Keenan Hauke

Commodities have taken it on the chin lately, with the CRB Index (a measure of most of the major commodities) falling more than 6 percent in a week. Gold is down 7 percent. Even copper, a market that seemed to forget how to go down, is taking a hit. Let’s find out what it all means. A few weeks ago, I wrote that I was selling my energy stocks because they had become extremely overbought. I was not turning bearish…

I’ve developed whiplash trying to follow the Guidant story. This situation has it all: drama, suspense, confusion, even death. I am going to offer a quick rehash of what has happened, what it can mean locally and what, if any, profit opportunities remain. To get the entire story straight would take a new series called “CSI Indianapolis,” but here is a CliffsNotes version instead. Guidant was a division of Eli Lilly until 1995. Lilly spun Guidant off at around $5…

I’ve developed whiplash trying to follow the Guidant story. This situation has it all: drama, suspense, confusion, even death. I am going to offer a quick rehash of what has happened, what it can mean locally and what, if any, profit opportunities remain. To get the entire story straight would take a new series called “CSI Indianapolis,” but here is a CliffsNotes version instead. Guidant was a division of Eli Lilly until 1995. Lilly spun Guidant off at around $5…

There was talk in December that the market would fall apart in early January, just as it did last year. The catalyst this year would be the hedge funds that pumped the market up using margin and other derivatives in order to get an up year so they could get their bonuses. As usual, the market didn’t listen to the talk. Stocks came out of the gate strong and have been firing ever since. Because the first week was good,…

Because I spent part of the Christmas weekend packing for a vacation that will take my family out of the country, I was thinking about the foreign investing landscape a little. China is still the most overused buzzword to come down the pike since “Internet,” but there is a lot more depth to the overseas picture than just China. As good investing should always be about finding the best risk-adjusted returns possible, I want to spend some time digging into…

Since the early 1980s, nearly every U.S. employee has been exposed to the mighty 401(k) plan. I used to participate in one when I was a stockbroker in New York. The fact that I am in the business gives me a detailed look at what happens in the 401(k) world, and I am appalled. Here’s how it works. You start working for a firm and within six months you can participate in its 401(k) plan. You get all the paperwork…

I grew up near the beach. I love the ocean, and it’s something I miss now that I live in Indiana. I’ve done the next best thing, however, by getting an office on a lake. It’s a peaceful place and a great place to look at. And looking at it right now reminds me a lot of the current state of the market. The weather turned cold recently, and we had a snowstorm that dumped 7 inches of snow. The…

A lot of people were hoping for, and found, a year-end rally. I said in late October that the S&P 500 might hit a new rally high, but after that selling would come. Now that we are at that point, I see more upside potential. I am not changing my view that, in the big picture, stocks will be in for a rough ride next year. But the market could go higher than I expected before major selling takes over….

Wall Street is a tough place to figure out. One minute you’re up 8 percent or 9 percent for the year, the next you’re down 3 or 4. The last five years have been a little crazy. You may want to yell, “Hey, I’m not getting any younger. At some point, I want to retire!” One of the challenging things about stocks is there are few rules you can follow to bring consistent returns year after year. Formulas and methods…