ID Analysts

Our seasoned team of analysts continually monitors investment opportunities around the world, to provide investors with the widest possible array of money-making ideas.

Analyst Articles

Stocks lost ground for the third week in a row last week, despite a strong rally on Friday. By Wall Street’s perverse way of thinking, that day’s gain was justified since the latest reading on GDP, though down considerably from last month’s estimate, was nevertheless slightly higher than what analysts were expecting this go ‘round. Read More

We’re holding just three positions (though we’re evaluating several others) at this time. Technology shares appear to be among the more vulnerable in this market, which is why we’re holding the Technology Select Sector SPDR December 18, 2010 21 put option. The option is a buy for new subscribers with limit order set at $1.25 per contract.   On the long side we’re holding the Teva Pharmaceuticals December 18, 2010 50 call option, which is a buy at its current price. Teva Pharmaceuticals (TEVA) had already taken its lumps before we added the option position and it’s likely to demonstrate good defensive characteristics going forward while offering good upside potential.   Tomorrow, Romanians will learn how fast (or should we say how slow) their economy grew in the second quarter. Estimates are calling for a 0.3 percent quarter-over-quarter GDP growth rate, although that would still mean the economy contracted 0.5 percent compared to the same period a year ago. However, much of the quarter’s increase may have come from a rush to buy goods ahead of the implementation of higher sales taxes, which will show up in the third-quarter numbers in the form of weaker numbers than might have otherwise been. We’re patiently holding Gabriel Resources (GBU.TO, GBRRF) in expectation of the Romanian government’s eventual approval of the company’s gold mining project, which will be a big job creator for the country’s citizens. In the meantime, gold prices are strengthening in anticipation of higher inflation to come in world’s more mature economies, keeping a floor under the Gabriel’s share price.   Read More

Like an out-of-shape Alpine climber who refuses to admit he’s not up to the task, the stock market continues to struggle to find some sort of foothold after an arduous ascent. During last week’s leg of the journey it lost some ground—not much, but after the prior week’s decline, it should have made at least a bit of progress. Read More

Our CVS Caremark August 21, 2010 37 call option expired last week.   Yesterday we add the Technology Select Sector SPDR December 18, 2010 21 put option in anticipation of the tech sect losing ground in the coming weeks. The option is a buy on a dip to $1.28 per contract.   Discontent about its ailing economy and the government’s attempts to impose austerity measures are growing in Romania. The budget and finance committee of the upper house of the nation’s parliament rejected a 5 percentage point hike in the country’s Value Added Tax (VAT) imposed by the government in June. Public sector unemployment, meanwhile, continues to mount. The transport ministry has announced plans layoff as many as 8,300 employees of the Romanian state-owned railway company. And there’s talk that policemen will mount a strike to protest possible job cuts in the sector.   These dislocations can only serve to increase pressure by the government to allow Gabriel Resources (GBU.TO, GBRRF) to move forward with its Rosia Montana gold mine which would create thousands of jobs for the country’s citizens.   Teva Pharmaceuticals (TEVA) continues to show good support in the $50 a share area. We expect the stock will use that support as the launching pad for a decent rally in the months to come. The Teva December 18, 2010 50 call option is a buy at its current price.   Next regularly scheduled issue, Tuesday, August 31. Read More

On Thursday we covered our short position in Textron (TXT) for a gain of 11.6 percent. That left us with just three open positions.   The waiting game continues with Gabriel Resources (GBU.TO, GBRRF), but time is on our side. Gold prices are rising, the Romania economy remains weak and the country’s currency, the leu, is likely to lose ground against the euro, adding to the cost of living in the struggling country and putting more pressure on the government to allow Gabriel to open the Rosia Montana mine. The stock could double on that news.   After bouncing off its lows, Teva Pharmaceuticals (TEVA) has spent the last two weeks trading in a tight range centered around $50 a share. The stock may continue to trade in this manner for another week or two, but it’s a base that should prove to be a good foundation from which to stage a sizeable rebound. The Teva December 18, 2010 50 call option is a buy at its current price.   Our CVS Caremark August 21, 2010 37 call option is dead in the water and will expire at the end of this week. Hold.   Next regularly scheduled issue, Tuesday, August 24.   RESULTS SINCE AGGRESSIVE TRADER’S INCEPTION AVERAGE GAIN PER CLOSED TRADE: 4.2%, HOLDING PERIOD: 43 DAYS Read More

We’re at the height of the summer holiday season, and it seems much of Wall Street is away on vacation right now. Yesterday’s trading volume on the New York Stock Exchange clocked in at less than 800 million shares, marking the thinnest trading since the week between Christmas and New Year’s. Read More