President-elect Barack Obama won a historic election on a promise of “change.” James Howard Kunstler says Americans still have no idea just how big this change will be. He says we are heading into a “long emergency”, out of which a new, very different economy will emerge.
Come Wednesday morning – after the presidential election tomorrow (Tuesday) – the United States will have a new commander-in-chief. The president-elect will face some significant challenges: A weak economy (okay, a recession, given last week’s gross domestic product (GDP) report, which confirmed just how dire the country’s economic situation had become).
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New Home Sales for September are announced today and this will sound like a broken record, but they are expected to disappoint. In the face of the frozen credit markets, I guess a drop of only 2000 units could be viewed as a small victory.
GDP growth data comes out this week (Thursday). William Patalon III says confirmation that a recession is underway should help the stock market find a bottom. In the meantime, William says investors should follow two simple rules to survive and prosper in this market. 1) Don’t panic sell. 2) Buy undervalued stocks with long-term potential.
Stocks are whipsawing again today as Mr. Market digests a coordinated worldwide rate cut. After opening 200 points down, the Dow zoomed to a net gain of 150 points before sliding back into negative territory.
These violent swings can be devastating for the short-term investor. But Jon Herring says market volatility is handing long-term investors a once-in-a-generation chance to buy world-dominating companies at bargain prices.
Jon recommends seven stocks that are price leaders or have pricing power.
China is renovating, expanding or introducing public transport systems in nearly all of its major urban centers. This is clearing the way for a revolution in advertising.
Penny Sleuth’s Jim Nelson says small cap VisionChina Media (NASDAQ:VISN) is perfectly poised to profit in this fast-growing sector. The company installs digital TVs and sells advertising time on them.
VISN has an established client base, its revenues are soaring, and it has no debt. Best of all: Its stock has been vastly oversold in a recent correction.
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Even the most savvy investors have been stung by this year’s equity meltdown. Warren Buffett’s investment vehicle, Berkshire Hathaway (NYSE:BRK.A, BRK.B), is down 24% from its peak in December 2007.
Alexander Green says BRK’s drop creates an outstanding buying opportunity. Buffett has an unrivaled track record as an investor. He has always followed a disciplined value-based strategy. And this still holds true today.
BRK.B shares are trading at $3,860, down from a 52-week high of $5,059. This makes them a no-brainer buy right now.
Tuesday morning I received an email from one of financial publishing’s legends. It said, “Market crashing! Last chance for today’s flash alert!” The email came at 10:00 AM, and I didn’t open it until 10:20, minutes before I go into lock down… my four-hour communications blackout during which I write – nothing else. Of course, “Market Crashing!” is an inflammatory subject line.