Insomniac Hedge Fund Guy

China sets target for shale gas development – FT.com

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It’s odd that one of if not the worst performing sector in the market this year is oil and gas service and drilling companies.  Take a look at HAL, SPN, SLB, WFT, BAS, and more.  They are all weak performers.  Yet look at the price of oil near record levels.  So what’s the disconnect?  It’s the fear of dramatic drops in production of natural gas in the U.S.  No question that has already started. Hal and BAS have both said as much in conference calls and regulatory filings.  But they have all also said they expect overall revenues and utilization … Read more

Stocks with massive insider buying

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You can only speculate why an insider purchases significant amounts of their own stocks.  Of course they expect to make money.  That’s a given.  But buying stock in your own company is a hazardous process to start with due to something known as the “short swing rule”.  Quoting from Wikipidia, A short swing rule restricts officers and insiders of a company from making short-term profits at the expense of the firm. It part of United States federal securities law, and is a prophylactic measure intended to guard against so-called insider trading.[1] The rule mandates that if an officer, director, or any shareholder holding more than 10% of … Read more

We are looking for an ad agency, marketing group or individual with core competency in demographic, geographic, and retargeting online advertising.

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It’s astonishing how display ads have gotten so sophisticated.  Did you know that when you look at a web site the ads that you see are  probably only seen by you and the few hundred or thousand people most like you in the world?   In fact they are designed to profile you, discover your aspirations, and type you, track you, follow you along the Web  and drive you into someone’s sales funnel.   I bet you never felt so wanted in your life. In fact  most of the gray matter IP, high-profile venture capital dollars are going into this … Read more

Get your student loan while you can!

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America’s Student Loan To Reach $1.4 Trillion by 2020 by EconMatters By EconMatters   Student loan debt is surging, partly boosted by many who became unemployed during the Great Recession going back to school hoping for a better job prospect.  An analysis by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York (FRBNY) showed that student loan debt stands at $870 billion nationally, surpassing the nation’s outstanding balance on auto loans ($730 billion) and credit cards ($693 billion) as of third quarter, 2011. via Google Reader (1000+).

| Live Trading News: Economic and Investment Research

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Apple was up a thumping 15 points today.  The market is increasingly look like the stock chart of Apple.  It’s not surprising that Apple is winning the mobile advertising game, the fastest growing online ad market. Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) Dominates Mobile Ad Space InMobi, the largest independent mobile ad network, released its Mobile Insights Report: North American Edition, February 2012. This comprehensive report is based on data from InMobi’s global network. via Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) Dominates Mobile Ad Space | Live Trading News: Economic and Investment Research.

” Pangs – WSJ.com

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I thought this article was interesting.  The drilling companies represent outstanding value and we are long HAL, BAS, SPN.  Good American know how at bargain basement prices.   Energy Shares Suffer ‘Gas’ Pangs Sector is S&P 500’s Cheapest Relative to P/E Ratio as Many Believe Natural-Gas Prices to Stay Low   By ALEXANDRA SCAGGS Despite rising oil prices, U.S. energy stocks are scraping the bottom of the barrel. The world price of crude has climbed 18% this year as rising political tension with Iran has stoked fears of a supply disruption. That is boosting profits at energy companies. Yet investors … Read more

‘s High-Tech Spy Network: Just Had An IPO?

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In the high-tech world of espionage, deep pockets prevail.  Not this time though, as Chinese spies have mined substantial amounts of data.. through Facebook.  Proving that the social data mining machine is a double-edged sword, the spies gathered email addresses, phone numbers, names, and details on family members on a number of high-ranking military officials.  The fake account of United States Navy admiral James Stavridis befriended a number of other officials for an undisclosed amount of time before the intrusion was identified.  Considering the number of ‘spoof’ accounts of a number of famous celebrities and the sensitivity of these high-ranking … Read more

China Dethrones iPhone, Samsung Sales Surge

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Apple’s market cap may rule the S&P, but it’s a different story in China.  The tech giant is struggling to efficiently capture a leading share of the country’s massive market, while Samsung is proving a substantial opponent.  With more than three times the market space over Apple (24.3% vs 7.5%), the South Korean company has a strong lead in subscribers which isn’t expected to be challenged any time soon.  According to Bloomberg, Samsung’s blanket strategy proved much more effective in gaining subscribers than Apple’s tactically narrow approach: “Apple’s partnerships with China’s second- and third-largest carriers give it access to about 34 … Read more

‘s Fund Lockups Add Fuel To The Fire

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Phil Falcone is struggling.  Not in normal person terms as he’s still a billionaire, but you can strike the ‘multi’ from the front of that this year.  After suffering 47% losses in 2011, Falcone was forced to lock up his client’s money in light of his failed LightSquared endeavor which was wrecked by US regulations.  Many of his clients are frustrated with performance, resulting in a recent lawsuit filing against Harbinger Capital over “deceptive and misleading statements” made while raising money for the fund.  It seems like Phil has some serious unwinding of investments ahead, along with some deft PR … Read more

CHART OF THE DAY: How To Protect Your Money In A War With Iran, And An Oil Spike

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CHART OF THE DAY: How To Protect Your Money In A War With Iran, And An Oil Spike  by Joe Weisenthal One of the big fears for the market is obviously an oil spike, possibly caused by a war with Iran.Such an event would probably be bad for stocks if oil surged but given the market and economic momentum, people arent inclined to just bet against the market on the chance of this geopolitical event.So heres an idea from Barclays Sreekala Kochugovindan. via CHART OF THE DAY: How To Protect Your Money In A War With Iran, And An Oil … Read more

‘s What To Expect From Apple Today On The iPad 3

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In case you’ve been trapped in a car for the past two months like this guy, the new iPad is coming out today.  Here’s Business Insider’s coverage of what you can expect from the new device.  Although, 4G is probably the only thing that most people will notice on the third version of the extra large Facebook device..   Retina display Quad-core processor / more RAM Improved camera LTE Siri integration Slightly different form factor Similar pricing iOS 5.1 Home button March 16th release date THE APPLE INVESTOR: All Eyes On Apple’s ‘Special Event’ Today, Here’s What To Expect.

Greece A Result Of A Greedy Goldman? Nahhhh…

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Back in 2001, Greece had a problem.  The struggling country’s debt levels were simply too high to qualify for admittance to the European Union.  While these regulations were in place to protect the structure of the European economy, Goldman Sachs was more than willing to step in with a timely loan which provided the necessary liquidity to hide the nation’s accumulated debt load.  Essentially a perfect solution for both Greece and Goldman, here is the situation illustrated by Bloomberg: “The Goldman Sachs transaction swapped debt issued by Greece in dollars and yen for euros using an historical exchange rate, a mechanism … Read more

“‘d Be A Fool To Hold Anything But Cash Now”

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Interesting interview with David Stockman the other day.  The Ex-White House budget director expresses some extremely strong feelings about the direction this country is headed in the upcoming months.  Considering his prediction of an event of epic proportions, wouldn’t you rather be on the right side of the trade than out of the market entirely..? Now 65 and gray, but still wearing his trademark owlish glasses, Stockman took time from writing his book about the financial collapse, “The Triumph of Crony Capitalism,” to talk to The Associated Press at his book-lined home in Greenwich, Conn: Q: You sound as if … Read more

‘s Dallara Seems To Think So

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Greece has fallen out of the headlines in the past few days due to a supposed resolution of the debt deal, but large hurdles still exist.  Managing Director Dallara of the IFF is under the impression that the current plan will be proved a success next week with investors exchanging their current bonds for a 53.5% haircut.  However the success of this exchange requires a 90% participation rate which is a tall order for many of the hedge funds holding Greek debt.  If participation can be raised above 75% but under 90% then Greece will bring the issue to their … Read more

The Best Places for Second Homes – Barrons.com

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20 Best Places For Second Homes By STEVEN SEARS, MARK VEVERKA AND SANDRA WARD | MORE ARTICLES BY AUTHOR Last year was brutal for second homes in the nation’s most affluent areas. But the market is firming up again. Here’s our list, expanded to 20 sites, for those seeking top-tier refuges. For second homes in America’s most affluent locations, the past year was ugly. No way else to describe it. Median home prices were down 50% in North Lake Tahoe, and 44% on Martha’s Vineyard, to cite two examples. via The Best Places for Second Homes – Barrons.com.

Seeding the Next Fortunes – Barrons.com

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Seeding the Next FortunesBy KAREN HUBE | In this challenging period for investors, heres where Barrons finds top wealth managers are putting your money. In this tremulous age when a widely perceived “safe” investment can collapse in just a few screen blips, or a long-term laggard can suddenly break out, divvying up your assets has never required more thought. “You may choose the right asset class, but if youre in the wrong part of the church, youre going to miss the sermon,” says David Darst, chief investment strategist at Morgan Stanley. via Seeding the Next Fortunes – Barrons.com.

Hedge Fund Performance Hard To Sell? Just Change The Numbers

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Most money managers don’t beat their benchmarks.  Now this is due to a number of reasons: heard mentality, fees, limitations by prospectus, it’s just plain difficult.  However benchmarks are just a frame of reference for performance in an effort to draw in potential investors.  So when a manager struggles to beat an index benchmark year after year, their sales team has their work cut out for them.  Or.. just change the data used to illustrate your performance in relation to the rest of the market.  In an effort to shed a little truth on the hedge fund world, (full article … Read more

Supposed Pipeline Explosion Drives Oil Above $110 A Barrel, Reported False After Market Close

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If a falsified report that a Saudi pipeline can drive oil over $110 a barrel, just imagine the repercussions of a full Iran-Israel conflict.  According to the report that was later confirmed “completely false” after US  markets had just closed, a natural gas pipeline in the city of Awamiyah exploded resulting in numerous injuries and deaths.  Thats right, natural gas drove up the price of crude simply on rumor.  That should give you an idea of how volatile the Iran situation is on the markets, despite stepping out of the headlines momentarily.  Considering we have close to two years supply … Read more

More Ads? Facebook and Twitter Stepping Up Mobile Coverage, And Revenue

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Enjoy the unusually ad-free browsing of Facebook and Twitter on your phone?  Not for long..  Both companies are adding an ad platform to mobile devices in the upcoming weeks (reaching 425 million Facebook users and 55 million Twitter users)  While this will fill major gaps in both social media companies revenue streams, it will result in the following changes: Twitter: Promoted (paid advertising) accounts will be recommended for you to follow, Tweets by promoted accounts will appear no matter if you follow them or not, and Tweets from brands you follow will move to the top of your newsfeed. Facebook: … Read more

Gambling Website Bodog Seized, Feds Indite Four Including Founder

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A definitive direction in the grey area of online gambling, Federal authorities have taken an aggressive stance on Canada based gambling company Bodog.  The website name was seized this past Monday and indictments were quick to follow in the state of Maryland.  The outcome of this case should set interesting precedence on a state level for upcoming online gaming companies such as Zygna. “Gamblers in Maryland and elsewhere were sent a least $100 million by wire and check from 2005 to 2012, the U.S. Attorney’s office said, adding Bodog conducted a $42 million advertising campaign between 2005 and 2008 to … Read more

Greece Steps Down And North Korea Takes The Stage

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Interactions with North Korea are a bit of an unknown under the new leadership of Kim Jong Un, but the fourth largest military in the world is stepping into the limelight as Greece leaves center stage.  Annual joint military drills between the US and South Korea take place this week and North Korea isn’t happy.  This could spell trouble should the  young dictator with something to prove back himself into a corner.. “The war drills are an unpardonable infringement upon the sovereignty and dignity” of North Korea, the official Korean Central News Agency said today in an editorial. “The army … Read more

Hedge Fund January 2012 Results

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The Dow Jones Credit Suisse Hedge Fund Indexes Performance data for Jan 2012 has been updated. Please visit our site at http://www.hedgeindex.com for further details.  Dow Jones Credit Suisse Core Index Performance Index / Sub Strategies Value** Jan 12 YTD 1 Year Annl* Std Dev* Sharpe* Dow Jones Credit Suisse Core Hedge Fund Index 94.69 2.26% 2.26% -5.57% 6.52% 6.74% 0.70     Convertible Arbitrage 95.54 3.47% 3.47% -5.74% 3.58% 11.43% 0.16     Emerging Markets 99.36 1.80% 1.80% -1.13% 9.56% 10.70% 0.73     Event Driven 90.01 2.90% 2.90% -10.37% 4.84% 8.29% 0.37     Fixed Income Arbitrage 99.66 0.93% 0.93% 0.65% 7.39% 8.63% 0.65 … Read more

Dominion Resources two monster volume days

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Dominion Resources (D), the giant Mid Atlantic electric utility, gas transmission, and energy marketing company has had persistent insider buying.  Now it’s got two back to back monster volume days.  I always say listen to the market, it’s got something to tell you.  In this case, it’s telling me Dominion is about to blow up.  There was an announcement of interest in long-term contracts for natural gas LNG export at its Point Cove facility.  Not sure why this is huge news.  It’s obviously easy to arbitrage natural gas out of this country as the price is many times higher overseas.  Besides El Paso,  … Read more

Apple Looking Up In Shanghai Trademark Case

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A local court denied a motion to surpress the sale of the iPad in Shanghai due to a similar ongoing case in the Guangdong Province, allowing Apple stores to continue selling the product until an outcome is decided.  Facing the unpredictability of Chinese courts, this is finally a glimmer of hope for the tech giant.  Although this has no bearing on how the Guangdong case will turn out, it shows that China is in support of Apple continuing with sales probably due to some political pressure. “Proview’s injunction request was rejected,” Carolyn Wu, the Apple spokeswoman, said in a telephone … Read more

After Settling Fears About Liquidity, Sears Skyrockets

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Looks like a lot of shorts are feeling the burn of a squeeze this morning as SHLD is up over 20% intraday.  Reuters reported that Sears Holdings still has “substantial liquidity and strong assets” despite their obvious need to improve their operating performance and location strategy.  However the retail chain is expected to generate $270 million in assets from real estate deals and another $400 to $500 million from rights offerings. From Reuters: “The rights will entitle stockholders to purchase shares in the combined Sears Hometown and Outlet Stores businesses and certain hardware stores and will be transferred to holders … Read more

Must read piece on single family homes

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I borrow from Gary Shilling in our Investment Survival Seminars. He was by far and away the most accurate prognosticator for 2011.  Real estate investors would be wise to listen. Why Renters Rule U.S. Housing Market (Part 2): A. Gary Shilling   By A. Gary Shilling Feb 22, 2012 5:01 PM MT TIn making my case for continued housing weakness, I’ve emphasized the negative effect of excess inventories on house sales, prices, new construction and just about every other aspect of residential real estate. In housing, as in every goods-producing sector, excess inventories are the mortal enemy of prices. Lower … Read more

IAEA Gets Nowhere With Iran Nuclear Talks

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While Iran’s willingness to reopen talks with the International Atomic Energy Agency about their nuclear program was a surprise, it seems that the motion was mostly for show.    Several rounds of discussions yielded no access to a military site in Parchin which is suspected to be a weapons development facility.  There has been no agreement on further discussing the matter.  Light crude is hovering close to $106 a barrel today, so much for  Prince Alwaleed’s promise to keep oil under the $100 a barrel mark. From FT: “The International Atomic Energy Agency has reported that it held a “disappointing” … Read more

Drill baby drill will be the U.S. national anthem

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If oil is cut off from Iran, it could also impede supply in Iraq as Iran will use it’s influence to cause chaos wherever they can.  There is significant potential for an Israeli strike against Iran before the U.S. Presidential elections.  Israel would want to use its leverage before the outcome of the election is certain.  One thing looks clear to me.  If there is a major disruption of oil from the MidEast, “Drill Baby Drill” will be the U.S national anthem. Buy OIH, the ETF.  Buy HAL, SLB, BAS,WFT probably just about any driller for oil will work well.    

Four Questions for Ancestry.com Management

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I recently sent this email to the CEO of Ancestry.com, ACOM.  I’ll let you know when I hear the results. Let me preface this by saying ACOM has the largest addressable market place of any company I know of.  I know you agree with that.  Why not lower the price to the lowest possible model (even free) to create the largest installed base.  It didn’t hurt Facebook.  What’s your thoughts on this?I am sure you have tested many many permutations of pricing and subscription models.  When will you be in the largest and 2nd largest population countries, China and India? … Read more

The Decline in this Stock is all Google Needs – ACOM, GOOG – Foolish Blogging Network

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The Decline in this Stock is all Google Needs By Shawn Robinson – February 20, 2012 | Tickers: ACOM, GOOG | 0 Comments Shawn is a member of The Motley Fool Blog Network — entries represent the personal opinions of our bloggers and are not formally edited. Ancestry.com (NASDAQ: ACOM) reported fourth quarter earnings in line with analyst estimates but showed weakness in estimated 2012 profit driven by a less than expected 12% growth in subscribers. The negative outlook caused shares of the company to plunge almost 17% by the end of trading this past Thursday. This significant drop in … Read more