SeekingTruth

More Goldman Outrage

Outrage? Yes, some, but no where near enough and totally ineffective.
This and even worse past behavior is the reason America is facing a margin call that it cannot meet or cover.

Retail Investors Should Get Out of U.S. Stocks - Now

To Khargosh,
Thanks for your POV.
Yes, I gree that many people are expecting a fall, and are investing accordingly.
My comment was mostly for young very busy investors who may getting beguiled with current momentum plays.
In that respect, I meant what I said and stand by it.
More experienced investors better know the risks, can take skilled defensive measures , and should as always , name their own poison.
The author did his best, and I still appreciate his efforts.

Retail Investors Should Get Out of U.S. Stocks - Now

Gold Digger,
Your concerns are well reasoned but not necessarily prophetic.
Nevertheless, anyone having high cash needs within the next two years or so would be well advised to take heed.
Many fundamental and technical indicators are flashing caution signals, and some are shouting.
Full attention is warranted, and the casual, or too busy to stay alert small investor could get badly hurt (again).

The Coming Consequences of Banking Fraud

As comprehensive as one should expect on this site of free flowing thought, ie. great work!
Right or wrong, we are of like mind.

Sobering Stat: ARMS Index Indicates Market Is at Peak, Not Bottom

The current market is like trying to catch and surf a big wave without being caught and eaten by the Golden Sharks (GS) somewhere during the process.
Have been aware of and watched TRIN for many years and found it to be a fair to middlin tech indicator. Too bad the originator flipped the indicator upside down and made it counterintuitive - an easily avoidable mistake. Also, as the author noted, the indicator is not symetrical which adds to the difficulty, at least until one becomes very familiar with it.
It used to be that one could watch TRIN, together with a lot of other volume related indicators and get some feel for the market direction. And one could watch the big market traders seperately for some indication also.
NOT ANYMORE. Why? Because the big traders are high speed flash TRADING using program trading (algorithmic trading), risk arbitrage with options combined with short selling, and other hedging techniques, etc. all at virtually the same instant with the aid of high speed massive computers and billions of dollars to apply which makes it all very moot and academic for the typical retail investor, who has none of this at his disposal..
This means, in part, because of the speed and power and the "offsets" in their trading that we have no idea really, of what the big guys are actually thinking and doing, or very little anyway.
Until things get straightened out and improved , honesty, fairness, and transparency- wise, the stock markets shall remain "The Big Casino in the Sky", and the world's largest rolling crap shoot.
It is now worse in this regard than I have ever witnessed it, and, without some honest improvements to level the playing field for the small citizen investor, the Golden Shark techniques can only improve and become even more ruthless and effective. Heads they win, tails we lose, except moreso.
And its usually (almost always) table stakes for the small players, meaning the small citizen investor can get squeezed out at just the wrong time - for him or her.
How anyone other than the unbelieveably wealthy and powerful movers and shakers of the markets thinks this is a good system, is far beyond me.

Generally agree with many of the comments relative to the economy, financials, markets, problems and difficulties etc. made by previous commenters.

Five Reasons the Market Could Crash This Fall

Whether the market crashes in the Fall or not, the established modus operandi of the markets will still be in place, and as such, it shall remain "The Big Casino in the Sky".
There is and always has been far too much corruption in the markets. That is why there are millions of dollars of fines being paid every day with no admission of innocence or denial, in itself another form of corruption supported by the "system".
As long as we have State supported and protected Corporate corruption, the markets shall remain far more treacherous to the small investor than they truly should be, and to an increasing degree, unacceptably so.
So step up ,place your chips and spin the Big Wheel as you wish, you just might hit it lucky.

A Summary of Q1 Bank Earnings: World, You Just Got Hustled

In previous comment , I failed to acknowledge author with thanks for a fine article.
The money laundering shell game and Ponzi scheme that has now reached conspiratorial levels with agencies of the Government and private enterprise will no doubt continue to wreak havoc for many years to come.
The author has given us much to research, chew on , and ponder, and my concerns are that much of it , and even much more hidden in the woodwork, will yet prove to be true.

A Summary of Q1 Bank Earnings: World, You Just Got Hustled

I agree with AV Altendorf about computer productivity if referring to the PC variety ,i.e..

Disastrously flawed software, a punitive learning curve, persistently bad hardware, esp. Hard Drives and latent flaws, (which continues to this day), outrageously high prices, and frequent replacements prevented productivity from being positive.
But it did get people to spend money and learn some skills, so it had some positive effects even back then . Also it advanced the state of the art faster than what it otherwise would have been.
Another plus was the incorporation of computer technology into a variety of products.
Did it increase net productivity in the early years, and "save us " from anything ?
Definitely NOT.

Global Markets in Review: Risky Assets Surge

In general , I agree with Jeremy Granthams forecasts/concerns about an "enduring" recovery, and possible sub normal growth, main difference is that this may well be the optimistic case (as contraction is also possible a la Japan) , but which few even remotely consider, and anyway, they are not enough in number or influence to make an impact either way.
A good time to depart from the herd in one's thinking.

Take That, Paulson: Finally, One for the Good Guys

The Hanky - Bernanke allegations look serious and need to be fully investigated, but by whom?

There is nothing in our recent past to suggest that our Gov. will take the hard steps necessary to correct wrong doing by high ranking officials.

Looks like more SLIBO to me -- i.e. Stonewall & Let It Blow Over.

BofA's Lewis Confirms: Government Coerced the Merrill Deal

As I have suggested before and now reiterate:

If the alleged crimes committted by these power operators are at least as serious as those charged against Martha Stewart and Susan McDougald, then the offenders should be prosecuted and sent to jail if they are proven guilty.

To do less will establish once again that we have a justice system tailor made for the benefit of the powerful and politically priviliged.

How many different tiers of justice are we going to continue to have in this country?

Bank 'Stress Tests' Not So Stressful

Stress testing is constructive only if properly implemented.

The complexities of doing this, even it were the true goal, would take far longer than we have time to accomplish it.

Therefore , the stress testing only serves as a smoke screen for the authorities to do whatever it was they were going to do anyway, while indicating some degree of "credibility".

Better that we had applied stress testing to the agencies that betrayed and failed us and allowed this all to blow up in our faces.

S&P 500 Watch: March 'Winners' Are Actually the Biggest Losers

A good and interesting twist to data analysis , and we need as many views as we can get, almost all add something to be learned ,and at the very least help keep us current.
Your article serves all of these goals well.

As long as there is short covering, and massive Index buying, and futures arbitrage, there is going to be frequent distortions to what seems rational relative to the pricing of dog stocks that are deservedly beaten down, and then are artificially buoyed up by short covering and the Index buy actions.

This keeps us on our toes, trying to judge when the counter trends will yield to the fundamentally indicated direction.
Your data and comments helps us sort that out -- Thanks.

Are the Big Banks Gaming the Taxpayer?

Yes, they always have.

The 'Stress Test' Challenge: Transparency and Intellectual Integrity

Rakesh, a well reasoned article, and I am at least as skeptical as you are.
A major problem , is , however, a truly valid stress test is so incredibly complex, that with even perfect transparency, few, except the most advanced experts would understand it and be able to certify it as legitmate and valid. A major dilemma to be sure.
This means that we would have to trust our officials and experts. I do not trust Bernanke or Geithner, although I think they are basically good people by most standards, I think their politically (and corporate) motivated pressures and tendencies outweigh their prime objectivity in these matters.
So it looks like more of the same 'ol same 'ol relative to ever knowing the truth. Wonder how much of the taxpayers TARP money etc. will end up in Swiss bank accounts, and elsewhere overseas?