redbaron

Jamie Dimon Makes Best Case for Not Breaking Up Big Banks

Well said, Michael Clark. I agree.

Former Citi CEO John S. Reed: Mea Culpa

Bringing back Glass-Speagall is certainly an idea that I would support. And the sooner the better. It is growing increasingly apparent that we would go right back and make the same mistakes again, without some barrier between the investment and banking sides. Why wait? Lets do it now. We know it was a helpful thing before, so there is no question on that end.

Four Reasons We're Headed Even Higher

I agree with the author, and the pundits are just part of the wall of worry the market continues to climb. Why not get on board and enjoy the ride? Eventually, each pundit will do exactly that, helping fuel the advance. It is happening each market day, and that is the reason the market continues to climb.

Fractured Wall Street Fairy Tales #1: Buy and Hold is the Best Strategy

Buy and Hold does not mean holding forever, and most investors who use this investment strategy, use a 3-5 year investment horizon. Then, as Shiv Kapoor has already mentioned, there are dividends, who to many investors turn out to be as significant a portion of total income, as capital gains. Some studies show dividends to actually outpace capital gains, long term, if dividend paying stocks are selected for ones portfolio. One recent recommendation from a highly rated stock trading selection service (VV) had them going short for this week, and buying the contra ETF's, when the market has gone up for 4 straight days. While I realize that no one is always correct with their picks, this particular selection had to hurt. It seems to me that this is the time to adopt a more longer term investment horizon, much like Buffet, and just wait for things to get much better. The news is improving daily, and longer term holding seems appropriate at this time, at least in my mind.

Poor Strategy Is Costly

Very well conceived and presented, and a super concept. (Now if we could only get corporate leaders to buy-in to this concept.)

Your examples are spot-on, and especially so with the drug companies. The money they have spent on advertising has been largely wasted, and could have been much better spent on research. While they waste funds on this promotional practice, many much needed new drugs could be found and developed with the same funds.

No doubt this current economic down-turn will prompt some corporate soul-searching and changes in 'strategy', but lets all hope that the CEO's who eventually emerge will approach the new corporate era with a new spirit of 'strategy'.

Many thanks for presenting this concept, John Singer.