Moon Kil Woong

Abercrombie & Fitch: Sales? Who Needs 'Em?

I think the trend market has passed ANF by. You can only last so long selling clothes based on naked chests and skimpily clad women (because its too easy for anyone to do this). In fact, they are not really selling clothes at all. If you want to invest in this market you might as well buy casino and porno magazine stocks. At least their target market is not 80% focused on teens fads.

Weak Consumer Spending - Get Used to It

We are between the last government stimulus and the ramp of a new one. Thus, it is becoming ever apparent that the government is in the drivers seat and the economy is a false one just following along. Stray too far when they boost the economy and you miss the rally. Stray to far when they stop stimulating or pull the plug and you loose more wealth. Come on dog, keep up with your government masters.

Is this how a privately run, capitalist democracy is suppose to operate? Even during the height of the great depression we didn't have this level of moral rectitude.

Jobs Improve, Retail Sales Still Weak

First, the Dow should not be at 5000 if inflation is cropping up, what should happen is bonds falling flat on their face as people rush towards commodities and stock to hedge inflation which is happening now.

I agree that the unemployment number doesn't mean much and retail sales are weak as expected. I don't see it getting much better as inflation rears its ugly head. However, one can't fully blame Obama. The inflation steam train started back with Bush Jr. and the with Fed choosing monetary expansionsm including QE, Zirp, and TARP. Those alone are enough to make the dollar plunge in value. The effects of PPIP, a massive deficit, and Obama stimulus haven't even been fully factored into the inflation we are seeing now. Those are extra bonuses we will get later down the road with even higher inflation. Jimmy Carter here we come thanks to politicians (Republicans and Democrats) and the Fed (that quasi governmental entity charged with protecting the value of the dollar cough, snicker).

Was Friday's Rally Just a Hedge Fund Short Squeeze?

I like your assumption. Only program trading can have such a high correlation. I assume it was covering of SPoos bets in fear something weird may happeb over the weekend. And it did, the SEC issued orders that banks can declare any value they want to to illiquid paper. That means you get 100% no transparency again. When the market is looking for trust, they shovel us black boxes that you can't open until Christmas 2039. Hopefully, by that time we will be out of the muck they made.