The current state of the stock markets

[Value Buy]

Some retailers and restaurant stocks are on fire this week.

Lower gasoline prices for consumers are flowing to them.

[Value Buy]

Dow at 17,825, up 237 points

Oil looks like it has stabilized, and the markets like it

[Value Buy]

Things are getting interesting.

I see the European indexes are all up a couple of percent today. They were up yesterday too.

Looks like we are taking our taking our Q's from Europe.

Oil complex is also slightly up, soft grain commodities trading down

Are we seeing a shift in sentiment?

[The Virginian]

Gas finally hit $1.99 in our part of Virginia - Despite our state increasing the gas tax 6 cents per gallon 1 Jan !

I was using my savings to convert all the bulbs in our house to LED Bulbs. Hopefully it will be an investment that pays off.

[Value Buy]

Dow up 273 points, but down from a plus 300 high

Wti now trading down for the day.

Remains to be seen if we keep out gains

[Ombud]

Gas seems to have stabilized @ 2.27 in my town. Gas taxes went up 1/1/15

[ModE98]

Perhaps the oil/gas decline is mostly over?  Any more sizable decline would not be good for business, even though consumers get the benefit will gasoline/oil prices are low.  If it really is stabilizing at this level for a time, eventually prices will creep up or jump up depending on circumstance unknown for now.  Believe it is a good time to buy (accumulate) stock in the high quality oil/gas area and hold tor the long term.  (Just my thought & opinion, not a specific recommendation)

[Value Buy]

Today the European indexes are all down, oil is soft.

Futures are down slightly this morning.

Do not know if the markets are down on terrorism in France, or due to economic data.

US jobs report was up to 252,000

Our market may not like it.

[Value Buy]

wti at $45.61

Copper at under $2.70

Dow at 17,852

We are seeing some big opportunities in the markets every day.

Scary

[Ombud]

Put another 800 into my Roth today Bought SCHD bc I wasn't sure what I wanted ... 5050 to go

No. I don't do actions or individual stocks with my Roth. I'm extremely conservative there

[tallguy]

No. I don't do actions or individual stocks with my Roth. I'm extremely conservative there

I've always believed that answers are not one-size-fits-all, and that things that are perfectly appropriate for one person may not be for another, but this seems backwards to me.  The earnings in the Roth are tax-free.  Why would you choose that vehicle to invest conservatively and limit your earnings?  If you wish to maintain a portfolio diversified for risk, wouldn't it make more sense to be conservative elsewhere instead?  What am I missing?

[The Virginian]

Jan 13, 2015 20:12:22 GMT -5 Ombud said:

Put another 800 into my Roth today Bought SCHD bc I wasn't sure what I wanted ... 5050 to go

No. I don't do actions or individual stocks with my Roth. I'm extremely conservative there

Looks like you were one day too early ! But over time it all evens out !

[The Virginian]

Jan 13, 2015 23:25:33 GMT -5 tallguy said:

No. I don't do actions or individual stocks with my Roth. I'm extremely conservative there

I've always believed that answers are not one-size-fits-all, and that things that are perfectly appropriate for one person may not be for another, but this seems backwards to me.  The earnings in the Roth are tax-free.  Why would you choose that vehicle to invest conservatively and limit your earnings?  If you wish to maintain a portfolio diversified for risk, wouldn't it make more sense to be conservative elsewhere instead?  What am I missing?

Risk is relative to each person. For me Dividend stocks are the safest most conservative investment out there, yet because I have almost all my eggs in Dividend stocks and not a mix of International Stocks, Bonds and the like some would say my portfolio is very risky. Me - I just call it smart. I'll let her answer you for herself but I believe what she meant was  she does not  do options and risky trades in her Roth.

[Ombud]

Exactly, The Virginian. tallguy, I am self insuring for LTC and come from a long living family. Except for those who died in childbirth or accidents, we go into our 90s. I'm counting on going that long & never to be homeless (again). So following Core-Explore philosophy, IRA & Roth are ETFs, Brokerage is individual dividend payers & options. It's all about the individual comfort zone not tax savings

Re: SCHD will be higher (eventually)

[Value Buy]

Well, since I own CVX and XOM my portfolio has taken a hit.

Now today, JPM joined them.

Even so, when I look at the total dollar value of the portfolio, it does not look that bad.

Surprising, because it feels like everything is in the toilet.

January is turning into a real roller coaster ride.

[ModE98]

VB, we're in the toilet alright with this market, so for goodness sake, do not pull the flush lever or we might all go down the drain.

[Ombud]

Yeah. My JPMORGAN took a hit. Earnings season isn't starting out very well, is it?

[Value Buy]

Jan 14, 2015 21:54:44 GMT -5 ModE98 said:

VB, we're in the toilet alright with this market, so for goodness sake, do not pull the flush lever or we might all go down the drain.

I just wish I had some free funds to invest this week.

There are some bargains in the oil patch.

Oil is not going to stay this low.

Even if it just goes back to $60 a barrel, there are some companies that will rebound in the 15 to 20% range.

[ArchietheDragon]

market future are tearing it up this morning.  Will it hold on?

[ArchietheDragon]

Jan 20, 2015 8:27:20 GMT -5 ArchietheDragon said:

market future are tearing it up this morning.  Will it hold on?

It did not hold. 

[The Virginian]

Jan 14, 2015 23:01:29 GMT -5 Value Buy said:

Jan 14, 2015 21:54:44 GMT -5 ModE98 said:

VB, we're in the toilet alright with this market, so for goodness sake, do not pull the flush lever or we might all go down the drain.

I just wish I had some free funds to invest this week.

There are some bargains in the oil patch.

Oil is not going to stay this low.

Even if it just goes back to $60 a barrel, there are some companies that will rebound in the 15 to 20% range.

Oil has been over sold - a 1% over supply has equated to a 50% price drop. I still say the smart people will be buying Oil all the way down and at least 1/2 way up. Oil is not going anywhere !

[Value Buy]

Jan 20, 2015 9:42:26 GMT -5 ArchietheDragon said:

Jan 20, 2015 8:27:20 GMT -5 ArchietheDragon said:

market future are tearing it up this morning.  Will it hold on?

It did not hold. 

That's an understatement.

Dow down 138 points

[Value Buy]

Ten yr at 1.78

Wti Oil at $46.80

[Value Buy]

Ten yr at $1.809

wti $45.47

Euro is still dropping. Going to $1.10?

Lean hogs under $.70 a lb

[Value Buy]

I wish the Fed would shut up.

I just lost $30,000 in value in the last two hours.

The entire portfolio is heavily bleeding red, except for the tax free bond fund

Of course my TX free fund might go up a penny.

EDIT: Looks like my loss was less than anticipated today. I was estimating my IRA accounts and had to guesstimate on those accounts earlier.

Turns out it was only down about $24,000

I feel so much better

[The Virginian]

What amazes me is how little the FED actually says and how much people read into it. Kind of reminds me of my wife - I'll make one little innocent comment and from that she extracts an encyclopedia of information that I didn't mean !

[Value Buy]

Today we dropped from the record highs of the Dow and S&P 500 and the Nasdaq hitting 5,000 yesterday.
Pretty much a normal thing after markets hitting on most cylinders yesterday.
Today wti closed above $50 a barrel, but Chevron and Exxon both dropped, and Marathon closed up.

[Value Buy]

Well, today was a pita.
JPM was green for me, everything else falling

[ModE98]

March mini-correction setting in?  Seems there is a lot of nervousness within the market at present.  So much crap going on in the world and some all time highs, might be time for a "breather".

[Value Buy]

Mar 4, 2015 17:22:56 GMT -5 ModE98 said:

March mini-correction setting in?  Seems there is a lot of nervousness within the market at present.  So much crap going on in the world and some all time highs, might be time for a "breather".

I am not worried yet.
We just hit new all time highs Monday and Nasdaq 5,000
Some profit taking going on.

Biggest problem for me is the future of oil prices.
Too many companies are going to take an even larger haircut if oil slips or stays here for awhile, while others are going to be big winners because of the same thing.
Chevron and Exxon still lost share price on a jump in oil today.
Now they say Cushing might be filled up in another week, and if and when that happens, prices for crude will drop fast and furious.