Max Rapaport

Time to Short the Utilities

Fubar, thanks for this note.

Financial Sector Has 7 of 10 Best Days In 2008

Now the only question left is when to time the next dip. The fundamental crisis is far from over, and I will be very closely watching what happens with SKF (double inverse financials) as I think that it is at least as important as XLF!

iShares Launches the First 'Real' Israeli ETF

I am very much looking forward to watching the charts for the right time to short this ETF!!! While I live in Israel (and enjoy it). I believe that the Israeli market is ripe for a downturn. Israel is a largely export oriented economy with a central bank that has allowed the local currency to continue rising unchecked against the dollar. This has led, together with other factors to lower than expected growth, particularly in the export sector, which has been particularly hurt by the overvaluation of the Shekel against both the dollar and the euro (especially those companies who must pay their employees in Shekels while earning foreign currency). Also, regardless of what some of the local analysts say (who tend to be even more bombastic and overenthusiastic than their US counterparts), Israel does not exist in a bubble (and is, and always will be an emerging economy - i.e. if South Korea can be considered emerging, so can Israel). Finally, many of Israel's largest companies (especially technology and financial/real estate) are heavily invested in other emerging or developing economies such as Poland, Romania and the Far East. which are also likely to face downturns. I can't wait.

Cramer vs. Buffett: An ETF Perspective

I am amazed that the two could be mentioned in the same sentence. One (Cramer) offers shallow analysis that I regularly use as a contrarian indicator (i.e. when Cramer says "buy", it is time to stay out or sell), the other is a financial bellweather who is almost always correct, if not in the short term, then in the long term.

One very good post on Cramer is:

bxcapricorn.wordpress..../

Enough said.