THE THINGS ARE REALLY HEATING UP EDITION
21 JULY 2011
Baby, It’s HOT Out There!
Forum Discussions Heat Up as Thermometer Tops 100
Your weather-savvy reporter (she is an Official Weather Spotter for the National Weather Service, after all) cannot recall the last time the thermometer broke the 100 degree mark in her Midwest hometown. Today, she notes, appears to be the day. Temperatures topping 100 degrees and heat indexes of 110 are enough to make even the most dedicated sun lovers run for the nearest A/C and a tall glass of ice-cold water.
While this heatwave continues to make its way across the country, things are also heating up in the StockCentral forums. In The Exchange, SC member Betty Hill writes that she's "in shock":
I heavily relied on RiskGrades.com for several years to analyze the risks and returns of individual holdings in my portfolio, as well as the overall risk and return on my portfolio as a whole and in relation to various indices," Betty recently posted. "I would like to think that it has ‘saved’ me from making mistakes in my portfolio. I know that I sleep better after using it. That's the good news.
"Now, for the bad. When I attempted to use it today, I found that it is no longer available (discontinued after 6/30/11, although I used it earlier this week). A message on the homepage directs financial institutions to contact MSCI for available commercial products and services.
"I am in shock.
"Does anyone know the background on the termination? Better yet, what suggestions do you have for me to analyze the risks and returns of my holdings and portfolio as I did in the past?"
Betty’s letter vetted two replies that generated a little friction. First, the word from SC founder Doug Gerlach, who suggested Betty consider looking at the beta of her holdings. "Beta measures the volatility of the price of a security compared to a benchmark (for stocks, it compares the security to the S&P 500, typically)," Doug writes. "I've been mulling over whether or not it would be useful to incorporate beta into some of our tools here on StockCentral, in fact."
The final word (so far) comes from SC member Danny Matthews:
"I wouldn't. Then you are relying on investor sentiment to make decisions. A very short term view."
This Forum discussion raises at least two questions:
- Is beta a reasonable alternative?
- Should StockCentral consider incorporating beta into some of the SC tools?
Here’s your chance to stand up and be counted. Beeline it over to The Exchange and post your own food for thought.
BE PERPLEXED NO MORE!
The Toolshed Has the Answers You’ve Been Seeking
Speaking of StockCentral forums that are hot, hot, hot – check out The Toolshed, where ICLUBcentral dynamo Sean Pulrang continues to crank out the answers to your toughest software, website and investing tools questions as fast as he gets them.
- Ever wonder what to do when a stock price gets stuck at zero?
- Curious as to why some stocks will show a Buy or Sell in the Toolkit 6 portfolio summary report, while others don’t show anything?
- Having trouble printing the online Take Stock version of the SSG?
You can find the answers to these questions – and many more – in The Toolshed. And just as importantly, you can submit your own queries!
Meanwhile, don’t forget that it isn't too late to check out The Workshop forum Sean led earlier this year. Topic: Answers to some of the most commonly asked Club Questions. Rock on, Sean!
Beat the Heat
Attend the Retail Investor Conference in Cool Comfort
Speaking of beating the heat, sit back and relax with an ice cold Arnold Palmer (that’s half lemonade, half iced tea for those of you not in the know) and soak up the expertise from the latest in the ongoing series of Retail Investor Conferences. These monthly conferences, designed just for you, the individual investor, are available on demand, 24/7. All you need do is register.
In July alone, attendees of this free monthly conference enjoyed presentations from the CEOs of P2 Solar (PTOS), CardioGenics Holdings (CGNH), T3 Motion (TTTM) and Universal Detection Technology (UNDT), as well as educational sessions from R. Scott Raynovich, Editor-in-Chief, Investor Uprising; Joe Bell, Senior Options Strategist, Schaeffer’s Investment Research; and our own Doug Gerlach.
Knowledge, insight and great new stock ideas abound. What are you waiting for? Sign up today!
Updated Website License Agreement
Changes to Reflect Stock Data Usage
On or around Aug. 1, ICLUBcentral will implement an updated license agreement for its various websites, including myICLUB.com, StockCentral.com and InvestorAdvisoryService.com. Most of the changes regard clauses on how subscribers to ICLUBcentral’s services may use the stock data licensed by ICLUBcentral for subscribers’ use and reflect contractual requirements by the data provider.
After we’ve put the license agreement into effect, you’ll be asked to read and approve the website license agreement the next time you log in to myICLUB.com, StockCentral or the Investor Advisory Service. If you have questions about the agreement after reading it, please contact ICLUBcentral Support at www.iclub.com/support or 877-334-2582.
SENSATIONAL IN CINCINNATI
Sizzling Summer Special for BetterInvesting National Convention!
BINC's Sizzling Summer Special Offer will be expiring soon, so act now! For a low-cost registration of only $425 for BetterInvesting members and $325 for chapter volunteers, you can enjoy this exceptional event. For nonmembers, the registration is $485, which includes a one-year membership to BetterInvesting. This special pricing ends Aug. 1, 2011.
So, why BINC? What's in it for you?
EDUCATION — BINC brings together the finest educators from across the country to expand your knowledge of investing and teach BetterInvesting principles. The convention offers a wide variety of classes and panel discussions for all levels of investors. The sessions include a Beginner Series, a training session for our volunteers that will be open to all paid attendees, technology-oriented seminars and a computer lab where you can watch software demonstrations.
FELLOWSHIP — BINC is also a place to join other like-minded people and share investment ideas in a supportive, friendly environment. BINC offers you the opportunity to meet others in the BetterInvesting community, who are always willing to share their knowledge and help others. You won't find a more open group of people who are so generous with their time and experience.
VALUE — Your low-cost registration includes two and a half days of outstanding investing education with over 60 classes to choose from, including more than 20 brand new ones. Your registration fee also includes a welcome party on Thursday, three breakfasts, two lunches, well-known guest speakers, corporate presentations, a corporate booth expo, town hall meetings with BetterInvesting's CEO and the Saturday night awards dinner.
FUN — BINC promises to be a fun and exciting event, which includes the welcome party and the Saturday night awards dinner.
Don't wait! Sign up today to be a part of BINC 2011 Sept. 15-18 at the Cincinnati Marriott at RiverCenter, which is adjacent to the Northern Kentucky Convention Center, Covington, Ky.
TODAY'S ENTIRELY RELEVANT QUOTATION
"Investors making purchases in an overheated market
need to recognize that it may often take
an extended period for the value of even an outstanding company
to catch up with the price they paid."
— Warren Buffett