Hi guys. I saw this on EDN today - kinda interesting...

Friday, April 4, 2008
Is now the time to aggressively buy semi stocks, i.e. is the bottom of the cycle near?

Financial analyst Doug Freedman at American Technology Research says yes.

“Semiconductors and the market have had a nice move in recent weeks, but we think there is another leg higher as we move to be more constructive and vocal in our “Overweight” semiconductor sector call at this time. We believe it is an opportune time to aggressively buy semiconductor stocks in light of recent under-performance of the SOX as we move past seasonally weak demand periods. Several signs exist that the stocks are becoming more attractive to value investors and that we may look past a macro bottom in the next 3 to 6 months, suggesting now is a good entry point,” he said.

Interestingly, and probably some relief to many, Freedman also said that recent activity within the semiconductor universe suggests a bottom is near for the following reasons:

--Forward P/E multiples are coming off a recent trough, while still trading at multiples in the low- to mid-teens;

http://www.edn.com/blog/450000245/post/ ... =759504468

I don't know about you guys, but I exited the stock market about two years ago - and I'm glad I did. I think the whole frigging thing is so manipulated that the average Joe doesn't stand a chance. Up 100 points one day, up 120 the next, then down 200 like today. It's screwed.

I don't know of anyone whose 401k plan is making money long term. The crooks make all the bad sells on backs of the retirement plans managed for your company. The talking heads keep saying how the stock market is always good in the long run, but that's usually only if ALL your money has been in the game from the beginning, and then inflation has killed its worth after 30 years. This is a serious problem that the Boomers are facing - that's why they're going to elect Obama because he's promising to be their sugar daddy with taxpayer money.

How about it - anybody out there in RFCafeLand happy with his/her retirement plan? If I hadn't bailed when I did, my retirement years would be spent sticking return labels on packages at the entrance of WalMart or asking fat Americnas if they want to supersize a meal they shouldn't be eating in the first place.

I agree. My 401k makes money due to the fact that my company matches my contributions. My job is to watch whats going on enough to ensure that the fund managers don't lose that percentage too!

I hope nobody reading this was enough of a sucker to buy back into the market after Monday's surge.

Remember this is the way it goes:

* Big boys begin selling at the top.
* 401k fund managers sell at the bottom
* Big boys buy back at the bottom
* 401k fund managers buy back in at the top
* Repeat cycle

I exited the market years ago. Glad I did. Some of the guys I work with now are glued to their computers watching the market as their retirement accounts are raped and pillaged. I kind of feel sorry for them but they have given me a lot of s**t over the years for being such a "fool" for missing market runup.

How's that saying go? He who has the last last laugh lasts longest?

I've seen a number of well-known tech company's stock prices drop to under $1 in the last few months. Scary!

Are any of you still playing the tech stock market? If so, why? If not, is it because you have lost a lot of $$$, or are just tired of the game?