Thursday, May 14, 2015

Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc. (NYSE: MMC)

Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc., a professional services firm, provides advice and solutions primarily in the areas of risk, strategy, and people worldwide. It operates in two segments, Risk and Insurance Services; and Consulting. The Risk and Insurance Services segment offers risk management services, such as risk advice, risk transfer, risk control, and mitigation solutions, as well as insurance, reinsurance broking, catastrophe and financial modeling services, and related advisory services. The Consulting segment offers health, retirement, talent, and investments consulting services and products; and specialized management, and economic and brand consulting services. This segment assists public and private sector employers in the design, management, and administration of employee health care programs; provides a range of strategic and compliance-related retirement services and solutions to corporate, governmental, and institutional clients; advises organizations on the engagement, management, and rewarding of employees; and offers investment consulting and other services to the sponsors of pension funds, foundations, endowments, other investors, and wealth management companies.
Take a look at the 1-year chart of Marsh (NYSE: MMC) below with added notations:
1-year chart of Marsh (NYSE: MMC)
Overall, MMC has been trading sideways since its December peak. Twice over that period of time the stock has hit that same resistance at $58 (red), and pulled back down both times. Yesterday the stock tried again to break out, but failed once more. A close above the $58 should lead to another leg higher for MMC.

The Tale of the Tape: MMC has a 52-week resistance at $58. The possible long position on the stock would be on a breakout above that level with a stop placed under it.
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Sprott Silver ETF Signals XAU Upturn

The gold "PermaBulls" have cost their followers a lot of money over the past 15 years. We all know who they are. Gold is supposed to go up every single day or it's "proof" of a conspiracy of the evil bullion banks that manipulate gold at every turn. Silver is supposed to go to $500 an ounce in a vacuum while everything else stays the same because it's so rare that the world ran out in December of 2001 while no one noticed or cared.

Gold, silver and resource stocks are markets like all others. I like gold as money a lot more than I like the word of Obama, the wisdom of Yellen or the value of paper money. Right now at 73 ounces of silver to an ounce of gold, silver is pretty cheap. But they are still markets to be traded. If you will buy cheap and sell dear, you will make money. If you don't, you won't. (more)

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The Euro FX Price Targets

It is typical how much of the European press is saying the Euro decline is over and a Greece default will not harm Europe. This seems to be the standard propaganda from government that comes out with every serious change in trend be it Japan in 1990 to the US 1929 Bubble where it was also immediately pronounced the fundamentals were all sound.

We warned that the first area of resistance was at the 115 level on the weekly models and that we did not expect a break of the 80 cent level just yet – that was more after 2015.75 than before. Yet we need a daily closing above 11360 to stabilize the Euro. A daily closing back BELOW the 11120 level will warn that a retest of the lows will follow.

The decline is still in motion. This is a reaction rally and the very best we can hope for is a retest of the 120 level. However, we must break through the top of the channel on this chart to make that happen. Otherwise, the 115 level may be the maximum on the upside. That channel stands at the 11427 level at this time and the 109 level under the market. Break the channel on the downside on a closing basis and the lows will be retested. The main support still lies at the 103 zone.

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My 10-Year Income Portfolio: Realty Income, Corp. (O), Diageo plc (DEO), Kinder Morgan Inc (KMI), Exxon Mobil Corporation (XOM), MTN Group Ltd (MTNOY), Telefonica S.A. (TEF), Silver Bay Realty Trust Corp (SBY), LTC Properties Inc (LTC), Ventas, Inc. (VTR), McDonald’s Corporation (MCD)

Today, I’m going to recommend 10 of the best stocks you can safely (and profitably) buy and hold for the next 10 years.
And if you cringed at the words “buy and hold,” I understand.
Buying and holding the wrong stocks can result in the total destruction of your portfolio. Just ask anyone who had a large stake in RadioShack Corporation (RSHCQ) before it went belly up.  (more)

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