February 22, 2008
The Famous Stock Market: Exploring Stock Pickers And Blue Chips
With the stock market, the currency traders are the vampires of the Stock Market. Their work day begins in the wee hours of the night and ends often times at the break of dawn. The commodity traders check headlines all over the world in order to determine how the volatile futures market is going to play out for the day. If there is a natural disaster that impacts a commodity the commodity trader needs to take note. The commodity trader needs to factor in significant and sometimes obscure news events that may spur on or decrease the availability of a commodity. The commodity trader is a news junkie.
The show would not be complete without the critics, the clever and knowledgeable group of commentators and writers who explain or elaborate on the days events. It is similar to the play by play announcer at a Jai Alai game, the ball sometimes travels faster than the words can be uttered from any human form of speech. This could explain why stock market commentators speak in fast forward fashion.
Use your cupboard as a stock picker
In the brand name product area you may need to look on the packaging to determine the name of the company to find the stock. Some favorites like Clorox, Johnson & Johnson, and others are listed under the familiar company name. Due to mergers and acquisitions many name brand products have become subsidiaries or subsumed in a larger company's product line. All you need to do is check out the references on the label or customer service information that is located somewhere on the product.
A cautionary note is that even the best company may have a down year. The reasons could be management changes, and other economic pressures. The product is still good, but the internal structure of the company needs a quick fix. In these circumstances make a decision whether you want to weather the storm or wait until the company gets its act together. Sometimes the stormy days of a company can be a buying opportunity.
On the Blue chip stocks
In times of uncertainty and for long term investors the Blue Chip stocks are a part of every portfolio either in direct stock purchases or through mutual funds. The Blue Chip stock is a large cap company and has decades and even a century of presence on the stock market. Some Blue Stock stocks are relatively new players like Home Depot or the result of a merger & acquisition. If you look around your house and around your town the brand products you use or have come to rely on are Blue Chip stocks.
There are index funds of Blue Chip stocks that can be bought through a financial brokerage house. There are mutual funds that are designated as Blue Chip Funds in most family of funds offered in all of the major mutual funds companies. There is even a mutual fund company that offers a spider fund comprised of Blue Chip stocks that is similar to the S& P 500.
The Blue Chip stocks merit a good review in all times not just in times of market uncertainty.

Filed under Business by Zindy Maseko









