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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.
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Jan.28
6:48 PM ET
Monday, 28 Jan 2008
Mad Mail: What Happened to McDonald's?

Jim: I just want to clarify some background on Wabtec [WAB  Loading...      ()   ], which you mentioned on your show Friday. Formally know as the Westinghouse Air Brake Technologies, Wabtec was spun off from American Standard around 1990. It’s a different company than WABCO [WBC  Loading...      ()   ] which was spun off from American Standards (now Trane [TT  Loading...      ()   ]) in 2007 --Skip Colcord, Director of Global Media Relations for Trane

Cramer says: I mixed them up. I like WABCO, the recent spin-off. The old WAB is a train braking business, which also happens to be good.



          __________

Dear Jim: A “Florham Park, I ate at Root's Steakhouse this weekend” Boo-yah Jim! Help me understand what happened with McDonald’s [MCD  Loading...      ()   ]. They had a wonderful quarter and beat earnings estimates by two cents. They also indicated that they are profiting from the weak economy by attracting customers to their lower prices and expanded value menu. Their same-store sales jumped 6.7% as a result. Why then did their stock trade down? Seems like an irrational market to me. Help me understand this madness!!! In a time of chaos, I look to you for your all-knowing guidance.

Cramer says: There were rumors last month that McDonald’s domestic business would be flat. That sent the stock down 10 points.. Sure enough, the rumors turned out right on Monday, and MCD sunk further. I used this as a buying opportunity for my charitable trust because the domestic business decline was already priced in. MCD is a “major buy” here.

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Dear Jim: I don't know why but I always remember your conversation with the president of Diana Shipping [DSX  Loading...      ()   ] last year. It’s probably because you repeat your take on that conversation so often. Looking back, I really wonder if he was basically predicting the future of the economic landslide to come, and whether it could have/should have been taken as a warning. Past financial disasters aside, right now many of the shippers you have mentioned on your show late last year are trading way below their October highs…I've done some research and found out that DSX is about ready to renew contracts on four vessels that will give it a boost, due to the higher 2008 shipping rates. So is the time right for Diana to get some payback for the sour, albeit correct, market forecast from last fall? –-Michael

Cramer says: [Diana Shipping CEO] Simeon Palios gave me a chill in its bearishness on the shipping sector, that’s when I went negative on the group. “I never mess with CEOs that tell me I am too optimistic.”


Jim's charitable trust owns McDonald's.

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