-Executive Summary-

• Nicely HIGHER ….  The markets moved higher, largely due to take-over speculation of Family Dollar stores at a +25% premium to the market.  Excellent Dell Inc. earnings also helped things along.  We like Dell Inc. … Please see more below.
• Oil prices shot a bit higher today on increasing turbulence in the Middle East.

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 –

Today has brought more of the same in terms of the market grinding slowly higher, with a narrow group of stocks finding favor (read: Apple Inc.), others quietly treading water (read: Intel Corp.), and others getting re-adjusted downward (read: Cisco Systems).

All of this is taking place while the Arab world experiences unusual upheaval as protests – modeled or adapted from Egypt’s recent experience – unfold and ebb and flow largely in response to government resistance.  Today, crude oil prices shot higher as news crossed the wires that 2 Iranian warships were heading to the Suez Canal in order to pass through to Mediterranean waters near Syria.  The idea here is that, when internal trouble increases in Iran, the Iranian government uses its “Hate Israel” trump card in an attempt to focus attention away from internal struggle and sap the energy from domestic protesters.

We are here carefully considering our options and stocks on the move after a 2 year rally in stock prices has brought the markets back to where they started in late summer 2008.  It’s been a great recovery, and we pointed investors at the very market bottom in March 2009 to invest in stocks.   We also identified intermediate market tops in January and April of last year – saving us from -8% to -13% drops in the market and double that in individual stocks.

It’s not easy to be on the sidelines when the market is moving higher, but that’s where we are right now.  We would get back on board stocks of interest in a heartbeat, provided the risk/return was in our favor.  Read more below.

Other events today impacting the market are –

1. Borders Group (the bookstore chain) filed for bankruptcy protection, and announced that they may close approx. 30% of their 500+ stores.

2. Housing starts jumped STRONGLY higher than expected in January (Good news). A closer look at the data reveals that the increase in starts is due to multi-family home construction (apartments), whereas single family home construction is at two year lows.  None of this is a surprise.  The good news means that there are construction jobs being made for workers – in this case, building more multi-family homes.  Single family home construction being at the lows allows for inventory of existing homes to adjust downward as foreclosures and short-sales work their way through to willing buyers.

3. Family Dollar store company (Ticker: FDO) is being courted for take-over at a 25% premium to their current market price.

– Story-Stock Investing –

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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.