-Executive Summary-

• The markets bounced higher… but it had a lifeless feel to it.   There was no commitment evident today in stocks as uncertainty remains elevated – to say the least.
• Happy St. Patrick’s Day – Music and Pictures from Eire.
• Japan and Middle East events continue to dominate the market.  See below.
• When you can, check out this new Stock Market Companion Video Update – Make Money and Reduce Risk (3 Steps for investing successfully in a turnaround) which we posted on YouTube.  These three steps have made us a lot of money in stock investing over the years.
  

– Stock Market Companion – Current Holdings –

If the above “Current Holdings” table is empty it means that we are not holding ANY stocks at this time and that we are therefore 100% in cash.

– 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 –

The markets continue to be gripped by minute-to-minute developments in Japan relative to the condition of the nuclear reactor core materials of both active and spent fuel.   There is a divergence in information and level of caution being broadcast by the Japanese government and that of our own nuclear regulation authority.  The U.S. authority is taking greater precautions at this time – for instance advising evacuation of areas at farther distances from the trouble sites than the Japanese are recommending.  Charter flights and other means are being used by the U.S. government to evacuate Americans from Japan.

Japan is the world’s third largest economy, and it is currently – if not at a complete standstill – then near one.  Fear, confusion, energy supply, logistics, and other infrastructure and workforce conditions are obviously combining to make for uncertain near term progress. The interconnectedness of our global marketplace makes it difficult to identify clearly where shortages will cause production stoppage and therefore future corporate earnings weakness.  Thankfully, we believe that the Japanese will bounce back quickly.

Adding to this immensely difficult and uncertain development in Japan is the excallation of violence in the Middle East as imbalanced – but long standing – Arab regimes fight bitterly and savagely against pro-democracy forces – instead of seeking a peaceful means of resolving the conflicts.  We can be thankful for the degree by which former Egyptian president Mubarak spared Egypt such violence by humbly stepping down.  Mr. Gaddafi and others – while calling their attackers “gangsters” – need only look at themselves.    Commercially, the situation in the Arab world is causing oil prices to once again spike today as the UN considers a no-fly zone above Libya.  It may be of little help now for the floundering opposition there.  Pictures of Saddam Hussein’s brutal suppression of the Kurdish uprising after the 1991 Desert Storm operation come to mind and the fact that we did nothing to help them, after encouraging them to take a stand.  That’s as far as we can go in the spirit of keeping the Stock Market Companion work above political controversy and opinion.

In a blink of an eye the world has changed.

– Story-Stock Investing –

The strength in Green Mountain Coffee Roasters (GMCR) on the heels of their significant pact signed with Starbucks for the production and distribution of Starbucks coffee in K-cup individual brew products is noteworthy.

Today, Silicon Image Inc. (SIMG) the holder of the license for high definition video output used throughout the electronics industry and focused on chips that allow smart phones to be connected to large screens succumbed to selling pressure.

For those with an appetite for taking a “flyer” at something interesting, may find satisfaction at observing today’s advance in the U.S. Natural Gas ETF (Ticker: UNG).  It may be poised for a significant advance.  Inventory numbers today provided the spark for today’s move there.  It may well be that natural gas will attract attention in the days and weeks ahead as people discuss alternatives to nuclear power.  Over the last few years there has been absolutely NO PRICING POWER for natural gas as new methods of cracking have opened vast supplies of previously unavailable natural gas, while demand – due to the what has been labelled the “great recession” – diminished.  Special “Thank You” to SMC Subscriber “Michael” for his attentiveness to this development.

– 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 **

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