Can you beat the market by imitating Jim Cramer's favorite stock picks? According to his recent track record the answer is: "Yes, you can!" Let's take a look. Words: 404

With bullish analysts predicting the S&P 500 index will finish above 1500 this year the recent pullback may [well be] be just a blip. On the other hand, here are seven reasons U.S. indicies could lose 20% or more in the next two months. Words: 719

Understanding silver is not difficult but ACTING upon your understanding and purchasing the physical metal is PSYCHOLOGICALLY a VERY difficult thing to do. You will always second guess the timing, always be told you are crazy for paying REAL MONEY for a piece of metal and ALWAYS be having to justify your ACTIONS to those who have taken NO ACTION. [Let me explain things further and lay out some sound reason why you should sell whatever gold you currently own and buy silver instead.] Words: 2273

Most first quarter 2011 earnings reports are in and...over three-quarters exceeded expectations... [with] results showing a desirable combination of growing revenues, profitability and cash flow ... [As such,] today's stock market valuations are conservative compared to typical bull markets accompanied by investor enthusiasm. In the past, using 2011's estimated earnings, the average P/E ratio could easily be 15 and...that would put the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) at 15,000 today – about 20% above today's level. [Were we to] add in high optimism like the kind we've seen in other investments recently, a 20 P/E ratio would be possible - and the DJIA would be 20,000 – 60% higher [than it is today! Let's take a look at the possibility.] Words: 540

“Gold bugs” routinely solicit my prediction regarding the future gold price, assuming I must be an “educated” gold bug since my hedge fund happens to maintain large gold exposure... [but such an answer] depends on variables [such as] what time period? Next week? Month? Year? Ten years? [and] compared to what? U.S. dollars? Euros? Real estate? Gummi bears! [Let me explain.] Words: 955

The U.S. dollar is in a classic dead cat bounce as it appears to fight desperately to avoid dropping below the much watched ‘72′ level. We say fight, but the real situation is not a fight at all; it's a managed decline by the United States to lower the value of its currency and ultimately inflate away the mountain of debt that it realizes is impossible to ever re-pay... [and that will be of major benefit to future gold and silver prices and even more so to the stock of companies that mine the metals. Let me explain.] Words: 1100

Investors of all stripes must now be aware both of the bull market in gold/silver and the bear market in the U.S. dollar. Despite all of the rhetoric, however, it seems that little is actually understood about how these two phenomena are actually connected. Ultimately, this connection (or lack thereof) has serious implications for both markets. [Let's examine the situation more closely.] Words: 778

Economy watchers looking for a spark of life in the exhausted, debt-ridden American consumer are quick to latch on to any signs of a pulse and the latest came in the form of higher personal borrowing in March. The $6.02-billion (U.S.) increase marked the sixth consecutive monthly advance and was nearly three times higher than the most bearish forecasts. The best news of all, however, is that credit-card debt climbed, marking only the second such rise since the housing and credit market collapse. [Unfortunately, however,] “We’re only 20 per cent of the way there" says Stephen Roach. "The American consumer is toast - stuck with a legacy of excessive debt, inadequate saving, and facing high unemployment, higher under-employment, weak incomes and holding on to assets that are under water... [As such,] you can not rule out the chances of the world sliding back into recession.” Words: 1004

The rat-through-the-snake process of working down existing and prospective distressed properties is likely far from over, and how that process plays out will no doubt have an impact on how much housing prices will ultimately adjust. [Let's take a look at some differing points of view in that regard.] Words: 497

We are approaching the end of the current 8.6 year wave come June 13th, 2011. What awaits us on the other side is a change in the overall trend. [Let me explain what is developing.] Words: 420