U.S. stocks wavered Thursday as reports on January retail sales and jobless claims stirred recessionary fears. Tech stocks were under pressure after Cisco said consumers have become increasingly cautious both in the U.S. and Europe.
I've noted that when you are in this kind of uncertain market, everyone becomes a technician. There's a lot of attention now focused on tech stocks, now that both the NASDAQ and NASDAQ 100 have broken to 52-week lows.
The bipartisan plan is a boon to builders and banks, Cramer says. Investing can be confusing. Luckily, Cramer has mapped out some road rules for all you Home Gamers trying to navigate the jungle that is Wall Street. Think of it as "Mad Money 101" –- some fundamental advice to keep in mind as you play the market. Whether you're a first time investor or a seasoned financier, it's always good to remember the basics.
Following are the day’s biggest winners and losers. Find out why shares of UPS (UPS) and U.S. Steel (X) popped while The Gap (GPS) and Ruby Tuesdays (RT) dropped.
Disappointing. Challenging. Uncertain. Short of expectations. Those are the words most heard from companies in this morning's December same store sales report. Large companies like Macy's, Gap, Abercrombie, and Ann Taylor reported sales below expectations.
Gap said its sales at stores open at least a year fell 6 percent in December but said merchandise margins were "significantly above" the prior year.
He's back 'for the long term.' The man who commercialized the gourmet cafe brand and convinced the world to pay $5+ for a cup of specialty coffee is returning to the CEO seat. Howard Schultz is once again the CEO at Starbucks and says that he plans to recaffeinate sales and perk up the coffee giants' sagging stock price.
Why not check out our Happy 52-Week High riddles from 2007! How well you know your stocks?
Are bonds about to lose their flight-to-quality premium? The Fed, the executive branch, the legislative branch, and now even the Bank of England (which cut its key rate a quarter point to 5.5 percent) are working to resolve credit problems. The 10-year is looking toppy here.
November may have been sweeter to stores than many thought. Don't get me wrong--stores aren't going to be AHEAD of plan but it is sounding increasingly like they may NOT miss those meager plans they set for themselves at the beginning of the month. Meeting expectations COULD be a real positive for retail stocks tomorrow.
Across the nation, women over age 35 are increasingly rebelling against the suits and head-to-toe dressing of traditional department store labels like Liz Claiborne, Jones New York and the old-guard mall stores like Talbots and AnnTaylor. That's put sales of traditional women's fashions in a rut that has deepened over the past year.