NOTE TO EDITORS: The Following Is an Investment Opinion Being Issued by Benchmark Journal.

Collins Stewart has initiated coverage on several key technology stocks this morning. The boutique firm has come out positive on Apple inc. (NASDAQ: AAPL) and on Qualcomm (NASDAQ: QCOM), and a little more conservative on shares of NVIDIA (NASDAQ: NVDA). It noted that "Pie Ripening Towards Apple" and Qualcomm is positioned for Long-Term growth.

Small actions can have big ramifications.

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WASHINGTON (MarketWatch) - Shares of AT&T Inc. and Verizon Communications Inc. fell sharply Monday after a brokerage cut its rating on both phone companies, saying the recession and a saturated U.S. wireless market are likely to retard growth in 2009.

AT&T, Verizon Tumble On Downgrade; Leap Wireless Gains

The first week of the year includes many impressive gains. Among the DJIA components, all 30 were up this week, and all ten sectors were up as well. That happened exactly four weeks ago too, but the index levels have not changed much in the interim. However, the psychology definitely has. At this point, traders are ...

I thought I would summarize a few ideas mentioned on World Beta over the past few months as potential trading ideas based on some simple quant research.  1.  Follow a simple tactical asset allocation model.  With returns near flat the model performed admirably in 2008 - look for an update to the white paper with out-of-sample numbers sometime in late January.  The model is currently 100% in cash/bonds. 2.  Look for a particularly pronounced January Effect in beaten down microcaps.  I found that following the worst 10 years in stocks since 1927, the average return for microcaps in January was around 18% with no down years.  An investor could either go long[More...]

Today was a very positive day for the stock market indexes with the SP 600 rallying the most with a 3.7% gain. The Nasdaq, SP 500, SP 600, and DJIA all made it over their 50 day moving averages which helps now give them a little bit of support if this rally can catch any legs. However, before anyone gets “too for-sure” of themselves and go out there calling a bottom I would like to take your attention BACK to 2002 and 2003. What did the rallies of October 2002 and March 2003, which WERE REAL bottoms, have that this rally does not have? If you answered volume, you are right. If you answered nice stocks, you are right. If you answered stock setting up in “hot” based, you are right. If you said…well you get the point. This rally off these lows, with these charts are NOTHING like the rallies of either October 2002 or March 2003. So for those that keep using those dates as reference points please check your charts. Right now, the leading[More...]

Schaeffer's analyst Colleen S. King takes a look at the major news of the day on Wall Street.

Schaeffer's Andrea Kramer takes a look at unusual option activity on the Street

Schaeffer's Senior Equities Analyst Joseph Hargett takes an in-depth look at the week ahead

Schaeffer's Andrea Kramer takes an in-depth look at the week ahead

Schaeffer's Andrea Kramer takes a look at unusual option activity on the Street