Coronavirus Infects Stock Market: Part XXVIII You know life changes quickly in times like these. One minute you’re enjoying the quarant-time (my daughter’s word) and the next it’s 2:30 in the morning and you’re thinking about patio furniture—I was at least. We’re expecting hurricane-force winds today (perhaps not technically the 75mph hurricane-force threshold, but 72mph is close enough). Before bed, National Grid (the regional power company here) texted warnings, “Remember, never touch downed wires & report them immediately to 1.800.465.1212.” Sleep tight! Is the patio furniture … [Read more...]

Coronavirus Infects Stock Market: Part XXVII You’ve told some heroic stories about your loved ones on the front lines and your children who are doctors and nurses working 19-20 hours days. Some of you who work in hospitals now are telling me it’s a war zone, especially those of you in New York. Thank you. As the number of Americans losing the battle is peaking, I think all of us are thankful for the good that we have in our lives. As I wrote to you yesterday, it is shocking how this virus has ruined the finances of those that should have been better prepared. How a large group of … [Read more...]

Coronavirus Infects Stock Market: Part XXV If you have watched President Trump’s press conferences, especially last Saturday night, you’ve seen him hit it out of the park like a modern-day Babe Ruth. He’s leading from the front. He’s in control. He defers to experts and has an A-1 lieutenant in VP Pence. Turn your eyes to the cesspool media and their negative questions and all you get are “what have you done for me lately?” questions. It’s as if they’re not even there, straight out of Hunter Thompson’s Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. In a time of America’s governor-inflated crisis, the … [Read more...]

Coronavirus Infects Stock Market: Part XXIII Barter is back. You may be one of the Americans who has been forced to trade eggs or soap for toilet paper. But you need to know the true value of what you own. That goes for your investments as well. Olga Kharif reports at Bloomberg: Since the beginning of March, unattended folding tables have begun popping up at intersections and the end of people’s driveways, offering everyday goods like rice, a jar of jam or bread. Take what you need and leave what you can, the signs say. Barter, the trade system prevalent in the Middle Ages, is back in the … [Read more...]

Yesterday we entered a bull market with the Dow advancing 20% from it’s most recent low. Big deal. We are certainly seeing price discrepancies, especially in the fixed income market and have tied down some attractive yields for potentially years to come. The key to investing in markets like these is to stay focused, be patient, and always be ready to make a move when the research begins to show some real values. I have no interest in worrying if the coast is clear. That’s not investing. But seeking values certainly is. You have spoken and I have listened. Here’s what you told … [Read more...]