Salient to Investors: Jeffrey Kleintop at LPL Financial said US companies announced $275 billion of repurchases this quarter, the highest in more than 5 years. 79 percent of buyback orders at Goldman Sachs corporate trading desk were active yesterday, the most in 2013. Jim Welsh at Forward Mgmt said the overall buy-the-dip
READ MORE... →Salient to Investors: Hedge funds continue to be an overpriced, middling asset class. Goldman Sachs found that hedge funds returned an average of 5 percent in 2013 versus a 15 percent gain in the S&P 500, while only 5 percent of the funds beat the S&P and more than 1
READ MORE... →Salient to Investors: Wu Kan at Dazhong Insurance said investors are avoiding stocks related to traditional manufacturing industries, while the selloff in Japan has spread risk-off sentiment across the region. The Shanghai Composite is at 9.3 times 12-month estimated earnings versus a 7-yr average of 15.7 times. Ken Peng at BNP Paribas said the
READ MORE... →Salient to Investors: Goldman Sachs study says: Bond investors do not perceive the 6 biggest US banks as too big to fail, including itself. The 6 banks have had an average funding-cost advantage over smaller competitors of 0.31 percent since 1999 – widest in the financial crisis and now an average 0.10
READ MORE... →Salient to Investors: Cash and marketable securities are at a record $1.73 trillion, while capital spending in the most recent quarter rose by the least since March 2010. Nick Raich at Earnings Scout said public outcry will erupt if companies do not spend and create jobs. Economists and money managers
READ MORE... →Salient to Investors: The Market Flash writes: The Quantity Theory of Money is under fire in academia because changes in technology and innovations by financial institutions have rendered the theory a less than complete view of the world – with important implications for investors from a macro point of view.
READ MORE... →Salient to Investors: Margie Patel at Wells Capital Mgmt says the market will rise over the balance of the year because the fundamentals are so good – any correction will be mild and either now or in the summer. Charles Evans at FRB of Chicago sees self-sustaining growth at escape
READ MORE... →Salient to Investors: Torbjoern Kjus at DNB ASA said the oil market does not look tight for the coming 5 years, spare capacity will rise, and prices will continue to trend lower. David Lennox at Fat Prophets said all the key players on the demand side basically see muted growth, which
READ MORE... →Salient to Investors: Bloomberg Global Poll: International investors are the most bullish on the US and Japanese markets in more than 3.5 years as both economies are seen to be improving. Over 40% will reduce gold exposure over the next 6 months, close to 3 times more than those who
READ MORE... →Salient to Investors: The average of the 17 strategists predictions for year-end for the S&P 500 was 1,601. overnight loans with bad credit australia Goldman Sachs expects the index to exceed 1900 by 2016 but says most of its valuation engines show the market is currently at or above fair
READ MORE... →