Beware This Tech-Tonic Shift In The Global Technology Sector

by Tony Daltorio, Investment U Research

If you’re betting on a recovery in technology stocks based on third quarter earnings reports from companies such as IBM (NYSE: IBM) and Google (Nasdaq: GOOG), you’re not alone.

While economists and commentators debate the issue, many investors have already placed large bets on a V-shaped recovery for the tech sector.

They have some good reason to think so too, since the tech-heavy Nasdaq composite has risen 70% from its March lows. The problem is, they’re expecting “business as usual” in the industry… meaning they think spending will pick up the way it did in the 1990s.

Kris Gopalakrishman, CEO of Indian tech giant, Infosys (Nasdaq: INFY) – a company in the Xcelerated Profits Report portfolio – sees it differently,

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Fuel Your Portfolio With BHP Billiton (NYSE: BHP): The Best-Run Commodities Company In The World

by Tony Daltorio, Investment U Research

Some companies just stand out – both in their own sectors and in the larger market.

Australian firm BHP Billiton (NYSE: BHP) is one of them.

As the largest and most diversified commodities producer in the world, BHP has leading positions in most key, low-cost, metal and mineral deposits in the world.

And as if that weren’t enough, it also has a solid position in oil, thanks to its petroleum division, which had operating profits of $4 billion last year.

Impressively, that total only made the petroleum division BHP’s third-best performer in 2008. Its iron ore segment scooped up $6.23 billion, while base metals enjoyed a $4.62 billion operating profit.

Crucially, that sets BHP’s oil division apart from its competitors. Not only

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London Calling: FTSE-100 Racks Up its Best Quarter in History

by Martin Denholm, Senior Editor Wednesday, October 1, 2009

As September concluded, so too did the third quarter of 2009.

And what a quarter it was for London’s FTSE-100 (^FTSE) stock market. In fact, it was the Index’s best three-month period in its 25-year history.

As global stock markets scoffed at the traditional “sell in May and go away” adage and sizzled throughout the summer, the “Footsie” notched up a 21% gain.

The positive vibes weren’t just restricted to Britain either. Stocks across Europe enjoyed a strong summer, with the FTSEurofirst 300 Index of top European shares posting its best quarter in 10 years, with a gain of 16%.

The question is: How long can the markets – both in the U.S. and overseas – walk the tightrope between bull and bear? As

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hhgregg, Inc. (NYSE: HGG): The Only Retail Stock Worth Buying Right Now

by Louis Basenese, Advisory Panelist

For the first time in six months, retail sales ticked higher in August.

Granted, it wasn’t by much – a scant 0.7% higher than July. But it’s inevitable that consumers will eventually get back to their spending ways as this recession subsides.

And if you’re looking for a way to play it, consider hhgregg, Inc. (NYSE: HGG). Here’s why…

hhgregg, Inc: This Retailer is Bucking the Industry Trend

Based in Indianapolis, the hhgregg operates 111 retail stores selling consumer electronics and home appliances. Yes, I know that’s the same stuff you can get at your typical Best Buy (NYSE: BBY), Home Depot (NYSE: HD), or Lowe’s (NYSE: LOW).

But this company is hardly typical.

While most retailers are focused on

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[Editor's Note: Money Morning Investment Director Keith Fitz-Gerald is currently in Mainland China. Look for additional installments of his investment travelogue later this week.] By Keith Fitz-Gerald Investment Director Money Morning/The Money Map Report XIAN, People’s Republic of China – During the politically charged period in the late 1980s and early 1990s – when China believed it really needed friends – a small number of Western companies ignored the controversies and refused to abandon the market. Global investors will recognize some of the names: The Coca-Cola Co. (NYSE: KO), Johnson & Johnson (NYSE: JNJ), and ABB Ltd. (NYSE ADR: ABB). In the years since, their courage and commitment has been rewarded with hefty market shares, growing profits, and a position of trust that’s very tough for an outside firm to obtain. These firms also …

Peak Oil and Petrobras

Tony Daltorio, Investment U Research

Back on Wednesday, September 9, I wrote on how to profit from British Petroleum ADR (NYSE: BP)’s huge discovery in the Gulf of Mexico, and how to profit from peak oil.

And while I stand by the profitability of both that find and stock, I think I should clarify that “peak oil” really doesn’t exist anymore. So instead, let’s call it peak-cheap-and-easily-recoverable-oil instead, since that seems much more appropriate.

The days of cheap and accessible oil are long gone, but that very fact opens up rich opportunities for investors who face up to the realities of today’s oil market.

Possibly the biggest reality comes down to this: Giant oil fields are the industry’s lifeblood. Out of the world’s 70,000 oil fields, the largest twenty account for a quarter of global production.

That’s

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Why Most Investment Systems Simply Won’t Work

by Alexander Green, Advisory Panelist Wednesday, August 12, 2009: Issue #1064

Early in my 16-year career on Wall Street, I made an astonishing discovery: The overwhelming majority of my colleagues – bright, educated, experienced, and articulate – didn’t have the foggiest idea what they were talking about.

This only became obvious in retrospect, when I saw how their carefully constructed financial theories and investment forecasts turned to dust rather than generating any significant profits.

(You’d be surprised to learn, for example, how many investment “pros” lose a substantial percentage of their own money in the market each year.)

The truth is that there are virtually limitless ways to take a beating in stocks – and only a few methods that work well over time. These methods are generally codified into widely accepted investment principles,

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Grow Rich Automatically with the World’s Only Gold-Backed “Cash” The U.S. Treasury Dept. has finally approved the new gold-backed “cash.” And according to gold expert Peter Schiff, this new money, called “Gold Dollars,” is not only the best place for your savings today… it could prove very profitable. Why? Because every “dollar” you hold in your bank account is backed by 1 gram of solid gold, held in Fort Knox-like security. So when each gram of gold goes up in value, so does your cash! (Meanwhile, you can spend your money just like you would regular paper dollars.) For Schiff’s full report, please go here.

What’s the name of the world’s best-selling beer?

Hint: It’s not Budweiser. And it’s not Bud Light.

It’s called Snow Beer, and I’ll wager that most U.S. investors haven’t even heard of it before.

If they haven’t, it’s not a surprise. You see, Snow Beer …

How Did Millions Of Investors Get It So Wrong?

by Alexander Green, Advisory Panelist

Over the past five months, world stock markets have put on a historic rally.

Since March 9, the S&P 500 is up 48%. The small-cap index, the Russell 2000, is up 65%. The EAFE international index is up 67%. And the MSCI Emerging Markets index is up 79%.

Yet five months ago, investor sentiment was black as Halloween night and equity mutual funds were experiencing massive outflows.

How did millions of investors get it so wrong?

The short answer is they didn’t know what they didn’t know. They didn’t know that the economy can’t be reliably forecast and the stock market can’t be consistently timed. They didn’t know that abject pessimism is the long-term investor’s best friend.

Why We Were Never Heading Into Another Great Depression

And, perhaps most importantly, they didn’t know that it was never likely

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<!-- /* You may give each page an identifying name and channel on the next lines. */ s.pageName="" s.channel="" /************* DO NOT ALTER ANYTHING BELOW THIS LINE ! **************/ var s_code=s.t();if(s_code)document.write(s_code)//--> [This is the fifth installment of an ongoing series.] By Keith Fitz-Gerald Investment Director Money Morning/The Money Map Report I don’t know about you, but I’m sick and tired of the airlines grumbling and whining. I’m also frustrated with the endless list of new surcharges the airlines have come up with. Especially when there’s plenty of evidence that the airlines are just getting started and that they’re actually busy cooking up new ways to nickel and dime us. Airline representatives and apologist analysts claim the new “fees” are necessary to ...