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Peter's Daily Article
Ignore stupid recession headlines
18 June 2013 - Most regular viewers know I have been conducting a campaign against the RBA and it was driven by my fear that we would slow... read more >
So what happens this week?
17 June 2013 - I’m just back from a week in Turkey — the riots started in Istanbul when I was there — and then a week in... read more >
Suddenly, Wall Street went positive – what just happened?
14 June 2013 - So, what just happened? Stocks have been slugged this week but Wall Street went positive. Wait a minute! If you took seriously... read more >
Be warned – things will get better!
13 June 2013 - Be warned – just when many in the media will be trying to scare the pants off you about Japan, Turkey, bond yields, the... read more >
News, news, news: the good, the great and the unimportant
12 June 2013 - Inexplicably, stock markets seem to want to care about insignificant things such as Turkey riots and a Japanese central bank... read more >
Notes from Turkey
11 June 2013 - Last week was spent in Istanbul, the scene of dramatic riots, however the first sign that we were in a potentially dangerous... read more >
It's sell-off time, so when do we buy?
07 June 2013 - Regular readers know I have been waiting for this sell-off, so when do we buy back in, given this is a buying opportunity?... read more >
Stocks heading lower – buy time is coming
06 June 2013 - The Reserve Bank’s (RBA) stupid decision hasn’t only been underlined by the poor economic growth numbers, that in... read more >
Can’t deal with RBA, so let’s talk Turkey
05 June 2013 - The Reserve Bank (RBA) has again run the risk of being called a turkey after leaving rates on hold, yet implying it’s... read more >
Go on Glenn, cut again!
04 June 2013 - They say a week in politics is a long time as our Prime Minister has found out for too many weeks over the past two and three... read more >
Dow drops 209 points – the start of something scary?
03 June 2013 - Wall Street endured a sizeable sell-off with the Dow down 208.96 points while the S&P 500 lost 1.43 per cent in a single... read more >
Stock market clash ahead: nervous nellies vs. buyers
31 May 2013 - What we’re seeing right now on the stock market is the pullback that was overdue, but the only head-scratching... read more >
Darker share price clouds on the horizon
30 May 2013 - As the old saying goes — a picture paints a thousand words — well, the chart below doesn’t need a thousand... read more >
Forget pollies’ rip off – focus on the main game
29 May 2013 - I know the pollies’ rip off is another annoying issue where they could steal $20 million from the public purse but for... read more >
Aussie wages killing our country
29 May 2013 - Anyone shocked that Ford is heading for the exit door really shouldn’t be. Most of our manufacturers have been under... read more >
I’m in a buying state of mind
28 May 2013 - For those who are too worried that the latest fall in stocks — around 261 points since Treasurer Wayne Swan revealed his... read more >
Why are the Yanks positive while we’re negative?
27 May 2013 - The big question bugging local investors has to be — why are the Yanks so positive on stocks now while our “markets... read more >
The curious case of Benjamin Bernanke
24 May 2013 - If you’re asking if our 100-point sell-off on the stock market yesterday was an overreaction, I’d have to say... read more >
Why Aussie stocks lag Wall Street
23 May 2013 - At long last Wall Street has had a negative night — but it was not dramatic — and you can bet our stock market will... read more >
Kill QE, kill rally? Nope!
22 May 2013 - Another day on Wall Street and the bulls are still in control, but will they keep running when the Federal Reserve starts to... read more >
Dow to reach 20,000 – can you believe it?
21 May 2013 - Could the Dow Jones — the most looked at stock market index in the world — really make the 20,000-level in this... read more >
It’s not All Too Hard, it’s More Joyous!
20 May 2013 - Wall Street hit new record highs and consumer sentiment spiked incredibly higher over the weekend, which moves us closer to a... read more >
Abbott deserves a Tony Award for that speech!
17 May 2013 - The Abbott reply to the Budget has cut the ribbon on a four month election campaign but if the Opposition leader can maintain... read more >
When do we dump stocks?
16 May 2013 - Despite some challenges overnight on Wall Street, again the Yanks have finished in positive territory. So, what gives with this... read more >
Abbott’s budget reply: is he really trapped?
16 May 2013 - When the Treasurer let us know that the promised surplus of $1.5 billion ended up being a $19.4 billion deficit, and this will... read more >
Budget 2013: what are the real issues?
15 May 2013 - I know the normal person cares about the hip-pocket effect of the Budget and there will be plenty of coverage of those dramatic... read more >
Labor’s trap for Tony Abbott
15 May 2013 - The Gillard Government in its third Budget and its Treasurer’s sixth economic effort has come up with a political... read more >
Call me irresponsible - should this be Swan's Budget song?
14 May 2013 - Last year Treasurer Wayne Swan was too responsible and was tricked by Treasury’s less than accurate forecasts for... read more >
The Budget – what has been leaked?
13 May 2013 - It’s leak time — that’s what the weeks and days before the Budget have become as the propaganda experts try... read more >
A lame duck Budget ahead
10 May 2013 - Thank God Wall Street continues to keep my optimistic fires burning with another day of no big sell-offs, which means what... read more >
We need to talk – this is important
09 May 2013 - I noticed that the guy who was credited for picking the crash of 2007, Nouriel Roubini, has now changed his recent warning tone... read more >
Ignore idiot commentators – they’re wealth hazards!
08 May 2013 - Please don’t listen to those commentators in ivory towers who try to tell you that the Reserve Bank (RBA) got it wrong... read more >
The RBA is a wrecker! It needs to cut!
07 May 2013 - Over on Wall Street the Yanks are hitting all-time highs but here we’re still some 1600 points off the levels we last saw... read more >
Good US news and stocks rise – what?
06 May 2013 - The local market makers are going to find it hard to sell stocks today after Wall Street responded very positively to better... read more >
Buy in May and stay baby, stay
03 May 2013 - Okay, the history of Wall Street points to the market maxim 'sell in May and go away' as being historically reliable, but with... read more >
Selling on May 1 – Surprise! Surprise!
02 May 2013 - Day one in May in the USA and the selling has started, but will the key market players go away? Economic data could determine... read more >
Let's test May
01 May 2013 - It’s May 1 here, but it’s still April in the USA, and once again Tuesday has brought another up day — there... read more >
Super day on Wall Street – can it last?
30 April 2013 - Good news kept the Yanks positive on Wall Street with the S&P 500 dancing in record high territory again. Helping the... read more >
It’s nearly May – run away?
29 April 2013 - May is looming and regular readers know I often make reference to the old market maxim — sell in May and go away. It... read more >
The zombie rally
26 April 2013 - Wall Street has done it again – up again – but could this become a zombie rally? The word “zombie” has... read more >
Beware twits and tweets!
24 April 2013 - The Dow had another great day, despite all of the China-linked negativity around last week, but there was a short sell-off when... read more >
Screw austerity. Spend baby spend
23 April 2013 - With Wall Street not giving strong messages for investors, I want to shine the spotlight on one of the world’s smartest... read more >
What’s going on with markets?
22 April 2013 - What happened to the China fears that were supposedly hurting stocks last week? Behind the sell-off was weaker than expected... read more >
How low can it go?
19 April 2013 - It’s been a long time coming but volatility is here, coincidentally as the old “sell in May and go away” test... read more >
Volatility here we come
18 April 2013 - Here we go again with material stocks copping it and some ordinary earnings spooking Wall Street. So, what’s new? The... read more >
Tolstoy’s tips for stocks
17 April 2013 - Yesterday it was doom and gloom on Wall Street, but predictably dip buyers and the smarties have come back buying stocks... read more >
Will May lead to a sell off?
16 April 2013 - Stock markets dropped overnight with the S&P 500 down over two per cent and it coincides with that period — May... read more >
Can we buy these Gillard gifts?
15 April 2013 - Lately our PM, Julia Gillard, is giving so much away. There’s $14 billion for better schooling, a very fast train, $1... read more >
Yanks positive but we’re going negative
12 April 2013 - Wall Street had another reinforcing day for the rally with a good jobless claims report helping enthusiasm for being long... read more >
Will nothing kill this rally?
11 April 2013 - The US rally got serious overnight with the lagging Nasdaq index hitting a 12-year high and the Dow and S&P 500 once again... read more >
The rate debate I had to have
10 April 2013 - I believe Tom Piotrowski on most market things, but not him on me when it comes to interest rates! By the way, for those who... read more >
Can’t keep a good market down
09 April 2013 - Earnings season has kicked off again in the USA and Alcoa has come in better than expected, however, experts are tipping a... read more >
Swan is a super duper
08 April 2013 - Wayne Swan has to go down as one of the best super ‘dupers’ of all time with the deceptive curve balls he threw at... read more >
The Yanks won’t say uncle
05 April 2013 - All of us expect a pullback or correction sooner or later, but the Yanks just won’t give in and say ‘uncle’... read more >
Beware left-field events and God bless capitalism!
04 April 2013 - A left-field event is something you can’t see — it’s a blindsiding thing and the economist Don Stammer has... read more >
Worldwide Cyprusfication, or the usual?
03 April 2013 - Another Dr Doom — Marc Faber — is warning another crash is coming, suggesting the world will suffer a... read more >
Gillard Labor hates the rich, but why?
02 April 2013 - The Gillard Government’s hate session on the so-called rich continues with the media being fed Treasury information that... read more >
Blood in the streets?
28 March 2013 - The S&P 500 index just couldn’t finish in all-time high territory overnight, and so the index will try again... read more >
Are we over Cyprus?
27 March 2013 - Europe moved into positive territory overnight, so are we over Cyprus? Nope, I don’t think so, but it shows the... read more >
Shut his big mouth!
26 March 2013 - It has been my experience that my Dutch friends are pretty direct and aren’t experts on the subtle. And it was this... read more >
Cyprus bailout time
25 March 2013 - Wall Street finished in positive territory over the weekend and Cyprus was said to be a reason, but at this stage we... read more >
Yanks worried about Cyprus…not!
22 March 2013 - The experts think Wall Street is starting to be spooked by Cyprus, but I reckon it’s more the case that profit takers... read more >
The Yanks haven’t heard of Cyprus
21 March 2013 - We in the non-American world often scoff at the naval gazing of the average Yank who might ask what state the town of Cyprus is... read more >
Cypriots say no, so what’s next?
20 March 2013 - The Cypriots said no to the proposed tax slug on savers that topped out at 15 per cent and now the big question is — what... read more >
Could Cyprus really KO stocks?
19 March 2013 - I have been saying for some time that it was going to be a left field event that might create the circumstances for a pullback... read more >
US stocks down but not out!
18 March 2013 - Is this the turning point for this rally, with a weaker than expected consumer sentiment story in the USA? Or is this just a... read more >
Another brick in Wall Street’s wall of no worry
15 March 2013 - Buyer fatigue? What buyer fatigue? It was around yesterday on Wall Street, but the Dow recorded another all-time high and the... read more >
Buyer fatigue creeping in
14 March 2013 - Again Wall Street defied gravity with small gains on the Dow and the S&P 500, and you would have to argue that the market... read more >
The Vatican? The Italian government? At the moment, it is both.
13 March 2013 - The refusal to sell the Dow by investors is nearly the opposite of what persisted in 2008 and early 2009 — it was all... read more >
Rally still rallying! Why?
12 March 2013 - Is there anything that can stop this rally? Of course there is, and it will happen, but it will turn around again and keep... read more >
Breaking record highs
11 March 2013 - Another great record close on the Dow, and this week the S&P 500 is bound to break through its all-time high close, wiping... read more >
It’s super Mario brother!
08 March 2013 - It’s another positive day on Wall Street, and while there are many good reasons for stocks to be heading higher, the most... read more >
No stopping the stock surge?
07 March 2013 - Another day and the rally rolls on for Wall Street with the Dow onto a new record close of 14,296.24 — that’s up... read more >
Dow at record high!
06 March 2013 - The Dow has closed at its all-time high and as an economist who has been fighting against the Doomsday merchants who have been... read more >
How do the Yanks do it?
05 March 2013 - Despite a Chinese property problem and a sequester black cloud, well maybe a grey cloud, hanging over the US economy, Wall... read more >
Here comes the sequester
04 March 2013 - Here comes the sequester, and how the markets react should be interesting. Wall Street went up ahead of the deadline but now... read more >
This is the bull market we had to have
01 March 2013 - Overnight, the focus on Wall Street was whether the Dow could beat it’s all-time high of 14,164.53, but more importantly... read more >
Crazy or a big bull market?
28 February 2013 - Good sense says stocks should need a decent breather, call it a pullback, but instead share prices spiked on Wall Street... read more >
Italian problem revised
27 February 2013 - The bad Italian joke that was its weekend election result remains a serious issue, but Wall Street focused on better news... read more >
The Italian job on stocks
26 February 2013 - Yesterday I posed the question: “Could the Italians steal our rally?” Well, it looks like they have, but will they... read more >
Italians could steal the rally
25 February 2013 - Two fears were dealt with on Friday in the USA and Europe. Better economic data helped the latter, while bullish comments from... read more >
Stocks to fall 7%?
22 February 2013 - It’s hard to beat history and history told hardhead market watchers like me that after a big run up, a pullback was... read more >
Could the pullback be starting?
21 February 2013 - Wall Street had a bad night with the Dow off over 100 points. So is this the start of the overdue pullback? I know Lance Lai,... read more >
S&P/ASX 200 heading to 6000
20 February 2013 - Another up day on Wall Street and this would be frustrating those who are hanging out for a pullback, but one of... read more >
Yanks – we don’t need them!
19 February 2013 - The Yanks are on a public holiday, so our stock market will be locally driven. And given what we’re seeing from better... read more >
Buffett, budgets and bull dust
18 February 2013 - It’s the start of another week for me watching markets for signs of a pullback for stocks, but this is only a short-term... read more >
DJs is run by boofheads
15 February 2013 - Anyone wondering what is happening to a once great store and stock — David Jones — all you have to do is look at... read more >
CBA is like Homer’s doughnut
14 February 2013 - Earnings season Australian style has proved better than expected, with the likes of CBA and Leighton Holdings wowing the... read more >
Wall Street refuses to worry!
13 February 2013 - Wall Street refuses to worry and is avoiding a big sell-off as it seems hell-bent on beating its historical close of 14,164.53.... read more >
Beware a stocks snakebite
12 February 2013 - A lot of city slickers have an enormous yearning for life in the country, and it can be ideal, but the fairy tale can come to a... read more >
Where is the pullback?
11 February 2013 - The S&P 500 put together a sixth straight week of gains at the start of the year, which hasn’t happened in the first... read more >
Let’s keep this short
08 February 2013 - One thing I never want to do is write for the sake of writing. My daily blogs are to keep you informed so you can make the best... read more >
In the “I Dunno” Zone
07 February 2013 - The stock market has slipped into the “I dunno” zone, where I expect a pullback after a great run up and... read more >
RBA a slow learner
06 February 2013 - The Reserve Bank (RBA) did what was expected. The economists said it would, but that doesn’t mean it has done what it... read more >
Why the RBA SHOULD cut rates
05 February 2013 - Well I’ve been talking about an overdue pullback in stocks, and maybe it’s starting now with Europe blamed by the... read more >
The NeverEnding rally?
04 February 2013 - There was talk that a pullback on the stock market was close at hand after such a big run up, but the Dow finished nearly 150... read more >
Not in stocks? Ask yourself one question
01 February 2013 - Yesterday I advanced the view that a pullback is on the cards. Our market gave ground yesterday and Wall Street lacked... read more >
GDP slump! Pullback time?
31 January 2013 - After a massive surge for stocks since mid-2012, reinforced by another since November, the charts guys think a pullback is... read more >
Can this rally last?
30 January 2013 - Another big close on Wall Street that undoubtedly will have positive effects on our stock market today, but someone has to ask... read more >
Near all-time highs, but for how long?
29 January 2013 - With the Dow now around 280 points off its all-time high of 14,164.53 and the S&P 500 fighting it out at the... read more >
The year to live dangerously
25 January 2013 - Apple’s disappointing revenue performance has hit the world’s most valuable company for a stock price six. As it is... read more >
Dow to rise over 16%
24 January 2013 - Another good day at the office for Wall Street and the way things are playing out the Dow could be set to rise another 2300... read more >
Today’s inflation number is critical
23 January 2013 - The question I’m asked often is what will sustain the rally in stocks? I have answered this question with a range of... read more >
I had a dream
22 January 2013 - On Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, which is a public holiday in the USA, meaning Wall Street is closed and President Barack Obama... read more >
Rally to roll on?
21 January 2013 - The current rally hasn’t been characterised by big surges but it’s a relentless respectable rally which makes it... read more >
Good news keeps coming
18 January 2013 - Everything I have been predicting about positives for the US economy and ultimately for stocks came together overnight and Wall... read more >
It’s earnings vs. debt
17 January 2013 - Company earnings and the state of the US economy — the important issues — have been Wall Street’s focus but... read more >
Good omens
16 January 2013 - The Yanks are seeing their stock market grind higher and that’s likely to be the trend for most of this year, despite the... read more >
Four Es keep the rally going
15 January 2013 - With Wall Street putting on another up and down day where the bottom line is that no one wants to bet heavily against this... read more >
Rate cuts are optional
14 January 2013 - Interest rate cuts will work this year, despite what the so-called experts predict, but I still hope we get another one or two... read more >
China and Europe help stocks
11 January 2013 - What will good news do to this already impressive rally? You don’t have to be a stock market genius to work that one out,... read more >
Stocks to grind higher
10 January 2013 - Wall Street simply grinded higher and that’s what I expect for stocks for most of 2013. Sure, there will be dramatic... read more >
What keeps the rally going?
09 January 2013 - Profit-taking continues ahead of the all-important US company reporting season which kicked off this morning with Alcoa coming... read more >
Market pause
08 January 2013 - A market pause is overdue considering that our S&P/ASX 200 index is up 8.8 per cent since November 16 — that’s... read more >
Go stocks in 2013
07 January 2013 - So 2012 defied all of the doomsday merchants with our S&P/ASX 200 index up around 14 per cent and when you throw in... read more >
The cliff has to be beaten
21 December 2012 - Good news on the US economy with economic growth up to 3.1 per cent from 2.7 per cent, but this had to cope with fiscal cliff... read more >
Down we go, but not for long!
20 December 2012 - Wall Street headed down overnight and it was put down to the shenanigans of President Barack Obama, and Republican John... read more >
Could US pollies be sensible?
19 December 2012 - Wall Street is up again and I’m really glad last week I said, “F the fiscal cliff — I’m buying... read more >
The cliff and 2% rates in Oz
18 December 2012 - Good news on the fiscal cliff and a solution before New Year could make the claims that our cash rate will fall to two per cent... read more >
Is fiscal fear building?
17 December 2012 - Fiscal cliff fear is building but US investors are not spooked enough to dump stocks big time and volumes are low. Why so... read more >
Market fall not a big deal
14 December 2012 - The fiscal cliff anxiety has been late in coming but today’s sell-off on Wall Street is also connected to the utterances... read more >
Could Kogan bring interest rates down?
13 December 2012 - The persistence of the fiscal cliff story overhangs US stock markets and it’s becoming so punishing I’m even... read more >
F… the fiscal cliff
12 December 2012 - The fiscal cliff is worrying me less day by day and that worries me! History often dictates that the point of capitulation is... read more >
I hate advising on the short-term
11 December 2012 - Another day before the fiscal cliff, and Wall Street refuses to believe that the US Congress and President Barack Obama can... read more >
This will be the week
10 December 2012 - If there’s going to be any loose lips that could sink Wall Street’s stock market ship, it’s bound to come... read more >
What if we miss the big bounce?
07 December 2012 - Another day without fiscal cliff fear and loathing, but there’s neither a desire to spurt higher nor an interest to... read more >
Still positive on Wall Street!
06 December 2012 - The courage of US investors has been sustained with another positive day for Wall Street with fiscal cliff anxiety swamped by... read more >
RBA right, Congress wrong
05 December 2012 - One fear has been beaten — the Reserve Bank (RBA) being stupid enough not to cut rates before Christmas — but now... read more >
The RBA and the cliff
04 December 2012 - The fiscal cliff and some weaker than expected manufacturing numbers brought Wall Street down, but once again there was no... read more >
What's for Xmas?
03 December 2012 - There are 23 days left before Christmas but will investors have anything to cheer about? In a nutshell, if the fiscal cliff... read more >
Market up – where’s the cliff?
30 November 2012 - With another day on Wall Street where investors punted against a negative outcome from the fiscal cliff negotiations on Capitol... read more >
Smart politicians help stocks
29 November 2012 - Dumb politician’s comments sent Wall Street down yesterday and smarter ones used their big mouths to help market... read more >
Big mouth politician hurts stocks
28 November 2012 - European stock markets were up on good news that Greece has struck a better deal from lenders but a big mouth US politician... read more >
Fiscal cliff won’t go away
27 November 2012 - Who said the fiscal cliff fears are behind us? Well, it looked like it on Friday on Wall Street, but reality is biting back,... read more >
Market up – how come?
26 November 2012 - It was only a half-day trading on Wall Street on Friday, but stocks shot up as if the fiscal cliff will not be a problem. But... read more >
Good news KOs fiscal cliff
23 November 2012 - With the Yanks on Thanksgiving, meaning no Wall Street leads today and only a half-day’s trade tomorrow for what the... read more >
Cease-fire lifts markets — it’s worth giving thanks on all fronts
22 November 2012 - Just when we thought that all market action was being driven by fiscal cliff anxiety or even optimism, along comes a cease fire... read more >
Unrealistic expectations
21 November 2012 - You know the people who drive Wall Street, to put it nicely, have unrealistic expectations when the stock market is flat... read more >
Sucker’s rally or real McCoy?
20 November 2012 - Is this a sucker’s rally with the Dow up 207.65 points? Or has sanity prevailed in the US Congress faster than any... read more >
Fiscal fear prevails
19 November 2012 - The best news for Wall Street in a week when the Nasdaq was down 4.17 per cent, the Dow Jones Index was off 3.88 per cent and... read more >
Blame Obama
16 November 2012 - The fiscal cliff keeps pushing share prices down and the arrival of some disappointing economic data didn’t help the... read more >
You were warned
15 November 2012 - The Dow is down around five per cent since Barack Obama won the US presidency, and so does Wall Street hate him, or the fiscal... read more >
Down big time, but why?
14 November 2012 - Regular readers might have noted that on Monday I underlined Share Wealth Systems’ Gary Stone predicted a sell-off, which... read more >
Why no fiscal fear?
13 November 2012 - There’s absolutely no reason to buy stocks right now but the collective mentality of investors is that they don’t... read more >
Put on your stocks seat belt
12 November 2012 - The US economy will grow strongly if the Yanks can sort out their fiscal cliff matter and stocks will mirror an improving... read more >
Could The Hamster Wheel guys be wrong?
09 November 2012 - Wall Street gave up its panicky, post-election, fiscal cliff anxiety ways — well to a lesser extent — but the most... read more >
Obama wins. Now the hard part
08 November 2012 - OK, so Obama has won the job to be world’s number one man, but now the hard part — avoiding the fiscal cliff. This... read more >
No Cup Day win, but a US dividend
07 November 2012 - The Reserve Bank (RBA) played tightwad on rates on Cup Day while Wall Street went strongly positive on the US election outcome.... read more >
RBA should go entrepreneurial
06 November 2012 - Today I wanted to share my view on interest rates that I put to my readers in last week’s The Weekend Australian,and I... read more >
Great jobs numbers bad for stocks
05 November 2012 - The Yanks saw a great jobs number just ahead of the presidential election on Cup Day — first Tuesday in November —... read more >
Sucker rally or real deal?
02 November 2012 - Wall Street put on a one per cent rally and it raises questions over the expectation that we will see a pullback in stocks... read more >
When will our stocks catch up?
01 November 2012 - The Dow was down 2.5 per cent for October but our S&P/ASX 200 index was up 2.9 per cent and October is usually our most... read more >
I am NOT an animal
31 October 2012 - As we await Wall Street’s reopening after Hurricane Sandy, I will take an opportunity to explain and emphasise to my... read more >
Wall Street blown out of action
30 October 2012 - Wall Street and the Nasdaq are to be closed at least until Wednesday as Hurricane Sandy threatens New York, and so our markets... read more >
Cup Day election looming
29 October 2012 - With the US election looming, which is on Cup Day — the first Tuesday in November — markets are getting edgy about... read more >
Stuck here until ‘you know what’ happens, or not
26 October 2012 - The question for investors now is, are we stuck around these levels on Wall Street and the S&P/ASX 200 index until some... read more >
No Cup Day cut? Blame Julia
25 October 2012 - Wall Street had another bad day at the office but the local focus should be on those inflation numbers that could rob us of an... read more >
What would Buffett do?
24 October 2012 - With the pullback in stocks on Wall Street getting more serious overnight with the S&P 500’s 1420-level broken, and... read more >
Wall Street + Wayne = Budget Surplus!
23 October 2012 - The two big money news stories are easy to see. Wall Street had another bad day at the office being down for most of the... read more >
What happened on Wall Street?
22 October 2012 - Wall Street got the overdue wobbles over the weekend with the Dow off over 200 points! So, what happened? The main drivers were... read more >
Has Google lost it?
19 October 2012 - Is Google losing its way or could this be a sign that the US reporting season is going to disappoint over the next few weeks?... read more >
Do I deserve a bagging?
18 October 2012 - Do I deserve to be bagged? This was the gritting question I had to ask myself when a reader/viewer called Dave gave me a right... read more >
I just could be right!
17 October 2012 - Being a cautious bull on stocks since the collapse of Lehman Brothers resulted in the Communist Chinese stimulating their... read more >
Nine will still be the one
16 October 2012 - The irony for the current owners of Channel Nine is that they’re being made to face unhelpful creditors at a time when... read more >
Doomsday merchants could be wrong
15 October 2012 - What could really knock the Doomsday merchants off their raven-like perch? Three things — Europe continues to move in the... read more >
Armageddon again…not!
12 October 2012 - My simple guide to dealing with stocks over the next two months is buy when the market goes down because it will go up in... read more >
Economic experts are making us nervous
11 October 2012 - After a disappointing consumer confidence stat, I recommend we round up all of the negative media commentators and we name and... read more >
Get real on our leaders
10 October 2012 - Peter Slipper had to retire and it’s good to see that while his actions via texting show he has more imperfections than... read more >
Are we nearly out of the woods?
09 October 2012 - Stock markets are unusual beasts and they go through three stages, which reflect investor attitudes. The three can be summed up... read more >
If October is positive, go for it
08 October 2012 - If October isn’t a negative month, then I will be closer to announcing that the worst of the global financial crisis... read more >
Europe and the USA get thumbs up
05 October 2012 - There are three reasons why stocks could go up or down in the final quarter of the year — a quarter historically prone to... read more >
Watch the economy, stupid
04 October 2012 - Being critical of the Prime Minister has become risky business lately, especially if you’re a man, so I will go... read more >
Wayne and Joe are politicians
03 October 2012 - Now that the Reserve Bank (RBA) and its governor, Glenn Stevens, have acted to cut rates, I feel a tad guilty about my... read more >
RBA needs to get off its arse!
02 October 2012 - This underwhelming and overrated Reserve Bank (RBA) will be tested today and if the majority of economists are right, it will... read more >
Magical turnaround in sentiment
28 September 2012 - Like magic, market sentiment has turned around with Wall Street and European stock markets up nicely in total contrast to the... read more >
The euro-monster is back!
27 September 2012 - The Euro-monster is back! It’s spooking stock markets and it’s giving profit-takers a good reason to pocket profit... read more >
This sell-off had to happen
26 September 2012 - So this is how a stock market pull-back happens — there will be a trigger, such as a violent protest in Spain over... read more >
Wait, buy, profit!
25 September 2012 - Stock markets are becalmed with a little bit of movement up and down but there is nothing to disrupt stock prices in either... read more >
Can markets resist gravity?
24 September 2012 - No great rally news to report but one thing Wall Street is valiantly trying to do is to defy gravity. It has done enough... read more >
Beware the drone zone
21 September 2012 - We are now moving into what I call the drone zone where dumb reactions to expected economic data will give active traders the... read more >
Ignore doomsday merchants - markets are!
20 September 2012 - There’s no reason to turn negative on stocks unless you want to take some of the profits you’ve made off the table.... read more >
No news is good news
19 September 2012 - The Yanks had no news to trade off so Wall Street went nowhere, and I reckon no news is good news. Though we have to keep an... read more >
Don’t panic! A sell-off was always going to happen
18 September 2012 - It was always going to happen – first, the Europeans would do something to worry investors and there would be profit... read more >
I’m positive, but it’s the economy now stupid!
17 September 2012 - The post-QE3 optimists still outnumbered the pessimists one day after the momentous decision by the Fed to spend $40 billion a... read more >
Oh what a night!
14 September 2012 - Oh what a night! The Federal Reserve delivered and now it’s up to the US economy to deliver. I wanted QE3 and I got it... read more >
Bernanke must do QE3 or he’s a dope
13 September 2012 - Wall Street ended cautiously higher but not by much as we now wait for the Federal Reserve’s Ben Bernanke decision on the... read more >
I like the positivity
12 September 2012 - Like last week, this week has crucial events that could make or break this great stock market rally. The European Central Bank... read more >
Will the Fed feed this rally?
11 September 2012 - Wall Street floated down overnight as it readies itself for Wednesday’s big announcement from the Federal Reserve with a... read more >
A BIG stock week ahead
10 September 2012 - Last week was a huge week but this week will only be a big one and it could easily help or hinder the nice rally that has been... read more >
Singo slams Qantas – EXCLUSIVE with Peter Switzer
07 September 2012 - Legendary adman John Singleton has slammed Qantas management for its plummeting share price, its management of unions, its... read more >
Super Mario was super!
07 September 2012 - The reason for the solid gains was the bond-buying program agreed to by the European Central Bank (ECB) and that was the guts... read more >
Today is the Day!
06 September 2012 - The financial world has been waiting for this day for around six weeks. Ever since European Central Bank President Mario Draghi... read more >
I'm sick of sideshows...bring on the main event!
05 September 2012 - Be clear on this — we are in sideshow territory! The Dow was down 54.9 points or 0.42 per cent but the S&P 500 was... read more >
European stock markets believe!
04 September 2012 - European stocks shot higher overnight in anticipation of good news on Thursday from the European Central Bank (ECB) and mining... read more >
This week will be huge
03 September 2012 - This is a massive week for markets and the pressure is on the European Central Bank (ECB) to deliver. On Friday, the Federal... read more >
Markets are Euro-nervous
31 August 2012 - Markets got jumpy and Euro-nervous ahead of the Jackson Hole meeting tomorrow and the European Central Bank (ECB) meeting next... read more >
I like and am wary of the no-sell market
30 August 2012 - The becalmed market situation, where it’s the same old, go nowhere predicament ahead of Friday’s Jackson Hole... read more >
Could share prices rise 10%?
29 August 2012 - It was same old, same old yesterday and we have had more of that overnight on Wall Street but it’s good to see a US... read more >
Same old or is it?
28 August 2012 - Are stock markets virtually becalmed in a ‘same old’ pattern of not selling-off big time but still not excessively... read more >
These are dangerous times
27 August 2012 - Stocks went higher on Wall Street and the reasons for the rise were central bank-related, but we’re still entering... read more >
A bit of fear is OK
24 August 2012 - Profit taking was stepped up on global stock markets with bad factory news out of China and weaker economic news from Europe... read more >
It’s profit-taking stupid
23 August 2012 - The big stock markets of Europe lost over one per cent overnight and some pundits tried to blame new Greek issues, but the more... read more >
Rally doubts grow
22 August 2012 - It was always going to happen — doubts about this rally — and we’re seeing some early signs but nothing... read more >
Could the Yanks kill the rally?
21 August 2012 - Another go-nowhere day for stocks as the world’s market makers, or breakers, wait for news out of Europe. However, a... read more >
Could good news kill good news?
20 August 2012 - The Yanks again finished in positive territory on Wall Street, which means we have seen six weeks of rises on a trot. The gains... read more >
Another good day but can it last?
17 August 2012 - No big news but plenty of good news with the German DAX up 0.71 per cent and the French CAC 40 up 0.91 per cent, while the Dow... read more >
A 10% market slide…No!
16 August 2012 - And now for something entirely different — the stock market could fall 10 per cent! No, it’s not my call, but the... read more >
Why there’s no sell-off
15 August 2012 - We’re setting ourselves up for a big jump in stocks, or else another “here we go again” big slide like last... read more >
I can’t wait for September
14 August 2012 - As the old Pyramid song goes, I “can’t wait for September” and it’s because that’s when we will... read more >
Another late rally a great omen
13 August 2012 - A slightly disappointing set of economic statistics from China, which really were not all that bad, did relight the flames of... read more >
Bear market over!
10 August 2012 - The bear market is over — long may the bulls run! No, this is not my view, though I’m thinking that I’m a... read more >
We’re positive, but for how long?
09 August 2012 - Investors are playing a waiting game but the positive omen is that there’s no real commitment to test out the rally. The... read more >
A Rodney Dangerfield rally
08 August 2012 - The rally rolls on on Wall Street, so you can expect this to be good for stocks locally but question marks over this share... read more >
No rate cut for you!
07 August 2012 - The Reserve Bank (RBA) meets today but as the Soup Nazi from Seinfeld might say, “No rate cut for you!” We should... read more >
Stocks to surge
06 August 2012 - Three issues were vital to the stock market last week — the European Central Bank (ECB), the Federal Reserve and the jobs... read more >
Draghi duds out again
03 August 2012 - We were hoping for a Super Mario fighting performance from the European Central Bank (ECB) boss, Mario Draghi, but it was more... read more >
Fed underwhelms pressure on Europe
02 August 2012 - Stock market confidence hasn’t been shattered by the Fed’s lack of QE3 talk but market makers and breakers... read more >
Trust in Europe wavering
01 August 2012 - Oops, we might have got ahead of ourselves! That seems to be the stock market reaction overnight in Europe and the USA with... read more >
Boom or bust this week
31 July 2012 - It’s a boom or bust week with the central banks of Europe, the UK and the USA holding all of the trump cards. If they... read more >
Rally rolls on
30 July 2012 - The overdue words of Mario Draghi continued the stock market rally on Wall Street over the weekend but as I have argued on... read more >
Sweetest words of all great for stocks
27 July 2012 - They were the sweetest words of all and they were uttered by the European Central Bank’s (ECB) boss, Mario Draghi, and... read more >
German bad news is good news
26 July 2012 - Some good news overnight should keep the market optimists cautiously positive with an European Central Bank (ECB) official... read more >
Is a Groundhog Day crash coming?
25 July 2012 - The good news is that the Dow Jones only lost 104 points after it was down around 200 points earlier in the day. The bad news... read more >
Euro-drama again, but follow the money
24 July 2012 - It could have been the start of another “here we go again” crash of the market, just as we saw last August and... read more >
Put your optimism on hold
23 July 2012 - Better than expected corporate reporting news in the USA has now been trumped by the misguided Euro-loonies who, because of... read more >
I will take any rally
20 July 2012 - Another good day for stocks and even though I am a long-term investor betting on an end to this secular bear market, some time... read more >
Aussie stocks to rise
19 July 2012 - Aussie stocks should go higher today following another nice rise on Wall Street with one of the strong drivers being the best... read more >
When does the big share price spike happen?
18 July 2012 - The good news is that Wall Street went up. The bad news is nothing significant happened to convince people out of the stock... read more >
A Boomtown Rats Monday on Wall Street
17 July 2012 - It’s a Boomtown Rats start to the week on Wall Street and its why I’m starting “to hate Mondays” with... read more >
Market to rise, but how far?
16 July 2012 - Standby for a great day on the stock market today after Wall Street reacted positively to surprisingly good earnings for... read more >
10 stocks you have to have!
13 July 2012 - It was another day drifting downwards for the Dow and you can blame the lack of any good news and the general waiting or... read more >
Is Australia Spain waiting to happen?
12 July 2012 - I generally find it hard to agree with Treasurer Wayne Swan but he’s absolutely right in slamming a wacko economist who... read more >
Be wary of bad news
11 July 2012 - Be wary of recent market negativity as it could reflect short-termism that you should expect from traders — these guys... read more >
Market down, but can I call it a draw?
10 July 2012 - Considering the bad news around at the moment, I considered Wall Street’s close, which was slightly down as akin to a... read more >
Which way for stocks?
09 July 2012 - It’s going to be very hard for stocks to resist gravity today after a worse than expected jobs number raised doubts over... read more >
Good news but stocks down!
06 July 2012 - The European Central Bank cut interest rates and better than expected private sector jobs data in the USA turned up ahead of... read more >
Europe down, but still a believer
05 July 2012 - Four days after the EU summit, European stock markets have given some ground following a three-day rally but the extent of the... read more >
Europe remains positive
04 July 2012 - Wall Street headed higher overnight in a shortened trading session ahead of the Independence Day holiday. But in reality what... read more >
EU fixed; US now in focus
03 July 2012 - The European Union focus only lasted a day on Wall Street. Weaker US economic data worked against the rally continuing for the... read more >
Will this EU solution be believed?
02 July 2012 - Another EU pow wow and another positive market reaction, but will this one last? Well, given the big Wall Street jump at the... read more >
Saved by Merkel!
29 June 2012 - We were heading for another bad day at the office on Wall Street with the Dow off 176 points but then Angela Merkel, the German... read more >
Optimism again! Will the EU kill it?
28 June 2012 - Two good days on Wall Street which should help the local stock market today but now we wait for the EU summit to see what help... read more >
What? Stocks aren’t so bad now?
27 June 2012 - Markets are in limbo and that’s why one day we look like we’re heading down and the next we manage to go up. Europe... read more >
Wall Street down. What’s new?
26 June 2012 - The best thing we can see this week is a market selloff because we need the EU nincompoops who meet at the Summit later this... read more >
Down day – blame the news!
22 June 2012 - When uncertainty of the European proportions grip stock markets, we’re in the hands of news flow for day-to-day movements... read more >
No QE3? Great!
21 June 2012 - Wall Street ended slightly negative and that was a great result! Why? Well, the Federal Reserve did not give traders the... read more >
Waiting for EU wisdom
20 June 2012 - Investor hopes that help was on the way for struggling stock markets was frustrated when a German official gave such an idea... read more >
Why no Greek rally?
19 June 2012 - The US had its Greek election rally on Friday ahead of the poll and so the focus overnight was more on “what can we worry... read more >
Europeans elect for good sense
18 June 2012 - I’m not one to enjoy predicting what a stock market will do on a daily basis, but if logic has any sway with those who... read more >
Central banks to a Greek rescue
15 June 2012 - Weak official leadership has undermined stock prices in recent months — in fact in recent years — and this morning... read more >
Market down, but who knows why?
14 June 2012 - Wall Street headed south and some news outlets blamed little known credit ratings agency Egan-Jones for downgrading... read more >
Bad news, but Wall Street up!
13 June 2012 - Why would you trust Wall Street as a reliable guide to what’s really going on? You can’t always, but maybe you can... read more >
Europe has to step up
12 June 2012 - Wall Street ended up over the weekend with the Dow putting on 46.17 points or 0.37 per cent to end up at 12,460.96. The index... read more >
Bernanke plays a mean game
08 June 2012 - Anyone doubting the willingness of many investors to believe that a euro-solution is possible and that markets can head up... read more >
Hope is not a strategy!
07 June 2012 - Wall Street racked up a second positive day in a row as traders have high hopes that the Fed boss, Ben Bernanke, is going to... read more >
We’re up, but why?
06 June 2012 - One of the greatest economists ever — John K. Galbraith — taught me a lesson when I interviewed him in 1987 after... read more >
It’s the Twilight Zone!
05 June 2012 - The only good news out of European and Wall Street market trading was that the wild stock dumping of last Friday was not... read more >
It’s getting serious – when do we buy?
04 June 2012 - History is a good guide on the average but averages are made up of extreme outcomes every now and then, though we do in most... read more >
These short-term rescues are dumb
01 June 2012 - Okay, okay, we know the Yanks have had the worst month for shares since last September and our S&P/ASX 200 index gave up... read more >
Get used to it
31 May 2012 - Wall Street reacted to fears about Spain and the new possibility that maybe Greece will be dumb enough to vote for a party that... read more >
Now Spain takes centre stage
30 May 2012 - Greek news good but Spain news bad and while the Spanish Government said it doesn’t need to bail out its greatest... read more >
Good Greek news
29 May 2012 - The big news of the day is that the Greeks are starting to realize that exiting the euro might be a bad idea and a recent poll... read more >
No news equals bad news
28 May 2012 - Once again we’re in the hands of the eurozone officials, the Greeks and what the market smarties will try on between now... read more >
OK news out of Europe
25 May 2012 - What Europe giveth, Europe taketh away. That’s where we are right now but the leaders of the European Union did enough to... read more >
EU leaders control our destiny
24 May 2012 - Wall Street has European jitters as the threat of a Greek exit clashes with the prospect of a divided Europe on how to deal... read more >
European stocks up, but why?
23 May 2012 - Stocks were up again in Europe and it poses the question — what in the hell is going on? Clifford Bennett of The... read more >
Market up, so what happened?
22 May 2012 - Just when we thought we were going to a market hell in a hand basket thanks to the Greeks, along came a big Wall Street... read more >
Greeks have killed our rally
21 May 2012 - OK, I expected a sell-off and prophesised it but I was always hoping we would avoid this kind of dumping, however, when... read more >
Wall Street has had enough
18 May 2012 - Greece again took its toll on Wall Street’s enthusiasm but US investors weren’t helped by some disappointing... read more >
A positive losing day on Wall Street
17 May 2012 - A losing day is never easy to like but given our two per cent slump yesterday a mere 0.26 per cent slip on Wall Street is a... read more >
Are we learning to ignore Greece?
16 May 2012 - Europe’s negativity has been partly trumped by some US positivity and investors’ greater willingness to stay with... read more >
Now this is tough stuff
15 May 2012 - Right now you might be wishing that you stayed in term deposits! Greece is spooking markets with legendary NYSE trader Art... read more >
Testing the US and us!
14 May 2012 - Three big issues will determine whether this May to October period will be good or bad news for investors. To date it looks... read more >
Unbelievable! Good Greek news
11 May 2012 - Wall Street ended positive, which is a good sign considering the plethora of bad news around at the moment but I suspect our... read more >
Market down but not spooked
10 May 2012 - Wall Street looked like it was heading for a big triple-digit loss for the day after the opening appeared pretty disastrous... read more >
The Dale Carnegie Budget
09 May 2012 - This year’s Budget is what I would call a Dale Carnegie Budget — one designed to win friends and influence people!... read more >
Budget day is a sideshow
08 May 2012 - I know Budget day is important to the Gillard Government, which looks like a dead party walking, or maybe crawling to an... read more >
Jobs and elections will hurt share prices
07 May 2012 - Expect a week of volatility with a disappointing jobs report in the USA spooking Wall Street, and the results of elections in... read more >
US jobs and EU elections
04 May 2012 - I would love to be fully bullish for you and be unwisely advising you to ignore some negative signs out there and the less than... read more >
I’m a dip buyer
03 May 2012 - This morning we learnt CBA has cut its standard variable home loan rate by 0.4 per cent and this follows the NAB dropping its... read more >
Stocks on the way up?
02 May 2012 - Aussie stocks are getting ready to have a really good year thanks to the Reserve Bank’s overdue big rate cut but there... read more >
Local news is more important
01 May 2012 - Usually my focus each morning is on what Wall Street has done overnight as a pointer for what the Australian market might do... read more >
Huge week
30 April 2012 - This will be a huge week for investors both at home and abroad with the Reserve Bank poised to cut interest rates on Tuesday.... read more >
I’m getting more bullish
27 April 2012 - I know May is coming and I know Europe is going to be a pain in the wallet as we cope with French and Greek elections as well... read more >
Apple and Ben help Wall Street
26 April 2012 - Wall Street was driven by Apple’s better-than-expected company earnings report with the Nasdaq index hitting a four-month... read more >
Eurotrash at it again
24 April 2012 - Europe set the scene for a Wall Street sell-off with concerns over who might win the French election spooking market players.... read more >
Big test week ahead
23 April 2012 - It’s a big test week ahead with stock markets bracing for the end of April, which ushers in the month of May when history... read more >
Down, but positive signs
20 April 2012 - It was a negative one for Wall Street but we’re still seeing a market that’s resisting really going higher but... read more >
Fear out of the unknown
19 April 2012 - Wall Street didn’t know what to do overnight following some ordinary reports from tech companies, and the anxiety factor... read more >
A surprise big rally
18 April 2012 - Despite the fact that a correction is overdue, Wall Street roared ahead and it was due to good news out of Europe as well as... read more >
Up, but not convincing
17 April 2012 - Wall Street finished in the black but it was not all that convincing with conflicting signals making it hard for market players... read more >
What to worry about
16 April 2012 - Get ready for a sell-off today and until some really good news happens, we could be in the current up-and-down phase with a... read more >
Correction – not so fast!
13 April 2012 - Just when it looked like it was hammer time for Wall Street, sentiment has turned around confounding many experts who thought... read more >
The great interest rate debate
12 April 2012 - This morning I want to do a quick update on Wall Street but then look at the interest rate debate now really hotting up with... read more >
A bad day on Wall Street
11 April 2012 - Wall Street had its worst point-decline day of the year but that’s not much of an achievement given this had been one of... read more >
US sell-off, but don't panic
10 April 2012 - In case you had a wonderful Easter break and you ignored the markets, well, Wall Street’s sell-off overnight and the... read more >
The ghost of Europe revisits
05 April 2012 - Expect a bad day for stocks with concerns about Spain spooking markets, and also not helping, a weaker-than-expected reading on... read more >
RBA not helping stocks
04 April 2012 - Central banks here and in the USA are in the spotlight with the latest Fed minutes suggesting that further money supply... read more >
Market higher in March quarter
03 April 2012 - If you’re scratching your head asking how long can the market keep going up and why is it going up, well let me... read more >
Tiger tips optimism
02 April 2012 - Okay, we have had a great quarter on the stock market and a fantastic six months to boot but I have always promised readers I... read more >
Europe could make Swanny look silly
30 March 2012 - Rumbles in Europe connected to Spanish and Italian bonds sent European stocks down and this kind of thing happened last April... read more >
Rates should fall to help stocks
29 March 2012 - Wall Street finally succumbed to gravity with stocks down for a change as the Yanks cheer a sensational quarter for stocks. The... read more >
Going nowhere slow
28 March 2012 - It was high enthusiasm yesterday. However, the mood on Wall Street was indifferent but it was not excessively negative and... read more >
Bernanke’s bulls stampede
27 March 2012 - It’s been a bad day for bears and it adds to the case that we’re edging towards a booming bull market. Of course,... read more >
A sell-off week ahead?
26 March 2012 - After a great start to the year where the hi-tech Nasdaq index is up 17.76 per cent, you have to be scratching your head and... read more >
Wall Street ends down but not out
23 March 2012 - Another rough day at the office for Wall Street but as regular readers might recall I have been tipping a sell-off or a... read more >
A golden Goldman call
22 March 2012 - What does it mean when one of the greatest investment institutions in history tells their clients that stocks are a buying... read more >
Seinfeld session!
21 March 2012 - Wall Street has had a down day for most of Tuesday in New York but it has to go down as a Seinfeld session — a sell-off... read more >
Positive days
20 March 2012 - Another positive day on Wall Street and it is clear that ‘no news’ is good news. To be more precise, in the absence... read more >
Stocks still looking good but…
19 March 2012 - The ongoing question — how long can this rally last? — continues to be pondered by the likes of yours truly and... read more >
Where is Steve Keen now?
16 March 2012 - Another great day on Wall Street with the S&P 500 breaking through the 1400-level but more importantly it stayed there. The... read more >
Stocks poised for a good 2012
15 March 2012 - Things are getting better and I reckon there are more investors believing the worst is behind us. That’s why bonds are... read more >
200 points on the Dow
14 March 2012 - Well, the charts say this market has gone too far up and a sell-off is overdue but the run of good news keeps coming and it... read more >
Waiting for a sell-off, then kaboom!
13 March 2012 - Looking at what the markets are doing and considering the run of important events and challenges for the market ahead, I reckon... read more >
Market up, but can it stay up?
12 March 2012 - Good news kept the US stock market ticking over positively with another better than expected jobs number. And the finish was... read more >
Bad news for doomsday merchants
09 March 2012 - Well the doomsday merchants have been talking this up, well, maybe it has been down, but the Greeks look like they have at... read more >
Overseas good; here crap
08 March 2012 - Good news from Europe that the Greek bailout deal will be supported by the country’s most important creditors and very... read more >
The Greeks are spooking us again
07 March 2012 - I have been talking about it and it’s been long overdue but it has started today with a substantial sell-off hitting Wall... read more >
Big week for the hip pocket
06 March 2012 - It’s a big week locally with the Reserve Bank (RBA) decision today and the important jobs numbers out in the US as well... read more >
The next big market thing
05 March 2012 - Europe has, at least for the moment, stopped spooking stock markets and the European Central Bank’s spend, lend and... read more >
Saudi explosion no help to stocks
02 March 2012 - Just when a positive finish on Wall Street looked likely, along came a Saudi oil pipeline explosion! And stock prices headed... read more >
What happened to 13,000?
01 March 2012 - Money was flowing in Europe but the tap was being turned off in the US. Both represent good news, so why did Wall Street reject... read more >
Enjoy this market recovery
29 February 2012 - No one knows how long this market recovery will last but I say, let’s just enjoy it while we have it. Right now there are... read more >
G20 gives it to the Germans
28 February 2012 - It has been my contention for a couple of years now that we will only beat these stock market challenges if the good news beats... read more >
Is Rudd really important?
27 February 2012 - Monday usually encourages me to look back on the market’s performance for the past week and to look at the big upcoming... read more >
Beware dumb money!
24 February 2012 - Wall Street headed up despite some negativity around yesterday with the local market linked to European recession concerns, but... read more >
How Rudd could move markets
23 February 2012 - Kevin Rudd’s resignation has the capacity to move the stock market but in what direction? And in what time frame? These... read more >
Dude, where’s my rally?
22 February 2012 - We have been waiting for a Greek bailout deal for two years and 10 days, so what happened to the rally after the eurozone... read more >
Greek deal or no deal
21 February 2012 - With Wall Street on a public holiday for Presidents’ Day, the focus has gone onto the lead from European stock markets... read more >
Can we trust the Greeks again?
20 February 2012 - Monday is D-Day, which stands for debt bailout day for Greece, and there’s a very high expectation that the deal will be... read more >
Great stocks day. Can it last?
17 February 2012 - Very good US economic news and what looks like very good news out of Europe made a goose out of the experts who sold our market... read more >
Overdue selloff
16 February 2012 - Every morning people like me look for reasons to explain why the stock market is up or down and some days it’s easier... read more >
Not those Greeks again?!
15 February 2012 - Wall Street had one of those “oops have we gone too far” days overnight as Greek debt drama doubts re-emerged. This... read more >
Beware big-call merchants
14 February 2012 - With the Greek parliament passing the austerity measures and the stock market putting on another nice rise, it seems timely for... read more >
Are bank bosses mad?
13 February 2012 - The great US comedian Bob Hope once described a bank as a place where they lend you an umbrella when the sun is shining but... read more >
Greeks done good – so where’s the rally?
10 February 2012 - We’ve got a Greek deal. Let’s Google the experts and remind them they were wrong. But the question the journalists... read more >
All Greek to me
09 February 2012 - Stocks continue to defy gravity because the smarties who determine market directions know the fear factor we saw in August last... read more >
If rates rise, bank bashing will go mad
08 February 2012 - Newspapers are telling us an interest rate rise is a possibility come Friday when ANZ releases its independent view on rates.... read more >
More good omens
07 February 2012 - How far have nervous investors progressed since August last year? Heaps! Even with Greek talks stalling, again, and the... read more >
Rudd better go for it ASAP
06 February 2012 - Kevin Rudd goes into the caucus meeting today and the stares as well as the cheesed off looks will be hard for him to ignore.... read more >
Buy Facebook? Yeah, right!
03 February 2012 - Who would have imagined that a pain-in-the-neck nerd who decided it was a good idea to invade the privacy of others would end... read more >
Good news > bad news
02 February 2012 - Good news beat bad news overnight and Wall Street lapped it up. But can it last? My charts guy, Lance Lai from Accountancy... read more >
The Rinehart lead to buy stocks
01 February 2012 - While it was another ‘nothing’ day on Wall Street overnight, the big market news has been the Gina Rinehart raid on... read more >
We need more great news
31 January 2012 - Newspapers and other media outlets will tell you that Wall Street was down on eurozone fears and crap like that. That’s... read more >
Why stocks rule, OK?
30 January 2012 - A slightly weaker-than-expected gross domestic product (GDP) figure for the USA in the final quarter of 2011 didn’t help... read more >
Stocks lower but not by much
27 January 2012 - The Yanks were really getting excited, hoping to hit a high above 12,810.54, which hasn’t been seen since May 2008, but... read more >
Down but it’s understandable
25 January 2012 - Wall Street was down and the failure of the Greeks to fix up their debt problems was the biggest negative but the market... read more >
Investing on a Europe-fixed hope
24 January 2012 - There’s no big news and that means no big stock price movements in either direction but the question is how long can this... read more >
Pesky Greeks again
23 January 2012 - Local market guess merchants think our stock market will open down with a cloud hanging over investors’ hopes for their... read more >
Can we reject doomsday merchants?
20 January 2012 - Is the worst behind us? Is the bull market about to start? Can we start ignoring the doomsday merchants like Steve Keen, Marc... read more >
Very good market news
19 January 2012 - Don’t worry about the World Bank warnings — they’re nearly always wrong. Focus on the better news, which is... read more >
Up on China
18 January 2012 - Good news out of China was countered by bad news from Citigroup as the US profit season continues but if you throw in the... read more >
What is holding stocks back?
17 January 2012 - In a matter of two days I have received one good reason to remain long stocks and one reason not to. The first is the golden... read more >
The market challenges ahead
16 January 2012 - At the risk of sounding repetitive, Europe again cracked the bottled-up enthusiasm of the Yanks to buy stocks, with the... read more >
We’re not at 1300 yet!
13 January 2012 - It’s Groundhog Day! Wall Street has gone up again but again the S&P 500 just can’t break the 1300-level. Like... read more >
Buyer and seller shortages
12 January 2012 - The S&P 500 again put in another up day — that’s seven in a row — but it hasn’t crashed through the... read more >
Europe-USA decoupling?
11 January 2012 - Another nice up day on Wall Street but can it last? Of course, there will be an eventual selloff — there’s far too... read more >
USA vs. Europe
10 January 2012 - Big businesses are bailing out cash-strapped European banks that used to borrow from other banks and this underlines how... read more >
Europe still the troubled child
09 January 2012 - Wall Street’s Friday close summed up neatly, albeit worryingly, what we will have to endure in the early part of 2012.... read more >
The irony of Europe
16 December 2011 - The irony of the Euro-mess, which has been spooking markets for the past few days, is that the US economic recovery seems to be... read more >
Markets can’t beat the R-word
15 December 2011 - The only good news to take away from Wall Street’s negative trading overnight was with all of this recession talk around... read more >
Bazooka needed
14 December 2011 - Wall Street was up over 100 points earlier in the trading day but it finished in negative territory after the US central... read more >
Market down on profit-taking
13 December 2011 - The Dow gave up around 160 points overnight, but it was a lot lower in early trading and so what we’re seeing now is... read more >
Euro yes, minus Great Britain
12 December 2011 - For anyone not sure about a deal such as the one hatched by the EU over the weekend, the one litmus test you can’t... read more >
Europe disappoints! What’s new?
09 December 2011 - Putting faith in the Europeans is about as wise as taking your super to the casino the day after you fully retire. The EU... read more >
Brussels, banks and bastards
08 December 2011 - The big wait is on and we should know by week’s end whether it was worth it with the banks considering their interest... read more >
Positive signs on the European front
07 December 2011 - The good news is outweighing the bad news out of Europe and that’s why Wall Street ended in positive territory overnight.... read more >
Uncertainty means rates should be cut
06 December 2011 - If good sense prevails, the RBA will cut interest rates today. If rates are not cut, the board is dominated by dopes —... read more >
Up, but can the market stay there?
05 December 2011 - Wall Street was up better than seven per cent for the week and our S&P/ASX 200 gained 7.6 per cent — the best showing... read more >
Rally breather but prepare for action next week
02 December 2011 - A new day and a new worry with Europe out of the frame for a couple of days and now concerns over China have hit market... read more >
Shock and awe at last!
01 December 2011 - What did I say? Europe needed some 'shock and awe' and some of the biggest central banks of the world finally said... read more >
US confidence up big time
30 November 2011 - Hope springs eternal with EU finance ministers meeting overnight and it coincides with US confidence spiking higher. Meanwhile... read more >
Retail or Euro-fixed rally
29 November 2011 - A solid rally on Wall Street was driven by great retail news over the Thanksgiving weekend and some optimism — possibly... read more >
How bad is this?
28 November 2011 - If you wanted some reason why some journalists went negative in the weekend newspapers, CNBC summed it up by noting that last... read more >
A German stole our Xmas gift!
25 November 2011 - The German Chancellor Angela Merkel did her best to rob us of a Christmas rally, disappointing markets with her remarks that... read more >
Germans cop what they deserve
24 November 2011 - The unmoveable Germans have been given a rocket up their butts with the unthinkable happening — the bond vigilantes are... read more >
No news is bad news
23 November 2011 - Wall Street’s unwillingness to turn tail and run big time from negative developments underlines the fact that there is a... read more >
Yanks join political pygmy parade
22 November 2011 - The experts said it wouldn’t happen and I didn’t believe them, so on cue the super ‘Dopes’ committee of... read more >
Market on tenterhooks
21 November 2011 - Wall Street was in no man’s land not wanting to buy and not wanting to selloff ahead of some big US news out this week... read more >
Optimists say EU has a trump card
18 November 2011 - Let’s face it, most us are flying blind when it comes to Europe and so whether the EU can come up with a master rescue... read more >
Smartarses vs. nincompoops
17 November 2011 - What happens when smartarses meet nincompoops? The former takes the latter to the cleaners and that’s what’s... read more >
Retail sales the full monty
16 November 2011 - If only Europe could deliver a credible rescue plan, we then would see a massive take off of the stock market. However, that... read more >
Markets can’t get over Europe
15 November 2011 - It’s going to take some time before investors — and especially the ones who can take markets up or down —... read more >
Big Berlusconi day ahead
14 November 2011 - Expect a great day on the stock market today, provided no one in Europe does anything to undo the good news that came from the... read more >
Stop the panic, buy quality
11 November 2011 - Yesterday the market was screaming “disaster ahead” but today it’s saying “maybe we will avoid... read more >
Italy: the new Greece
10 November 2011 - Italian concerns have spooked Wall Street and the trigger was an EU official who said there were no rescue plans for Italy and... read more >
Goodbye Berly, hello carbon tax
09 November 2011 - The resignation of the Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi is at least some good news to offset the bad news that... read more >
Euro-mess has two years to run
08 November 2011 - Investors are caught in a news flow trap where the belief that the stock market is oversold and that there are trillions of... read more >
Jobs and Greeks
07 November 2011 - Last week the big market-driving news was Greece and jobs in the US. This week, Greece will again be centre stage and it will... read more >
It’s all Greek to me
04 November 2011 - Despite the antics in Athens, Wall Street was able to put on a nice rally powered by the prospect that the Greek referendum is... read more >
Do the Greeks have a cunning plan?
03 November 2011 - ‘Beware Greeks baring referendums’ was a throwaway line I thought appropriate yesterday but maybe I was a little... read more >
Greek drama a joke
02 November 2011 - The question is at what point does the world get sick of the Greeks? Well, if their Prime Minister’s latest stunt to put... read more >
Cup Day – bet on Europe!
01 November 2011 - I know I should be in 'Melbourne Cup and interest rate cut' fever mode but I can’t help but focus on the main game for my... read more >
Can we go higher?
31 October 2011 - This has turned out to be an October to remember, especially for the Yanks with the Dow Jones index up around 12 per cent,... read more >
Rally for the true believers
28 October 2011 - Wall Street’s rally and what is bound to happen on the Aussie stock market today, which will be up again, is, as Paul... read more >
Euro win — yahoo!
27 October 2011 - We Aussies went to sleep hoping that the Europeans would show some leadership and that a credible rescue plan would result. But... read more >
Europeans screw up again
26 October 2011 - Wall Street showed no confidence in what the EU leaders can come up with at the upcoming Summit, but it wasn’t helped by... read more >
Turning positive – will it last?
25 October 2011 - The fear and loathing on the US stock market is starting to dissipate with the S&P 500 nearly up for the year and the Dow... read more >
Huge week for shares
24 October 2011 - This will be a HUGE week with the Europeans set to outline the rescue plan for the PIIGS countries and local interest rate... read more >
Europeans given spoilt child love
21 October 2011 - Wall Street is giving the Europeans the benefit of the doubt, similar to that parent who knows the son is a worry but still... read more >
Europe’s winds driving me mad!
20 October 2011 - I nearly wrote: “Those pesky Europeans have done it again!” But hell, I’m sick of writing the obvious. The... read more >
Greece is in for discipline and bondage!
19 October 2011 - Down yesterday, up today and so Wall Street goes as we await ‘the plan’ out of Europe for Europe. And that’s... read more >
Mistimed honesty hurts stocks
18 October 2011 - The warm and fuzzy feelings investors had towards European officials (who have mishandled their management of market... read more >
10-week highs on Wall Street
17 October 2011 - What Europe effectively took away, Europe is now giving back, so let’s hope this new and improved politically responsible... read more >
Are we topping out?
14 October 2011 - One thing stock markets won’t do is rise all of the time and so you have to expect down days like these but the best bit... read more >
Slovakia says yes
13 October 2011 - In case the past nine months of negative news on the stock market front has dulled your enthusiasm for stocks, it’s worth... read more >
Good news week?
12 October 2011 - The best news for our market today from Wall Street is that volatility eased and the big 330-point gain from yesterday was not... read more >
Euro-surge on Wall Street
11 October 2011 - Optimism has made a comeback with agreement from the leaders of France and Germany on how they will rescue the EU resulting in... read more >
A big week ahead
10 October 2011 - So far so good — the Europeans are making the right noises on their debt rescue plan for Greece, the other PIIGS and the... read more >
Up, up, but not away!
07 October 2011 - Another positive day on the stock market is likely with Wall Street registering another positive day, and so it’s up, up... read more >
Positive reaction on Wall Street
06 October 2011 - I don’t want to give false hope but we’re seeing Wall Street react positively to better European news and what I... read more >
Bear market rejected
05 October 2011 - If a market drops 20 per cent, it’s called bear market territory. That means we’re in a bear market and the Yanks... read more >
US good, Europe bad
04 October 2011 - October is the crash month and the worst for Australian stocks but September is the historically bad month for Wall Street.... read more >
Buy Byron’s bullish view
30 September 2011 - Volatility was again the name of the game on Wall Street with the Dow up more than 250 points early, then down more than 100... read more >
15 stocks to think about
29 September 2011 - Wall Street was riding high but then was shot down in late trade but this time the experts didn’t blame Europe but fears... read more >
Haircut argument hurt Wall Street
28 September 2011 - Europe took Wall Street up, then Europe took the major US indexes down but they still finished in positive territory. Euro-news... read more >
Euro-monster contained?
27 September 2011 - On a day when President Obama compared Europe to the monster that devoured the world economy — my words not his but that... read more >
The best reason to stick to shares
26 September 2011 - A great article in the AFR over the weekend started from a premise that underlines how little most of us understand about... read more >
Do not panic
23 September 2011 - It had to come — another big Wall Street sell-off — and I should have predicted it when my charts guy Lance Lai... read more >
Down with a twist
22 September 2011 - Wall Street investors didn’t get excited about Ben Bernanke’s ‘let’s twist again’ play and his... read more >
No news is not good news
21 September 2011 - No news is not good news but it’s miles better than bad news for investors hoping to see the stock market break out of... read more >
Keep long-term positive
20 September 2011 - The stock market has a tendency to grind normal people into the ground when it goes through strange, drawn-out negative days... read more >
Europe is the main game
19 September 2011 - This will be an important week after a good one last week with the news flow pointing to the positive, especially in Europe.... read more >
Central banks to the partial rescue
16 September 2011 - Bad European news has sunk this market lately and before that it was Europe’s debt debacle and the US Congress clash... read more >
Euro-unity at last!
15 September 2011 - Last night Lance Lai, my champion of charts, showed how the technicals were pointing to more challenging days ahead. However, I... read more >
Is this another sucker’s rally?
14 September 2011 - History says September is the scariest month of all but after August, when our markets gave up 3.3 per cent, some experts hoped... read more >
Commos to the rescue
13 September 2011 - Volatility reigned again on Wall Street with the Dow down 179 points at one stage but to defy expectations, which the markets... read more >
Europe KOs Obama!
12 September 2011 - It was supposed to be a positive circuit breaker to kick-start job creation and consumer confidence in the US but Obama’s... read more >
Bears not so bearish?
09 September 2011 - Ahead of President Barack Obama’s make-it-or-break-it speech on what he can do for jobs in the US and what he can do for... read more >
Achtung baby!
08 September 2011 - Achtung baby! I never thought I would use these two words in an introduction to a market wrap but it’s really appropriate... read more >
Dow off the canvas
07 September 2011 - You were warned and I take no comfort being right but September is the worst month for stock markets and history again is... read more >
The Euro problem
06 September 2011 - With the Yanks on their Labor Day holiday, it’s time to take the attention away from the possibility of another US... read more >
Where did US jobs go?
05 September 2011 - On Friday, the Dow Jones index lost a big 253.31 points, or 2.2 per cent, and the S&P 500 gave up 2.53 per cent. You can... read more >
Economy up, market down. Que?
02 September 2011 - The market reaction to better-than-expected US economic news reminded me of Manuel from John Cleese’s Fawlty Towers,... read more >
High-anxiety days ahead!
01 September 2011 - Wall Street concluded the worst August in 10 years, which takes them back to the Dot-com bust era, and while that sounds very... read more >
After Irene, Wall Street becalmed
31 August 2011 - It’s now been six positive sessions for Wall Street out of seven but the buying is looking less convincing. Probably the... read more >
Another good day – can it last?
30 August 2011 - Give Wall Street good news and expect a good reaction and that’s what happened overnight. The Dow put on 254.71 points,... read more >
No QE3 just yet!
29 August 2011 - Ben Bernanke has the market Midas touch with Wall Street staging a nice rally, despite the looming black clouds of Irene... read more >
Buffett and Bernanke lose out to bears
26 August 2011 - It was the usual negatives — a troubled Europe and a weaker US economy that brought Wall Street down despite a Buffett... read more >
Beware the sons of bitches, Ben
25 August 2011 - Wall Street gave another solid lead for local stocks today with the Dow up 143.95 points, or 1.29 per cent, to 11,320.71. The... read more >
Wall Street surges
24 August 2011 - An earthquake rocked the East Coast of the US overnight but it didn’t have the rattling effect on the 322.11-point gain... read more >
Positive but not really
23 August 2011 - We’re now out of the woods with Wall Street, despite the positive close overnight and so the investors are now looking... read more >
Market mess ahead
22 August 2011 - What a rough four weeks with the S&P 500 on Wall Street now down 16 per cent and the S&P/ASX 200 off 10.7 per cent.... read more >
Dow down – what happened?
19 August 2011 - The only good thing you can say about Wall Street overnight is that the stock market did not end at the session lows! And given... read more >
Where to now? Sideways then up
18 August 2011 - Volatility on the stock market is still with us but are we staring a buying opportunity in the face and we don’t know it?... read more >
Not Eurotrash again!
17 August 2011 - The recent rise and rise of Wall Street was KO’d by a disappointing outcome of the Paris summit between the leaders of... read more >
Another rally: can it last?
16 August 2011 - What is the opposite of a bloodbath? That’s what we got yesterday on our market with the S&P/ASX 200 up 110.3 points... read more >
Fingers crossed for week ahead
15 August 2011 - With the US gauge for market fear — the VIX or fear index at 36 — it means we should expect volatility this week... read more >
Wall Street makes history so expect the unexpected
12 August 2011 - The US stock market continues to make history with the Dow Jones index now registering four days in a row of 400-plus moves in... read more >
Not over ‘til the fat banker sings
11 August 2011 - Stop press — another bad day on Wall Street and our market will be down today, but don’t panic! It might take a... read more >
Market pulls some Rocky moves
10 August 2011 - Yesterday one of my financial planners asked me what I wanted to say to our clients with the Australian stock market down 5.5... read more >
How low can we go?
09 August 2011 - The perfect storm has broken. The headwinds of the S&P ratings downgrade have collided with the vortex which the Euro-debt... read more >
The sell-off: so what’s next?
08 August 2011 - The Dow Jones index finished in positive territory following a better-than-expected jobs report but this followed a... read more >
Big falls but do we have anything to fear?
05 August 2011 - I know this looks like panic territory stuff with the Dow down more than 500 points this morning but we actually lived through... read more >
Market madness or sensible reaction?
04 August 2011 - Wall Street went positive (but only just) and it poses the question, has this sell-off been overdone or is there good reason to... read more >
Do the Yanks need QE3?
03 August 2011 - Standby for talk of QE3 in the US after Wall Street failed to respond positively to the overdue agreement on the deficit and... read more >
Deal or no deal?
02 August 2011 - It’s been a wild ride on Wall Street as the debt deal question marks ran up against more concerns over the strength of... read more >
August 2 deadline looms
01 August 2011 - This is a HUGE week for financial markets and economies right around the world with their destinies to be determined by... read more >
US debt debate: Winston Churchill gives us hope!
29 July 2011 - The debt ceiling debate in Washington created another disappointing finish on Wall Street after the Dow was actually up. The... read more >
You can’t do much with dopes
28 July 2011 - Realistically my job today is to hold your hand as our investments, our wealth and our immediate future is held to ransom by a... read more >
Wednesday worries lie ahead
27 July 2011 - Another Wednesday in the greatest country on earth but there are a few challenges we have to worry about. First, the Yanks are... read more >
A drawn-out debt drama
26 July 2011 - Here we go again — another week of this debt drama, which always carries the threat of financial and economic Armageddon.... read more >
No ordinary week
25 July 2011 - This is no ordinary week for the Aussies out there who care about money. Interest rate worriers will have their focus on... read more >
Up, up and away… not so fast!
22 July 2011 - Stocks surged overnight and I hope you read my article last week entitled 'Why stocks suck but you should buy them anyway'.... read more >
Three market problems solved, sort of…
21 July 2011 - Three big issues confront stock and all financial markets — the US debt challenge, the Euro-debt drama and the... read more >
Good news and why Penny Wong doesn’t piss me off
20 July 2011 - My early morning thoughts don’t have enough unity to wind them all into one piece and so here are a number of the BIG... read more >
Debt drama: could the Armageddon guy be right?
19 July 2011 - It was another bad day on Wall Street with debt woes and worries worldwide outweighing another positive company report from a... read more >
To invest or not to invest?
18 July 2011 - With reporting season hotting up in the US this week and the 2 August deadline looming for the US Congress to sort out its... read more >
DJ’s stock price dive – is Julia to blame?
15 July 2011 - The David Jones warning yesterday that its mid-year sales were shocking and that the second half profit was nosediving resulted... read more >
Why stocks suck but you should buy them anyway
14 July 2011 - Here’s a great wealth-building question: “What are the top 10 reasons for not investing in shares, and what is the... read more >
Times are tricky, but not crashworthy
13 July 2011 - Another rough day at the office for Wall Street but it was not as bad as yesterday and that’s a good sign. And for those... read more >
More PIIGS problems
12 July 2011 - Surprise, surprise, there was both good and bad market news overnight for Wall Street but I reckon the negatives will outweigh... read more >
Will Julia be carbon crunched?
11 July 2011 - I know the PM and her spin doctors made it seem like this carbon tax was simple — it was great politics – but when... read more >
Core predictions for the rest of 2011
08 July 2011 - Another good night on Wall Street driven by improving economic news makes me feel cautiously confident on my core predictions.... read more >
Carbon tax bribes and leadership issues
07 July 2011 - The big question for all of us as we await the carbon tax details on Sunday is, can the bribes we will be offered to accept a... read more >
What type of leader are you?
06 July 2011 - At a time when our country has a leadership challenge, I have been lucky enough to hear two great speakers and thinkers on... read more >
Rates on hold?
05 July 2011 - Great news for interest rate worriers – the economy is worse than the Reserve Bank and Treasury economists predicted and... read more >
Time to go long stocks again?
04 July 2011 - Now that Greece looks sorted, at least for a time, and the Yanks are buying shares again with the Dow up a whopping 5.43 per... read more >
Stocks rule, OK?
01 July 2011 - I know investing in stocks can be worrying and there’s an ad campaign cashing in on the high anxiety of being in shares... read more >
Julia, dump Bob!
30 June 2011 - In over 25 years of business, economic and political commentary, I have always strived to be unbiased. It means I have offended... read more >
Can the Greeks do the right thing?
29 June 2011 - Just when you thought it was all going to go to ‘you know what’ — the stuff that often hits the fan! —... read more >
10 reasons to stick to stocks
28 June 2011 - It’s always darkest before the dawn and so with stock markets around the world going through another rough patch, are... read more >
This woman has balls!
27 June 2011 - I know there’s a perception and a rude observation that tough women have ‘rocks’. Maggie Thatcher had them,... read more >
Are the Yanks stupid?
24 June 2011 - The Dow Jones index was down 234 points at one stage overnight. The big question for anyone who wants to build or at least... read more >
Believe it – the US gets stronger
23 June 2011 - When the US central bank boss speaks, market players listen and today we learnt that the American recovery was slower than the... read more >
Foster’s froth makes me bubbly
22 June 2011 - The near-$10 billion bid for Foster’s reminds me of a lesson Rene Rivkin once taught me. And it underlines why I am... read more >
Time to buy, but when?
21 June 2011 - The stock market will be going up this year, despite what you’re seeing now and so the trick is to know when. Of course,... read more >
Buy or hide?
20 June 2011 - With the local stock market down almost 10 per cent and the S&P 500 off nearly seven per cent since April, the question is,... read more >
It’s all Greek to most of us
20 June 2011 - Over the last week, we learnt that the Greeks were given the unenviable tag of the worst-rated country in the world when it... read more >
Wall Street up but anxiety not over yet
17 June 2011 - Last night, I filmed SWITZER at Luna Park to coincide with the Vinnies CEO Sleepout and while the issues raised over... read more >
Another Greek tragedy
16 June 2011 - The correction continues and this time it’s Greeks protesting in Athens that has hit Wall Street very hard overnight.... read more >
Some better US economic news
15 June 2011 - A nice rise on Wall Street and it was better economic news from both China and the US that helped the US market overnight. So,... read more >
Big Wall Street sell-off
14 June 2011 - Dow Jones was up an unconvincing one point to 11,952.97 overnight but the big story over the weekend was the Dow dropping... read more >
Could our dollar see US$1.20?
10 June 2011 - Here’s a bold prediction that could spook investors — the Oz dollar could go higher than US$1.10 and could even... read more >
Correct on correction
09 June 2011 - Another weak day on Wall Street and the market is bound to be coping with this correction phase for at least a couple of months... read more >
Interest rate anxiety
09 June 2011 - Well, the Reserve Bank had a great day at the office on Tuesday, wisely deciding to kick its habit of raising interest rates.... read more >
Hope Bernanke is right
08 June 2011 - The US central bank boss Ben Bernanke did an Alfred E. Neuman of the infamous MAD magazine by virtually saying: “what, me... read more >
No rate rise today
07 June 2011 - Despite what some ‘experts’ say, the Reserve Bank will not raise interest rates today. Good sense demands it but if... read more >
It will get worse before it gets better
06 June 2011 - We’re still in choppy stock market waters and the waves battering our portfolios are getting bigger but there's no reason... read more >
Monday, 6 June 2011
06 June 2011 - In a week when rats tried to stowaway on a Qantas plane, at the risk of sounding like a Boomtown Rat myself, tell me why I... read more >
A healthy correction
03 June 2011 - There’s no reason to panic despite news headline that the local stock market wiped $30 billion off share prices... read more >
Oz economy down, Wall Street tumbles
02 June 2011 - The economists of the world should be doing a Homer Simpson ‘Doh!’ as their economic prognostications come up plain... read more >
Greek gift leads to rally
01 June 2011 - Stocks rallied on Wall Street and while investors ignored weaker US economic data, they loved news that Greece was likely to... read more >
Don’t give in to doomsday merchants yet
31 May 2011 - While Google-surfing into why Canada, another mining country, has much lower interest rates than us, I was seduced into a... read more >
Leaders leading us nowhere
30 May 2011 - Australia has a leadership problem — and probably most of us do too. Even over the weekend, the respected Economist... read more >
Grin and bear it! It looks OK...
27 May 2011 - Wall Street did remarkably well to stay in positive territory considering the latest US GDP numbers disappointed but you could... read more >
Greeks are a bit of a worry
26 May 2011 - It’s an oldie but a goodie and it’s timely to remind everyone: “Beware Greeks bearing gifts”.... read more >
Down again, but for how long?
25 May 2011 - With Wall Street down again, the essential question is just how scared should we be about this stock selling? And if we... read more >
Time to sell and buy!
24 May 2011 - May looks like it will end as it started with sell-offs bound to outweigh any good days. And there are good reasons to sell for... read more >
November dreaming
23 May 2011 - I warned about it before May and here we are after three weeks of sell-offs, so will the old market or investing cliché... read more >
Wall Street LinkedIn to IPOs
20 May 2011 - Two big news items came out of Wall Street last night. First, LinkedIn went public and the market loved it. And second,... read more >
Booms and crashes
19 May 2011 - How do booms begin and go mad, where everyone wants to be in a stock market? Well, it starts by the courageous who ignore the... read more >
Wall Street down but not out
18 May 2011 - When I went to bed in Shanghai – and it was pretty late – Wall Street looked like it was going to have an ugly... read more >
Choppy conditions for markets in May
17 May 2011 - It’s sell-off time again but it’s May and regular readers know that I was going on about ‘sell in May and go... read more >
Only a dope would raise interest rates
16 May 2011 - Forget about the Reserve Bank raising interest rates next month – only a dope or a team of dopes would contemplate... read more >
Time to play smart
13 May 2011 - Down one day, up the next — it looks like a choppy market. That’s what I expected and that’s what we’re... read more >
A predictable sell-off
12 May 2011 - Guess what? There could be a force capable of putting the Reserve Bank into its interest rate shell — something the... read more >
A Seinfeld budget
11 May 2011 - If the mad lot at the Reserve Bank had it in their mind to raise interest rates soon, nothing Treasurer Wayne Swan decided to... read more >
Wall Street defies Greeks
10 May 2011 - Over in Europe, the Greeks are still spooking share traders with Standard & Poor’s re-rating Greek bonds to near junk... read more >
Big, bad budget week ahead
09 May 2011 - What a week ahead for investors with the fate of the stock market, our economy, interest rates, the level of the Aussie dollar... read more >
Commodities and dollar dive
06 May 2011 - Now today is going to be a real test for the ‘buy the dips’ brigade with a hell of a lot of tumbling going on with... read more >
Could Chanos be right?
05 May 2011 - It should be a hard day at the office for local investors with Wall Street down, commodities down, miners down and, not... read more >
Chanos vs. China
04 May 2011 - With Wall Street selling-off overnight, which is no surprise given how far the stock market has risen since late August last... read more >
Osama is dead, so why no bounce?
03 May 2011 - The Dow futures predicted a 0.8 per cent jump in shares as a positive reaction to Osama bin Laden’s death but shares... read more >
The May stock market spooks begin
02 May 2011 - We’re now into May and we should soon see if the investors and the traders who call the stock market shots will sell in... read more >
That bloody dollar!
29 April 2011 - Two days in a row Wall Street has invited us to buy stocks and prosper and two days in a row our stock market refused to play... read more >
Inflation and rate rises
28 April 2011 - Inflation grabbed the headlines here and in the US but in the Yanks' case the stock market went up big time overnight while in... read more >
No bull, this is bear-hunting season
27 April 2011 - Good company and economic news in the US pushed Wall Street higher and it should provide a great start to local trading today.... read more >
Stocks – up they go!
21 April 2011 - Wall Street laid a great platform for another great day at the office for local stocks with US company earnings driving... read more >
How will US debt affect us?
20 April 2011 - An overreaction sell-off grabbed the stock market yesterday with the S&P/ASX 200 index down 68.6 points, or 1.41 per cent,... read more >
Bull market has long legs
19 April 2011 - With May looming, a month that has given rise to the cliché — “sell in May and go away” — which... read more >
Penny is OK, but Wayne isn’t!
18 April 2011 - Penny, all is forgiven but now it’s Wayne Swan in the frame as budget enemy number one. He’s the guy who is talking... read more >
How long can this bull market last?
15 April 2011 - The good times for share players might only have two years left to go and so if you are sitting on the sidelines dodging... read more >
What will the market do this year?
14 April 2011 - A very well-known fund manager recently said “I don’t know,” when I asked if he thought the market would be... read more >
Why Penny pisses me off
13 April 2011 - Finance Minister Penny Wong has become the Government’s wicked messenger always running with the argument that unless... read more >
Market to go higher or lower?
12 April 2011 - The next three weeks will tell us two things that will determine whether our stocks go up or down. First, we will see if US... read more >
What now for markets?
11 April 2011 - By mistake I read a download from a US website from 4 March, where an esteemed commentator claimed oil prices over US$100 a... read more >
No bull, I can’t bear being bearish
08 April 2011 - Wall Street went a tad negative and it comes as the bears are warning that Armageddon is just around the corner and the fact... read more >
The Buffett and Hathaway link
07 April 2011 - Investors and wealth builders would have to be nervous about how they play the stock market right now and for my part I’m... read more >
Market up 19% for five years!
06 April 2011 - In case you’re in need of a positive shot in the arm by someone qualified to dispense market optimism, then make sure you... read more >
The time to turn bearish
05 April 2011 - Regular readers know that I’m entrenched in the bulls' camp and have been since the governments of the world locked arms... read more >
Jobs beat Japan
04 April 2011 - A better-than-expected jobs report helped Wall Street up but the Yanks found a reason to be a tad negative. The worries about a... read more >
Stay invested
01 April 2011 - The good news for the market is that the US jobs report could be a catalyst to take this market higher. The bad news is that... read more >
Oz dollar going up? D'oh!
31 March 2011 - Yippee! The experts now tip the Aussie dollar goes higher from these record levels, which is great for holidaymakers but it... read more >
This worries me… not!
30 March 2011 - Sure there are lots of things out there to keep us cautious about investing, and by the way that’s a good thing, but the... read more >
What's next for markets?
29 March 2011 - In case you missed it, we had a pretty good week last week with the stock market up over two per cent and the Yanks have had a... read more >
Big investor question
28 March 2011 - The big question for investors to work out is whether the old market cliché or rule of thumb — “sell in May... read more >
Shares to thrive or dive?
25 March 2011 - Wall Street again has defied the negativity from the trouble spots of the world and it comes as some experts argue... read more >
Positively cautious
24 March 2011 - Believe it or not but there’s a strong case to believe that the Australian stock market can go up by 20 per cent this... read more >
Housing not a bubble
23 March 2011 - The judgement is in on the housing bubble in Australia and the decision is that there is no bubble but we are “uniquely... read more >
Wall Street not worried!
22 March 2011 - After the most recent pullback on Wall Street, bargain hunters showed they’re not worried about the Libyan conflict and... read more >
The investor’s game plan
21 March 2011 - With Middle East North Africa (MENA) problems retaking centre-stage over the Japanese nuclear threat in the news cycle, an... read more >
Buy now, get richer later
18 March 2011 - It looks like there are plenty of investors who don’t think Japan’s social and economic tragedy is going to derail... read more >
Will the market be nuked?
17 March 2011 - Wall Street couldn’t resist gravity and the lure of the unknown with shares diving overnight but they weren’t... read more >
The meltdown syndrome
16 March 2011 - The best advice for market players won’t come from someone like me with an academic economics background who has spent 35... read more >
Buy now or later?
15 March 2011 - In a post-Japan earthquake reaction, Wall Street couldn’t resist giving into gravity but it was helped down by more... read more >
Not another crash!
14 March 2011 - I read a commentary on what’s going on right now which added problems in the oil countries to spiking oil prices to Bill... read more >
Getting too hot in the Middle East
11 March 2011 - Well it’s been a woeful night on Wall Street overnight and Middle East/North African concerns are mixing with economic... read more >
Invest the Warren Buffett way
10 March 2011 - There are many important jobs investors should do to make sure they’re not making mistakes but high priority should be... read more >
Good oil news
09 March 2011 - Wall Street raged on with the bulls overnight and it was the good oil news, again, that has determined the direction of the... read more >
The Gaddafi Effect
08 March 2011 - The Gaddafi Effect prevails with Wall Street again spooked by the spectre of a drawn-out Middle East contagion, even if the... read more >
Oil beats jobs
07 March 2011 - Trying to work out what I need to say to regular readers takes me back to the invasion of Kuwait by Saddam Hussein in 1990. And... read more >
Jobs in the USA
04 March 2011 - I have been saying for two weeks now that the stock market’s direction will be determined by the battle between Libya and... read more >
Thank God for positive Yanks
03 March 2011 - The Yanks showed why they’re seen as the world’s supreme optimists with stocks able to end in positive territory... read more >
Stocks slip on oil
02 March 2011 - Those who dismiss the Libyan impact on oil prices and shares got it wrong today with the Dow Jones index down over 160 points... read more >
Keep punting on resources?
01 March 2011 - I always like it when my view is reinforced by someone described as a legendary investor, and that happened when US market... read more >
Wall Street ignores Libya
28 February 2011 - Wall Street ended up nicely over the weekend and that’s despite the fact that the Libyan crisis looks like it’s... read more >
Gaddafi shot, not!
25 February 2011 - Gaddafi was shot… NOT! Well, in fact, I don’t know but this was the rumour that was doing the rounds when I turned... read more >
Oil up, stocks down
24 February 2011 - Not surprisingly, stocks headed south on Wall Street with futures for oil pushing through critical price levels. Brent crude... read more >
Libya hurting oil and share prices
23 February 2011 - One thing is forgotten about stock markets, except for crashes like the one in 2007-2009, is that when a market rises over a... read more >
Could Libya cause a market crash?
22 February 2011 - There’s nothing like fear wrapped in uncertainty inside an oil producing dictatorship to unsettle stock markets. And it... read more >
Green unions blockade ahead?
21 February 2011 - Look out from mid-year this year as politics will hot up like the globe’s average temperature with the Greens set to take... read more >
The stock market – bull rush or bulldust?
18 February 2011 - Another positive day on Wall Street and the bulls are in command, despite the fact that a pullback will eventually hose down... read more >
Good omens for markets
17 February 2011 - If a correction is coming it won’t happen today but I do worry when everyone is going bullish. Of course, it... read more >
Chris Cuffe on investing in 2011
16 February 2011 - Chris Cuffe was the man who was seen as instrumental for building up the brand name of Colonial First State and made Australian... read more >
Interest rates to fall?
15 February 2011 - I know you often hear me rabbiting on about the Reserve Bank and interest rate rises but I’m not the only one! Sure what... read more >
Can we keep riding the good times?
14 February 2011 - It has been a great start to the year with the Dow Jones index up over six per cent and the S&P 500 just under that level,... read more >
Is Telstra a good buy?
11 February 2011 - With Telstra falling 0.4 per cent yesterday after a 35 per cent fall in profit, the number one nagging question has to be, is... read more >
Can we believe this optimism?
10 February 2011 - Just about all of the experts on my program over the first two weeks of the year have come with tidings of joy. And... read more >
Pullback or not?
09 February 2011 - Is it time to get out of the market? The short answer for the long-term investor is “no” but the longer answer for... read more >
It’s timing, but it’s more strategy
08 February 2011 - The biggest problem about markets is that they are like horses at the racetrack — they never seem to win when you want... read more >
Will the RBA put the frighteners on us?
07 February 2011 - Good news continues for bulls on stock markets with a less than impressive jobs report in the US not stopping major indexes... read more >
Shares to spike
04 February 2011 - Okay, you might be thinking that the USA’s economy is looking better than expected and its stock market looks poised to... read more >
Bulls' run
03 February 2011 - Last night on my Sky Business program, I hosted the battle of the bears and the bulls. And I think the bulls won the battle but... read more >
A big night for markets
02 February 2011 - You never want to get too carried away with premature optimism on a Middle East resolution when a million people are in the... read more >
How important is Egypt?
01 February 2011 - As I suggested yesterday, market direction will be determined by Egypt, earnings and economics and overnight the latter two... read more >
Story of E
31 January 2011 - The week ahead on the markets is all about E — Egypt, earnings, employment and economics. And all of this is happening... read more >
How I will invest this year
28 January 2011 - This is my last working day off before my Sky News Business Channel program kicks off on Monday and another year of talking to... read more >
Flood levy is poor relief
27 January 2011 - No one can begrudge the nation helping out the unlucky Australians who have been devastated by the relentless rains and floods... read more >
Forget interest rate rises
25 January 2011 - For anyone stressed out at the impact of the Reserve Bank’s interest rate policy on their material life or their... read more >
Could Europe be better than we think?
24 January 2011 - I’m expecting 2011 to be a better year for share buyers than 2010, where on a calendar year basis the S&P/ASX 200 was... read more >
Is a crash coming?
21 January 2011 - Some headline-grabbing commentators, website editors or simply committed bears with glass half-full attitudes are tipping a... read more >
Get a great portfolio
20 January 2011 - Holding shares is a great way to build wealth but you need to have a strategy that works. In the absence of a smart... read more >
What’s Facebook worth?
19 January 2011 - What is Facebook worth? To me this is the ultimate measure of this company’s potential and underlines why businesses have... read more >
Don’t trust the news
18 January 2011 - If you woke up this morning to no Wall Street news you might not know that it’s Martin Luther King Jr. Day in the US and... read more >
Can this rally continue?
17 January 2011 - Last week Wall Street stormed home with a solid rise of the market indexes following better-than-expected earnings reports but... read more >
My guess on gold
14 January 2011 - I’m no expert on gold but I believe there are arguments that mean it could be less attractive this year. However, I... read more >
Europe not stuffed?
13 January 2011 - Everyone knows I’m a rational optimist about the global economic recovery and the stock market in 2011, however I have... read more >
Can you trust debt dramatists?
12 January 2011 - The elephant in the room the doomsday merchants believe everyone is ignoring is the debt pile up that has gone on following the... read more >
Dollar to dive?
11 January 2011 - For those who have enjoyed the fruits of a strong Aussie dollar by holidaying overseas or by frustrating local retailers by... read more >
Shares in heaven in 2011
10 January 2011 - Welcome back to another year of investing and building wealth! You might have noticed some ill-informed commentary in... read more >
Business Boot Camp, day 12 – become a motor mouth
07 January 2011 - Marketing your business need not be an expensive exercise – all you really have to do is talk about your business at... read more >
Business Boot Camp, day 11 – coach team players
06 January 2011 - Do your staff wear uniforms or drive vehicles with your business’s name on them? If so, then are your staff properly... read more >
Business Boot Camp, day 10 – train to be a cash flow expert
05 January 2011 - I recently was asked by a young person who was keen to start her own business what she had to do to avoid failing? The advice... read more >
Business Boot Camp, day nine – more reps, less weight
04 January 2011 - All business owners want customers to return to do business. That’s why it’s so important to build a strong... read more >
Business Boot Camp, day eight – haggling for a better deal
31 December 2010 - Being a tough negotiator is a must in any business. This doesn’t mean you have to be rude, but you do have to stick to... read more >
Business Boot Camp, day seven – all systems go
30 December 2010 - Organisation is crucial to business success and great systems can help. So, what are systems? Put simply, systems involve a set... read more >
Business Boot Camp, day six – a business that’s all ears
29 December 2010 - Many business owners ignore a great source of feedback about their business, and it’s the people they are so desperately... read more >
Business Boot Camp, day five – exert some debtor pressure
24 December 2010 - Having debtors who won’t pay on time is a major cause of cash flow problems. Sometimes, getting a customer to pay can be... read more >
Business Boot Camp, day four – marketing out of left field
23 December 2010 - Thinking outside the square is important when it comes to marketing your business. Tim Pethick did it with his nudie fruit... read more >
Business Boot Camp, day three – keeping your finger on the pulse
22 December 2010 - Business owners often don’t realise how important it is to keep up with business news. A number of indicators are... read more >
Business Boot Camp, day two – customer service in training
21 December 2010 - Most businesses start and grow on the back of the founder’s great customer service. It’s driven by a passion for... read more >
Business Boot Camp, day one – your business on paper
20 December 2010 - Is it time to whip your business into shape? Over the next 12 days, Peter Switzer shares steps to get your business fit and... read more >
Debt worries? What debts?
17 December 2010 - The Dow Jones hit a two-year high overnight and you can thank the interfering governments of the world for this achievement.... read more >
Market optimists beware the Spanish bull!
16 December 2010 - Ever since I’ve ensconced myself here in New York, the economic omens and the market predictions have continued to... read more >
Beware bears
15 December 2010 - My old mate and Australia’s scariest bear, Associate Professor Steve Keen from the University of Western Sydney, is back... read more >
What worries me
14 December 2010 - Regular readers know that I’m cautiously optimistic on stocks for 2011 but, being a former academic, I have to test out... read more >
Now history points to shares
13 December 2010 - The Gillard Government’s banking reforms are important as they will increase competition to a moderate degree, but they... read more >
We need a big finish
10 December 2010 - At the moment I could be up for an expensive meal at Machiavelli’s if our stock market doesn’t have a big burst... read more >
Moves to up competition in the banking sector
09 December 2010 - How would you like to get a home loan for around four per cent for 30 years where the rate is fixed? Well, come to where I am... read more >
Tax cuts to help shares
08 December 2010 - Wall Street was higher for most of the day as President Barack Obama arrived at an agreement with Republicans over extending... read more >
Market to climb close to 20%
07 December 2010 - Sitting back in my New York apartment I was surfing the business channels and stumbled on David Kostin of Goldman Sachs who was... read more >
Don’t trust figures too much
06 December 2010 - ‘Never trust one month’s figures’ is a good piece of advice from an experienced economist and it came to me... read more >
The two-speed economy
03 December 2010 - All too often we hear economists and media commentators refer to the Australian economy as two-speed. They argue the... read more >
Big surge driven by economic news
02 December 2010 - Wall Street couldn’t have delivered for me two days ago as I stood on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange... read more >
Making it big
01 December 2010 - I’m in New York at the moment on the hunt for Aussies making it big in the Big Apple. The thinking is, to steal a line... read more >
Report from the NYSE
30 November 2010 - This report comes hot from the hallowed turf, which is the trading floor of the New York Stock Exchange. And while it was a... read more >
Big economic week ahead
29 November 2010 - Tomorrow I head down to the Grand Central for share markets — the New York Stock Exchange or Wall Street as it is often... read more >
What, me worry?
26 November 2010 - I know the odd doubting Thomas out there might question my commitment to being positive on the outlook for shares given the... read more >
Wall Street wrap
25 November 2010 - History actually says that the week of Thanksgiving on Wall Street isn’t for stocks and given the contribution from North... read more >
How to get customer service right
24 November 2010 - Trying to sell anything without a good history of delivering great customer service is like building a lifelong, loving... read more >
Tips to help your business stand out from the crowd
23 November 2010 - The renowned US business thinker, Peter Drucker, made the point all would-be entrepreneurs need to take on board, that... read more >
Choose your USP carefully
22 November 2010 - The likes of Google and Microsoft are often held up as great examples for small business people on how an entrepreneur can... read more >
Rally time
19 November 2010 - Remember earlier this week when the market was worried about Ireland and China? Well, all is forgiven or forgotten, at least... read more >
No fear today
18 November 2010 - The Irish scare has abated for the moment and it was comforting to see the Dow Jones index only down 15.62 points to 11,007.88... read more >
Rates and the Dow's dive
17 November 2010 - Wall Street’s big dive overnight reminds us that stock markets are not out of the woods yet with Eurodebt concerns... read more >
Don’t bag intervention
16 November 2010 - Anyone looking for market guidance right now might take this warning — beware the prophets of doom who will tell you... read more >
Should we be worried?
15 November 2010 - My charts champion Lance Lai predicted a sell off on the stock market last week on my Sky News Business Channel program... read more >
Doomsday merchant time
12 November 2010 - Halloween may be over but the aftermath is still with us with the doomsday merchants trying their hand at spooking the market.... read more >
Good or bad times for stocks ahead?
11 November 2010 - At a time when the market isn’t heading up and experts are using terms like “consolidation” and... read more >
Can you trust ETFs?
10 November 2010 - Wall Street drifted lower on no big news and after the US stock market hit a two-year high last week, it makes sense that the... read more >
Hockey’s bank bashing
09 November 2010 - The nation’s number one bank basher — Joe Hockey — says he’s not a bank basher but he wants a banking... read more >
Good news threat
08 November 2010 - The biggest threat to average Australians this week could be good news! That’s right, a run of good news could make the... read more >
Big day ahead
05 November 2010 - While the Australian central bank took this week, luckily for local share players the US central bank was a giver. As a... read more >
QE2 and where are the banks?
04 November 2010 - While we’ve copped bad news with interest rate rises here, the Yanks have given us good news with the US election not... read more >
Time to fix?
03 November 2010 - The combined actions of the Reserve Bank (RBA) and the Commonwealth Bank (CBA) on Cup Day is bound to rock the housing sector... read more >
The best Cup tip
02 November 2010 - In case you are distracted by the Cup and wondering if you should back So You Think at 3/1, then remember the wise words my... read more >
Huge week ahead ... And I'm not talking about the Cup
01 November 2010 - Most Australians might think the Melbourne Cup or the Reserve Bank’s interest rate decision are the big events of the... read more >
Why I interviewed Rodney Adler
29 October 2010 - Last night I delivered an exclusive on my Sky News Business Channel program with Rodney Adler’s first TV interview since... read more >
Smartest investment pin-up girl
28 October 2010 - Wall Street pulled back which is typical with profit-takers likely to bank some profits ahead of the big news items next week.... read more >
More market omens
27 October 2010 - Earlier this week, I referred to three reasons why a decent rally was in the wings. And today I will throw a few more logs on... read more >
Not so bullish
26 October 2010 - A survey out last week showed nine of the top ten risks that keep the country’s top company number crunchers awake at... read more >
A Cup tip for the stock market
25 October 2010 - We all know the cliché that bad things come in threes but could good things also come delivered in this way? Apart from... read more >
Packer paid too much
22 October 2010 - Anyone who made money after reading my take on James Packer’s raid on the Ten Network on Tuesday should be warned that my... read more >
Can we trust US optimism?
21 October 2010 - With the Australian stock market set to go higher today on the back of Wall Street putting in a very positive day on the New... read more >
Why Packer did it
20 October 2010 - At 6:15pm last night, I broke the news on the Sky News bulletin that James Packer gave lie to the argument that he no longer... read more >
Rates to stay put?
19 October 2010 - As the Aussie dollar appreciates, with parity only likely to be a brief pit stop before heading higher, anyone in business not... read more >
A new market threat!
18 October 2010 - These are weird times on markets and economies and the weirdness even got weirder over the weekend as the Dow Jones fell and... read more >
Don’t let bad news spook you
15 October 2010 - I said to Shane Oliver from AMP Capital Investors on my Sky News Business Channel program last night that this year has brought... read more >
Why our dollar is heading to parity
14 October 2010 - Twice this week, a Sydney FM radio station newsroom called me to explain the strength of the Aussie dollar. And, of course, the... read more >
Financial planners – will we be able to trust them?
13 October 2010 - Last night on my Sky News Business Channel program, the Government’s Bernie Ripoll outlined what law changes lie ahead... read more >
Bear turns bullish
12 October 2010 - When one of this country’s most respected bears goes positive, it has to be another sign that believing in this rally... read more >
History says the market goes up big time next year
11 October 2010 - The economic scorecard for the US economy isn’t impressive — economic growth is below hopes, unemployment is stuck... read more >
Buy time
08 October 2010 - If you’re out of the stock market and want to time yourself in or if you’re in but are nervous about the... read more >
Sellers are outnumbered
07 October 2010 - Wall Street refused to capitulate to negativity, despite some bad jobs data. Meanwhile two of the smartest guys in US financial... read more >
It’s good news week
06 October 2010 - It’s good news week with the Reserve Bank rejecting a rate rise yesterday and then Wall Street kicking off with a two per... read more >
October is not always a scary month
05 October 2010 - October is often thought to be the scariest month of all when stock markets crash such as in 1987 and 2008. However, the month... read more >
Don’t chicken out
01 October 2010 - After the Yanks had the best September on Wall Street in 71 years, the next logical question is — is it up or down from... read more >
Spare a thought for business owners
30 September 2010 - Political scientists might love the shenanigans going on in Canberra with all the thrills and spills of a minority government,... read more >
Wall Street up again
29 September 2010 - The commitment to buy stocks on Wall Street continued despite a disappointing reading on consumer confidence. And maybe... read more >
Dow 1000, NOT!
28 September 2010 - No we’re not off to the races just yet and Wall Street’s slip overnight is proof but it doesn’t mean that US... read more >
Big rise on Wall Street
27 September 2010 - In case you missed it, the big story on Wall Street was simple — the Dow was up 197.84 points or 1.86 per cent to... read more >
The fall we had to have
24 September 2010 - Wall Street headed south and the S&P 500 index went below the important 1131-level but maybe it was the pullback we had to... read more >
We are being softened up
23 September 2010 - Isn’t it ironic that in a week where no really significant economic data was to be put up for show and tell, the Reserve... read more >
Interest rate horror story
22 September 2010 - The only thing good about the latest speculation that the Reserve Bank will increase interest rates by 100 basis points next... read more >
A September stock market to remember?
21 September 2010 - Expect a great day on the stock market today with Wall Street surging overnight with the S&P 500 breaking through an... read more >
Why I’m positive now
20 September 2010 - Over the past few weeks I put the kibosh on double dip recession talk in the US and the stock market in recent days has... read more >
Have faith!
17 September 2010 - Wall Street showed no conviction to go higher overnight but it's definitely in no mood for a sell-off and that’s a great... read more >
Rally ahead! Or not?
16 September 2010 - Today I want to tell you why the S&P 500 index will break through the 1200-level by year’s end. And then I want to... read more >
Time to buy and buy dividend stocks!
15 September 2010 - Wall Street didn’t want to go negative overnight and the chief global equities strategist at Bank of America Merrill... read more >
Market signs are positive
14 September 2010 - Regular readers might remember when I advanced the proposition that the US recovery might not be V-shaped, nor U-shaped and I... read more >
Safer banks could hurt your investments
13 September 2010 - Banks shares could be under pressure today with 27 countries’ central bankers agreeing to new rules over the weekend that... read more >
Why I hate Nouriel Roubini
10 September 2010 - There’s a guy I don’t know but I have to confess I hate him. He is an economist and so he does give you a head... read more >
Understand value to get rich on stocks
09 September 2010 - I got the rudest reply to a relevant question on my Sky News Business Channel program last night and it was one of the best... read more >
Beware dependence on independents
08 September 2010 - With market news out of the US sparse on the ground, it’s timely to evaluate Independents’ Day in Canberra... read more >
Stock market to rise 30%
07 September 2010 - Based on what economists are seeing with US corporate earnings and where New York’s stock exchange indexes are,... read more >
Has Wall Street ruled out a double-dip recession?
06 September 2010 - The first week in September on Wall Street might become a week to remember with economic data gradually turning to the more... read more >
Good economic news
03 September 2010 - Wall Street had another positive day with economic data again reminding the prophets of doom that there’s more life in... read more >
Wall Street heads north
02 September 2010 - What a difference a day makes, especially when the doomsday merchants are brought to book by hard data. And even the Yanks got... read more >
Wall Street shuffle
01 September 2010 - Another day on Wall Street and while there was little advancement, there was no substantial sell off which shows maybe the... read more >
How long does a rally last?
31 August 2010 - After a pretty substantial fall on Wall Street overnight, just after a big rise during the trading day before, the question has... read more >
Bumpy ride ahead
30 August 2010 - My Saturday morning was either going to be made or broken by two big news stories out of the US. The first was the second... read more >
Dow under 10,000
27 August 2010 - Wall Street has taken us into worrying territory with the Dow finishing below the psychologically important 10,000-level. This... read more >
A rise, but why?
26 August 2010 - Wall Street limped across the line to end in positive territory but it wasn’t a bad effort given the fact that new... read more >
The ABC of not being scared
25 August 2010 - On a day when Wall Street has set us up for a pretty rough time on the stock market after existing home sales fell a whopping... read more >
Missing a reason to buy
24 August 2010 - Wall Street’s stock market players clearly don’t have strong reasons to buy and it explains why so much cash is... read more >
Hung stocks
23 August 2010 - Late last week my colleague on Sky News Business Channel, Mike Willesee, asked what the consequence might be for the stock... read more >
Economic problems again
20 August 2010 - Yesterday I suggested sentiment might be turning and it was, but unfortunately the US economy isn’t turning and until it... read more >
Is sentiment turning?
19 August 2010 - My charts guy Lance Lai called me yesterday afternoon and when he does this sort of thing it’s not to see how I am, but... read more >
BHP on Wall Street
18 August 2010 - Wall Street reacted well to a good industrial production numbers and BHP-Billiton’s takeover offer for Canadian... read more >
Sit tight
17 August 2010 - No conviction on Wall Street with mixed data not giving any solid reason to buy or sell en masse. And so it poses the question... read more >
Sinking feeling again
16 August 2010 - Many part-time market players worry about October’s inclination to be harsh on share players but history says September... read more >
No dummy spit on Wall Street
13 August 2010 - The good news is that Wall Street didn't spit the dummy and record a triple digit sell-off again. The bad news is we were down... read more >
The charts predicted the slump
12 August 2010 - A couple of weeks ago, my charts guy on my Sky News Business Channel program predicted that those damn wriggly lines with their... read more >
Why I love Disneyland
11 August 2010 - I know some negative, doomsday merchant bears think my positive attitude to shares suggests that I could hail from Disneyland.... read more >
Another good day on high hopes
10 August 2010 - Despite expectations that the US economy will grow more slowly than previously thought, the Dow put on 45 points or 0.42 per... read more >
Why the stock market is better than footy
09 August 2010 - Wall Street’s failure to get too stressed out about a hardly impressive jobs report has to be seen a positive sign. In... read more >
Biding time on Wall Street
06 August 2010 - Not surprisingly, Wall Street marked time overnight waiting for the job numbers tonight. And share buyer enthusiasm... read more >
The market goes higher
05 August 2010 - Wall Street brought good economic news, not great news, but it was enough to send the stock market indexes up. That’s... read more >
Down but not out
04 August 2010 - Groucho Marx once brilliantly observed that “only one man in a thousand is a leader of men, the other 999 follow... read more >
A nice spike for investors
03 August 2010 - The momentum of better than expected US company reporting and some more positive economic readings, which build the case for a... read more >
Dramatic data week ahead
02 August 2010 - The Yanks had their best month on the stock market in 12 months with the Dow Jones up over seven per cent while the local... read more >
Sweating on growth
30 July 2010 - Even with the ‘best’ efforts of some US officials of questionable intelligence and with some uninspiring economic... read more >
Earnings good news
29 July 2010 - For those who don’t like anything negative when it comes to their investments and want to find a positive out of... read more >
The signs are getting better
28 July 2010 - The doubters will point to the weakness of Wall Street’s gain but they choose to ignore the fact that the Dow Jones index... read more >
US economic data on the improve
27 July 2010 - Gradually the doomsday merchants are being proved wrong with company earnings continuing to beat expectations — even the... read more >
EU banks OK
26 July 2010 - The European bank stress tests couldn’t have come in any better with only seven banks out of 91 deemed vulnerable to... read more >
Great news on earnings and Europe
23 July 2010 - Great US company earnings and much improved economic news out of Europe set Wall Street up for a triple-digit move on the Dow,... read more >
Unusually uncertain? No surprises there
22 July 2010 - Negative comments from the US central bank boss Ben Bernanke slightly spooked Wall Street overnight with the Dow losing a tick... read more >
It's getting rosier
21 July 2010 - Another positive day on Wall Street and you get the feeling that positive sentiment is starting to compete effectively with the... read more >
IBM's big blue
20 July 2010 - Just when Wall Street throws the monkey off its back – which hopped on late last week with a big slump in consumer... read more >
What KO'd Wall Street?
19 July 2010 - When my charts guy Lance Lai rang me on Friday afternoon and told me the technicals were not looking good, he was hoping I... read more >
Waiting for Wall Street data
16 July 2010 - Wall Street has investors in two minds with company reporting impressing on the high side just when the economic readings are... read more >
Property bulldust
15 July 2010 - With Wall Street just making it into positive territory and on hold until the next batch of company reportings and... read more >
Let the good times roll
14 July 2010 - It’s been a big night for the optimists with the Dow Jones piling on 147 points and racking up six days of positive... read more >
US earnings season begins — so far, so good
13 July 2010 - Day one of US reporting season and Alcoa did better than expected on the top line and the bottom line. It also painted a rosier... read more >
Dramatic data days ahead
12 July 2010 - The correction of the stock market is now re-correcting — let’s call it a rally — with the Dow Jones up 5.28... read more >
More wow on Wall Street
09 July 2010 - Another wow-day on Wall Street and it was a close run thing with the market flirting with the negative an hour before the... read more >
Wall Street wow
08 July 2010 - As Pamplona in Spain celebrated the “running of the bulls”, on Wall Street in New York, the bulls, at long... read more >
Wall Street up, but can it stay there?
07 July 2010 - The Yanks gave up a 170-point gain, went negative but finished in the black, which was not a bad effort considering they... read more >
Why bank and resource stocks are down
06 July 2010 - With no Wall Street to determine direction today on the local stock market, it’s highly likely we will drift much like... read more >
New resource tax and other reasons to buy shares
05 July 2010 - The two big issues for the week just gone were the replacement of the RSPT with the MRRT — mineral resource rent tax... read more >
Can we believe Greenspan’s optimism?
02 July 2010 - Wall Street just won't give us a break with another negative day as the Dow dropped 0.42 per cent, with disappointing economic... read more >
When will we rally?
01 July 2010 - Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus and there is often a Santa Claus rally on Wall Street. And while I could have issues with... read more >
Tough day at the office
30 June 2010 - The negative news is flowing and howling like Hurricane Alex off the Gulf of Mexico, and traders have headed for the exit doors... read more >
No double dip
29 June 2010 - The battle at the G20 meeting over the weekend got down to — to spend or not to spend — and the US, the country... read more >
Bulls and bears
28 June 2010 - Wall Street was undecided how to react to the financial regulation reforms, which are set to be passed by the Congress this... read more >
Great news after the closing bell
25 June 2010 - Another bad day at the office on Wall Street and some of my readers and clients who can’t help but think they’re... read more >
Gillard wins top job; where to for Wall Street?
24 June 2010 - The two big stories for the morning for me were that Gillard stepped up to take the top job and that the economic signs are... read more >
Not worried by Wall Street falls
23 June 2010 - Another negative day on Wall Street and it would surprise me if our stock market can resist the gravitational pull. But how... read more >
Could Abbott cruel the Telstra deal?
22 June 2010 - It was great news to see Telstra spike up 3.4 per cent yesterday, however, in the early part of the day the stock was up over... read more >
Is there a rally ahead?
21 June 2010 - The case for a rally is building but there are those who think another correction could follow that. On the other hand, some... read more >
US economy weakening?
18 June 2010 - After stocks had a rough day at the office, in the final hour the major US indices ended up positive, which was a pretty good... read more >
Market stress relief is on the way
17 June 2010 - If the market’s reluctance to rise and its recent tendency to dive is stressing you out, don’t worry — there... read more >
Rally on better Euro-debt
16 June 2010 - Wall Street gave into the positive vibe with stocks rallying on better European debt news and then the technicals took over.... read more >
Catch up – news from Wall Street
15 June 2010 - For public holiday revellers, there have been two days of Wall Street we need to review to get a feel for what might happen... read more >
Rip-roaring Wall Street
11 June 2010 - As if willed by a desperate optimist like yours truly, Wall Street has turned on a dime and headed up. And it was good economic... read more >
Wall Street down, not out
10 June 2010 - OK, Wall Street couldn’t deliver a positive outcome but the fact there wasn’t a rout on the US stock market is a... read more >
S&P/ASX 200 to end the year at 6000?
09 June 2010 - We needed a Wall Street relief rally and it turned up on cue but now we have to see some consolidation so a base is built to... read more >
Perfect storm not as windy as GFC
08 June 2010 - The resource super profits tax is a big deal for Australian investors and our political parties as well as their enamoured... read more >
The bad news is winning
07 June 2010 - The big news is that the Dow Jones index finished down below 10,000 and you can blame a disappointing US jobs report, which... read more >
Test the banks
04 June 2010 - The banks copped a bagging in the Fairfax press and the charge is gouging which has delivered billions. But rather than... read more >
Shares rising, rates pausing
03 June 2010 - The Australian stock market will be up today with Wall Street ignoring more Spanish bulldust with investors focusing on good... read more >
I’m not politically biased… just filthy!
02 June 2010 - A viewer to my program SWITZER on Sky News Business Channel made the point that he was a regular ‘watcher’ of the... read more >
Stumbling over Europe
01 June 2010 - The Yanks are on a public holiday — Memorial Day — and so, for a change I have gone to Europe to see what has... read more >
Don’t hate miners
31 May 2010 - Europe and its EU member nations are going to make life on stock markets hard again this week as the negativity of what... read more >
Market up at last
28 May 2010 - It’s ironic but just as the media runs with the story that the Rudd Government was rethinking its resource super profits... read more >
Now comes the tough bit
27 May 2010 - Wall Street’s failure to go on with the positive job overnight could be seen as a disappointment but it could be the calm... read more >
What’s going on?
26 May 2010 - You may well ask what in the hell is going on in financial markets? And the accurate answer is a lack of confidence is mixing... read more >
Rudd's mining tax – the result
25 May 2010 - I have to take a very early flight to Cairns today but I wanted to hit you with a dramatic observation about the resource super... read more >
Possibly positive – will Wall Street avoid a double dip?
24 May 2010 - After a week of disastrous dives, Wall Street went positive after a pretty worrying start on Friday. This should give our... read more >
EU mistakes again
21 May 2010 - Stock markets are sent to test us and the ordeal is made worst when Governments and politicians trying to save their skins get... read more >
Hang tough
20 May 2010 - Waking each morning in Shanghai this week I’m two hours behind my usual Wall Street play and it has meant I have been two... read more >
D'oh! Did Governor Stevens jump the gun?
19 May 2010 - After jumping the gun and forcing up interest rates to avoid a future inflation threat, our Reserve Bank could be now having a... read more >
China in a Euro trap
18 May 2010 - The bears are getting an upper hand on the stock market with oil dropping below US$70 a barrel as a reflection of... read more >
Not Europe again
17 May 2010 - Euro-worries have again spooked Wall Street with the Dow Jones off 162.79 points to end at around 10,620.16 —... read more >
Good sign from Wall St
14 May 2010 - The Dow and other US markets were down overnight but there was a really good sign — Wall Street ignored promises from... read more >
Will resource tax undermine market recovery?
13 May 2010 - More good news on the stock market front with Wall Street up again and nicely higher, which reinforces my view that we’re... read more >
Budget – economic rabbit
12 May 2010 - The Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd, has turned to the one part of his reign that he could argue he has got right — the... read more >
Post Euro bailout
11 May 2010 - Day one since Europe came to its senses with its 750 billion euro bailout of its problem child debtors and the reaction has... read more >
We could go up
10 May 2010 - Today will be a first up test of the Greek bailout package that was finally sorted out over the weekend and should be the... read more >
Sell-off on Wall Street
07 May 2010 - It was the worst possible outcome with the Greek debt problem colliding into what appears to be a computer stuff-up. The Yanks... read more >
More Euro fears
06 May 2010 - With Wall Street still wary of the Euro debt problems, the question becomes — is this a reason to get out of shares or is... read more >
Not more Euro debt!
05 May 2010 - It was a challenging day, not just for Wall Street, but for the rest of the world’s stock markets with fears spreading... read more >
The Henry resource test
04 May 2010 - Australian resource stocks and their concerned CEOs have their first test today with Wall Street strongly positive this... read more >
Henry vs. Wall Street
03 May 2010 - Following the Government’s response to the Henry Tax Review, which will rip around $10 billion a year off miners to fund... read more >
Rally is not bull
30 April 2010 - Another bad day for the poor old bears on Wall Street and other stock markets with another round of “a Greek bailout... read more >
What a surprise!
29 April 2010 - What a surprise! The Greek tragedy of yesterday has not turned into contagion and another stock market collapse and... read more >
Concerns over Greece a load of bull
28 April 2010 - The Dow had its worst fall in months after debt ratings on Greece and Portugal were downgraded. This is such bullsh-t and is... read more >
Europeans worry me, Yanks don’t
27 April 2010 - Talk of another correction is sneaking into commentators' columns but the bull rally continues with US earnings surprising on... read more >
Pace of interest rate rises over-the-top
23 April 2010 - The country’s most important bean counters, sorry, chief financial officers, are surveyed by Deloitte and here were the... read more >
Reject naysayers
22 April 2010 - With the Goldman Sachs story — no, drama — now spreading from Wall Street to Germany and the UK, the next local... read more >
Tips from a cautious investor
21 April 2010 - One of my guests on SWITZER on the Sky News Business Channel last night was apologetic for being a cautious investor right now... read more >
Business health before the Budget
20 April 2010 - Ahead of the May Federal Budget, more economists are now thinking the month could usher in the overdue pause by the Reserve... read more >
Switzer’s scoreboard – left field
19 April 2010 - Today the market is bound to follow Wall Street’s negative lead following the charging of Goldman Sachs by Securities... read more >
Google good news
16 April 2010 - Another great day for the bulls with Google reporting strongly on Wall Street and the Yanks getting another good economic... read more >
Don’t crow too loudly
15 April 2010 - It’s significant that on the day that my old UNSW colleague, Steve Keen, starts his walk from Canberra to Mt Kosciuszko,... read more >
Intel result is not boring!
14 April 2010 - Last night on my program, SWITZER on Sky Business, BT’s chief economist Chris Caton said he thought the S&P/ASX 200... read more >
More rate rises ahead?
13 April 2010 - Is the Reserve Bank starting to crack on interest rates? Maybe we won’t we see interest rates go up four more times this... read more >
The big issues for shares this week
12 April 2010 - The Switzer Stocks Scoreboard looks back at the week that was in money, economics and business ahead of the start of reporting... read more >
Two reasons for the rate rise
09 April 2010 - Two troubling things have driven the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) to make this questionable decision to raise interest rates... read more >
Buyer of the dips
08 April 2010 - I know the doomsday merchants trying to talk down the stock market are giving it another shot after 13 months of stock market... read more >
Top stock tips from UBS
07 April 2010 - One of the great parts of my business life is to get inside the heads of experts and, for hip pocket reasons, I always love it... read more >
Switzer’s scoreboard – US jobs report
06 April 2010 - The Switzer Stocks Scoreboard for the start of this Easter-shortened week starts with what was always going to be the biggest... read more >
Don’t hide behind Kochie
01 April 2010 - With the latest round of downbeat data, the Reserve Bank can’t raise interest rates on Tuesday and hide behind its... read more >
The Wolf’s message
31 March 2010 - What’s the appeal of a guy like Jordan Belfort, who has become ‘affectionately' known as the Wolf of Wall Street?... read more >
The RBA Governor on property
30 March 2010 - Beware Reserve Bank Governors giving advice as they could come with the best of intentions but still leave behind the wrong... read more >
Switzer’s scoreboard – big market movers
29 March 2010 - I know there are a lot of concerns out there from Greece and its debt dramas to double dip talk in the US to the share spooking... read more >
Women better than men at trading
26 March 2010 - If Phillipa Green ran Babcock & Brown rather than Phil Green, would the Macquarie wannabe still be around today? And would... read more >
Experts on small caps
25 March 2010 - Last night on my SWITZER program on the Sky News Business Channel, Professor Ron Bewley looked at his local version of the fear... read more >
Don’t be a credit card patsy
24 March 2010 - With all of the hullabaloo over Westpac charging interest on interest and fees on credit card balances, I thought it was time... read more >
Media madness
23 March 2010 - The ups and downs of the stock market daily and the media reports that go with it really have to be scrutinized with the kind... read more >
Switzer’s scoreboard
22 March 2010 - As a unique Monday morning offering I have created a Switzer Scoreboard that captures the big market-moving stories of last... read more >
Telstra - buy, sell or hold the line?
19 March 2010 - There are many questions for the 1.4 million Telstra shareholders as the telco deals with the possible break up of the company.... read more >
The Kath & Kim call
18 March 2010 - Barring anything from left field, as Kath from Kath & Kim might say, “I feel it in me waters” that a stock... read more >
Outlook for the Dow
17 March 2010 - There are two headlines that will always get me in. The first says something like — 'The Dow to drop 1000 points!' The... read more >
Talk of double dip again
16 March 2010 - I don’t know what is Chinese for ducks and drakes but that’s what I think Premier Wen Jiabao was playing when he... read more >
The latest good news
15 March 2010 - In case you are wavering and worried that we’re missing something that could determine the direction of the stock market,... read more >
Invest like you know yourself
12 March 2010 - Since the beginning of February our S&P/ASX 200 index is up around five per cent and that’s a nice gain. That’s... read more >
Shoulders of giants
11 March 2010 - Over the years I have been amazed how technically-savvy this country’s entrepreneurs are, but it takes a special breed of... read more >
Forget double dip
10 March 2010 - If a fear of a double dip recession is holding back your enthusiasm for shares right now, you should know the chances of this... read more >
The Telstra situation
09 March 2010 - At the risk of stealing a line made famous by Rove McManus, when I think about the Telstra share price languishing below $3 and... read more >
Stock market return
08 March 2010 - Looking at the economic and corporate tea leaves it foretells a story that looks very likely to come to pass — the stock... read more >
How to get rich
05 March 2010 - Forbes magazine has done the numbers on the country’s richest and a Western Australian man and woman won the titles for... read more >
Show super some respect
04 March 2010 - What has always got me beat is how we Aussies love the idea of bricks and mortar but we’re so indifferent about our... read more >
Rate rise unwise?
03 March 2010 - Another first Tuesday of the month has come and gone for the borrowers of Australia and the anxiety of awaiting the decision by... read more >
The lonely optimist
02 March 2010 - Hats off to The Daily Telegraph today, which ran a good news story quoting an investment guru who prophesised good times ahead!... read more >
Beware the Ides of March markets
01 March 2010 - Right now there has been a run of US economic data that doesn’t look real flash. The same is happening here in Australia... read more >
Falling stocks could help
26 February 2010 - I can’t believe I am about to write this, but a couple of bad days on the stock market could stop the Reserve Bank from... read more >
Youssef’s top 10 stocks for 2010
25 February 2010 - With earnings season in full swing, I put it to Austock’s private client expert Joseph Youssef to see what his top 10... read more >
Who needs consumers?
24 February 2010 - Wall Street did not like the latest reading on US consumer confidence, which dived in February to its lowest level in 10... read more >
12 tips for SMSFs
23 February 2010 - On the weekend, the AFR put together a nice 10-point plan for making sure you whipped your self-managed super fund (SMSF) into... read more >
Should share buyers be optimistic?
22 February 2010 - With the start to the 2010 share-buying season dancing with a correction which then has been partially... read more >
Bond's portfolio up 165.8%
19 February 2010 - Experts often bag the idea of 'buy and hold' portfolios but RBS Morgans stockbroker Simon Bond actually brought out one... read more >
No rate rise in March
18 February 2010 - The good news is that the Reserve Bank might not raise interest rates in March. The bad news is that the official cash rate of... read more >
Tough love for the Big Four banks
17 February 2010 - This might sound like national treachery of Quisling proportions but I have to confess to loving the Big Four Australian banks!... read more >
Share picking is hard
16 February 2010 - One continual theme that I keep getting on my television program — SWITZER on the Sky News Business Channel — is... read more >
Invest in your parents spending your inheritance!
15 February 2010 - Don’t worry about your ageing parents, especially if they’re baby boomers, but they could spend your inheritance.... read more >
Bear trap or bull rush?
12 February 2010 - Right now with Greece and its piggy mates spooking stock markets, the question for money makers is, 'will there be more... read more >
Beware swine poo and hogwash
11 February 2010 - For the first time since 6 March last year, long-term investors need to be wary of the hogwash that is coming out linked to the... read more >
PIGS rescued
10 February 2010 - Markets hate uncertainty, especially negative uncertainty, and right now the PIGS of Europe are spooking the ‘you know... read more >
Data, not gut feeling
09 February 2010 - History has often shown me that it seldom pays to ignore your gut feelings when it comes to judging people but I have... read more >
Dirty Harry concerns
08 February 2010 - Once again investors find themselves in a Dirty Harry-style predicament where they have to ask — do they feel lucky?... read more >
Market dive drama
05 February 2010 - Hold your breath and brace for a bad day on the markets with even the Oz dollar now slumping into the 86 US cents band. And the... read more >
Two concerns for recovery
04 February 2010 - Optimists may well see my usual diet of easily digestible economic and company titbits as building the case for an improving... read more >
Stick to quality
03 February 2010 - Beware the doomsday merchants; they could prove very costly! I was just thinking about this when I saw real estate prices in... read more >
Market stirrers
02 February 2010 - After some pretty bad days at the office for Wall Street and even worse ones for the local stock market, the Yanks went... read more >
January not a Jonah
01 February 2010 - There are two big questions as we greet the first trading day of February. The first is, are we in for a 10 per cent plus drop... read more >
It's earnings, Stupid
29 January 2010 - Bill Clinton once reminded us about the importance of the economy in his famous “it’s the economy, Stupid”... read more >
Crystal balls of 44 fund managers
28 January 2010 - Christmas and all of its shopping and celebrating activities can be a distraction — a great distraction. And my case was... read more >
Shakespearean guidance
27 January 2010 - When PM Kevin Rudd gets over his number one Aussie persona, which he had publicly for a day on 26 January, he will have to put... read more >
Don't panic
25 January 2010 - There’s a lot of talk about a correction of the stock market around right now, but the only people who should be really... read more >
Is a correction close?
22 January 2010 - Just when market prophets have been warning a correction of share prices is looming, along come two big, responsible question... read more >
World outlook on the up
21 January 2010 - You don’t have to be an economist to know China is delivering big time on the economic growth front and this should... read more >
Out of the zone
20 January 2010 - The thing about travelling to places such as New York is that you are taken out of your comfort zone. And for a media man like... read more >
Use the economic force
19 January 2010 - Star Wars legend Obi-Wan Kenobi made the advice — “use the force Luke” — famous. A line I pedalled,... read more >
No rate rise in February
18 January 2010 - Just when the experts were telling us that the Reserve Bank wouldn’t raise interest rates in February — poof!... read more >
2010 Australian business boom
15 January 2010 - For those worried about the doomsday merchants and their prophecies of double dip recessions and share price bedlam,... read more >
The property manifesto
14 January 2010 - Looking to build your wealth through property? This is my Property Manifesto, which outlines what you should know when trying... read more >
The 2010 crystal ball
13 January 2010 - This time last year, I was cautiously optimistic that we would see an economic and stock market rebound over 2009. I... read more >
Last year's best forecasters
12 January 2010 - At the end of last year, the people over at CommSec did a very bad and dangerous thing— they evaluated the accuracy of... read more >
Money tips for the new year
11 January 2010 - The tabloid press was knocked out by a survey of New Year’s Day resolutions a couple of years ago that put the old... read more >
Money makeover, day 12 – how to build wealth
07 January 2010 - I have many favourite quotations that drive me daily and I share them regularly with my business and personal investment... read more >
Money makeover, day 11 – why pay for the best advice?
07 January 2010 - On the penultimate day of my money makeover, which has stretched over 10 previous articles, I’ve tried to give you the... read more >
Money makeover, day ten – it's all about diversification
06 January 2010 - The Wall Street Journal and The New York Times recently looked at the performance of shares over the past decade. The themes of... read more >
Money makeover, day nine – the safer option
05 January 2010 - In the previous two instalments of my money makeover, I looked at getting your hard earned money into property and shares. Now... read more >
Money makeover, day eight – shares or property?
04 January 2010 - In Friday’s installment of my 12-part money makeover series, I looked at ways to build your wealth using good old bricks... read more >
Money makeover, day seven – money nitty gritty
31 December 2009 - It's now time for the actual stuff you can do to start getting wealthier. In articles over the past week, which you can check... read more >
Money makeover, day six – the perfect money plan
29 December 2009 - “The secret of success is sincerity. Once you can fake that you’ve got it made.” So wrote Arthur Bloch in... read more >
Money makeover, day five - destroy debt
28 December 2009 - A bank, by tempting us with credit cards, is the modern day pariah that seduces many of us into a life of wealth-killing debt.... read more >
Money makeover, day four – find money and save
23 December 2009 - At the risk of being called dull and boring, again let me remind you that the main game has to be to find money and get it into... read more >
Money makeover, day three – 10 ways to save and build wealth
22 December 2009 - What follows are the 10 habits of successful wealth builders. There are more, but I think these are a nice start. If... read more >
Money makeover, day two – the secret to success
21 December 2009 - Success is simple — CHANGE! But that’s the hard bit. How do you change? There are seven questions you have to... read more >
Day 1 - Wealth Building
21 December 2009 - Apart from not being loved, our next greatest fear is to be poor. For some of us, it’s our greatest worry but, rankings... read more >
Be positive in 2010
18 December 2009 - As 2010 looms, I remain positive on the economy and stock market. No one should expect anything like this year with the 50 per... read more >
The next top 10 shares
17 December 2009 - Two days ago, I promised to look at my second top 10 stocks for my portfolio. Excuse me for being old fashioned but I like to... read more >
China is a bubble — not!
16 December 2009 - To rework a quote from the less than formidable, albeit funnier, source — Rodney Rude — I hate it, I hate it when... read more >
The best share play for '10
15 December 2009 - A regular reader of our website cornered me at a recent Christmas party and asked, “But what are the best 10 stocks I... read more >
Big bullish view for '10
14 December 2009 - As someone who spearheaded the “we might avoid a technical recession” and that “stock markets usually bounce... read more >
Most outrageous business story of the year
11 December 2009 - This has to be the most outrageous business story of the year and it’s up against a lot of stiff competition. And let me... read more >
Shares to rise 15pc by mid-next year
10 December 2009 - Every time I see the market use some bad economic or market news to sell off, my reaction is to think of the legendary Star... read more >
Top eight share questions for '10
09 December 2009 - Out of good taste let me sanitise an old saying that has relevance to my view on experts and what they think about the stock... read more >
10 economic predictions for '10
08 December 2009 - What follows are the top 10 economic predictions for 2010 from Nariman Behravesh, the chief economist at IHS Global Insight. I... read more >
Does good economics mean bad politics?
07 December 2009 - The Yanks and President Obama got some great news on the jobless front last Friday while our Prime Minister Kevin Rudd will be... read more >
It's jobs, stupid!
04 December 2009 - When I think about what the US has to do to cement this stock market recovery, it gets down to — read my words, to rework... read more >
Don't judge this book by its title
03 December 2009 - Today the Yanks got, just in time for Christmas, the most exciting, boring sounding book of all time. It is called the Beige... read more >
Greedy Gail
02 December 2009 - Gail Kelly has gone to the top of the class making her the favourite to win the greediest banker of the year award. The action... read more >
Day after Dubai
01 December 2009 - The local stock market shrugged off the Dubai doubts with the ASX 200 up 129 points to end at 4,701. Fortunately we woke this... read more >
Dubai debt
30 November 2009 - It was only a year ago that Dubai was the world champion of the cranes on the skyline test. It has hotels in the middle of the... read more >
Rates - don't touch 'em
27 November 2009 - While the Americans tuck into their Thanksgiving turkeys, I hope the board members of the Reserve Bank take a lead from the... read more >
More top dividend-paying stocks
26 November 2009 - For those who have missed the best eight months of your money making life not being exposed to shares from 6 March this year... read more >
Top dividend-paying stocks
25 November 2009 - Since the 6 March low on the stock market, the S&P/ASX 200 index has ridden up close to 50 per cent and now the doomsday... read more >
The results are in
24 November 2009 - Financial planners can breathe easy, for now, following the tabling of the bi-partisan Ripoll Inquiry into the financial advice... read more >
Thanksgiving miracle
23 November 2009 - It’s a big week in the USA in more ways than one. First, the very-American Thanksgiving Day happens on Thursday. I have... read more >
Beachley inspiration
20 November 2009 - Last night I had the pleasure of interviewing Layne Beachley on my program — SWITZER — on Sky News Business... read more >
Get money smart!
19 November 2009 - It’s time that something was invented or created to rival sex. Some mad media types have tried to have us believe that we... read more >
Hedge funds - good or bad?
18 November 2009 - In the whole scheme of things the bad guys in life are obviously mass murderers, criminals, terrorists and hedge fund managers.... read more >
Battle of the investment experts - Boubouras vs. Kidman
17 November 2009 - What if this current rally on the stock market was nothing but a bull rally inside a secular bear market? What if that is crap... read more >
All we have to fear
16 November 2009 - At the height of the Great Depression, the US president Franklin D. Roosevelt made the “all we have to fear is fear... read more >
Salary sacrificers beware!
13 November 2009 - Easy come, easy go is a cliché that could be used to explain why the Rudd Government is set to change the rules that... read more >
One word for success
12 November 2009 - My business life has been dominated by my great fortune to talk to Australia’s and even the world’s greatest... read more >
On the money
11 November 2009 - I always love to find a statistic or some other business or economic fact that makes me feel comfortable that my positive view... read more >
Big call Bennett
10 November 2009 - One of my favourite big call merchants is Clifford Bennett from Herston Economics. And last night on my Sky News Business... read more >
Want to get wealthier?
09 November 2009 - Now that the Melbourne horseracing carnival has come to a close and the number of the nation’s punters falls back to more... read more >
Boom on the Dow
06 November 2009 - Stocks in Australia will boom with the Dow Jones slamming on a 200-point plus gain smashing through the psychologically... read more >
Be grateful for big mercies
05 November 2009 - Now for something entirely different. Why does someone come to a website like this one? It’s simple. They want answers.... read more >
Armageddon? Don't think so!
04 November 2009 - After a massive run up on the stock market which was over 50 per cent but is now up around 44 per cent since the March lows,... read more >
How scared should we be of a rate rise?
03 November 2009 - With everybody tipping an interest rate rise before the Melbourne Cup today, there’s one question that should be asked by... read more >
Future watch
02 November 2009 - Last week, I suggested that the economy has become the main game and that’s why Wall Street and our stock market went up... read more >
It’s not timing the market but time in the market
30 October 2009 - The goal I set myself when I put my fingers to the keyboard is to tell my readers something they don’t know. I always... read more >
The interest rate cup
29 October 2009 - It was always going to be a big day for anyone worried about interest rate rises and now that the latest inflation data has... read more >
The key word is 'however'
28 October 2009 - With the stock market giving back some of its gains in recent weeks, there’s one really important word that has to be... read more >
Expect the unexpected
27 October 2009 - One thing I’ve learnt watching and commenting on stock markets and economies for over 25 years is that you have to expect... read more >
Testing the Wall Street rally
26 October 2009 - Wall Street continues to struggle with gravity with the Dow Jones having trouble with the psychologically resistant... read more >
Go you good thing
23 October 2009 - Those looking to doubt our recovery have been dealt some news they won’t like to hear with the Chinese economy reported... read more >
America is no doughnut economy
22 October 2009 - Homer Simpson once asked the question: "Doughnuts. Is there anything they can’t do?" The same question might be... read more >
Cup day rate rises - a safe bet?
21 October 2009 - If the scary interest rate talk of three rises in a row and even a whopping half-a-per cent rise is under starter’s... read more >
Apple of the earning season's eye
20 October 2009 - On the 22-year anniversary of the Crash of 1987, the Dow Jones and the S&P 500 indexes kept climbing, defying gravity and... read more >
The Empire strikes back
19 October 2009 - For people old enough to remember Nine’s sports broadcaster, Darrell Eastlake, this US company reporting week and... read more >
Governor Stevens set to star in A Nightmare of Debt Street – the sequel
16 October 2009 - The Reserve Bank Governor Glenn Stevens continues to terrorise those in debt with a speech yesterday that confirms he has no... read more >
JPMorgan result puts the bears into hiding
15 October 2009 - It’s early days in the US reporting season and for the bears it's not good news. Some great results came out yesterday... read more >
US recession over – or is it?
14 October 2009 - It is now official in the USA — the recession is over — and that’s a message the 15 million unemployed... read more >
Huge week ahead
13 October 2009 - These are weird times on the markets considering we have just commemorated the weekend when global financial and stock markets,... read more >
The great rate debate
12 October 2009 - Despite the fall in unemployment, the board of the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) are the biggest bunch of killjoys in the... read more >
Jobs up - but what else is on the rise?
09 October 2009 - There might have been high fives and champagne popping all-round at the Reserve Bank (RBA), following yesterday’s... read more >
Peter Costello – no guts, no glory
08 October 2009 - The exit stage right for Peter Costello is a significant day in both the political and economic history of Australia. Costello... read more >
Who will have the last laugh? The Three Stooges and the rate rise
07 October 2009 - The Reserve Bank’s decision to slap a surprise interest rate rise, which incidentally I tipped on the six o’clock... read more >
No rate rise please
06 October 2009 - My old mate, Rory Robertson, the hotshot economist and interest rate expert for the millionaire’s factory —... read more >
Shares on the nose?
02 October 2009 - There's a stench that some people seem to smell about shares, and the perceived pong has been pumped up thanks to the Global... read more >
Super slackness
01 October 2009 - Newspapers ran with the wrong heading this week, when they screamed that: “Super fees cost savers $14 billion a... read more >
Everything that glitters is not gold
30 September 2009 - One thing I learnt writing for great newspapers such as The Australian is that if you wanted to get a big pointer for your... read more >
Don't stop stimulating
29 September 2009 - When the Reserve Bank Governor speaks, everyone in debt and all the economic and market experts listen. And in the current... read more >
October correction
28 September 2009 - Spooky stock market September proved a fizzer and now we have to brace for October with one US commentator warning to expect a... read more >
Market crash on the way?
25 September 2009 - Two down days in a row and so is this the start of something big? Could the spooky September that has delivered a 2.2 per cent... read more >
What a load of crap
24 September 2009 - Blame it on the GFC or the hip pocket shuddering aftermath of the market meltdown, but toilet humour has come to business and... read more >
Telstra hang up
23 September 2009 - The Rudd Government decision to put a gun to Telstra’s head to create a forced separation of its wholesale and retail... read more >
Miss Universe shares
22 September 2009 - It’s sometimes argued, especially by some women, that some men don’t think with their brain but some other organ!... read more >
Another up week
21 September 2009 - Local analysts tell us that it's hard to see the stock market keep rising because the numbers, like that computer on Little... read more >
The Telstra lesson
18 September 2009 - The case of Telstra this week made me think of the great Aussie comic Dave Hughes and rams home one of the most important money... read more >
Too good to be true?
17 September 2009 - Despite the fact that a lot of smaller banks as well as non-bank lenders can’t easily access money from overseas and the... read more >
Debtor's paradise on the horizon?
16 September 2009 - Bankruptcy laws could soon be changed to make life better for the wrongdoers — the debtor who doesn’t pay —... read more >
Super women
15 September 2009 - Excuse the possible misinterpretation, but women are being screwed and it’s time they hit back with what I call the... read more >
Don't stop the stimulus
14 September 2009 - Joe Hockey is a mate and I used to be Malcolm Turnbull’s patrol captain at North Bondi Surf Club and I reckon one day he... read more >
Not over yet
11 September 2009 - As someone who got so frustrated by the doomsday merchants predicting our economy was headed into the worst recession since the... read more >
It's not all beige
10 September 2009 - Dr John Hewson once advised me, when he was my boss at the University of New South Wales and before he took on Bob Hawke and... read more >
The Sandilands effect
09 September 2009 - Gold shot through the US$1000 an Oz level and this is often associated with flights to quality, when stock market players are... read more >
Anatomy of business building success
08 September 2009 - The great business thinker Peter Drucker once explained successful business in pretty simple terms. He said it starts with an... read more >
Question of when
07 September 2009 - One week into September — the scariest month of all on Wall Street — and no sell-offs, yet. That’s good news... read more >
Storm clouds
04 September 2009 - An inquiry held in Brisbane into the collapse of Storm Financial has searched for the answer to the central question about what... read more >
Top 30 stocks
03 September 2009 - When I kicked off my show, SWITZER on Sky Business Channel on 29 June this year, I told my viewers I wanted to pursue the... read more >
Scary September
02 September 2009 - September promised to bring spooky trading days and on day one in the USA, like a Hollywood scary movie, it delivered a gasping... read more >
Pullback, smullback
01 September 2009 - The case for a September share market pullback is building, especially with the Chinese stock market starting to take a... read more >
Focus on YOU
31 August 2009 - Forget about the market. Forget about interest rates and stop worrying about your job and focus on the most important... read more >
Beware September and October
28 August 2009 - I know Julius Caesar’s wife Calpurnia warned the Roman emperor to “beware the Ides of March” but investors... read more >
Time to hate the banks?
27 August 2009 - According to a passage in the bible, there’s a time to love and even a time to hate and lots of Aussies allocate their... read more >
Don't get left behind online
26 August 2009 - Just how modern do you think you are? A recent report pretty well implies that if you are not online you are off the planet! So... read more >
Interest rate knowns and unknowns
25 August 2009 - What in the hell is going on with interest rates? There’s a new story every day and every one of them is very believable... read more >
Start of the pullback?
24 August 2009 - We have turned a little bit chicken in Australia, losing 3.82 per cent over the week on the S&P/ASX 200, while the Yanks's... read more >
Company show and tell
21 August 2009 - The great reporting season continued with AMP coming out with a first half net profit of $362 million against an analysts tip... read more >
Capital hit
20 August 2009 - Just when it looked safe to like the Rudd Government after its brilliant rescue of the Aussie capitalist system with way out... read more >
Financial planning overhaul
19 August 2009 - At long last, ASIC is taking action to improve the financial planning industry but the question is, have they taken a... read more >
Don't panic on rates
18 August 2009 - No matter what the headlines say. No matter what the experts warn. No matter what your gut feelings tell you, don’t panic... read more >
Forget Armageddon
17 August 2009 - For a change, Wall Street has had to digest relatively bad news and the doomsday merchants, who to date have been wrong, are... read more >
First time homebuyers
14 August 2009 - A reader on Yahoo recently sent me an important question that must be front of mind for most first homebuyers when making the... read more >
Square root recovery
13 August 2009 - Another big up-day on Wall Street and the question remains around what kind of market recovery will we have. The out and out... read more >
In praise of property
12 August 2009 - Christopher Joye is as mad as hell when it comes to the so-called experts bagging housing as an investment and he has started... read more >
The 11 investment lessons
11 August 2009 - This is the most important story I have ever written and that’s why I want you to read it. I have penned good ones in the... read more >
The price is not quite right
10 August 2009 - Never underestimate the negativity of headline makers from media outlets, but forgive them because they know not what they do!... read more >
Best bank accounts
07 August 2009 - One of the challenges of being a so-called money guru is that people actually believe it and they set tasks that should only be... read more >
DIY or expert?
06 August 2009 - One of the hottest topics and questions asked by investors, especially new, inexperienced investors who believe we are staring... read more >
Pullback on the way?
05 August 2009 - How good is this rally? Well, compared to the market in 2008, this is an overdue lucky break, but for those who are out of the... read more >
Roubini in Australia
04 August 2009 - The famous Dr Doom — Nouriel Roubini — is in Australia for the famous Diggers and Dealers mining conference in... read more >
Back to the future
03 August 2009 - Be wary of economists and commentators trying to justify their excessively negative calls, which look like they will end up... read more >
Watch your V's and W's
31 July 2009 - Homespun wisdom has always advised us to watch our p’s and q’s but cautious investors might need to watch their... read more >
Don't write off the Big Mac Bank
30 July 2009 - Any investor who underestimates the potential of the millionaires' factory called Macquarie Group could live to regret it.... read more >
No rate rise soon
29 July 2009 - Don’t panic, because despite what you’re reading in newspapers, interest rates are not about to rise! In fact, I... read more >
Real estate round-up
28 July 2009 - My old academic mate Steve Keen might have predicted a 40 per cent fall in real estate prices but one of the country’s... read more >
It's all good!
27 July 2009 - History has always told me that when someone tells you “it’s all good” there tends to be a little bit of... read more >
Up again
24 July 2009 - Wall Street has done it again, smashing through the 9,000-point barrier with the Dow Jones rising 188 points to 9069, and the... read more >
Safe market?
23 July 2009 - Calling all nervous Nellies, cautious long-term investors, young and not-so-young people who have never rolled the dice with... read more >
Doom and gloom u-turn
22 July 2009 - Yesterday’s date — 21 July — should be noted as a great day in our battle with the Global Financial Crisis.... read more >
Claytons fix
21 July 2009 - If you are someone who is worried about fixing your home loan, I have an alternative way of fixing, which means you could beat... read more >
Market maker or breaker
20 July 2009 - One big week down in the US company reporting season, and it was good enough to help Wall Street put on seven per cent. But we... read more >
Big calls
17 July 2009 - The scariest stock market bear of them all, Nouriel Roubini, with the nickname Doctor Doom, was reported as saying that... read more >
Buy the dips!
16 July 2009 - I have said this before, but I will say it louder and clearer — buy the dips. Buy when everyone is panicking and selling,... read more >
Mysterious economics
15 July 2009 - The wonderful thing about the world of economics is that it’s like the great line in the movie JFK, which described the... read more >
Interview with the wolf
14 July 2009 - When a money story is so big that legendary film director Martin Scorsese and actor Leonardo DiCaprio want to make a movie... read more >
Is this stock market for suckers?
13 July 2009 - When it comes to making money off the stock market, there’s a sucker born everyday, but the next few weeks is shaping up... read more >
Reporting begins
10 July 2009 - You are going to hear a whole pile of reasons why the stock market is not rallying at the moment, but you can’t miss the... read more >
Gotta have faith
09 July 2009 - Want some good money making advice? Keep the faith. Believe in the ability of good companies to turn a profit and don’t... read more >
The Dirty Harry question
08 July 2009 - Anyone with the hankering to make money out of the current stock market effectively faces the Dirty Harry question as company... read more >
Earnings ahead
07 July 2009 - Now for the tricky bit — will company results looming in America deliver for the optimists? That’s the question... read more >
Bull market believers
06 July 2009 - The one great thing to take out of last week’s relatively disappointing run of economic data in the USA is that there are... read more >
Boom and bust
03 July 2009 - My media colleagues were alluding to a bloodbath on the local stock market following Wall Street’s tumble with the Dow... read more >
Money in the wings
02 July 2009 - Given our big fall yesterday where the S&P/ASX 200 shed 80.90 points to finish at 3874, today’s stock market... read more >
Confidence is the key
01 July 2009 - If the local stock market does not fall today that will be a big surprise after Wall Street headed south following a surprise... read more >
Are the planets aligning?
30 June 2009 - With a new financial year ahead, how are the stock market, property and general investment ‘planets’ lining up with... read more >
Pull back or not?
30 June 2009 - You can’t easily live without the work of journalists but sometimes they write some crap! The most recent comes out of... read more >
Is the time right to buy shares?
29 June 2009 - Local doomsday merchants got a statistical kick in the pants this week when the OECD gave the Aussie economy a big tick,... read more >
Bulls on the Horizon
24 June 2009 - The bear market isn’t over, but bullish language made an appearance over the second half of March. US Treasury Secretary... read more >
