[quote author="BlackVault CM" date=1236667081][quote author="skek" date=1236664830][quote author="BlackVault CM" date=1236663713][quote author="skek" date=1236661906]Evidence that a stock market bottom is approaching*: Jim Cramer is on TV now giving up on ever being able to call a bottom.
*Note: 95% jest, 5% serious.</blockquote>
Jim Cramer has recently been a bit bearish. He has been bullish from 14.4K to about 7K. Once he is dead serious on being a bear, that is when I become a bull. (I'm 95% Serious)
Aside from that, I'm still loading up on BofA shares and call options anywhere from 2-9 months out. (have been for about 2-3 weeks). I normally don't "gamble", but here goes.
I miss, I lose 10% of my portfolio. I hit, (stock goes to 10 bucks or so) and I'm rich.</blockquote>
I'm starting to see the resignation (this goes for both real estate and the stock market). Fewer and fewer people are talking about opportunities and timing the bottom, and more resignation and defeat. BV and graph, you guys understand the technicals better than I do so tell me if I'm wrong, but it seems to me that the volatility is largely pointed downward. When the markets rally, they do so weakly, on limited volume and are short-lived. It seems to me that one more big step downward could break the back of all but the mose resilient investors. At that point (probably 600-620 S&P), I won't be going all-in, but I'll make a strong move. Maybe 20-30% of capital, again, with a longer horizon in mind. We'll see how that works out.
Good luck BV, I hope you get rich. Do it now before Obama makes it unprofitable to be profitable.</blockquote>
There really isn't any relevant technical analysis to make other than things are going down. The rallies can't break previous days highs, and drops break previous days lows. It's a tubular pattern...going down....way down...
The last couple of trading sessions however, the market is being resistant to 6,500 and the drops haven't been as strong as before, but neither have rallies. Right now the market is just staying neutral, but a small puff of air can push it up or down. This would be news...bad or good. The market wants to go up, but there is nothing substantial out there to convince buyers to jump in. Not to meantion, people are worn out...losing hope.
Two ways you will get a rally. Washout or good news. Washout + good news will create a monster rally. It's coming, just don't know when. I'd rather be on the bullish side though than on the bearish side. This doesn't mean I don't have puts in place...I always do.
I'll try to make it out tonight, and we can talk. There are several defensive/offensive techniques you can use in any market other than just cost averaging. But biggest is to hold on to your capital. As long as you have capital, you can always time the bottom. Think of it as your own stimulus package, and how many stimulus packages you can pass depends on how much capital you have. Never go "all in" either no matter how sure you are unless you can create a delta neutral position. 30% cash at all times, 20% tops.</blockquote>
I was tempted in picking up a few thousand shares of BofA around $3/share on Friday but didn't pull the trigger. I think that USB and WFC are probably better banks, but who the hell knows. What's your take on CSCO? It's getting close to 10x earnings. I'm also tempted on picking up some INTC, MSFT, and RIMM.