously announced.
Hewlett-Packard(HPQ)
We had a very good quarter,said Hewlett-Packard CEO Meg Whitman.In fact,our operating margins were up.We think we're gonna have a couple more good quarters.I remain confident in the future of Hewltt-Packard.
Neither PCs nor printers have disappeared.We've been able to stem the decline in our legacy businesses.Any acquisitions we make are likely to be small to medium-sized,directly aligned to our strategy.
After this restructuring program,then we have to build productivity and efficiency into the DNA of Hewlett-Packard.We will build that into our operations.There will be no more big restructurings.The good news is,the rate of decline has slowed dramatically.My view is,the turnaround is right on track.
We need to make scale work to our advantsge.The business will rebound in the years ahead,Hewlett-Packard CEO Meg Whitman predicted.
Upon further review,it is totally clear the turnaround is working,agreed CNBC host Jim Cramer.
There has been a 39% climb in share price since Whitman took the reins at HP in 2011,although the company's sales have been declining the past few years.She is making up to 16,000 more job cuts to lower costs,as well as the 34,000 that were previously announced.
Hewlett-Packard(HPQ)
Monday, May 26, 2014
Monday Newsline:Change in India,Thailand;Adam Scott Wins
India's Nifty Fifty Index was up Monday on optimism over the swearing in of new Prime Minister Narendra Modi,63,who is seen as business-friendly.On Tuesday,Mr.Modi will have bilateral meetings with foreign leaders who are attending the ceremony,most notably with Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif,whose presence at the event is unprecedented.Relations between the neighbouring countries have traditionally been tense.*
The MSCI Asia-Pacific index rose 0.29% in early Monday trading.US markets are closed for Memorial Day,which is considered the first of the summer holidays.Shanghai copper gained on declining stockpiles of the metal.*
Thailand's military coup received the approval of King Bhumibol.The army will name an interim premier today.At least hundreds of protestors demonstrated against the regime in the streets of Bangkok.*
In sport,Australia's Adam Scott won the Crowne Plaza Invitational at The Colonial in Fort Worth,Texas.The World Number One shot a nine under par 66 and beat American Jason Dufner in a playoff.He is the first person to win the Texas grand slam-all four PGA tournaments played in Texas.Scott is playing in The Memorial Tournament in Dublin,Ohio this week.
At the Formula One Monaco Grand Prix,AMG Petronas Mercedes continued its sweep of the series as teammates Nico Rosberg of Germany and Great Britain's Lewis Hamilton took first and second,respectively.Red Bull Racing's Daniel Ricciardo of Australia won the third spot in the royal box,while his teammate,the reigning World Champion Sebastian Vettel,retired with mechanical problems.
The MSCI Asia-Pacific index rose 0.29% in early Monday trading.US markets are closed for Memorial Day,which is considered the first of the summer holidays.Shanghai copper gained on declining stockpiles of the metal.*
Thailand's military coup received the approval of King Bhumibol.The army will name an interim premier today.At least hundreds of protestors demonstrated against the regime in the streets of Bangkok.*
In sport,Australia's Adam Scott won the Crowne Plaza Invitational at The Colonial in Fort Worth,Texas.The World Number One shot a nine under par 66 and beat American Jason Dufner in a playoff.He is the first person to win the Texas grand slam-all four PGA tournaments played in Texas.Scott is playing in The Memorial Tournament in Dublin,Ohio this week.
At the Formula One Monaco Grand Prix,AMG Petronas Mercedes continued its sweep of the series as teammates Nico Rosberg of Germany and Great Britain's Lewis Hamilton took first and second,respectively.Red Bull Racing's Daniel Ricciardo of Australia won the third spot in the royal box,while his teammate,the reigning World Champion Sebastian Vettel,retired with mechanical problems.
Friday, May 23, 2014
New Study:Pancreatic,Liver Cancer Deaths on the Rise
The list of most deadly cancers in the US will change over the next 16 years,a new study published in the peer-reviewed journal Cancer Research projects.Today,the top three killers are lung,breast cancer for women/prostrate cancer for men,and colorectal cancer.By 2030,the study funded by the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network found that lung,pancreatic and liver cancers will be the top three causes of cancer death.The top diagnoses in 2030 are predicted to be lung,breast/prostrate,thyroid,melanoma and uterine cancers.
The projections for deaths from pancreatic and liver cancers are startling,said Lynn Matrisian,PhD,MBA,vice president of scientific and medical affairs at the PCAN.This study is a call to action to the scientific and clinical communities,as well as the population at large,to increase attention,awareness,and ultimately progress in the fight against pancreatic cancer.*
The new estimate considered two factors:the demographic trends of an aging population and the growing population of minorities,some of whom are more susceptible to certain cancers;and the changes in the average annual percentages of cancer incidence and deaths related to better screening and prevention on the one hand,and the prevalence of smoking and viral infections on the other.*
Pancreatic cancer is difficult to diagnose because access and imaging are limited by the location of the pancreas in the body.As well,it is difficult to treat because the tumours are surrounded and infiltrated by dense connective tissue that is believed to impede drug delivery.Data also suggest a tendency for the tumours to metastisise early in the course of the disease.Add to that the fact that less than 20% of the tumours are operable.*
The PCAN aims to double pancreatic cancer survival by 2020 through heightening awareness,raising funds for comprehensive private research,advocating for dedicated federal research to advance early diagnostics,better treatments and increase the chances of survival.
The projections for deaths from pancreatic and liver cancers are startling,said Lynn Matrisian,PhD,MBA,vice president of scientific and medical affairs at the PCAN.This study is a call to action to the scientific and clinical communities,as well as the population at large,to increase attention,awareness,and ultimately progress in the fight against pancreatic cancer.*
The new estimate considered two factors:the demographic trends of an aging population and the growing population of minorities,some of whom are more susceptible to certain cancers;and the changes in the average annual percentages of cancer incidence and deaths related to better screening and prevention on the one hand,and the prevalence of smoking and viral infections on the other.*
Pancreatic cancer is difficult to diagnose because access and imaging are limited by the location of the pancreas in the body.As well,it is difficult to treat because the tumours are surrounded and infiltrated by dense connective tissue that is believed to impede drug delivery.Data also suggest a tendency for the tumours to metastisise early in the course of the disease.Add to that the fact that less than 20% of the tumours are operable.*
The PCAN aims to double pancreatic cancer survival by 2020 through heightening awareness,raising funds for comprehensive private research,advocating for dedicated federal research to advance early diagnostics,better treatments and increase the chances of survival.
Tuesday, May 20, 2014
Media Profile:Billboard Magazine
New York-based Prometheus Global Media owns Billboard magazine.It also owns The Hollywood Reporter and Ad Week magazines.Billboard is a weekly trade publication aimed at music industry professionals such as artists,record company executives,DJs and music retailers.*
Billboard is best known for its weekly charts that gauge the popularity of recordings,as well as the Billboard Music Awards,which were just given out Sunday night in Las Vegas,and the Billboard Latin Music Awards.There are more than 200 Billboard charts,most of them genre-specific.The two most prominent charts,the Billboard Hot 100(singles) and Billboard 200(albums) are genre-neutral.The charts are based on digital downloads,internet streaming and radio airplay,as determined primarily by the Nielsen SoundScan tracking system.*
The Hollywood Reporter covers the entire entertainment industry,from film to television and music,with a notable expertise in the awards circuit,while Ad Week is a trade publication for the media industry.*
Billboard is published in both print and online forms 51 weeks a year.It is available on newsstands in music industry cities such as Los Angeles,New York and Nashville.There are three Billboard websites:billboard.biz for B2B;billboard.com for consumers;and billboardevents.com.*
The Billboard Music Awards 2014 telecast won the ratings sweep Sunday night,and was the most-watched BBMA broadcast in 13 years,according to Billboard.It generated buzz with its hologram of the late Michael Jackson singing "Slave to the Rhythm" from his new posthumous album "Xscape;" as well as performances by Lorde and Jennifer Lopez of their new songs "Tennis Court" and "First Love," respectively.Lopez also won the first BBMA Icon Award.
Billboard is best known for its weekly charts that gauge the popularity of recordings,as well as the Billboard Music Awards,which were just given out Sunday night in Las Vegas,and the Billboard Latin Music Awards.There are more than 200 Billboard charts,most of them genre-specific.The two most prominent charts,the Billboard Hot 100(singles) and Billboard 200(albums) are genre-neutral.The charts are based on digital downloads,internet streaming and radio airplay,as determined primarily by the Nielsen SoundScan tracking system.*
The Hollywood Reporter covers the entire entertainment industry,from film to television and music,with a notable expertise in the awards circuit,while Ad Week is a trade publication for the media industry.*
Billboard is published in both print and online forms 51 weeks a year.It is available on newsstands in music industry cities such as Los Angeles,New York and Nashville.There are three Billboard websites:billboard.biz for B2B;billboard.com for consumers;and billboardevents.com.*
The Billboard Music Awards 2014 telecast won the ratings sweep Sunday night,and was the most-watched BBMA broadcast in 13 years,according to Billboard.It generated buzz with its hologram of the late Michael Jackson singing "Slave to the Rhythm" from his new posthumous album "Xscape;" as well as performances by Lorde and Jennifer Lopez of their new songs "Tennis Court" and "First Love," respectively.Lopez also won the first BBMA Icon Award.
Monday, May 19, 2014
Monday Newsline:Analysing Asia's Prospects;British Cycling Double Win
Asian stocks fell Monday on a decline in China's GDP and in its housing price growth.The GDP fell from 2.9% in Q4 to 2.5% in Q1.Housing prices rose in only 44 of 70 cities.There were no cities in China where real estate outperformed the money market.Gary Evans,head of equity strategy at HSBC,said that's pretty negative for Chinese growth.Real estate is the single biggest driver of domestic demand.*
Thailand's GDP declined on political unrest,dropping 2.1% on the quarter and 0.6% on the year.These factors,plus a fall in iron ore prices hurting Australian miners,sent the MSCI Asia Pacific index down 0.26%.*
I think the Thai problem is gonna rumble on for a long time,Mr.Evans continued.The appetite of many investors is for restructuring-as in Mexico.China is getting a little nervous about how fast home prices are coming down.We like Indonesia and China's state-owned enterprises.The thing is,whether a market is moving in the right direction.It doesn't take much to move Indonesia in the right direction.*
I'm underweight on Japan.Everyone is sitting on a loss-making position,thinking it will get better,but it isn't going to happen.In every country there are vested interests resisting change,and Japan is such a place.*
India's Nifty Fifty Index rose 0.88% on Monday becuase of euphoria over their new prime minister,Narendra Modi,who was first minister of Gujarat state.India is the most over-owned market globally,Mr.Evans pointed out.There will be a shift to Indian energy,utilities and infrastructure stocks.I think the selloff starts maybe today.Then people will buy back in because India is still a good story.The rupee is probably getting close to an equilibrium.
How Mr.Modi will react to Pakistan is uncertain so far.He gets things done:that's what people have bought into,because we don't know what his policy is gonna be.To me,India is like the EU with its many states.Running the central government is different from running just one state as Mr.Modi did.I think inflation is gonna be the key issue,HSBC's Gary Evans noted.*
In sport,Great Britain scored a cycling double victory in the Amgen Tour of California Sunday.The Tour's Stage 8 ended in Thousand Oaks and was won by the current British Champion,and former World Champion,Mark Cavendish from the Isle of Man.To be fair really,I'm in the form of my life,Cavendish said.I just had some French toast for breakfast-I wasn't expecting a tour.Im super happy about that.*
Britain's Bradley Wiggins won the overall yellow jersey for the Amgen Tour,and had previously won both the Tour de France and London Olympics gold medal in 2012.It's right up there as a satisfaction,Sir Bradley said.It's nice to still be winning at this age,34.
His wife and two children were on hand in Thousand Oaks to help him celebrate.*
Amgen(AMGN),HSBC Holdings(HBC)
Thailand's GDP declined on political unrest,dropping 2.1% on the quarter and 0.6% on the year.These factors,plus a fall in iron ore prices hurting Australian miners,sent the MSCI Asia Pacific index down 0.26%.*
I think the Thai problem is gonna rumble on for a long time,Mr.Evans continued.The appetite of many investors is for restructuring-as in Mexico.China is getting a little nervous about how fast home prices are coming down.We like Indonesia and China's state-owned enterprises.The thing is,whether a market is moving in the right direction.It doesn't take much to move Indonesia in the right direction.*
I'm underweight on Japan.Everyone is sitting on a loss-making position,thinking it will get better,but it isn't going to happen.In every country there are vested interests resisting change,and Japan is such a place.*
India's Nifty Fifty Index rose 0.88% on Monday becuase of euphoria over their new prime minister,Narendra Modi,who was first minister of Gujarat state.India is the most over-owned market globally,Mr.Evans pointed out.There will be a shift to Indian energy,utilities and infrastructure stocks.I think the selloff starts maybe today.Then people will buy back in because India is still a good story.The rupee is probably getting close to an equilibrium.
How Mr.Modi will react to Pakistan is uncertain so far.He gets things done:that's what people have bought into,because we don't know what his policy is gonna be.To me,India is like the EU with its many states.Running the central government is different from running just one state as Mr.Modi did.I think inflation is gonna be the key issue,HSBC's Gary Evans noted.*
In sport,Great Britain scored a cycling double victory in the Amgen Tour of California Sunday.The Tour's Stage 8 ended in Thousand Oaks and was won by the current British Champion,and former World Champion,Mark Cavendish from the Isle of Man.To be fair really,I'm in the form of my life,Cavendish said.I just had some French toast for breakfast-I wasn't expecting a tour.Im super happy about that.*
Britain's Bradley Wiggins won the overall yellow jersey for the Amgen Tour,and had previously won both the Tour de France and London Olympics gold medal in 2012.It's right up there as a satisfaction,Sir Bradley said.It's nice to still be winning at this age,34.
His wife and two children were on hand in Thousand Oaks to help him celebrate.*
Amgen(AMGN),HSBC Holdings(HBC)
Friday, May 16, 2014
Jim Kelly Speaks Out on Cancer,Buffalo Bills Sale
NFL Hall of Fame quarterback Jim Kelly is a man fighting two battles at once.One is against the agressive oral cancer that threatens his life;the other is against the commercial interests in Ontario,Canada or elsewhere that may buy and eventually relocate his beloved Buffalo Bills,who are for sale following the death of founder and owner Ralph Wilson.In a statement released Thursday by his company,Jim Kelly,Inc.,Kelly said this cancer has been rough.It's hurt really bad and the treatments have kicked my butt.But my faith in God is strong and I'm back home in Buffalo working with a good team of doctors.I'm not out of the woods by any means,but we think the treatments are going well and I know I'm going to beat this.*
In an interview with The Buffalo News,Jim went into considerable detail about his struggles.It just seems like you're falling apart,the Western New York hero said.I went two weeks without eating.No tastebuds,no nothing.I wasn't getting any nutrition.Finally they had to put a feeding tube in.The radiation is burning my mouth.I have no skin on the roof of my mouth,but I'm getting through it.I've had such a supporting cast,not only from my family,but from Western New York-and all over the world.That surprised me.I have eight more radiation treatments and one more chemo treatment left.
I've gotten a number of emails from people who have been through the same thing with suggestions on how to deal with it.That helps.I fight every battle every day.I'm not scared to die.I know my tomorrows are going to be better than today.I know I'm going to see my late son again.
I still have so many things I've got to do-making sure the Bills stay in Buffalo.I'm battling,but it's not the battle I want to fight right now.I'm trying to do all I can right now.
Keep voicing your opinion.Whoever the new owner is,Western New York has to be the destination.Donald Trump is excited.We should know in the next six months who the players are,a very alert and determined Jim Kelly told sports writer Mark Gaughan from his black leather rocker with a red pillow.
In an interview with The Buffalo News,Jim went into considerable detail about his struggles.It just seems like you're falling apart,the Western New York hero said.I went two weeks without eating.No tastebuds,no nothing.I wasn't getting any nutrition.Finally they had to put a feeding tube in.The radiation is burning my mouth.I have no skin on the roof of my mouth,but I'm getting through it.I've had such a supporting cast,not only from my family,but from Western New York-and all over the world.That surprised me.I have eight more radiation treatments and one more chemo treatment left.
I've gotten a number of emails from people who have been through the same thing with suggestions on how to deal with it.That helps.I fight every battle every day.I'm not scared to die.I know my tomorrows are going to be better than today.I know I'm going to see my late son again.
I still have so many things I've got to do-making sure the Bills stay in Buffalo.I'm battling,but it's not the battle I want to fight right now.I'm trying to do all I can right now.
Keep voicing your opinion.Whoever the new owner is,Western New York has to be the destination.Donald Trump is excited.We should know in the next six months who the players are,a very alert and determined Jim Kelly told sports writer Mark Gaughan from his black leather rocker with a red pillow.
Tuesday, May 13, 2014
Target Takes Drastic Steps After Breach
Target is still wrestling with the aftermath of last year's massive electronic security breach,exposing the personal information of more than 110 million customers to cyber criminals.Now its CEO Gregg Steinhafel has resigned after his 35 years of service with the company.
That this looks like it was preventable is pretty distressing,said Jeff Sonnenfeld of the Yale School of Management.They definitely need the expertise of new Chief Information Officer Bob DeRodes,former tech advisor to the Department of Homeland Security,who also has experience at Home Depot and other great retailers.The forays into Canada with the opening of 24 stores were also disappointing,along with the El Nino winter weather or whatever it was.
As to the Target board of directors,John Stumpf,CEO of Wells Fargo,is a banker's banker,very much on top of his game.Ann Mulcahy,former Xerox CEO,is not the kind of person who would act abruptly unless it was necessary.*
Target's customer credit and debit card data was hacked into during the holiday season 2013 cyber attack.The nation's second largest retailer has suffered from a slump in sales and stock price in the wake of the cyber disaster.Besides hiring a new CIO and searching for a new CEO,the Minneapolis-based company plans to switch to state of the art chip-and-PIN card security.*
Target Stores,Inc(TGT)
That this looks like it was preventable is pretty distressing,said Jeff Sonnenfeld of the Yale School of Management.They definitely need the expertise of new Chief Information Officer Bob DeRodes,former tech advisor to the Department of Homeland Security,who also has experience at Home Depot and other great retailers.The forays into Canada with the opening of 24 stores were also disappointing,along with the El Nino winter weather or whatever it was.
As to the Target board of directors,John Stumpf,CEO of Wells Fargo,is a banker's banker,very much on top of his game.Ann Mulcahy,former Xerox CEO,is not the kind of person who would act abruptly unless it was necessary.*
Target's customer credit and debit card data was hacked into during the holiday season 2013 cyber attack.The nation's second largest retailer has suffered from a slump in sales and stock price in the wake of the cyber disaster.Besides hiring a new CIO and searching for a new CEO,the Minneapolis-based company plans to switch to state of the art chip-and-PIN card security.*
Target Stores,Inc(TGT)
Monday, May 12, 2014
Monday Newsline:Hit Shows Canceled by China;Indian Elections End
Gold miner stocks fell in Asia today along with the price of gold on a perceived lessening of tension in Ukraine.Unofficial voting on independence for Eastern Ukraine went ahead,although clashes with Ukrainian troops were reported.There were some long lines at the polls,but voters were seen voting twice.The provisional government in Kiev and Western countries reject the vote as illegitimate and illegal.
The separatists are claiming the voters showed massive support for independence.*
The MSCI Asia Pacific index was down 0.30%.Basic materials declined 1.0% in Australia,with industrial metals falling 2.17%.Basic materials also fell in the Hang Seng Index.*
Four popular American TV shows on webcaster Sohu have been canceled by the Chinese authorities,including "Big Bang Theory." No specific reason was given.China is in transition,said Sohu founder and CEO Charles Zhang.China is in reform.It's very hard to define what is legal and what is illegal.We fight piracy and we get American TV shows into China.Look at how far we've come along,so I am still satisfied,Mr.Charles explained.China is currently drafting rules for streaming video.*
India's month-long national elections are ending today.The fiscal challenges such as inflation must be met after the euphoria of the elections,said Radhika Rao of DBS.The fiscal budget has to be tabled before July.The budget must be based on realistic expectations.
Inflation will be a risk,fueled by unfavourable weather.Rates will be hard to cut with inflation.There are also stalled infrastructure projects and the current accounts deficit.To maintain momentum,the new government must be formed and tackle the issues pretty soon,Ms.Rao pointed out.*
In sport,Lewis Hamilton of Great Britain won the Formula One Spanish Grand Prix in Barcelona Sunday,increasing his lead in the overall standings.It was his fourth straight victory.His teammate Nico Rosberg of Germany came in second,and Australia's Daniel Ricciardo took third on the podium.
Another German,golfer Martin Kaymer,won The Players Championship at TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach,Florida.It was the second biggest win for Kaymer,who has also won the PGA Championship,a major.American Jim Furyk came in second,and Sergio Garcia of Spain took third place on the leader board.
The separatists are claiming the voters showed massive support for independence.*
The MSCI Asia Pacific index was down 0.30%.Basic materials declined 1.0% in Australia,with industrial metals falling 2.17%.Basic materials also fell in the Hang Seng Index.*
Four popular American TV shows on webcaster Sohu have been canceled by the Chinese authorities,including "Big Bang Theory." No specific reason was given.China is in transition,said Sohu founder and CEO Charles Zhang.China is in reform.It's very hard to define what is legal and what is illegal.We fight piracy and we get American TV shows into China.Look at how far we've come along,so I am still satisfied,Mr.Charles explained.China is currently drafting rules for streaming video.*
India's month-long national elections are ending today.The fiscal challenges such as inflation must be met after the euphoria of the elections,said Radhika Rao of DBS.The fiscal budget has to be tabled before July.The budget must be based on realistic expectations.
Inflation will be a risk,fueled by unfavourable weather.Rates will be hard to cut with inflation.There are also stalled infrastructure projects and the current accounts deficit.To maintain momentum,the new government must be formed and tackle the issues pretty soon,Ms.Rao pointed out.*
In sport,Lewis Hamilton of Great Britain won the Formula One Spanish Grand Prix in Barcelona Sunday,increasing his lead in the overall standings.It was his fourth straight victory.His teammate Nico Rosberg of Germany came in second,and Australia's Daniel Ricciardo took third on the podium.
Another German,golfer Martin Kaymer,won The Players Championship at TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach,Florida.It was the second biggest win for Kaymer,who has also won the PGA Championship,a major.American Jim Furyk came in second,and Sergio Garcia of Spain took third place on the leader board.
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