-Executive Summary-

• RELENTLESS UP-MOVE!  The markets moved briskly higher today. See below…
• Wise and careful stock investors purchase when things are quiet or just prior to/after major break-outs and do not chase stocks.

This Stock Market Companion 15MinuteStocks Market Update is a powerful tool designed to help you make money in the stock market.  It’s web-based, therefore available wherever and whenever you are.  It is your essential link to the markets, delivers a broad to narrow summary of important market and company specific conditions and events, and prepares you to be ready for actionable ideas.  We show you when/where we put our own money to work… and when/where we take our profits/losses.  Please see our short (2 minute) website videos for more information.

– Markets “At a Glance” –

(Please scroll down to the end of the report to see your favorite benchmarks – Dollar, Oil, Gold … closing prices and daily direction.)

– Market Trends –

*Summary of terms from Trader Vic II-Principles of Professional Speculation (pg. 140-141)
*_________* Represents a change in trend rating.

– Market Perspectives –

For your added perspective, we’ve included these two different views of the broader market –

1. SMC SP-500 ETF Daily Chart (Click to open helpful chart in a separate browser window).

2. SMC SP-500 Weekly Chart (Spanning back through 2007)

– Today’s Highlights –

The stock market is on a tear.  Those who aren’t “in” are wishing they  were.  Shorts who were figuring on a pull-back in order to make some money are covering their losses.

Gone are the concerns from the “flash-crash”.  What we are “hearing” right now when we look at good stocks is “Get me in”.  Not all stocks are going up.  Retail stocks are not doing well, nor are airlines.

This too will come to an end – but apparently not yet.  There’s no need to spoil the party.  This could go on for a while.

Overseas the markets were strong today because Portugal was successful in selling a little over a billion in debt.  OK.  Our US congress burns through that at lunch time.  Just for reference – last MONTH’s US budget shortfall was $80 billion.  Today the markets don’t care.

Leading the charge today were financial stocks like Bank of America (Ticker: BAC) and J.P. Morgan Chase (JPM).  JPM stated that they would like to re-instate their dividend as soon as the government says they have enough money on the mantle.

Agriculture stocks also got a boost today from the USDA World Agriculture Supply and Demand Estimates. For those of you who enjoy a good summary of agricultural output and an idea of what the US produces, this is a great read.  For those families using the Stock Market Companion as an investment tool AND educational tool for your children, this is an excellent source of discussion items for the week.

Crude oil prices tagged $92/barrel, before pulling back a little and gold closed a bit higher – both in response to a weaker US dollar.  The US dollar has been going UP recently as the problems in Europe related to individual sovereign country debt have been at the forefront of discussions.

Some stocks have gone vertical – just like our holdings.  There are few good entries here.  We are however on the HUNT.

– Story-Stock Investing –

Level 3 Communications (Ticker: LVLT) is or “has” taking / taken off.  Any investor here needs to be prepared to ride the stock down to $1.08/share on a pull-back.  We know that LVLT has expanded their business model to include internet delivery solutions like Akamai (Ticker: AKAM), beyond their traditional internet back-bone operations.    We know that LVLT took market share from AKAM by landing a portion of Netflix’s business.  LVLT is already UP approx. 27% since the beginning of the year, so we would like to see it establish some form of a base from which to gauge our entry.  LVLT however is perhaps just +10% higher since their Netflix business relationship announcement.  So there may be room to move higher.

Stock Market Companion stock “runner” for December – “SHZ” or China Shen Zhou Mining Inc. turned higher today after a week of selling off.  We exited well over a week ago at approx. $8/share for a +54% return in a little over a day.  If this stock begins looking closely at $10/share we will consider a renewed investment – even if it is just for another day of strong gains.

Please remember – at the Stock Market Companion we do not and cannot give individual investment advice. According to the State of Washington RCW 21.20.005 the Stock Market Companion is not a Registered Financial Advisor and we do not render any advice on the basis of the specific investment situation of a particular individual. This information is for a wide readership and is not intended for any particular individual,  and under no circumstances should our Market Update or Watchlist be considered an investment recommendation or plan for any specific individual.  By accessing this material, you agree that the Stock Market Companion will not be held liable for any actions taken by a subscriber or other parties.  Please seek the counsel of a broker or other licensed investment professional for accurate pricing and concerning the suitability of all investments that you may be considering. Disclosure : You understand that the Stock Market Companion holds positions in the above mentioned securities.  Based on market related or personal events these positions may change without notice.

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Please remember – at the Stock Market Companion we do not and cannot give individual investment advice. According to the State of Washington RCW 21.20.005 the Stock Market Companion is not a Registered Financial Advisor and we do not render any advice on the basis of the specific investment situation of a particular individual. This information is for a wide readership and is not intended for any particular individual,  and under no circumstances should our SMC Intraday Update, SMC 15MinuteStocks Market Update or Watchlist be considered an investment recommendation or plan for any specific individual.  By accessing this material, you agree that the Stock Market Companion will not be held liable for any actions taken by a subscriber or other parties.  Please seek the counsel of a broker or other licensed investment professional for accurate pricing and concerning the suitability of all investments that you may be considering. Disclosure : Please understand that the Stock Market Companion may hold positions in the above mentioned securities.  Based on market related or personal events these positions may change without notice.

– Stock Market Companion – Current Holdings –

– Stock Market Companion – Performance –

Please click on this chart to see the Stock Market Companion 15MinuteStocks stock performance versus the SP-500.  It will open in a separate browser window.
* Gains (losses) do not include brokerage fees.   Our returns are very strong … BUT …  WE have to remind everyone just like all other financial sites in America – Past Performance is No Guarantee of Future Returns.  Unlike others however, our objective is to teach you to be able to make these types of strong returns On Your Own.

All of the investments – stocks, entries, and exits are listed on our Stock Market Companion Watchlist at the bottom of the spreadsheet, in the section labelled Former Holdings.

– Benchmarks “At a Glance” –

Data Source : Financial Visualizations Inc.

Signing-Off for Today,

Your -Stock Market Companion

** Stock Market Companion Disclaimer **

The Stock Market Companion (SMC) Market Update and Watchlist are published documents to subscribers that show how we (SMC) are viewing the markets and what we are watching, investing in or selling today.  This information is for a wide readership and is not intended for any particular individual,  and under no circumstances should this Market Update or Watchlist be considered an investment recommendation or plan for any specific individual.  By accessing this material, you agree that the Stock Market Companion will not be held liable for any actions taken by a subscriber or other parties.  You understand that the Stock Market Companion holds positions in the above mentioned securities.  Based on market related or personal events these positions may change without notice.

Furthermore, the Stock Market Companion, Inc. is a content provider and publisher and not a registered broker-dealer or licensed investment professional.  Our intent is to publish very accurate market information for an audience of subscribers (1000+ subscribers).  By accessing the Stock Market Companion website and/or using the Stock Market Companion products and services such as this Market Update and accompanying Watchlist, you understand and agree that the material provided in the Stock Market Companion products and services is for informational and educational purposes only, and that no mention of a particular security in a Stock Market Companion product or service constitutes a recommendation to buy, sell, or hold that or any other security, or that any particular security, portfolio of securities, transaction or investment strategy is suitable for any specific person.  To the extent any of the information contained in any Stock Market Companion product or service may be deemed to be investment advice, such information is impersonal and not tailored to the investment needs of any specific person.  Before selling or buying any stock or other investment you should consult with a qualified broker or other financial professional to verify pricing information and to solicit advice as to the appropriateness of a given transaction or investment.