Stock Market Rallied On March 31th, 2009

Wall Street rallied again after declined on Monday. The investors focused on economic data, because today is the last day of the quarter. Beside that, The Federal Reserve's step to lower the mortgage rates are expected to improve the housing sector.

The report also showed that during March, the consumers' confidence have also improved, although still near its record lows.

However, behind all of the good news above, there are some negative news that make investors become worry. Some of them are the decrease of home price and the possibility of GM's bankruptcy. Previously, President Barack Obama has given 60 days for GM to restructure their company. But Fritz Henderson, the new CEO of GM said that if they cannot reach the agreement with the related party in 60 days, maybe a bankruptcy is one of the decisions that can be taken to solve their problems..

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Stock Market Fell After White House Rejected Auto Companies' Plan (March 31th, 2009)

Wall Street have declined after President Barack Obama rejected the General Motors and Chrysler's turnaround plan. He said that both GM and Chrysler didn't provide enough desire to change their companies' structure.

The latest news, about the removal of Rick Wagoner, CEO of GM has also worsened the industry's conditions. But the President said that Rick's removal was a sign that the company needs new direction.

On The other side, the investors have taken their money back after took profit from two last weeks' gain. They said that they want to allocate their money in a more secure sector.

Stay alert and think positively although the economy not as good as we want..

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Stock Market Slipped Becaused of Some Economic Data ( March 27th, 2009)

Stocks market declined after as some economic data circulated in Wall Street. The investors also took profit after two-day rally.

Here are another news today:

- The Commerce Department said that in Februay, personal spending rose to 0.2 percent, but the personal income fell 0.2 percent. These consumers's mood increased after the government do an effort to help financial system.

- President Obama will meet with the CEO of biggest banks in the country. This meeting will discuss about the plan that designed to improve and stabilize the U.S. financial system.

In addition to the news above, one thing that also quite important and worried by the investors is 2009's first quarter earnings. So again, let's hope the companies' first quarter earnings will increase or at least remain stable..

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U.S. Stock Market Rose Again On March 26th, 2009

Today, some news have strengthened the opinion that the market have found its bottom as Best Buy announced its smaller-than-expected profit. Beside that, an auction on seven-year Treasury notes has also increased the investors' optimism.

Best Buy reported its 23 percent drop in profit, but the drop of its profit are smaller than analysts' expectations. This report showed that the shoppers' power have increased.

On the other side, The Labor Department said that the total number of people claiming benefits increased to 5.56 million last week. This is the highest record on unemployment since 1967..

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Breaking News: Wall Street Jumped Again!

Wall Street rose after the government reported the increases in order for durable goods and the rises of new home sales. Investors were excited after hearing these breaking news.

The Commerce Department said that in February, the demand for durable goods increased for about 3.4 percent. This was the biggest increase since December 2007, where even the order for durable goods experienced a sharp decline last month.

The Commerce Department also said that in February, the new home sales rose about 4.7 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 337,000. This was a good breaking news, where many economists had expected that new home sales would fall in February.

Some analysts said the increase of stock markets and U.S.economy during the last two weeks have slowed the recession. That is good, let's hope the recession will end as soon as possible ^_^

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Investors Took Profits, Wall Street Slipped (March 24th, 2009)

Wall Street declined as the investors took their profits. They took the profit after the U.S. indexes rose about 7 percent.

Meanwhile, the Congress gived power to Geithner to control big financial institutions, such as AIG, whose failure would endanger the U.S. financial system. Ben Bernanke also said that he wanted to sue AIG to stop giving millions in bonuses. Now, fifteen from twenty executives of AIG have agreed to give back their bonuses. The bonuses are worth $ 50 million.

All the steps that U.S government and The Fed took were aimed to prevent a further fall in the economy. In addition, this step were also taken to improve the U.S. financial system.

Let's wait and see what will be happen next and stay alert. Good luck!

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Government Planned To Remove Bank's Bad Assets, Wall Street Soared (March 23th, 2009)

Government said that they want to help banks to remove their troubled loans and securities. They have two plans, which are plans to buy bad loans and to buy securities from banks. The total purchase of these banks' bad assets are around $ 1 trillion. The goal of these plans are to weighing on banks' balance sheets and increasing banks' ability to provide loans to consumers.
The stock market jumped after this announcement, especially banks and financial firms' stocks.

The increase of existing homes's sale was also increased the stock market..

Let's hope that all of these news will help to lift the U.S. economy and will help banks to give more loans to consumers, because during this period the drop in lending has worsened and prolonged the recession..

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Stock Market's Weekly Recap (Ended March 20th, 2009)

Here is the stock market's weekly recap ended at March 20th, 2009:

- On Monday the stock market, especially bank stocks rose for the fifth day because of the british bank Barclays PLC said that its bank performance at the beginning of 2009. Ben Bernanke also said that he optimist that the recession would probably end at early 2010 if the government can successfully strengthen the banking system.

- On Tuesday, The Department of Commerce said that the construction of new homes increased 22.2 percent from January (became to 583,000 units), core inflation rose 0.2 percent in February, and the Labor Department said the wholesale prices increased 0.1 percent. Harry Reid said Congress will force AIG's executives to pay back some of the $165 million bonuses they received.

- On Wednesday, IBM has made a $6.5 billion offer to buy Sun, which would be IBM's biggest deal ever. On this day, Bernard Maddoff's accountant was also arrested on fraud charges.

- On Thursday, FedEx reported a 75 percent drop in profit because of the global recession. The other news is the Labor Department said although the new claims for jobless benefits fell to 646.000.

- On Friday, Ben Bernanke said in his speech that The Fed will buy treasury securities that aims to revive lending and improve the economy. On the other side Citigroup have splitted its company into two divisions (Citi Holdings and Citicorp). Citigroup also shifted Gary Crittenden as Citi Holdings's chairman, and moved Edward Kelly to become chief financial officer.

On Friday, Dow was closed at 7,278.38, Nasdaq at 1,457.27, and S&P 500 at 768.54.

Let's hope that on next Monday, the stock market will rise again. If the stock market rise more and more, maybe Bernanke's opinion that the recession would probably end at the end of 2009 will becoming real.. So let's hope and always fill your mind with the positive way of thinking!

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The Fed Announced That They Will Buy Treasury Security (March 20, 2009)

Ben Bernanke said in his speech that The Fed will buy treasury securities that aims to revive lending and improve the economy. U.S stock market rised directly after this announcement.

On the other side, Vikram Pandit, CEO of Citigroup said that the company was splitting in two divisions. The divisions are Citi Holdings and Citicorp. Beside that, Citigroup have shifted Gary Crittenden as Chairman of Citi Holding, the riskiest that hold the riskier bank's assets. Previously, Gary was a Chief Financial Officer in Citigroup. Citigroup also moved Edward Kelly to become chief financial officer from previously have position as CEO of Citi Alternative Investments.

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Wall Street Mixed on March 19th, 2009

Wall street decreased after FedEx announced that its Q3 earnings has tumbled. The Labor Department also reported that new claims for jobless benefits fell to 646,000. This is lower than last week's report (658.000).

FedEx reported a 75 percent drop in profit because of the global recession, and because of this, FedEx plans to cut costs by reducing its capacity, reduce its workers and work hours. They reported that their revenue dropped 14 percent to $8.14 billion.

On the other side, the Labor Department said although the new claims for jobless benefits fell to 646.000, but the total workers who claims for jobless benefit reached another record high. One of the factors that causes high levels of unemployment is because the companies want to cut their costs. So one of the things that company could do is by reducing its workers.

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World's Stock Market Rose After Fed's Announcement

Most of world's stock market were closed higher after Federal Reserve's announced its $1.2 trillion spending plan. The Fed hoped by this spending plan, the worst global slowdown will end quicker.

On the other side, the investors are waiting on report about new workers filing for unemployment benefits. The Labor Department's report is scheduled to be released Thursday at 8:30 a.m. EDT.

Maybe the Wall Street will face a mixed move at today's market opening, but I think with investor's optimism, the stock market will still be better today..

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Stock Markets Slipped Due To Worries About AIG and Fed's Meeting Result (March 18th, 2009)

Wall street stock exchange has decreased on its early trading. This is caused by investor's worries about the Fed's meeting result. Investors and U.S. citizens also still mad and critize about AIG's actions to give bonuses for its executives.

Today's news:

- The Fed is expected to set the rates at their current historically low level (around 0 to 0.25 percent). But investors are still nervous about the Fed's assessment on the economy that will be reflected through the rate decision. The committee was expected to outline its statement at around 2:15 p.m.

- Wall street also decreased due to the taxpayer's anger of AIG's actions that gived $ 165 million bonuses to its executive. Kanjorkski, a member of the House Financial Services Committee and chairman of the House capital markets subcommittee, said that the AIG's action can remove the U.S. taxpayer's patience with the attempt to help Wall Street and make a recovery to the American economy. This action will interfere the economic recovery. Kanjorski said that Liddy must prepare a plan to solve the problem he's not going to interfere with the economic recovery of the United States again.

- IBM gives a positive sign to acquire Sun Microsystems. IBM has made a $6.5 billion offer to buy Sun, which would be IBM's biggest deal ever. I think this decision would be profitable for both company in long term.

- Bernard Maddoff's accountant was arrested on fraud charges. This man has been accused of assisting bernie in conducting fraud in the past 20 years.

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U.S. Stock Market Has Opened Lower Becaused of Mixed Economic Data

Wall Street has opened lower because of some mixed economic data, that are inflation, and a little impact of Alcoa announcement.

Below are recaps on today's news:

- The Department of Commerce informed that construction of new homes increased 22.2 percent from January (477.000 units) to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 583,000 units. Previously, the economists expected that the construction will drop to a pace of around 450.000 units.

- Core inflation, excludes energy and food, rose 0.2 percent in February, just little higher than the 0.1 percent gain that economists had expected. In January, the core inflation rose 0.4 percent.

- The Labor Department said that wholesale prices increased 0.1 percent. The statistic was smaller than the 0.4 percent increase that economists had expected.

- Alcoa has lowered its dividend on Monday after market closed. Instead of cut 82 percent of its dividend into 3 cents, Alcoa also said that it plans to sell stock and debt to help reduce annual costs by more than $2.4 billion.

There are news that circulated in Wall Street this morning, but now The Dow Jones Industrial has its rally again after Harry Reid said that Congress will force AIG's executives to pay back some of the $165 million bonuses they received. This news makes investors have their passion again.

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Investor are Optimist, Wall Street Continues Its Rally (March 16th, 2009)

The Dow Jones Industrial, S & P 500, and bank stock prices rose for the fifth day, after the banks reported its profit in January and February 2009.

Investors are still optimistic on the news about Citigroup, Bank of America, and JP Morgan Chase's profit. Ben Bernanke, the Chairman of the Federal Reserve also said that at the end of 2009, the recession would probably end if the government can successfully strengthen the banking system. He said that the government needs to encourage banks to lend money more freely and get the financial markets to work more normally.

And moreover, today the British bank Barclays PLC said that its bank's performance was also increased at the beginning of 2009. All of these news have more strengthen the investor's hope that the market has already reached its bottom...

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Wall Street Still Extends Its Gain------ Again??

U.S. stocks market rose again for the fourth straight day after many positive news from companies in many industries. AP news said that about five stocks rose for every three that fell on the New York Stock Exchange today.

Richard Parsons, Citigroup's chairman, said that Citigroup does not require additional aid from the government. Previously, Citigroup has received three times emergency funding to help defend the company's decline. Beside that, Bank of America's chief executive Ken Lewis said that the bank has booked the profits.

General Motors also reported a positive news, said that its would not need the latest government bailout money. General Electric's credit rating cut yesterday wasn't as bad as investors had feared.

All these positive news has strengthened and extended the stock market rise.

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Stock Market Mixed After Many Economic News Occured

Stock prices dropped when market opened today after S&P 500 cut GE's credit rating. Economic data also add the decline.

S&P 500 said it is lowering GE's credit rating from AAA to AA+. S&P said they believe that GECC is under increasing earnings pressure, due to recent sharp deterioration in general economic conditions around the globe.
But GE said the S&P's action that only cut their rating down one notch and improved their outlook to 'stable' was a good move.

The other economic data added the decline as The Labor Department said that first-time claims for unemployment benefits increased to 654,000. This claims were above analyst's expectations.

Although GE's cut rating and economic data occured, but both GE and stock market still extended their rally. This is the third day that stock market move higher.

I think maybe this is a sign that market are making its bottom, but until now no one could predict the future exactly.

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Wall Street Still Moves Higher Today

U.S. stock markets are still trying to extend the rally that occurred yesterday. The market has triggered by a letter from Citigroup Chief Excecutive Vikram Pandit to his employees saying that Citigroup posted its operating profit in the first two months of 2009.

During this bad period, Citigroup has lost so much money and took billions aid from the government. So because of that news, the investors optimist this first quarter might not be as bad as expected.

However, on the other side, the investors are still worry about world economy as China reported that its February export have fell sharply.

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Stock Prices Rose After Citigroup Reported Its Operating Profit

Wall street's stock prices rose after Citigroup reported operating profit of $ 8.3 billion during the first 2 months in 2009. Because of this story, Citigroup shares rose 27 percent, and other banking stock prices also increased sharply.

However, although Wall Street have soared after Citi's new, There are some bad rumours running on stock market. The rumour have circulated that SEC did not plan to suspend the mark-to-market accounting rule. But the markets showed little reaction to the news and traders said it was not a surprise.

On the other side, only for information, that the oil's price increased to near $48/barrel after OPEC signaled they will announce their production cut within days.

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Wall Street Rose at Opening

Wall Street's stock market rose after the announcement of $41 billion acquisition deal between Merck and Schering-Plough. This deal helped market to rise, although investors were still pessimistic about economic condition.

The negative news occured, when McClatchy Co. planned to cut 1.600 jobs because of its declining revenue.

Warren Buffet told CNBC's Becky Quick that the U.S. economy has fallen off a cliff over the past six months. The economy has slowed down a lot, and consumer have really changed their habits.
He said that the economy can't turn around on a dime and a turnaround won't happen fast, but he is really optimistic about U.S. economy in future. He said the economy will be running fine five years from now, because the strength of the American system will pull it through, just as it has many times in the past.

With this news, we know that American systems are strong. So although the economy condition has slowed, but people must still overcome their fear. With this optimistic long-term view, we can encourage the stock market to lift higher and beat this recession. As American president, Obama said that we must believe in change. So change your pessimism into optimism, and participate back in stock market!

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Market's Weekly Recap (Ending 06-Mar-09)

It was a tough week for the stock market caused by many negative economic data and investor sentiment, causing all U.S. index dropped deeply. The S&P 500 dropped 7.0 % (traded at its lowest level in 12 years), while Nasdaq and Dow dropped 6.1 % and 6.2 %.

The decline in the market started on Monday, where AIG reported a massive $61 billion quarterly loss. This was the largest company loss in U.S. corporate history. Another bearish sentiment increased when HSBC(ticker: HBC) reported a mass profit drop, made this company cut 6.100 jobs and reduced it dividend. Wells Fargo (ticker: WFC) and U.S. Bancorp (ticker: USB) are also announced that they will cut their dividends by roughly 85% to $0.05 per share in an effort to save capital.

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The Recession Deepens; Dow Closed Below 6,600

The Dow fell and closed at 6594.44, due to concerns about the banking systems and the future of GM. The government's Friday employment report also exacerbated the losses.

About banking, Citigroup stock price fell below $ 1 ( and ended at $ 1.02). Citi's price dropped because of several reasons, some because of loans problem and impact of the recession. It was also reported that Citigroup received no new capital last week.

GM's stock price decreased and its price closed at $ 1.86. Market worried that GM has a possibility to bankrupt.

Although many companies experienced a significant drop of their price, Wal-Mart's stock price increased to $ 49.75. The company posted better-than-expected sales results for February, and it raised its annual dividend by 15 percent.

all this uncertainty made long-term investors decide to not enter the market yet, don't you?

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Global Stock Market's Rally Affect Wall Street

1. Today, U.S. stock futures rose, with hopes that china's economy is able to lead the worldwide markets. Previously, Asian stock markets closed mostly higher on hopes for China's furher economic stimulus. Beside that, Obama government set a new program that aims to help up to 9 million borrowers stay in their homes and these programs are modified to lower monthly payments.

2. On the other side, according to the ADP employment index, U.S. private sector cuts 697.000 jobs in February. It was the biggest job loss since the report's launch in 2001.

3. Oil prices also jumped over 5 percent to near $44 a barrel Wednesday.

But some analysts said that this rally is only a bear-market rally...

May this information will help you in determining your investment decision ^^

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Warren Buffett's Annual Letter to His Shareholders (2009)

In his annual letter to Berkshire Hathaway shareholders, Warren Buffett predicted that throughout 2009, the nation's economy will be in shambles. He said that the credit crisis and falling stock and housing prices have led to paralyzing fear. However, he remains optimistic on the America's resilience. He said that the U.S. has faced greater economic challenge in the past, such as two World War and the Great Depression.

Berkshire Hathaway's profit fell 96 percent, and its net worth tumbled $10.9 billion in the year's final three months. Its net worth per share fell 9.6 percent in 2008, is the second decline since Buffett began running Berkshire in 1965.

Buffett said that he at least made one mistake in investing. Some of them are when he was buying ConocoPhilips stocks in a large amount when the price of oil and gas were near their peak. The other mistake is when he spent $244 million on stock in two Irish bank that appeared cheap, but later increase his losses.

For furhter information, The full letter is available online at http://www.berkshirehathaway.com.

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