-Executive Summary-

• Markets Advance!   See below…

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 –

There was NOT an absence of information today influencing the markets.  Let’s cover some of the big points –

1. Intel Corp’s (Ticker: INTC) earnings reported last night were excellent.  Intel stock however closed DOWN for today.  If anyone needed further evidence that the market can be very irrational, it doesn’t get better than this.

2. JP Morgan-Chase (Ticker: JPM) reported earnings today that were good.  They also said that the housing situation will take years to sort itself out, but there were no “bank” life-threatening issues.  The stock opened down / flat, then cruised higher on big volume and then sold-off into the close – ending the day UP around 46 cents at $44.91.

3. Consumer prices for December were released showing higher prices than expected.  Is this a sign of pending inflation?  Not according to the price of an ounce of gold.  Gold sold off yesterday from approx. $1392/ounce to today’s close at approx. $1360/once.

AND THERE WAS MORE …

4. University of MichiganConsumer Confidence data for January was released and it was weaker than expected.  Higher costs at the gas pump and the current unemployment rate were blamed for the weakness in the press.

5. China raised its reserve requirements for its banks last night, causing a stir in international markets.  International markets were down today.

The markets closed HIGHER for the day.  Monday the markets will be closed in observance of Martin Luther King Day.

The Stock Market Companion 15MinuteStocks Market Update will be published again on Tuesday.

– Story-Stock Investing –

First, we would like to say “Thank You” to subscriber-friends offering their appreciation for our work this week.  Some have announced also very strong gains over this past year.

Today ZAGG Inc. (Ticker: ZAGG) reversed backwards some.  We didn’t see any company specific news items for the retracement.  We are advancing our stop to around break-even at $8.79/share.

Coinstar (Ticker: CSTR) is the company which owns and operates the “Red-Box” dvd-movie kiosks that you see outside of McDonald’s restaurants and other practical locations.  They reported earnings last night that were a disappointment. Business is good, but their numbers simply surprised analysts who were expecting more – and there were unexpected concerns – which institutional investors hate.  The stock is down today -27% alone and -38% from its recent highs.  We will place this one on our SMC watchlist.  If the stock gets mauled over a bit more and left gasping for breath, we’ll keep an eye out for renewed institutional investor interest and possibly get on board.  We missed it the last time it was at $20/share, and then it roared to $60.

American International Group (AIG) sucker-punched investors today with their plans to repay the government.

IPXL, RTK and JSDA from our SMC Watchlist look very interesting and deserve study over the weekend for those who can spare a few minutes.

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.