Continued Market Volatility, with Signs of Wall Street Clearing!

China - A soft or fast landing is expected from their real estate bubble.

EU - Seems to be holding without much negative news

BP - Oil spill is partially contained.    I own BP, but do not know whether to buy or sell?

US - Unemployment seems to be moving positive with yesterdays unemployment numbers.

US - Bernanke seems to think we are on the road to a steady if weak recovery.  

Mostly, yesterdays market rise must have scared short sellers a bunch.

When are the BULLS coming Back?

1000 Bull Dances does not seem like an event happening any time soon.    According to Cramer's two days ago program there are a number of issues still to be resolved.

*fine print on financial regulation
*Spanish Bank Stabilization
*Lower Unemployment
*Oil Spill Resolution
*Confirmation of China's Soft Landing
*European Stabilitization

On top of this I would add some of my own anecdotes:

*Enough time to get traders used to the New Volatility
*No more additional issues spooking the markets from: Israel, Iran, North Korea, Venezuela, Afghanistan, Iraq
*Strong mid year earnings season

When we hear the BULLS roaring back I will be watching these stocks very closely to buy or buy calls on as the market lowers:

Netflix
Apple
Autodesk

Profiting from a Volitile Market .....

It seems like having enough cash around to take advantage when the next shoe drops - Iran, Venezuala, Rhode Island, California, Israel, BP, EURO, China, Commercial Real Estate, Portugal, Italy, Ireland, Spain, Greece.....

So I am going to continue to raise cash on the bumps up and buy call on the jarring drops.    I like purchasing Call Options in AAPL, BP, ADSK, and the like.    Assuming the bulls will return one day you will at least profit from the Calls you buy and have some cash on the side as well.   Let me know your thoughts.

Raising Cash and Buying Calls Anticipating Better Stock Prices, but Still Large Amounts of Volatility......

I sold QCOM and put a limit order to buy some QCOM calls at lower a lower price.   One reader was suggesting this and I thought it made sense.   Additionally, I have captured the small QCOM dividend by holding for the last week.    The ex-dividend date was yesterday.  

How Low Will EU Liquidity Crisis Push Down The Dow?

I think to unknown is at the core of this crisis.    So as soon as foreigners start clearing out the unknowns we will get a better idea.   Today's trading suggests there is some resistance at current levels.    Whatever you buy it is likely to drop or increase with the broader market moves, just like with the Lehman Crisis in this country.   Gold, Cash, and DLTR seem to be the only contrarian bets available.    Anyone else have an idea?   

8200-9500 according to Cramer.

8700 according to http://blogs.forbes.com/digitalrules/2010/05/how-low-will-the-dow-go/

Market Inflection Point Upward or Downward?

Is it time to watch some movies for the next 2-3 weeks and let the market unwind?    It is just becoming too difficult to get a handle on what is going on?    Up Down Who Knows?   Its a boxing match between the Bears vs. Bulls and we seem to be in round 4 of a 9 round fight.  There does not seem to be an apparent inflection point supporting the bulls or the bears.   Some answers will be needed to the following questions or there will need to be enough time where investors become used to unanswered questions.  

1. EU Stability!
2. China accelerating growth!
3. Reduction of Government vs. Banking!
4. Record profits!
5. Pent up Demand can not be stopped?
6. Political Stability in Thailand!
7. Greece gets the boot from EU!
8. Portugal Bailout?
9. Ireland Bailout?
10. California Bailout?   Rhode Island?   New York?
11. Federal Debt?
12. Lowered unemployment?
13. BP solution in the Gulf!
14. Foreign inflows of Cash into the NYSE!
15. United States seems like new equity safe haven?

Itchy to BUY, but market might still be going down - What to do?

How can I raise cash and buy stocks at the same time?   Sell actual stocks and buy call Options?
My trades for today include:
Bought 100 shares of QCOM on a limit order I set up a long time ago.
Bought 1 Call Option on AAPL with strike price at 250
Sold 200 Shares of T (AT&T)

Net result was less cash, but I still have some reserves left to purchase.   The Qualcom purchase was a surprise, but in retrospect it might be a good call if the market strarts upward.    Who knows.......

The Risk to Buy Equities is Dropping Quickly - A Mild BUY right now!

Only god knows if we have or will soon hit a low.   Indecision and Chaos from the EU continue.   If you think it is time to start nibbling on stocks, it might be time to look at some European/International worst  hit and high dividend stocks like:
Glaxo Smith Kline
Siemans
Sarnofi Aventis
Banco Santander

Really, as the Euro drops these should actually do better given their international and export biases?   Still the questions is whether to buy now or wait for prices to drop further?    I am still fence sitting on whether the pessimism has reached a climax yet.   Things are only mildly insane.

New Observation - Sell on the Close and Buy at Midday

Check out the DOW daily charts lately.   This pattern seems to repeat itself over and over lately.    Before the close is getting a lot of volume too, so technicians might suggest this means the market is going higher soon?