BDC Risk Profiles Part 4: Insider And Institutional Ownership [View article]
MAIN is susceptible to larger downturn swings because it sells at a premium and behaves more like a growth stock then a tradinal BDC. Not saying its a good or bad investment but that is why I feel it has more price movement at times.
Stocks have mostly erased big early losses, with the Dow (DIA, DOG) just nosing into the green - its outperformance a result of H-P's 14% jump. The S&P 500 is off 0.3% and the Nasdaq off 0.1%. [View news story]
This is not going to end well, a market that can't even have down days is not a healthy market. Look at Japans market, that should be a warning to all of what happens from a Central Bank driven rally.
"The Real Bubble is Gold: and It's Deflating," writes MKM's Mike Darda, who says the key turning point was the metal's (GLD. IAU) failure to rally in wake of last fall's QE∞ inception. "Investors simply took it at face value that gold was soaring and would continue to rise because of (the Fed)." Inflation picking up will be even worse for gold, he says, as this would make the Fed an aggressive tightener of policy. [View news story]
Gold performs best in stagflation, sometime this year the market started believing that the US will actually grow and get out of stagflation.
I never understood why housing is such a huge portion of the inflation calculation. Most people get 30 year mortgages, which means once they have entered into the mortgage it don't matter where housing prices go their payment is the same.
Say you buy a house and over the next 2 years the prices of housing doubles, it don't make a difference to you as your payment is the same.
They should tie housing costs to rate of new home purchases, because that is really the only people housing is making a difference with are people buying a house.
Its pretty pathetic, it don't matter if you have trillions of barrels of oil if you can't refine it the price will stay high at the pump.
The industry was manipulated into believing "peak oil" and hence no efforts were made to build refinery's. Now we have more and more oil discovery but lagging refining capacity.
The Fed is essentially funding the government, government serves as a source of demand for the economy. If government spending stays flat or declines then there is no demand increase and no inflation pressure increase. Even if the government does increase spending, the more it spends the less each additional dollar influences the system, there is diminishing returns.
The Fed is causing inflation, but more so by stopping deflation.
This is the best way to see it. If the government had to fund itself without the Fed, either they would have to raise taxes, issue bonds that the private sector would have to buy, or lower spending. All three of these are deflationary.
Many Conservatives Don't See A Reason To Celebrate The Shrinking Deficit: Here's Why [View article]
My biggest issue with the government is that it does not follow a basic rule, that what is taken should equal what is given.
There used to be a time in this country where the military actually lead technological advancements, where they would create something that soon after would benefit the private sector. Now a days its the opposite, the military lags behind the private sector, companies like Apple are doing all the innovation.
Health care should primarily be for helping people with unpreventable issues, broken legs, ear infections, etc. Now healthcare is essentially serving as pampering people who do not take care of themselves.
The problem with laws and politics is they won't fundamentally change the culture, and its our culture that is in trouble and driving our problems. Broken families, corporations not giving employees good pay and benefits, people who would rather collect then work, etc. Greed is the problem whether its someone lazy not wanting to give their time or a fat cat politican who uses tax dollars for inneficient bs or a corporate CEO who gives their workers 2% raises when their profits have doubled.
Interest rates should not cause as much harm to BDCs as MReits.
MREITs are nothing more then a leveraged bond fund, hedging can help but hedging in and of itself will deter from gains.
I have no BDCs of MREIT positions as of now. I think the good BDCs are overvalued and the poor BDCs are too risky. I also prefer monthly income if possible which is why say TCPC I am reluctant on.
I personally am leaning on FSC, seems to have a good mix of risk, yield, and management while paying monthly.
I think phones will end up like other electronics such as TVs and blue ray players. Eventually the margins will compress to a point where they are barely even profitable.
What may help phones extend their golden days is the "integrative" potential that other electronic devices are more limited.
Will we for example get to a point where your phone will tell the microwave how long and what power to re heat your leftover soup? Maybe they already do I am not 100% up to date on the phone technology.
One thing I do know is that no company ever has stayed a growth stock forever. That is really what the issue is, Apple has behaved like a strong growth stock for a long time and perhaps it will transition to more of a dividend type value stock.
Silver (SLV) plunged to its lowest level in nearly 3 years overnight before a bounce brought it to its current price of $21.60, -3.3%. As with gold, silver ETP holdings have dropped to the lowest levels this year, and speculative short positions are on the rise, according to CFTC data. Gold (GLD) took out its April lows earlier - dropping as low as $1,338. A bounce has brought the metal back to $1,351, -1%. [View news story]
All of this is clear proof how the etf trade manipulates the prices of commodities. Makes you wonder about oil. US using less oil each year and producing more yet price does not come down.
BDC Risk Profiles Part 4: Insider And Institutional Ownership [View article]
Stocks have mostly erased big early losses, with the Dow (DIA, DOG) just nosing into the green - its outperformance a result of H-P's 14% jump. The S&P 500 is off 0.3% and the Nasdaq off 0.1%. [View news story]
"The Real Bubble is Gold: and It's Deflating," writes MKM's Mike Darda, who says the key turning point was the metal's (GLD. IAU) failure to rally in wake of last fall's QE∞ inception. "Investors simply took it at face value that gold was soaring and would continue to rise because of (the Fed)." Inflation picking up will be even worse for gold, he says, as this would make the Fed an aggressive tightener of policy. [View news story]
Gold's Sell-Off A Bad Omen For Equity Markets [View article]
The fact that their is 85 billion being injected everymonth and we barely are maintaining sub par growth should tell you something.
Why Inflation Never Came [View article]
Say you buy a house and over the next 2 years the prices of housing doubles, it don't make a difference to you as your payment is the same.
They should tie housing costs to rate of new home purchases, because that is really the only people housing is making a difference with are people buying a house.
Oil Market Manipulation Reaches Absurd Levels [View article]
Its pretty pathetic, it don't matter if you have trillions of barrels of oil if you can't refine it the price will stay high at the pump.
The industry was manipulated into believing "peak oil" and hence no efforts were made to build refinery's. Now we have more and more oil discovery but lagging refining capacity.
Why Inflation Never Came [View article]
The Fed is causing inflation, but more so by stopping deflation.
This is the best way to see it. If the government had to fund itself without the Fed, either they would have to raise taxes, issue bonds that the private sector would have to buy, or lower spending. All three of these are deflationary.
Many Conservatives Don't See A Reason To Celebrate The Shrinking Deficit: Here's Why [View article]
There used to be a time in this country where the military actually lead technological advancements, where they would create something that soon after would benefit the private sector. Now a days its the opposite, the military lags behind the private sector, companies like Apple are doing all the innovation.
Health care should primarily be for helping people with unpreventable issues, broken legs, ear infections, etc. Now healthcare is essentially serving as pampering people who do not take care of themselves.
The problem with laws and politics is they won't fundamentally change the culture, and its our culture that is in trouble and driving our problems. Broken families, corporations not giving employees good pay and benefits, people who would rather collect then work, etc. Greed is the problem whether its someone lazy not wanting to give their time or a fat cat politican who uses tax dollars for inneficient bs or a corporate CEO who gives their workers 2% raises when their profits have doubled.
Wall Street Breakfast: Must-Know News [View article]
The only excuse I see valid for a company not paying taxes in a area is if they make no money from that area.
Taking without giving back, that is the problem with both the left and right.
Latest BDC Rankings For Q1 2013 [View article]
MREITs are nothing more then a leveraged bond fund, hedging can help but hedging in and of itself will deter from gains.
I have no BDCs of MREIT positions as of now. I think the good BDCs are overvalued and the poor BDCs are too risky. I also prefer monthly income if possible which is why say TCPC I am reluctant on.
I personally am leaning on FSC, seems to have a good mix of risk, yield, and management while paying monthly.
Apple's Magic Is Broken [View article]
What may help phones extend their golden days is the "integrative" potential that other electronic devices are more limited.
Will we for example get to a point where your phone will tell the microwave how long and what power to re heat your leftover soup? Maybe they already do I am not 100% up to date on the phone technology.
One thing I do know is that no company ever has stayed a growth stock forever. That is really what the issue is, Apple has behaved like a strong growth stock for a long time and perhaps it will transition to more of a dividend type value stock.
Falling Commodity Prices Could Burst The U.S. Farmland Bubble [View article]
Silver (SLV) plunged to its lowest level in nearly 3 years overnight before a bounce brought it to its current price of $21.60, -3.3%. As with gold, silver ETP holdings have dropped to the lowest levels this year, and speculative short positions are on the rise, according to CFTC data. Gold (GLD) took out its April lows earlier - dropping as low as $1,338. A bounce has brought the metal back to $1,351, -1%. [View news story]
Nuveen New York AMT-Free Muni Fund: A Good Holding For Highly Taxed Investors [View article]
Why do you think NRK has been suffering more price decline relative to peers lately?
I hold VTN, EVY, and MHN. I am unhappy with MHN, seem it does not hold up its price as well as peers and lowers its div months back.
I may dump MHN and buy some NRK.
May Philly Fed Business Outlook: -5.2 vs. +2.4 expected, +1.3 previous. [View news story]