SubscribeAnother important week for ECO Reports
February 17, 2008
Another week, another report. Once again it is going to be a fun ride.
Housing starts are going to be a key concern and looking at a consensus that matches prior reports, it is clear that most are very worried about the fact that there is little buying activity. The same day, building permits are revealed for January. That will be a double-whammy for the markets. If there these numbers come in anywhere near expectation (above or below), we are apt to see nice rally.
One the proverbial other hand, disappointment will be painful for Mr. Dow.
Then there is the CPI. Besides the fact that it is reported on the same day as the housing indicators, on Feb 20, the CPI will show if Benanke has been right all along in calling for slight inflationary pressures. The problem is that he realizes that some of the inflationary pressure is due to the massive exports we are experiencing. Of course these would not be as intense if we had a stronger dollar, but that is old news.
Balancing the hope for consumers and home buyers versus a need to keep inflation down is the job of the FED and these days it is more difficult than ever. It would seem that one thing is for sure…unless he has a few more tricks up his sleeve, we are going to be in for a long and tough 2008.
TDI Episode 44: CAN U SLIM? - UPDATED
February 16, 2008
UPDATED! Guest: IBD’s Kate Stalter from “How To Make Money In Stocks” workshop series. She is also a regular guest on national financial radio shows, and often hosts market video updates in Investors.com Media Center. We also talk with Chris Hill, Director of Communication for The Motley Fool to get the answer to what CAPS actually means. You will be very surprised.
Background
Kate Stalter joined Investor’s Business Daily
in 2001 as an editor for Internet & Technology news. She served as a Markets Writer for columns including:
- - The Real Most Active
- Stocks In The News
- Investor’s Corner
Expertise
- -Live market and stock analysis for national television and radio
-Breaking financial news and its impact on business and the economy
-Educating investors using IBD’s approach to the market
In her own words:
The best part of my job is helping investors understand the market facts, and tune out all the opinions. By understanding how the market works, and by using proven buy and sell rules, people really can be more successful in the market, and that’s gratifying to see.
In this episode we address what to do as an investor during a correction/bear market. We also delve into the new changes to Investor’s Business Daily that we launched this week. Never been done before, the primary change is that IBD reinvented their stock tables such that instead of stocks being listed by alphabetical order, they are now sorted by stock and sector leadership. A really fresh approach and it comes at a time when most newspapers are cutting out their stock tables altogether.
Chris Hill is the Director of Communications for The Motley Fool. Chris comes on the episode to tells us the meaning of CAPS. We take a moment to review CAPS and how it can benefit investors.
SIGN UP FOR THE FREE PORTFOLIO MASTERY COURSE
–> Andrew’s book, The Disciplined Investor is available at Amazon and other fine bookstores. <–
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Dennis Kneale: Anger Management Could Help
February 15, 2008
Things have finally gotten out of control. That statement is based on observing the recent antics of Dennis Kneale, one of the biggest creeps in the financial media today. To be honest, I have usually enjoyed his hard-hitting approach, but he needs a leash put on him. There is no reason to attack and try to discredit everyone he disagrees with…is there?
As a Media and Technology editor for CNBC, he was recently part of a biotech discussion with Derek De Koff, a gent who reportedly had significant side effects from Chantix, the “stop-smoking” drug from Pfizer. That, in itself, makes no sense.
What was weird about this interview were the questions he asked in an apparent effort to make Mr. De Koff look like an imbecile. It was as unprofessional as I have ever seen.
In a recent New York Magazine article, Mr. De Koff reported his experience while taking the prescription drug, Chantix. Realize that is was not written for the Wall Street Journal nor the New England Journal of Medicine. What is the difference? It is simple; questions asked such as the suicide statistics per thousand related to prescription drugs, among others, by Mr. Kneale to Mr. De Koff were clear attacks. By the way….Do you own any Pfizer stock Mr. Kneale?
The “This Is My Brain on Chantix” article explores one man’s experience with this new drug. He vividly points out the effects and doesn’t seem to be looking for any financial reward. So, why did Mr. Kneale need to ask if the name De Koff is a pen name as it sounds like…cough-cough. What was that all about?
Then, shortly after that mess, Mr. Kneale was in a nice battle with Herb Greenberg and Charlie Gasparino, trying to force them to confess that short-sellers feed rumors to the press in an effort to profit. Then he began accusing/blasting Gasparino as one of the reporters that does not prevent rumors from being published as well as he should. Mr. Kneale clearly believes that short-sellers operate in a sleazy way. Surely some do, as is also the case with the long side of the equation.
“More than ever before, today we report rumors,” said Kneale. The he went further and presented his “dirty little secret of journalism” thesis stating that reporters need to believe 98% of what people tell them since they require information to go on-the-air. He went on a pathetic rant and proposed that the problem with reporters is they always debunk positive reports, so not look stupid, yet want to believe the negative. It is clear that Mr. Kneale may want to believe the positive and has been very wrong on the current markets as he has been playing the part of Dow and S&P 500 fanboy of late. Mr. Kneale: Please do not overlay your apparent anger and disdain for your own errors on others that are looking to report the news without the personal attacks. (see video)
One more thing: Mr. Kneale, are you aware that your name is an anagram for - SANK IN NEEDLE ? Are you so angry about this drug because of some former personal matter? Is there more to this story? Obviously, my last comments are just as stupid as your line of questioning was to Mr. De Koff, said to make this point: Mr. Kneale, get a grip and go back to financial journalism instead of sensationalism!
Disclosure: Horowitz & Company clients do not hold positions in stocks mentioned as of the publication date of this article. (PFE)
TDI Episode 44: CAN U SLIM?
February 14, 2008
Guest: IBD’s Kate Stalter from “How To Make Money In Stocks” workshop series. She is also a regular guest on national financial radio shows, and often hosts market video updates in Investors.com Media Center. We also talk with Chris Hill, Director of Communication for The Motley Fool to get the answer to what CAPS actually means. You will be very surprised.
Background
Kate Stalter joined Investor’s Business Daily in 2001 as an editor for Internet & Technology news. She served as a Markets Writer for columns including:
- - The Real Most Active
- Stocks In The News
- Investor’s Corner
Expertise
- -Live market and stock analysis for national television and radio
-Breaking financial news and its impact on business and the economy
-Educating investors using IBD’s approach to the market
In her own words:
The best part of my job is helping investors understand the market facts, and tune out all the opinions. By understanding how the market works, and by using proven buy and sell rules, people really can be more successful in the market, and that’s gratifying to see.
In this episode we address what to do as an investor during a correction/bear market. We also delve into the new changes to Investor’s Business Daily that we launched this week. Never been done before, the primary change is that IBD reinvented their stock tables such that instead of stocks being listed by alphabetical order, they are now sorted by stock and sector leadership. A really fresh approach and it comes at a time when most newspapers are cutting out their stock tables altogether.
Chris Hill is the Director of Communications for The Motley Fool. Chris comes on the episode to tells us the meaning of CAPS. We take a moment to review CAPS and how it can benefit investors.
SIGN UP FOR THE FREE PORTFOLIO MASTERY COURSE
–> Andrew’s book, The Disciplined Investor is available at Amazon and other fine bookstores. <–
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DNDN: Studies are impressive - AGAIN!
February 14, 2008
It is one day after the House Energy and Commerce Committee sent a declination letter to the four Congressmen that had been requesting a further review of the questionable FDA ruling for Dendreon’s (DNDN) Provenge, the company’s groundbreaking Prostate cancer drug. Now, a news release shows another beneficial study result that should have the FDA looking even more ridiculous.
According to the HSE Committee, represented by Chairman John Dingell (D-MI) writes, “An investigative hearing prior to an agency’s final decision runs the risk of interfering with the normal regulatory process.” (CLICK FOR LETTER)
The news looks promising. But realize, so did the last report, and the one before that as well.
SEATTLE and SAN FRANCISCO, Feb 14, 2008 /PRNewswire-FirstCall via COMTEX/ — Researchers from Dendreon Corporation (Nasdaq: DNDN) today presented data demonstrating the correlation of a measure of the cumulative potency of PROVENGE (sipuleucel-T), an investigational active cellular immunotherapy for hormone-refractory prostate cancer, with overall survival. This the first time that an association between higher potency of an active immune therapy and increased patient survival has been reported. The correlation appeared to be independent of other important baseline prognostic factors.
The abstract (#21), “Cell Number and CD54 Expression in Sipuleucel-T correlate with Survival in Metastatic Androgen Independent Prostate Cancer,” is being presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology’s 2008 Genitourinary Symposium in San Francisco.
In two Phase 3 trials, D9901 and D9902A, researchers evaluated cumulative product release parameters of PROVENGE, including CD54 upregulation (a measure of product potency defined as the increase of CD54 molecules expressed on antigen Presenting Cells [APC] after incubation with the PROVENGE Antigen Delivery Cassette(TM)) and the number of total nucleated cells (TNCs) among patients treated with sipuleucel-T (n=146). CD54 is a costimulatory molecule which serves as a marker for APCs. Its expression is increased when APCs become activated and this upregulation of CD54 serves as a potency release
assay for PROVENGE.Results showed that PROVENGE patients experienced improved survival if they received more cells across the three doses of PROVENGE (higher cumulative TNC count (p=0.019)) or higher cumulative CD54 upregulation values (p=0.009). The effect on survival for TNCs appeared to reflect in part the patients’ baseline prognostic factors. However, the CD54 upregulation ratio appeared to be an independent predictor of survival in patients who received PROVENGE, as the correlation remained strong even after adjusting for baseline prognostic factors (p=0.022).
“We have been able to show a correlation between patient survival and a measure of the cumulative potency of PROVENGE; such a correlation between product potency and clinical outcome has not been previously demonstrated with an active immunotherapy,” said Mark Frohlich, MD, chief medical officer of Dendreon. “These data provide further evidence that sipuleucel-T is actively engaging the immune system in a clinically meaningful way that prolongs
patient survival.”
Disclosure: Horowitz & Company Clients are LONG DNDN
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