Barron's magazine returns to its 11 Roundtable participants, who weigh-in with their mid-year thoughts, and updated stock picks. (see part I and part II)
Felix Zulauf
- He sees 3-4 years of market choppiness ahead. Financials and consumers will remain weak; energy and agriculture stocks will keep rising.
- Zulauf suggests shorting T-bonds (Ed: iShares Lehman 20+ Year Treasury Bond ETF (TLT)) and Japanese Government bonds, buying Nikkei futures, and going long commodities using PowerShares DB Commodity Index Tracking Fund (DBC).
Abby Cohen
- The current market is now deep abyss. Cohen thinks "a saucer-shaped recovery is more likely." If companies become more comfortable with the future, 2009 could be an upside surprise.
- She likes Bank of New York Mellon (BK), which should benefit from economies of scale as it integrates Mellon. D.R. Horton (DHI) one of the better-managed homebuilders at the bottom of its cycle. SanDisk (SNDK) it's more clever than the Street gives it credit for. Eli Lilly (LLY) it's pipeline looks good. AT&T (T) should cash-in on the rapid growth of wireless.
Meryl Witmer
- Stocks could climb 10-15% as housing inventories clear out, and if the oil bubble bursts.
- She likes carpet tile maker Interface (IFSIA) for its emphasis on "green." Shares are down to a bargain prices of $13 from $20 last July.
