Steve, Just want to say that I am glad that you purchased some Citigroup stock. Unless something catastrophic happens, plan on holding onto it for the long term... one day you will remember these posts and how it all happened.
edit: gagrice... glad to see you took the plunge, too.
Wow! We are certainly one happy family now with Citi and Ford .
And, to make things even better, on Tuesday afternoon I stated that the market would rally the rest of the week after a horrible day on Tuesday. The S & P futures early this morning is suggesting a good day today. Maybe, I am not the bad luck charm, after all . The European debt problems will very gradually fade away from the U.S. market action.
Anyway here's a shot of my favorite area of the yard, the raised patio that overlooks the pool.
Simply stunning Len! In all seriousness, a bunch of us have to make plans to rendezvous somewhere this summer or early fall. Your place would be fine with me .
I love the market action the past couple days after the Tuesday sizable sell-off. .
I love the market action the past couple days after the Tuesday sizable sell-off.
It's a very good sign, although Tuesday was also a reminder to us how easy it is for Wall Street to panic.
I was so surprised that Ford had gone down with so much good news for them that very same day. So, naturally, I bought some Ford stock that day... and then when it continued to decline yesterday, I bought even more... and I got it at the very low of the day... that felt good.
I am already well ahead on Ford from previous stock purchases, but now I am in an even better position because of these last few days. I shared my recommendation for Ford with everyone here, in addition to my original Citi recommendation, and I have seen a terrific response by a number of guys here, that have not only purchased Citi, but have also purchased Ford, which is a very smart move, IMO.
I also mentioned considering buying Amazon when it dips ( I own the stock), and I would always still buy Apple on any significant dips.
Beyond that, I am invested in various stocks in the exploding telecom sector, and hold a number of dividend-paying stocks, as well as Bank of America and GE, which have done well. I also recently added (with some risk, IMO) Home Depot and Toll Brothers, because I think it is important to have some limited investment in the upcoming resurgence of the housing market at this point in time. There are other stocks that can fulfill this, but those are my personal picks in that sector for now.
I always seem to like owning some MSFT and INTC, and I also own some energy stocks, although I haven't put a ton of money into them yet.
Speaking of Intel, there are good things happening with that company, IMO, and more good things to come. I still like the stock, and own a fair amount. I am up on Intel nicely, and I think it will continue to shine for a while longer.
I have done soooo well with UPS recently, and I should have mentioned it here, and apologize that I did not.
This may surprise you... but I am going to buy some Sprint. I have considered it a loser for quite a while, but I am reconsidering that it might have a fair amount of upside ahead, especially when I look at it's share prices three years ago... and at this point it will balance out my telecom sector anyway... So, it makes good sense for me to own Sprint, but I'm not recommending it to others because of the level of risk.
Wow! We are certainly one happy family now with Citi and Ford
Seems like we can agree on stocks a lot easier than cars.
Tag - MB S-class a little favored over an LS now for my December lease. It seems it may be time to try something new and the GL experience has been wonderful. I love the truck. Problem is I favor the hybrid and my wife wants AWD. Lexus should have done with the LS hybrid what MB has done with the S. It's price just makes it too prohibitive, as very few of us need a V12 or V12 equivalent. .
Problem is I favor the hybrid and my wife wants AWD.
Your a smart man... buy AWD. She'll the happy, which means you'll be happier in the long run.
Besides, now that we know New Jersey winters are capable of being among the worst in the world... the AWD should come in handy, and be the safer choice. I recall you had a close call this last winter. :surprise:
Your a smart man... buy AWD. She'll the happy, which means you'll be happier in the long run.
Besides, now that we know New Jersey winters are capable of being among the worst in the world... the AWD should come in handy, and be the safer choice. I recall you had a close call this last winter.
Tag,
I am not sure you are ware of this, but the LS now also comes in AWD. I am not trying to say that the LS is better than the S. I am just pointing out that Len can have AWD with either one. I am biased toward hybrids, so I can see Len's point though. I imagine the S hybrid is also AWD.
Man I am getting more and more giddy about my stocks today. It's an aesome day so far.
I use an older version of Money to track stuff (that's another story since Microsoft no longer supports Money). Anyway, I just put in today's quote so far on Citi and the Annual Return column just says "Big %" instead of an actual percentage return.
Never seen that before - very funny (especially since the big % was in the right direction. :shades: ).
Charlie - love my LS460L.and it's been another masterpiece, but with no changes on the 2011, we may opt to try the S-class. If the LS hybrid were the middle ground price of it's class, which is what the S-class is then, I'd go for it. But that tiny trunk bothers me a lot even if it was. But Lexus tried to kill 2 birds with one stone with this hybrid and initially marketed the car as being a clean V-12 equiv. If I were shoipping V-12, it would deeply interest me. Lexus should have offered a V-6 LS with a power boost from electric ala Mercedes.Thje S-hybrid also interest me because of high MPG.
GS crashing this morning on potential criminal charges. Down to $149.02 the last I looked.
Well, that was my understanding when I first posted what I considered to be the better choice... better for the wife, that is.
If the wife's desires for AWD don't need to be factored in so heavily, then I'd go with the S-Class hybrid in a heartbeat... great car, great fuel efficiency.
GS crashing this morning on potential criminal charges.
But that tiny trunk bothers me a lot even if it was.
I don't blame you one bit. If you recall, about 4 years ago, I ordered the LS hybrid and then changed my mind due to lousy gas mileage (for a hybrid), a tiny trunk, and a cost that was considered off the roof. I am SO happy I went for the LS460L instead. Like you, I love the car (except that it is not AWD. It is a pain to change and store tires twice a year). It really makes a lot of sense that you prefer the S hybrid at this time. BTW, what does it cost with most of the options? When I am ready to get a new car a year or two down the road, I will definitely consider the S hybrid. Do you hear that Tag? Of course it depends what Lexus has to offer at that time as well.
BTW, the market giveth and the market taketh away. It stinks so far today. Most of the excuse is that the GDP only grew by 3.2% instead of the expected 3.4%. Is that "hogwash" or what? I am staying the course. The market will be heading much higher overall. I am not worried. The only thing I did is I took profits this morning on FDX. It has not been acting all that great lately.
It is with great sadness that we announce that our dedicated Host, Pat, passed away just before midnight on April 29. Pat battled a rare autoimmune disease called systemic Scleroderma.
Pat became a member of the Forums in 1997 and was asked to become a host in 1999. Pat was diligent in her role as the Host of Sedans and while some may not always have agreed with her decisions, she always sought to make Sedans an inclusive place for automotive consumers to gain information and support. As a co-worker and friend, she will be greatly missed. At this very sad time for Pat’s family, we extend our deepest sympathy and condolences.
Pat always had good intentions, and was privately very helpful to me at one time... I am so sad to learn of this.
She will be missed by many.
I will also post this in the other forum where I participate.
This was just placed on the internet within hours of Pat's departure:
An international research consortium including scientists from The University of Texas Health Science Centre at Houston (UTHealth) has identified a new genetic link to the systemic form of scleroderma. Researchers believe a thorough understanding of the genetic nature of the disease is crucial to developing a cure.
It is ironic , but I sent her an e mail saying I missed her and to occasionally join us on this forum....When I got no response it concerned me....Very sad indeed, and she taught me that her views on running a forum were correct..... I also have misgiving about Howard.......Tony
Tough to get back on topic, after the sad news, but I am convinced that Pat would have wanted us to carry on with robust on-topic discussions...
So that said, I expect that we will witness a very volatile week ahead for the financial markets... worse than we've seen in quite a while.
Could be very bloody.
Are you going to ride it out? Or sell out to avoid the downside, and then get right back in at the lows, after the dust settles? I'm still thinking about how I am going to approach this. I want to have a plan in place before tomorrow's opening bell.
As for me, I will ride out whatever is coming, as I already took enough of the bond etf off the table, as I had just too much to be comfortable......I do not really have that big a position in c, to be concerned---although I don`t like to loose money any more than the next guy....In fact my decision will be to either say I made a mistake with c and not buy more, or say this is an opportunity . Tony
Although I agree with TM that this will be a tough week (probably not as bad as TM thinks though), I am also going to ride it out. The problem with getting out right now is, how will you know the timing of getting back in. I continue to be bullish the stock market for the long haul.
Tag - I've been reading this forum, you guys have interesting thoughts on the market, I'll add a few along the way.
I think that the entire market trend is still very bullish but the market is very skittish and is almost looking for signs to correct (Greece, GS, etc...) so the bullish pattern will suffer from periodic interruptions. I don't think it is worth trying to time these, I know that I've tried many times and have gotten it wrong as much as I've gotten it right. I believe that you should strap on your helmet and follow the trends that you believe exist - that being said good companies that you choose should always outperform jumping around to hot sectors.
A mistake with Citi? I would be shocked if Citi turned out to be a mistake. I think Len's post regarding the buyback of shares was an excellent insight, and presented an even greater upside potential. The only mistake would be to cash it in before it goes back up and makes you some tremendous gains in the future. Why take a loss when patience will bring gains?
I am more concerned with trying to decide the timing of some of my other stocks, and when is the right time to take some profits... such as Apple. After all, at some point it might make good sense to sell at a high and buy again at a low, and what I am questioning for myself is whether or not we are at one of those moments.
As Charlie pointed out, the hardest thing to do after selling is to figure out when to get back in. If done correctly, it can make a lot of extra money, but if done incorrectly it can cost a lot of money.
Sometimes the smartest thing to do is what you guys are going to do... stay the course.
I wouldn`t have bought it if I didn`t think it to be worthwhile The thing is the market can plunge before I figure out why, or certain unknown problems can crop up and my hopes can then be wrong....As you know ---an open mind is imperative ....Tony
Holding all positions this week. Agree with Clembo, signs are all pretty bullish and momentum is gaining in positive stats and solid earnings and improving consumer confidence. I'm back to needing 6 weeks in advance notice for some of my favorite Manhattan restaurants. Unless we have a terrorist strike or something unexpected happens with Greece, or this GS thing gets a lot worse, all signals are positive as far as I'm concerned. Dow Futures currently up 39.
BTW - Was in NYC for dinner Saturday night at the Old Homestead steakhouse (filet mignon on the bone is fabulous there if there's any steak lovers that come to NYC) and got stuck in the early development of the street closures while I was coming thru the Lincoln tunnel. Thank God we were going down to 9th and 15th rather than the Times Square area. Also luckily I was coming thru the tunnel around 7PM. I can imagine how bad the tunnel got after that. NYC was teeming with life Saturday night because it was a beautiful night with warm 80 degree temps.
Holding all positions this week. Agree with Clembo, signs are all pretty bullish and momentum is gaining in positive stats and solid earnings and improving consumer confidence. I'm back to needing 6 weeks in advance notice for some of my favorite Manhattan restaurants. Unless we have a terrorist strike or something unexpected happens with Greece, or this GS thing gets a lot worse, all signals are positive as far as I'm concerned. Dow Futures currently up 39.
It is great to get some re-assurance from you Len. Who knows? Maybe we saw the low for quite a while in the Dow on Friday. The way the futures are reacting this evening, maybe this will not be a bad week at all.
Well Tag..The day is still young and the week is certainly young, but so far so good with the market this morning. The following are some of the reasons why I am bullish the market for the long haul.
05/03 09:44 CDT WRAPUP 2-US factories accelerate, consumer spending up 5-3-2010 09:44 WRAPUP 2-US factories accelerate, consumer spending up
* ISM factory activity rise in April * Consumer spending rises for sixth month * Income increases for eighth consecutive month * Savings level, rate lowest since September 2008
NEW YORK, May 3 (Reuters) - U.S. manufacturing, construction and consumer spending data on Monday all bode well for the economic recovery, with factories' activity growing at the fastest pace in nearly six years. The Institute for Supply Management (ISM) said its index of national manufacturing activity rose to 60.4 in April from 59.6 in March, beating Reuters' median forecast for a reading of 60. [ID:nEAP101002] Consumer spending rose in March for a sixth straight month, while construction spending also rose. "This adds credibility to the strength of the economy," said Jim Awad, managing director, Zephyr Management in New York. U.S. stocks were solidly higher after the data, while Treasury debt prices were lower. The U.S. dollar extended gains against the yen and euro after the ISM manufacturing data. Markets are watching the numbers on the world's largest economy closely for signs of the strength of its recovery, so far led chiefly by manufacturing while the mood among consumers has remained shakier. In a separate report, the Commerce Department said consumer spending rose 0.6 percent after rising by an upwardly revised 0.5 percent in February, previously reported as a 0.3 percent gain. Another report showed U.S. construction spending also unexpectedly rose in March to post the first advance since October. [ID:nN30128894] The 0.2 percent rise was the largest gain since October and followed a revised 2.1 percent drop in February, previously reported as a 1.3 percent fall.
Actually Tag, the last 4 days of activity with wild up and down swings does support your jittery feeling. I think the market is bullish, but a nervous bullish.
Thanks Len. Appreciate your perspective... always... and especially when the news is so overwhelming.
BTW, our only family trip to NYC (year and a half ago my daughter was in the Macy's Thanksgiving parade)... we ate at Gallagher's Steakhouse... not too bad, IMO, but sounds like I'll need to check out Old Homestead next time I ever make it out there.
Actually, my favorite food in NYC turned out to be deli food... and I got hooked on New York hot pastrami on rye.
One of the most elegant and very popular steakhouses in NYC is Del Frisco's. It's a classic old world style NY bank, lotsof marble, very high two story ceilings, sweeping banisters and beautiful architecture, turned into a restaurant and is on 6th ave and I believe 49th. I think it was an old Morgan Guaranty Trust. NY Deli's can't be beat and Carnegie is one of my favorites.
Still not walking but taking good notes on what is being posted on investing and, never the less, steak houses in NYC. Mmm I'll keep on licking my lips thinking on the next time I could be there
On the other hand, may be some of you could be interested in the proceedings of this meeting
The Royal Society and Nature present: Tomorrow’s Giants (Tomorrow's Giants is part of an exciting week of celebrations for the Royal Society's 350th anniversary, which will include an extended Summer Science Exhibition at Southbank Centre, London.) Announcement July 1, 2010 Queen Elizabeth Hall, Southbank Centre, London, UK
Tomorrow’s Giants will bring together scientists and policy makers to gather scientists’ vision of the next 50 years, to address questions such as: What is required to enable academic achievement of the highest quality? What will science be like in 10 and in 50 years time? What will be the main goals and challenges?
My feeling is that predicting this kind of things for 10/50 years time is as difficult as predicting market developments for the same period. Amazing fireworks.
I had my wife call her broker to buy 1000 shares of Citigroup the other day. She has no online service. We got the paperwork in the mail and the charge was $93 for the transaction. Is that high or average. When I bought 300 shares in my Fidelity 401K account the charge was $7.95.
What is a fair charge for that service?
With the Brokerage fee the total for a 1000 shares was $4503.xx.
This is mind boggling. We are back with Greek debt concerns and the market is crashing this morning. Yesterday, the bailout was good news but today it is very bad news. This is pure BS.
05/04 08:39 CDT Stocks open lower as Greece debt remains a focus
Stocks open lower as Greece debt remains a focus
By STEPHEN BERNARD AP Business Writer
NEW YORK (AP) -- Stocks are sinking as European debt problems sent another wave of pessimism through the market.
The market has seesawed over the past week as concerns about debt problems in Greece and other European countries overshadow increasingly upbeat domestic economic reports.
European debt is again a worry Tuesday, after European markets fell in response to uneasiness over a $144 billion bailout package for Greece.
Investors will, however, get reports on factory orders and home sales later in the day that are expected to show the economy is improving.
EDIT (9:53 AM CDT): I heard a rumor going around this morning that it was the Koreans that blew up the oil rig that has resulted in the massive oil spill disaster in the Gulf. Maybe THIS is the real reason why the markets are COLLAPSING this morning.
This is mind boggling. We are back with Greek debt concerns and the market is crashing this morning. Yesterday, the bailout was good news but today it is very bad news. This is pure BS.
Yes, it is... but it is exactly what I posted about. Maybe I should have followed my instincts... not sure, but the situation doesn't look good. Regardless, there are still plenty of good reasons for the market to hold its own here, so maybe we will see a correction, and then move forward from there. Friday's jobs data will be very important, IMO. Better hope for a good report, or the market will tank even further.
I heard a rumor going around this morning that it was the Koreans that blew up the oil rig that has resulted in the massive oil spill disaster in the Gulf. Maybe THIS is the real reason why the markets are COLLAPSING this morning.
Wow!... Charlie, I have honestly thought this was quite possibily a terrorist act all along, but never posted it. I didn't consider the Koreans, however. I guess we'll find out over time, or maybe we'll never know, and there will be nothing more than rumors. There would need to be some sort of evidence. Crazy world.
Yes, it is... but it is exactly what I posted about. Maybe I should have followed my instincts... not sure, but the situation doesn't look good.
Have no fear Tag, Charlie is here . This (blip) too will pass my friend. The overall state of the economy is looking SO much better. I probably should be adding to my portfolio today, but I will play it safe. As both you and Len stated the other night, the market seems extremely jittery. Perhaps in the current market behavior, the time to add is when it actually makes a new high for the move. In other words, buy strength instead of weakness in this case. Let it prove that it can/will go higher first. I believe that once we go above 11,200 on the Dow, we will be on our way (gradually) to 12,000.
I probably should be adding to my portfolio today, but I will play it safe
Charlie,
One of the reasons I like to get out of the market and then right back in is because I pay no fees to do so, and can completely have my portfolio out of the market, and then back in within minutes. So... if I had gotten out on Mondy morning, like I was contemplating, and then back in this afternoon, I'd have eliminated all this loss. It's tempting, but it has it's risks of losing the upside if I don't get back in soon enough.
Anyway, I am not just riding this out, for now. I am seizing the moment!
You are right when you posted that you should be adding to your portfolio today. Afterall, you do believe that the market will go to 12K, and today's prices would get you a bigger return, and that's what it's all about!
So, I have just purchased more stocks. I am treating this as a terrific buying opportunity. I would rather buy these stocks at these lower prices, and I have selected these particular stocks...
I have just purchased a considerable amount of Apple, Ford, Citi, Amazon, Intel and Microsoft. I believe they are all terrific long-term investments, and today's prices are discounted compared to what they were.
If the market goes lower, I assure you I will buy even more. I am so serious about my approach to the market.
I am long-term bullish on the U.S. economy. Where else at this particular time? The demand on technology to solve many of today's problems is huge and the mobile world is still only in its early stages. The economy is in the early stages of its rebound. Massive upside exists all around us, IMHO.
The RX is doing very well. About a month ago we took it for a long trip to the Detroit area and back. The average gas mileage for the trip was about 28.5 mpg in spite of some strong cross winds for most of the trip.
It is comfortable, has good handling (in my opinion) and has a lot of technological features. One of the my favorites is the Heads Up Display. It not only tells you the speed but it also shows you in graphical form, where to navigate if you have a set destination.
There are a few things that disappoint/annoy me: 1. It only has 2 parking sensors in the front (one on each side of bumper). If you are heading into a parking space, you need to be careful there is no object directly in front of the bumper. 2. The garage door buttons above are not illuminated at night and it makes it difficult to press the right button. 3. When you have it set for a destination, the radio volume does not lower when the voice comes on and gives navigation instructions. These are fairly minor complaints, but Lexus should have never tried to cut corners to save a few bucks. I think that the audio volume problem can be corrected by new software.
If I have influenced you to stay the course on the market the other day, I apologize. Man, you have a great deal not paying any fees. I decided to stay with pretty much everything (I did take profits on FDX yesterday) since I thought it would make it difficult to determine when to get back in. What the heck, we both agree that the market is going to eventually go a lot higher. So, there is little to worry about.
While those are fairly minor complaints, they are nonetheless a bit surprising for a Lexus. I'm sure the vehicle is terrific for most of the things you would require of it. 28.5 is pretty good mpg for an SUV. My daughter's Ford hybrid averages around that (the way she drives, no doubt), although I can get it well into the 30's without too much effort.
BTW, If you can stomach it, I suggest that you add to your portfolio today Charlie. Think longer term, and it makes perfect sense to me.
BTW, If you can stomach it, I suggest that you add to your portfolio today Charlie. Think longer term, and it makes perfect sense to me.
Well, guess what? I just bought more Apple (only 30 shares though). The market will be a lot higher than this in the not too distant future. We both agree.
I don't know if you caught the second portion of my post above when I apologized to you.
I don't know if you caught the second portion of my post above when I apologized to you.
I missed that, and no worries. I think I will simply take this opportunity to say that it should be (and I believe that it is) totally clear and understood by every member of this forum that ultimately we are all individually responsible for our own investment decisions. Personally, I appreciate the perspectives here, and know that at the end of the day, it is my choice, and mine alone, as to what I do and don't do.
The goal here (as I see it) is to exchange information, data, and perspectives with regards to the stock market and other investments, so that we open the door to the possibility of improving our investment strategies... as well as sharing information about our lives along the way.
I totally believe that this is a successful forum in that regard, and that, in fact, we are in the process of proving it... I am so confident that some of the suggestions and recommendations that we have shared here are already integrated into the process of increasing our net worth.
Anyway, I encourage you to always say it like you see it, especially with regards to a forum like this. Your candid honesty is an inherently important component of this winning formula... and I do beleive it is a winning formula. In fact, I am convinced that the more that you, Len, myself, Tony, Clembo, Houdini, Steve, Gary, Circlew, Joe, gagrice and all the others here discuss investing, the better it will be for all of us. So, don't hold back, and no apology necessary.
I could not have stated a better disclaimer than that, Tag.There is a risk of loss in commodity/stock market trading and ultimately, me, you, and each individual has total responsibility on what and how he/she trades.
Witjh the above stated, this is really an ugly day in the stock market going into the last 20 minutes of trading. "Mama said there'd be days like this, there'd be days like this my Mama said. Mama said, Mama said." :sick:
I just wanted to tell you that you have a fine sense of the market....You called it right and although I do not plan on any changes for myself, and wondered what was happening yesterday, today you sure looked like a genius:).....I`m still just standing back for a while, and only because I am trying to buy a tractor, and unfortunately that is a very complex thing to do.:)..A shame `I`m a one trick pony` so I am following `the gang`s` philosophy til tomorrow when I hope to finalize ....Tony
Comments
Just want to say that I am glad that you purchased some Citigroup stock. Unless something catastrophic happens, plan on holding onto it for the long term... one day you will remember these posts and how it all happened.
edit: gagrice... glad to see you took the plunge, too.
TM
And, to make things even better, on Tuesday afternoon I stated that the market would rally the rest of the week after a horrible day on Tuesday. The S & P futures early this morning is suggesting a good day today. Maybe, I am not the bad luck charm, after all
Simply stunning Len! In all seriousness, a bunch of us have to make plans to rendezvous somewhere this summer or early fall. Your place would be fine with me
I love the market action the past couple days after the Tuesday sizable sell-off. .
Regards,
OW
It's a very good sign, although Tuesday was also a reminder to us how easy it is for Wall Street to panic.
I was so surprised that Ford had gone down with so much good news for them that very same day. So, naturally, I bought some Ford stock that day... and then when it continued to decline yesterday, I bought even more... and I got it at the very low of the day... that felt good.
I am already well ahead on Ford from previous stock purchases, but now I am in an even better position because of these last few days. I shared my recommendation for Ford with everyone here, in addition to my original Citi recommendation, and I have seen a terrific response by a number of guys here, that have not only purchased Citi, but have also purchased Ford, which is a very smart move, IMO.
I also mentioned considering buying Amazon when it dips ( I own the stock), and I would always still buy Apple on any significant dips.
Beyond that, I am invested in various stocks in the exploding telecom sector, and hold a number of dividend-paying stocks, as well as Bank of America and GE, which have done well. I also recently added (with some risk, IMO) Home Depot and Toll Brothers, because I think it is important to have some limited investment in the upcoming resurgence of the housing market at this point in time. There are other stocks that can fulfill this, but those are my personal picks in that sector for now.
I always seem to like owning some MSFT and INTC, and I also own some energy stocks, although I haven't put a ton of money into them yet.
Speaking of Intel, there are good things happening with that company, IMO, and more good things to come. I still like the stock, and own a fair amount. I am up on Intel nicely, and I think it will continue to shine for a while longer.
I have done soooo well with UPS recently, and I should have mentioned it here, and apologize that I did not.
This may surprise you... but I am going to buy some Sprint. I have considered it a loser for quite a while, but I am reconsidering that it might have a fair amount of upside ahead, especially when I look at it's share prices three years ago... and at this point it will balance out my telecom sector anyway... So, it makes good sense for me to own Sprint, but I'm not recommending it to others because of the level of risk.
That's my update for now.
TM
Seems like we can agree on stocks a lot easier than cars.
Tag - MB S-class a little favored over an LS now for my December lease. It seems it may be time to try something new and the GL experience has been wonderful. I love the truck. Problem is I favor the hybrid and my wife wants AWD. Lexus should have done with the LS hybrid what MB has done with the S. It's price just makes it too prohibitive, as very few of us need a V12 or V12 equivalent. .
Your a smart man... buy AWD. She'll the happy, which means you'll be happier in the long run.
Besides, now that we know New Jersey winters are capable of being among the worst in the world... the AWD should come in handy, and be the safer choice. I recall you had a close call this last winter. :surprise:
TM
Amazing! I also bought UPS several weeks ago. And I own FDX as well from the time it was trading down around $60.
Besides, now that we know New Jersey winters are capable of being among the worst in the world... the AWD should come in handy, and be the safer choice. I recall you had a close call this last winter.
Tag,
I am not sure you are ware of this, but the LS now also comes in AWD. I am not trying to say that the LS is better than the S. I am just pointing out that Len can have AWD with either one. I am biased toward hybrids, so I can see Len's point though. I imagine the S hybrid is also AWD.
Man I am getting more and more giddy about my stocks today. It's an aesome day so far.
Never seen that before - very funny (especially since the big % was in the right direction. :shades: ).
If so, then it's a win-win.
Man I am getting more and more giddy about my stocks today.
Hell yes! Even my crazy Sprint purchase has already produced a nice gain!
TM
just another reason Microsoft stopped supporting Money? :P
That's hilarious.
TM
Charlie - love my LS460L.and it's been another masterpiece, but with no changes on the 2011, we may opt to try the S-class. If the LS hybrid were the middle ground price of it's class, which is what the S-class is then, I'd go for it. But that tiny trunk bothers me a lot even if it was. But Lexus tried to kill 2 birds with one stone with this hybrid and initially marketed the car as being a clean V-12 equiv. If I were shoipping V-12, it would deeply interest me. Lexus should have offered a V-6 LS with a power boost from electric ala Mercedes.Thje S-hybrid also interest me because of high MPG.
GS crashing this morning on potential criminal charges. Down to $149.02 the last I looked.
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/30/business/30case.html?partner=yahoofinance
Well, that was my understanding when I first posted what I considered to be the better choice... better for the wife, that is.
If the wife's desires for AWD don't need to be factored in so heavily, then I'd go with the S-Class hybrid in a heartbeat... great car, great fuel efficiency.
GS crashing this morning on potential criminal charges.
And we feel sooooo sorry for them.
TM
I don't blame you one bit. If you recall, about 4 years ago, I ordered the LS hybrid and then changed my mind due to lousy gas mileage (for a hybrid), a tiny trunk, and a cost that was considered off the roof. I am SO happy I went for the LS460L instead. Like you, I love the car (except that it is not AWD. It is a pain to change and store tires twice a year). It really makes a lot of sense that you prefer the S hybrid at this time. BTW, what does it cost with most of the options? When I am ready to get a new car a year or two down the road, I will definitely consider the S hybrid. Do you hear that Tag? Of course it depends what Lexus has to offer at that time as well.
BTW, the market giveth and the market taketh away. It stinks so far today. Most of the excuse is that the GDP only grew by 3.2% instead of the expected 3.4%. Is that "hogwash" or what? I am staying the course. The market will be heading much higher overall. I am not worried. The only thing I did is I took profits this morning on FDX. It has not been acting all that great lately.
Pat became a member of the Forums in 1997 and was asked to become a host in 1999. Pat was diligent in her role as the Host of Sedans and while some may not always have agreed with her decisions, she always sought to make Sedans an inclusive place for automotive consumers to gain information and support. As a co-worker and friend, she will be greatly missed. At this very sad time for Pat’s family, we extend our deepest sympathy and condolences.
Regards,
Jose
Pat always had good intentions, and was privately very helpful to me at one time... I am so sad to learn of this.
She will be missed by many.
I will also post this in the other forum where I participate.
This was just placed on the internet within hours of Pat's departure:
An international research consortium including scientists from The University of Texas Health Science Centre at Houston (UTHealth) has identified a new genetic link to the systemic form of scleroderma. Researchers believe a thorough understanding of the genetic nature of the disease is crucial to developing a cure.
more info: link title
TM
2013 LX 570 2016 LS 460
The Sandman :sick: :shades:
2023 Hyundai Kona Limited AWD (wife) / 2015 Golf TSI (me) / 2019 Chevrolet Cruze Premier RS (daughter #1) / 2020 Hyundai Accent SE (daughter #2) / 2023 Subaru Impreza Base (son)
So that said, I expect that we will witness a very volatile week ahead for the financial markets... worse than we've seen in quite a while.
Could be very bloody.
Are you going to ride it out? Or sell out to avoid the downside, and then get right back in at the lows, after the dust settles? I'm still thinking about how I am going to approach this. I want to have a plan in place before tomorrow's opening bell.
TM
Although I agree with TM that this will be a tough week (probably not as bad as TM thinks though), I am also going to ride it out. The problem with getting out right now is, how will you know the timing of getting back in. I continue to be bullish the stock market for the long haul.
I think that the entire market trend is still very bullish but the market is very skittish and is almost looking for signs to correct (Greece, GS, etc...) so the bullish pattern will suffer from periodic interruptions. I don't think it is worth trying to time these, I know that I've tried many times and have gotten it wrong as much as I've gotten it right. I believe that you should strap on your helmet and follow the trends that you believe exist - that being said good companies that you choose should always outperform jumping around to hot sectors.
We'll see...
I am more concerned with trying to decide the timing of some of my other stocks, and when is the right time to take some profits... such as Apple. After all, at some point it might make good sense to sell at a high and buy again at a low, and what I am questioning for myself is whether or not we are at one of those moments.
As Charlie pointed out, the hardest thing to do after selling is to figure out when to get back in. If done correctly, it can make a lot of extra money, but if done incorrectly it can cost a lot of money.
Sometimes the smartest thing to do is what you guys are going to do... stay the course.
TM
BTW - Was in NYC for dinner Saturday night at the Old Homestead steakhouse (filet mignon on the bone is fabulous there if there's any steak lovers that come to NYC) and got stuck in the early development of the street closures while I was coming thru the Lincoln tunnel. Thank God we were going down to 9th and 15th rather than the Times Square area. Also luckily I was coming thru the tunnel around 7PM. I can imagine how bad the tunnel got after that. NYC was teeming with life Saturday night because it was a beautiful night with warm 80 degree temps.
It is great to get some re-assurance from you Len. Who knows? Maybe we saw the low for quite a while in the Dow on Friday. The way the futures are reacting this evening, maybe this will not be a bad week at all.
05/03 09:44 CDT WRAPUP 2-US factories accelerate, consumer spending up
5-3-2010 09:44 WRAPUP 2-US factories accelerate, consumer spending up
* ISM factory activity rise in April
* Consumer spending rises for sixth month
* Income increases for eighth consecutive month
* Savings level, rate lowest since September 2008
NEW YORK, May 3 (Reuters) - U.S. manufacturing,
construction and consumer spending data on Monday all bode well
for the economic recovery, with factories' activity growing at
the fastest pace in nearly six years.
The Institute for Supply Management (ISM) said its index of
national manufacturing activity rose to 60.4 in April from 59.6
in March, beating Reuters' median forecast for a reading of 60.
[ID:nEAP101002]
Consumer spending rose in March for a sixth straight month,
while construction spending also rose.
"This adds credibility to the strength of the economy,"
said Jim Awad, managing director, Zephyr Management in New
York.
U.S. stocks were solidly higher after the data, while
Treasury debt prices were lower. The U.S. dollar extended gains
against the yen and euro after the ISM manufacturing data.
Markets are watching the numbers on the world's largest
economy closely for signs of the strength of its recovery, so
far led chiefly by manufacturing while the mood among consumers
has remained shakier.
In a separate report, the Commerce Department said consumer
spending rose 0.6 percent after rising by an upwardly revised
0.5 percent in February, previously reported as a 0.3 percent
gain.
Another report showed U.S. construction spending also
unexpectedly rose in March to post the first advance since
October. [ID:nN30128894] The 0.2 percent rise was the largest
gain since October and followed a revised 2.1 percent drop in
February, previously reported as a 1.3 percent fall.
Thanks for straightening me out.
TM
BTW, our only family trip to NYC (year and a half ago my daughter was in the Macy's Thanksgiving parade)... we ate at Gallagher's Steakhouse... not too bad, IMO, but sounds like I'll need to check out Old Homestead next time I ever make it out there.
Actually, my favorite food in NYC turned out to be deli food... and I got hooked on New York hot pastrami on rye.
TM
One of the most elegant and very popular steakhouses in NYC is Del Frisco's. It's a classic old world style NY bank, lotsof marble, very high two story ceilings, sweeping banisters and beautiful architecture, turned into a restaurant and is on 6th ave and I believe 49th. I think it was an old Morgan Guaranty Trust. NY Deli's can't be beat and Carnegie is one of my favorites.
On the other hand, may be some of you could be interested in the proceedings of this meeting
The Royal Society and Nature present:
Tomorrow’s Giants
(Tomorrow's Giants is part of an exciting week of celebrations for the Royal Society's 350th anniversary, which will include an extended Summer Science Exhibition at Southbank Centre, London.)
Announcement
July 1, 2010
Queen Elizabeth Hall, Southbank Centre, London, UK
Tomorrow’s Giants will bring together scientists and policy makers to gather scientists’ vision of the next 50 years, to address questions such as: What is required to enable academic achievement of the highest quality? What will science be like in 10 and in 50 years time? What will be the main goals and challenges?
My feeling is that predicting this kind of things for 10/50 years time is as difficult as predicting market developments for the same period. Amazing fireworks.
Regards,
Jose
What is a fair charge for that service?
With the Brokerage fee the total for a 1000 shares was $4503.xx.
05/04 08:39 CDT Stocks open lower as Greece debt remains a focus
Stocks open lower as Greece debt remains a focus
By STEPHEN BERNARD
AP Business Writer
NEW YORK (AP) -- Stocks are sinking as European debt problems sent another wave
of pessimism through the market.
The market has seesawed over the past week as concerns about debt problems in
Greece and other European countries overshadow increasingly upbeat domestic
economic reports.
European debt is again a worry Tuesday, after European markets fell in response
to uneasiness over a $144 billion bailout package for Greece.
Investors will, however, get reports on factory orders and home sales later in
the day that are expected to show the economy is improving.
EDIT (9:53 AM CDT): I heard a rumor going around this morning that it was the Koreans that blew up the oil rig that has resulted in the massive oil spill disaster in the Gulf. Maybe THIS is the real reason why the markets are COLLAPSING this morning.
Yes, it is... but it is exactly what I posted about. Maybe I should have followed my instincts... not sure, but the situation doesn't look good. Regardless, there are still plenty of good reasons for the market to hold its own here, so maybe we will see a correction, and then move forward from there. Friday's jobs data will be very important, IMO. Better hope for a good report, or the market will tank even further.
I heard a rumor going around this morning that it was the Koreans that blew up the oil rig that has resulted in the massive oil spill disaster in the Gulf. Maybe THIS is the real reason why the markets are COLLAPSING this morning.
Wow!... Charlie, I have honestly thought this was quite possibily a terrorist act all along, but never posted it. I didn't consider the Koreans, however. I guess we'll find out over time, or maybe we'll never know, and there will be nothing more than rumors. There would need to be some sort of evidence. Crazy world.
TM
Have no fear Tag, Charlie is here
Charlie,
One of the reasons I like to get out of the market and then right back in is because I pay no fees to do so, and can completely have my portfolio out of the market, and then back in within minutes. So... if I had gotten out on Mondy morning, like I was contemplating, and then back in this afternoon, I'd have eliminated all this loss. It's tempting, but it has it's risks of losing the upside if I don't get back in soon enough.
Anyway, I am not just riding this out, for now. I am seizing the moment!
You are right when you posted that you should be adding to your portfolio today. Afterall, you do believe that the market will go to 12K, and today's prices would get you a bigger return, and that's what it's all about!
So, I have just purchased more stocks. I am treating this as a terrific buying opportunity. I would rather buy these stocks at these lower prices, and I have selected these particular stocks...
I have just purchased a considerable amount of Apple, Ford, Citi, Amazon, Intel and Microsoft. I believe they are all terrific long-term investments, and today's prices are discounted compared to what they were.
If the market goes lower, I assure you I will buy even more. I am so serious about my approach to the market.
I am long-term bullish on the U.S. economy. Where else at this particular time? The demand on technology to solve many of today's problems is huge and the mobile world is still only in its early stages. The economy is in the early stages of its rebound. Massive upside exists all around us, IMHO.
BTW, how's the RX been doing?
TM
The RX is doing very well. About a month ago we took it for a long trip to the Detroit area and back. The average gas mileage for the trip was about 28.5 mpg in spite of some strong cross winds for most of the trip.
It is comfortable, has good handling (in my opinion) and has a lot of technological features. One of the my favorites is the Heads Up Display. It not only tells you the speed but it also shows you in graphical form, where to navigate if you have a set destination.
There are a few things that disappoint/annoy me: 1. It only has 2 parking sensors in the front (one on each side of bumper). If you are heading into a parking space, you need to be careful there is no object directly in front of the bumper. 2. The garage door buttons above are not illuminated at night and it makes it difficult to press the right button. 3. When you have it set for a destination, the radio volume does not lower when the voice comes on and gives navigation instructions. These are fairly minor complaints, but Lexus should have never tried to cut corners to save a few bucks. I think that the audio volume problem can be corrected by new software.
If I have influenced you to stay the course on the market the other day, I apologize. Man, you have a great deal not paying any fees. I decided to stay with pretty much everything (I did take profits on FDX yesterday) since I thought it would make it difficult to determine when to get back in. What the heck, we both agree that the market is going to eventually go a lot higher. So, there is little to worry about.
BTW, If you can stomach it, I suggest that you add to your portfolio today Charlie. Think longer term, and it makes perfect sense to me.
TM
Well, guess what? I just bought more Apple (only 30 shares though). The market will be a lot higher than this in the not too distant future. We both agree.
I don't know if you caught the second portion of my post above when I apologized to you.
I missed that, and no worries. I think I will simply take this opportunity to say that it should be (and I believe that it is) totally clear and understood by every member of this forum that ultimately we are all individually responsible for our own investment decisions. Personally, I appreciate the perspectives here, and know that at the end of the day, it is my choice, and mine alone, as to what I do and don't do.
The goal here (as I see it) is to exchange information, data, and perspectives with regards to the stock market and other investments, so that we open the door to the possibility of improving our investment strategies... as well as sharing information about our lives along the way.
I totally believe that this is a successful forum in that regard, and that, in fact, we are in the process of proving it... I am so confident that some of the suggestions and recommendations that we have shared here are already integrated into the process of increasing our net worth.
Anyway, I encourage you to always say it like you see it, especially with regards to a forum like this. Your candid honesty is an inherently important component of this winning formula... and I do beleive it is a winning formula. In fact, I am convinced that the more that you, Len, myself, Tony, Clembo, Houdini, Steve, Gary, Circlew, Joe, gagrice and all the others here discuss investing, the better it will be for all of us. So, don't hold back, and no apology necessary.
Well, guess what? I just bought more Apple
Yeah, man... way to go!
TM
Witjh the above stated, this is really an ugly day in the stock market going into the last 20 minutes of trading. "Mama said there'd be days like this, there'd be days like this my Mama said. Mama said, Mama said." :sick:
I just wanted to tell you that you have a fine sense of the market....You called it right and although I do not plan on any changes for myself, and wondered what was happening yesterday, today you sure looked like a genius:).....I`m still just standing back for a while, and only because I am trying to buy a tractor, and unfortunately that is a very complex thing to do.:)..A shame `I`m a one trick pony` so I am following `the gang`s` philosophy til tomorrow when I hope to finalize ....Tony