On Break

11/16/2008

BMB On Break

It’s time again for a little BMB R&R, especially with the market behaving as bizarrely as it’s been. Maybe if we stop watching it start to behave a little better…

Posting will be very light and variable over the course of this week, but we’ll put up an open thread each market day for our readers to comment on the day’s market activity or to post any interesting links they might run across.

Check the space below for whatever the latest might be during this ‘off’ time, and please visit the various sites in the ‘Links’ and ‘Regular Stops’ for up-to-date market news and analysis.

BMB will be back in full swing by next weekend.

Posted: 1:00 pm

6/4/2005

Peak Oil: The Russian Chapter

There continues to be a lot of discussion and debate as to whether the time of “peak oil” is in the distant future, just around the corner, or has already passed. But the problem isn’t just a geological one. Joe Duarte tells us that, in Russia’s case, politics is playing a big part.

Posted: 10:08 pm

Weekend Sector Scan

The market rally seemed to stall this week, with only two sectors moving by more than a half-percent in either direction. Those sectors were Energy and Utilities, each moving higher by 1.5%.

XLE chart Energy stocks appear to have broken free of their downtrending channel, and may be buyable on pullbacks.
XLU chart Utilities seem like they’re pretty dull, but they moved to new highs this week.
XLK chart Tech stocks took a breather this week, and may be trying to gather strength for a push above the Feb. and March peaks.
XLV chart Health care stocks have fizzled lately, not going anywhere in the past month.

 

Here are this week’s numbers:

 

Sector Symbol 8 Week % Chg. 4 Week % Chg. 1 Week % Chg. YTD % Chg.
Utilities XLU +3.5 +2.2 +1.5 +9.4
Financials XLF +3.4 +1.8 -0.2 -4.1
Technology XLK +3.4 +5.9 -0.3 -4.1
Health Care XLV +2.6 +0.3 -0.4 +3.5
Consumer Staples XLP +1.1 +1.2 -0.2 +1.1
Consumer Discretionary XLY +0.3 +3.9 -0.2 -6.4
Industrials XLI 0.0 +2.2 -0.4 -2.7
Energy XLE -0.2 +3.7 +1.5 +17.4
Basic Materials XLB -6.3 -2.3 +0.3 -5.5

 

Charts courtesy of StockCharts.com

Posted: 11:36 am

Apple to Have Intel Core

According to CNET.com, Apple will announce a switch from the PowerPC to an Intel platform on Monday.

Is this move good or bad for Apple? The article mentions the pros and cons - most of them cons.

Posted: 7:57 am