Stocks see best September in 71 years

[Roger Perry]

The Dow Jones industrials ($INDU) finished September with a 7.7% gain. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index ($INX) was up 8.8%. Both enjoyed their best September performances since 1939.

The Nasdaq Composite Index ($COMPX) added 12% for the month, its best September since 1998.

Normally the weakest month for stocks since 1950, September confounded many analysts. They'd confidently expected the market to slide further after a weak August performance because of worries that the economy was about to sink back into recession.

<LI sizcache="0" sizset="140" itxtvisited="1">American International Group (AIG), up 4.4% to $39.10. The insurer, once the world's largest, agreed with U.S. regulators to repay its bailout by converting the government's holdings into common shares for sale, a step toward independence. <LI sizcache="0" sizset="141" itxtvisited="1">McCormick & Co. (MKC), up 2.3% to $42.04. The world's biggest spice seller said it would earn at least $2.57 a share excluding one-time items this year. The Street consensus has been $2.54. <LI sizcache="0" sizset="142" itxtvisited="1">Comverse Technology (CMVT) up 15.4% to $6.73. Oracle and buyout firms are interested in buying the voice-mail software maker's assets, The Wall Street Journal said. The report added that buyout firms may be more interested in Verint Systems (VRNT), a maker of business analysis software. Verint, 54% owned by Comverse, jumped 146% to $29.55. <LI sizcache="0" sizset="144" itxtvisited="1">Limelight Networks (LLNW), up 6.5% to $5.89. The maker of software that speeds delivery and prevents online problems with Web videos may be poised to rise, CNBC's Jim Cramer said Wednesday on his “Mad Money” program. <LI sizcache="0" sizset="145" itxtvisited="1">Manitowoc (MTW), up 13.6% to $12.11. The world's biggest manufacturer of overhead cranes will refinance a portion of its term loans with senior unsecured notes. The offering should "materially reduce" concern over potential equity distress, Morgan Stanley said.
http://articles.moneycentral.msn.com..._blg=1,1811262

Maybe some good news for the economy for a change?

[Franco]

If you think the big swings in stock prices indicate a healthy economy, then I suggest you buy all you can. The more experienced and traditional investors will tell you it is a sign of a fickled, weak and manipulated market.

Percentages also don't mean squat and are deceiving. When a stock has lost much of its value, then jumps up it makes those percentage increases look good. What insiders call "Sucker's Gold" because only a greedy sucker would think of buying.

[M&K's Retrievers]

Who is doing the buying?

[Buzz]

Franco, I don't believe the stock market tells you anything about the true state of the economy.

Also, what the stock market gives, the stock market taketh away...

[Franco]

Franco, I don't believe the stock market tells you anything about the true state of the economy.

Also, what the stock market gives, the stock market taketh away...

I agree and stated so with my post. Personally, I wouldn't touch the stock market until we get some meaningful reform and eliminate the anti-business climate in DC.

[Buzz]

I agree and stated so with my post. Personally, I wouldn't touch the stock market until we get some meaningful reform and eliminate the anti-business climate in DC.

I don't know. I got some F at about $1.67/share. I got some aapl back when it was about $90/share. But I bought those when the rest of the world was panicking and stock prices were falling through the floor. I bought KFT at close to $25/share, so the yield on my dividend is pretty good there. The yield on PGN based on an entry of $38/share isn't bad either.

But, like George Castanza, I tend to do the opposite. When everyone is panicking, I'm thinking about buying. Right now, I'm not thinking too much about buying. Maybe I'm wrong, it wouldn't surprise me if I am.

[duckheads]

Of course the market is doing good. The current administration is full of people from wall street. That is what they care about because they all made their money on big bad wall street and are heavily invested in big bad wall street.

[Franco]

I don't know. I got some F at about $1.67/share. I got some aapl back when it was about $90/share. But I bought those when the rest of the world was panicking and stock prices were falling through the floor. I bought KFT at close to $25/share, so the yield on my dividend is pretty good there. The yield on PGN based on an entry of $38/share isn't bad either.

But, like George Castanza, I tend to do the opposite. When everyone is panicking, I'm thinking about buying. Right now, I'm not thinking too much about buying. Maybe I'm wrong, it wouldn't surprise me if I am.

I know several folks that made out like Bandits when they bought Ford below $2. I thought about it but with Ford competiting against government owned GM, it wasn't as compelling an investment as real estate. I may have missed the wind fall with Ford but know that my property will always be there and I have never lost on real estate. It is a long term play much like the stock market use to be back in the days when stock prices had meaning to them.

Though our area has not seen a dip in the value of homes, they haven't appriciated that much either. I just don't trust nor do I have any control with what happens to stock prices. Values make little sense so I choose to abstain.

[Marvin S]

I don't know. I got some F at about $1.67/share. I got some aapl back when it was about $90/share. But I bought those when the rest of the world was panicking and stock prices were falling through the floor. I bought KFT at close to $25/share, so the yield on my dividend is pretty good there. The yield on PGN based on an entry of $38/share isn't bad either.

But, like George Castanza, I tend to do the opposite. When everyone is panicking, I'm thinking about buying. Right now, I'm not thinking too much about buying. Maybe I'm wrong, it wouldn't surprise me if I am.

So, you've made a smart business decision. You've bought at a very favorable price, rather like buying a nice house in a good neighborhood in Detroit right now.

What is your pricing point on F & AAPL for a potential sale? That's the hard part .

[Rudd]

I'm willing to bet the stock market hits 7500 again, in the next 12-18 months.