Salient to Investors: Analysts expect dividend payouts in the Euro Stoxx 50 Index will fall by 3.3 percent in 2013, cutting the dividend yield to 4.3 percent from 6.3 percent in September 2011. John Bilton at Bank of America Merrill Lynch said within Europe, excess cash on balance sheets attracts investors –
READ MORE... →Salient to Investors: International purchases of U.S. stocks, bonds and other financial assets were more than twice as much as forecast in November as investors sought shelter from a global economic slowdown. Millan Mulraine at TD Securities sees further inflows. The World Bank projects the world economy to grow 2.4 percent in 2013 versus a June
READ MORE... →Salient to Investors: Brad Sorensen at Charles Schwab said the World Bank cuts in growth forecasts are reminders that there’s still work to be done. Sorensen likes earnings so far and the sizable money on the sidelines could boost the market higher. The World Bank cut its global growth forecast for
READ MORE... →Salient to Investors: Barry Norris at Argonaut Capital Partners said: Buy European stocks with the highest potential for earnings growth over those with the cheapest valuations. The big liquidity rush that has made everyone enthusiastic won’t last the year – equities will rally because they are the least-worst option among asset classes. ECB
READ MORE... →Salient to Investors: James Paulsen at Wells Capital Mgmt said job creation, tame inflation and rising home prices support solid retail spending in 2013, but consumer cyclicals may underperform the market because these positive economic trends are already discounted – the S&P 500 GICS Consumer Discretionary Sector Index has outperformed the broader market by
READ MORE... →Salient to Investors: EPFR Global said investors added a record $3.1 billion to equity mutual funds in the first week of 2013, the most since it began tracking the industry in 2000. Investors withdrew $69.1 billion from US equity funds in 2012 and $375 billion since 2007. Walter Todd at Greenwood Capital Associates said
READ MORE... →Salient to Investors: David Kostin at Goldman Sachs said volatility – the drawdown risk – will deter investors from moving into stocks from bonds in 2013 even as dividend returns exceed fixed-income yields. Kostin said most investors will sell US government bonds if losses push the 10-yr Treasury yield to 3 percent from 1.85
READ MORE... →Salient to Investors: Morgan Stanley said leverage among equity managers climbed to the highest level to start any year since at least 2004. Margin debt at NYSE firms rose in November to the highest since February 2008. James Dunigan at PNC Wealth Mgmt said leverage is increasing among hedge-funds. Gross leverage at hedge
READ MORE... →Salient to Investors: James Paulsen at Wells Capital Mgmt said Apple is the story for the market and proxy for other companies and industries. James Cordwell at Atlantic Equities Service said IPhone sales are slowing because smartphones have saturated developed markets. Almost 80 percent of the 28 S&P 500 companies so far
READ MORE... →Salient to Investors: quick cash edge Jonathan Weil writes: China is a kleptocracy run by, and for the benefit of, the Communist Party elite, who have allowed securities fraud to flourish, and routinely obstructed overseas regulators’ investigations. Tiny research firm Muddy Waters has done more to expose Chinese stock scams than
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