| Out-of-fashion stocks may take spotlight if oil prices rebound | | Posted Sunday, February 04, 2007 3:05:59 PM by Blog57 Team | | The plunge in oil prices is one of the biggest reasons behind the stock market's rally over the last six months. But now, many analysts believe oil will rebound, creating a hurdle for stocks for the next few months. So what's a shrewd investor to do? Peter Jankovskis, research director at OakBrook Investments in Lisle, believes in sifting through the pile of out-of-fashion stocks to find the gems. He's concentrating on the broad category of consumer staples, where he likes several companies. Some haven't kept up with the market lately; others have had a good six months or so. Either way, Jankovskis regards his favorites as top picks among undervalued growth companies. They are: • • Home Depot (HD), hurt by headlines about executive pay and operational mistakes that took decisions away from store managers.... | |
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| | | 6 IDENTICAL INDIVIDUAL DELUXE IMPORTED 8"x10" 8x10 (5"x7" 5x7 with mat) WOOD ROSEWOOD PICTURE PHOTO FRAME - EXCELLENT QUALITY - GREAT PRICE | | Posted Tuesday, January 23, 2007 1:07:05 PM by Blog57 Team | | OLD TOWN COLLECTION Deluxe imported picture frame that presents a gracious rosewood finish. This high-class frame was specially designed to bring elegance and beauty to any environment. Old Town Collection is composed of picture frames that enrich the environment in a refined, pleasing, and exquisite way. Perfect for both home and office decoration.... | |
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| | | New home prices surge | | Posted Wednesday, January 17, 2007 1:22:08 PM by Blog57 Team | | The final quarter of 2006 saw the average price for a new home surge, according to SmartNewHomes.com New Homes Index. While prices across the market as a whole experienced a fall in December, new home prices bucked the trend, up 0.1% on the previous month and 2% over the final quarter of 2006. Semi detached proves home of 2006 While other property types suffered in December, the semi detached retained its popularity, experiencing the biggest price growth over the last year. Despite its increasing price the semi detached home still remained one of the most affordable property types in 2006, beaten in price only be the apartment. How much home buyers indicate they are willing to pay for a new home. While the price of a new home (stock price) has fluctuated throughout 2006, the price buyers are willing to pay (demand price) had been growing steadily, up 5.8% over the last year - reinforcing continued consumer confidence in the new homes market.... | |
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| | | Mexican tortilla prices jump | | Posted Sunday, January 14, 2007 3:28:40 PM by Blog57 Team | | MEXICO CITY -- Soaring international demand for corn has caused a spike in prices for Mexico's humble tortilla, hitting the poor and forcing President Felipe Calderon's business-friendly government into an uncomfortable confrontation with powerful monopolies. Tortilla prices jumped nearly 14 percent in the last year, which Gov. Guillermo Ortiz of Mexico's Central Bank called ''unjustifiable'' in a country where inflation ran about 4 percent. Ortiz pinned the blame on companies monopolizing the market and blocking competition. ''We clearly have a problem of speculation,'' he said. The government and economists also blame increased U.S. production of ethanol from corn as an alternative to oil. ''This is direct evidence of the way globalization is affecting all walks of life in Mexico and all over the world,'' said David Barkin, an economics professor at the Xochimilco campus of the Autonomous Metropolitan University in Mexico City.... | |
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| | | Home prices fell 0.2 percent in October, index shows | | Posted Wednesday, December 27, 2006 3:09:51 PM by Blog57 Team | | Home prices in 20 U.S. metropolitan areas fell in October for a third month, according to a private survey. Home values dropped 0.2 percent during the month, the same as the prior month, according to the S&P/Case-Shiller home-price index. Home prices in the 12 months through October rose 2.9 percent, the smallest increase since the group started keeping records in January 2001. Slower gains in home values are limiting the amount homeowners can borrow against their equity, one source of growth in consumer spending. Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas President Richard Fisher last week said the ``sharp correction'' in housing may not be over. ``Housing demand has been moving down quite sharply,'' Robert Mellman, an economist at JPMorgan Chase & Co.... | |
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| | | It's a buyer's market in Sacramento Builders and homeowners in the ... | | Posted Sunday, December 17, 2006 1:13:18 PM by Blog57 Team | | (12-17) 04:00 PST Sacramento -- When Dan Wan and his wife, Sara, bought their home two years ago, they considered themselves lucky: They managed to snag it in a tight market by contacting the sales office just after another buyer canceled a deal. But now they are looking for a larger home because their family of four has grown to five. After four months, they haven't gotten any offers for their home, despite dropping their price to $350,000 from $370,000. The Wans are in a bind. They are not only competing against at least three other homeowners who want to sell their properties in the same subdivision -- they are also facing an aggressive marketing campaign by the builder of hundreds of houses just a few blocks away, where many are selling for less than $350,000. Driving toward the Wans' home from Interstate 80, it seems like there are billboards on every street corner advertising new developments.... | |
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| | | Home prices stabilize, but sales slump | | Posted Sunday, November 19, 2006 1:08:40 PM by Blog57 Team | | Solano County home sales continued to slow in October, while prices remained relatively steady, according to statistics released Wednesday by a real estate information firm. Sales dropped 35.4 percent compared to October 2005, reported DataQuick Information Systems. However, that decline is a slight improvement from the 43.2 percent year-over decline experienced in September. October home prices, meanwhile, declined 2.9 percent compared to last October, bringing the median Solano County home price to $462,000. "I can tell you that Vacaville (prices are) down about $5,000 from where (they were) a year ago, which is roughly around 1 percent. And (prices in) Fairfield (are) actually exactly the same," said Bob Dorsett, broker/owner of Gateway Realty. "The story to be told, quite frankly, is that inventory is large so units of sales are significantly down but prices are holding really, really well." Local Realtor Darla Stever, of Jim Stever Realty, agreed.... | |
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| | | Wal-Mart cuts prices on about 50 small home appliances | | Posted Monday, November 13, 2006 11:44:24 AM by Blog57 Team | | Wal-Mart Stores Inc. (WMT) will cut prices on about 50 small home appliances, in the third of a series of price rollbacks the company plans for "thousands" of items leading up to the holidays. The Bentonville, Ark., retail giant said it will reduce prices on appliance from brands including GE, Hoover and Sharp. The company said it will continue to cut prices of toys, electronics, apparel and other products this holiday season. In October, Wal-Mart announced it would offer $4 prescriptions for some generic drugs. SMART LIVING & INVST. ARTICLES After US $8 billion acquisition of Anglo-Dutch Corus India Tata group is set to eneter the list of Fortune 500 companies Media Release Currently the other six Indian giants are Indian Oil, Reliance Industries, Bharat Petroleum, Hindustan Petroleum, Oil and Natural Gas Corp and State Bank of India.... | |
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| | | "Home Prices Plunge!" | | Posted Sunday, November 12, 2006 11:08:46 AM by Blog57 Team | | Oh dear! Read some recent headlines about housing prices, and you might find your heart rate rising. Check out this one from an Associated Press article, for example: "Home Prices Plunge by Most in 35 Years." In it, Martin Crutsinger reported that "new home prices fell last month by the largest amount in 35 years and owners are being warned to brace for further declines, especially in formerly hot markets." The decline was 9.7% between last September and this past September, taking the median new-home price to $217,000 from $240,000. New homes are a relatively small part of the overall home market, so here -- have a little more perspective: Over the same period, prices for existing homes fell by 2.5%, "the largest decline in records going back nearly four decades." What should we investors and homeowners make of this development? My first thought is, "Well, it probably had to happen sometime." After all, we've had many years now of very strong housing price appreciation in many parts of the country.... | |
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| | | Median home prices increase in Camco | | Posted Saturday, November 11, 2006 3:33:46 AM by Blog57 Team | | Camden County median home prices increased an average of 8.5 percent to $195,250 in the first nine months of 2006, according to Prudential Fox & Roach Realtors' HomExpert Market Report. The median sale price in the first nine months of 2005 was $180,000. While housing prices have gone up, the number of houses sold declined 14.7 percent to 5,653 units during the first nine months. The average number of days a home remained on the market increased from 51 days in the first nine months of 2005 to 59 days in the first nine months of 2006. Woodlynne posted the largest increase in median sale price in Camden County, rising 35.3 percent in 2006 to $115,000. Haddonfield posted the highest median sale price at $416,000. Cherry Hill posted the highest number of homes sold in the first nine months of 2006 at 735.... | |
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