-Executive Summary-

• Today the markets resumed their uptrend.   We are watchful.  Beaten-down banks did the heavy lifting today. Cisco Systems continued into the abyss.
• Egypt’s President Mubarak resigned without significant violence.  Truly remarkable.  See article link, below.
• The Obama Administration began today presenting ideas about what to do about residential mortgages in America, without such strong government involvement.  Big changes are coming.  See article link, below.
• Worthy of repeating from yesterday … EBAY (EBAY) announced that PayPal revenue is going to soar as an open commerce platform emerges.  Smart-phones are going to allow shoppers to pay using PayPal and avoid expensive VISA or MasterCard platforms.  Ebay may become a must-own stock due to this development with PayPal.  The impact of such changes to commerce are vast.
• Monday is St. Valentine’s Day.

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 this chart of the broader market (Successful stock investors develop and start with a minds-eye view of the broader market and keep it clear) –

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

– Today’s Highlights –

These 2 items overshadowed the markets up-move today –

1. Egyptian President Mubarak’s resignation and victory for the steady, comparatively peaceful demonstration.

2. The Obama Administration released a plan for re-structuring residential lending in America, phasing out Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.

Meanwhile however, the markets moved higher.  We are encouraged – but not running blindly after them.

– Story-Stock Investing –

As many of you are aware, we are particularly alert to the publicly traded companies that are part of the smart-phone developments.  One of them is RF MicroDevices (Ticker: RFMD).  At the end of January RFMD came out with earnings that were a disappointment, and the stock took a hard hit.  At the end of January, just prior to and following earnings the stock traveled from approx. $8.37 to $6.37 and now back to $8.10.  In years past, it would normally take much longer for a stock to recover such moves.  There is something going on at RFMD that we are going to be paying attention to, and Silicon Image Corp. (SIMG) too.

We wish you all a good weekend.

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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

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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.

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