Articles

There were two big movers on wall street today in the biotech world. AGIX- up 33% and PDLI down 20%. Here is my take on both.

In the midst of all the turmoil in the mortgage sector -- and all the layoffs -- IndyMac is turning up-stream. While the company laid off some 400 people (about 4% of its workforce) last month, it has turned around entirely at the most surprising time and has hired some 600 people laid off by other mortgage lenders. This is a bold move and suggests that at least one company in the sector is taking a bet on growth and a lessening of the credit crunch. It suggest, moreover, that they are expecting the Fed to drop rates soon, perhaps even sooner than the next meeting.

Fidelity provides its customers and others with an attractive alternative to the low rates offered by most banks on checking accounts. The accounts offers a 3.5% rate, no fees, no minimum balances, and refunds on ATM transactions.

For years Qualcomm has been a fantastic company, owning the W-CDMA technology and building the chips that go into the handsets for this technology. We are moving into a new era and it is time to sell the stock.

It seems that Home Depot is really run by a bunch of amateurs to accept $8.5 billion for HD Supply when it negotiated to sell the company for $10.3 billion two months ago.

Although for some time now many thought Merck was an easy short, given Vioxx and the large number of law suits and settlements before it, the company had a strategy in place to rise again. And, rise again it did. It fooled everyone as its stocks withstood the shocks and has been coming back ever since. Today, one has to have a head in the sand not to see the possibilities of this company – in spite of the suits still before it – AND its new directions, guaranteed to bring in big bucks for its shareholders.

It will not be long before China’s bubble bursts. The Shanghai index hit over 5000 yesterday, five times where it was mid-2005. Last November, it hit 2000; in March 3000; and in May 4000. One doesn’t need to be a genius to see a big bubble and to see one at the very verge of blowing up. When it does, it will have a huge impact on other markets – most of which are heavily into China’s. It will be viewed, additionally, as very embarrassing by the Chinese. China’s way of dealing with any international embarrassment is to act decisively and forcefully. Executions are common strategies, and you can be sure that heads will role (literally!).

Contrary to what pundits are saying on CNBC, this is not the time to be investing in emerging markets.

Yesterday, Bank of America announced that it was investing $2 billion to acquire a stake in Countrywide Financial. The investment is another example of how dominant Bank of America is becoming in the country's financial system. It already is the largest retail bank in the country, serving tens of millions of customers and has the largest branch and bank network. The company also purchased MBNA last year to have one of the largest credit card portfolios.