Is This the Worst Crisis Ever? Written By: Eben Esterhuizen 2008-02-26 00:44:20
I'm not going to pretend to know how to pick a bottom for stocks, but if we dissect the anatomy of a bear market we might understand why stocks markets eventually recover.
Is Total (TOT) a Good Choice for Stock Investing? Written By: Miranda Marquit 2008-06-18 13:33:54 Big Oil companies are currently offering "value" investing opportunities. While the stock market takes a break today, with oil prices falling back a bit and gas prices easing a very little, oil companies may provide good buying opportunities. Among those that stand a good chance include Total (TOT), the French "supermajor" oil company.
Level 3 Assets at Big Brokers - Not as Scary as People Say Written By: David Neubert 2007-12-14 12:08:58 Felix Salmon at Portfolio.com dug up the ratios for level 3 assets at each major Wall Street broker. This ratio is seen by some to be "scary." I don't find it as scary as some. The assets in Level 3 are mark-to-model. Some of these could include complex derivatives for which there is no market that exactly hedges assets, hence the high risk in panic liquidation but not so much in cash flow. Their markets are worried about some of those with the highest ratios of Level 3 assets to capital. Personally, I trust the risk managers at firms like Goldman Sachs (GS - $212.89), Morgan Stanley (MS - $50.88) and Lehman Brother (LEH - $63.03) to be able to correctly value these situations. I do believe the market will continue to focus on this ratio, which will encourage firms to try to move more assets out of this category.
Neubert's Top 15 Positions for August 2008 Written By: David Neubert 2008-08-05 04:27:15 Photo: trekkyandy, Creative Commons, Flickr
I haven't done this since March so be forewarned that there are a lot of changes. My portfolio has been ravaged by the meltdown of the financial sector, with special emphasis on Lehman (LEH). I also spent time buying the XLF on the way down and even at the bottom. My cost puts me about even on that trade. Much of my losses (but not all) in the financial sector have be offset by Big Oil and consumer non-durables companies.
1. General Electric (GE - $29.07): I think people will look back on the current price of GE and kick themselves for not recognizing the bargain of a lifetime in this company with so much diversification and exporting power in the face of a weak dollar. My average cost is about 10% above the current price at $32 - so clearly my average basis isn't at the super bargain price.
