Psychic Entertainment

Did you know what the latest ‘must have’ elite entertainment could bis in vogue? You may now find psychic entertainers at premiere profile corporate banquets as well as at exclusive events.A clairvoyant is no not just only for spooky parties! Sixth Sense Entertainers and their paranormal are enjoying their skills emerging from the closet and being on complete public display. Psychic clairvoyant can be found today out in the main stream, entertaining event’s and corporate clients in the most of events and corporate events, not just at private friends parties.How does it work?
Your guest/client can quiz the psychic a question about any issue going on in his or her lives, give a palm print, a personal possession or even a sample of their handwriting if graphology is used and Aura reading. The psychic may use different tools to produce a reading such as: Tarot, Astrology, Palmistry, Psychometry and even Graphology. Your guests may then often react in a very positive way to their psychic consultation. Both guest and clients appear increasingly attracted to this old world form of entertainment with a real up to date angle rather than the more traditional. Guest and clients at celebrations and high brow events are equally enjoying their experience with the unexplained and very much relishing doing so.Why is this?
Simply because- it’s all about them!
They may often delight in the peace, pampering and uplifting experience that will often stay with them long after their psychic has entertained them. Unlike other forms of entertainment that are viewed or experienced and then quickly discarded, a psychic consultation will often remain in your guest minds as a moving, fun & and memorable event. Readings may be performed privately in a quiet room or space privately for maximum enjoyment.Dealing with Skeptics?
It appears that the most ardent skeptics and business folk are enjoying this psychic gift as much as regular believers. Who doesn’t glance at their astro sign predictions from time to time? Who secretly enjoys the luxury pass time of obtaining a psychic reading on a regular basis? You may perhaps be quite surprised to know that many psychics have persons from all spheres of life among their clients, from ‘A Listers’ – librarians, top flight business people to entrepreneurs, they are even hired by some of the planets top companies to help with matters such as head hunting the right employee for an important position!It may appear odd to some in our time of high tech technology and fast pace living that psychics are very well established in our times and the fascination in the paranormal which shows no signs of ending any time now.Will my guest/clients like this entertainment?
Consider this, many of us have at least a vague understanding of psychic ability and the paranormal and unknown area is as popular today as any time in history. The majority off people have had their palm read, obtained an astrology report and even law enforcement agencies world wide are known to have used the use of a psychic from time to time. In the past even our politicians and world leaders through history such as Winston Chruchill have engaged the services of psychics and astrologers, this fact is very well documented. We all long to to hear about ourselves and find it evoking to be told personal future predictions. An pro psychic will get a balance, between light and fun for you function and entertaining and engaging the party guest’s on a personal level.Choose wisely. Avoid simply engage anyone, take the time to locate the best psychic for your event, preferably with proven experience at entertaining at such event in the now long gone times. Take care that you engage an genuine, ethical and trained and pro psychic to enthrall your personal guests and I would guess- your preferred form of entertainment will go down extremely well indeed with your special guests and priority business clients.Will a party psychic entertainer be well received?
Whatever your personal opinion on psychic world, of this you can be reasonably sure: your party guests will be talking about your special event & unique party entertainment for a long into the far reaching future.

Is Google Chrome Right For Your Business?

When Microsoft first developed its Internet Explorer browser in 1995, the web was a very different environment. Now the static text-based pages of the early days have evolved into interactive applications that blur the line between online and offline, the team at Google felt it was time to reinvent the browser. In September this year the first beta version of its Chrome browser for PCs was released as an open-source free download.Microsoft still has around 80% of the market, and almost everyone else is using its main competitor, Mozilla’s Firefox. Just four days after Chrome’s launch it was suggested that Google had already taken 1% of the market, but there’s still a very long way to go before Chrome is considered a real player, let alone a serious rival to Internet Explorer.Reviews have been largely favorable but before business users get too excited about the shiny new browser and rush to switch, there are a number of considerations.One of Google’s core aims for Chrome is for it to be more secure than other browsers. Chrome regularly downloads updates of two blacklists for phishing and malware, and warns users when they attempt to visit a harmful site. Chrome also has a private browsing mode, Incognito, that prevents the browser from storing history information and cookies from the websites visited.Chrome’s developers rejected the way browsers have traditionally been built and came up with an architecture where every tab, site and plug-in has its own separate process. This prevents malicious software from installing itself: a harmful program running in one tab is unable to ‘sniff’ credit card numbers, interact with the mouse, or tell Windows to run it on start-up, and will be terminated when the tab is closed. This has the additional benefit of making the browser much less likely to crash – a real weakness of Internet Explorer – and so meets Google’s second aim of making a more stable browser.Stability is also strengthened by Chrome being very PC-memory friendly, with a process management tool called ‘Task Manager’ that allows users to see which sites are taking the most memory and downloading the most bytes. This could help businesses that have to deal with hundreds of workers going to demanding sites to control access to websites that are simply too demanding for their network and internet connection.Google’s third aim was speed. It wanted Chrome to be super-fast, and tests against Firefox 3, Internet Explorer 7 and 8, and Safari, show it does indeed function faster.While Chrome does what Google set out to do, however, a number of concerns have already surfaced. The most alarming of these as far as businesses were concerned was a clause in Chrome’s licensing agreement that appeared to give Google the right to do whatever it wanted with all content loaded onto commercial websites through Chrome. When this was flagged up, Google immediately modified the small print to remove the offending sections. It also acted fast to remedy a serious flaw that allowed a malicious web page to crash the whole browser.These two potential problems are a side-effect of Chrome’s current incarnation being a beta, or test, version of the software. In other words, by Google’s own admission it’s very much a work in progress, and while issues from security glitches to web pages and applications that don’t work properly on Chrome are to be expected, this may deter companies from embracing a piece of software that is still a little rough around the edges. The flip side of this is that because Chrome is open-source, anyone can edit and improve the code, so in theory an IT manager could add a security update without waiting for Google to fix the problem.The fact that that Chrome isn’t Internet Explorer also has good and bad points for business. As well as avoiding the frequent crashes Microsoft’s browser is known for, companies that like to avoid Microsoft in general may like to see another alternative, particularly from Google, which can do no wrong in many eyes. But most businesses are immersed in the world of MS applications and development tools. Internet Explorer is not only the default browser of their IT infrastructure, but is required to get full functionality from their other software.This question of compatibility extends further: the current version of Chrome is for PC only, and although Google is working on versions for Mac and Linux, this rules Chrome out at the moment for any businesses – including in many creative sectors – that run on these operating systems. Chrome is also not viable if your business runs on ActiveX web applications, as it does not support ActiveX.Chrome’s user interface has some interesting features which might help employees work faster and smarter. Some reviewers have said it really understands what people want to do with a browser, with features like the ‘Omnibar’ search function, and thumbnail views of the nine most visited sites and recent bookmarks. And when users create a shortcut for a web application, Chrome strips away all of the toolbars and tabs, leaving something that feels much more like a desktop application than the internet. But other features we’ve become used to are not yet included, such as a way to manage bookmarks, a command for emailing links and pages directly from the browser, and even the progress bar to show how much of a web page has loaded.Chrome is to be admired for its speed, elegance and usefulness. It’s a re-imagining of the browser to reflect the way individuals use the internet, and despite some problems it’s been received well. Companies may consider Chrome too young to even think about switching from Internet Explorer or Firefox just yet, but there’s no doubt business users will be watching with interest to see what Google does next to buff up even more of a shine on its first browser.

3 Ideas to Ick-Proof Your Brand

Do you ever feel like your brand is out of alignment with your values system? Like you have to do things in your marketing that you wouldn’t want your mother or your mentor to see?If you said “yes”, I’m curious: why is your brand icky?Your brand is made up of the look, the feel and the experience of doing business with you.Does it look like a mess? Is your design all over the place? Have you outgrown them and become more sophisticated and evolved?Does it feel pushy or sleazy? Are you using tactics that you think you need to use to make sales? Do you find that when you market, you wind up feeling like a slimeball?Is the experience in your brand one where your clients feel comfortable, cherished and welcomed? Do they understand what’s going on every step of the way with you, so that they know how to make the most of their time working with you? Or do they feel like you’re just trying to get them to buy, and then rushing through the deliverable so you can move on to the next client?In any case, an icky brand is no fun. It’s gross and uncomfortable, for both you and your clients.Join me in stamping out ickiness in branding.Your brand should represent you with integrity and make you proud. Your marketing should make your precious, ideal clients feel special, honored and seen. And once you welcome new clients in, they should be made comfortable and really taken good care of – throughout the process of working with you.What if you could move away from the icky energy of trying to “make” them click this, opt-in, buy from you, or rush through your service delivery, and create a brand you’re proud of and that your clients love?Here’s 3 ideas for how you can create your ick-proof brand:Brand from your values. There’s a lot of talk about creating a brand that “targets a niche” or “stands out”. While those are both things to consider, they’re certainly not the place to start from in your brand.With standing out and branding for your clients, then you’re reaching outside of and shining the light on things outside yourself. Which are both important perspectives to consider in your brand, this leaves out the most important part of your brand of all – aligning your brand with your values.Your values – what you think is right and what you think is wrong – show up in your brand in a lot of ways: They show up in your:
Core positioning: What you and your brand stand for.
Words and tone: How you speak about your beliefs and the level of passion and conviction you convey.
Consistency: If you’re not in alignment with your values, your brand will be inconsistent and all over the place. Once you’re aligned, consistency becomes easy.
Affiliations and recommendations: Are you promoting for profit or because the people you recommend will help your clients?
And, really, everywhere and all throughout your brand.
Know that you’re not strapped into your brand’s look forever. If your brand’s look has gotten messy, your business has outgrown your brand, then never fear! You can always evolve and change your brand to make it look as good as possible, and to match the current level of sophistication in your brand.There’s a common belief about branding – that when you design your brand, you’re stuck with it for life. There’s nothing that could be further from the truth.In fact, here’s the thing… when you’re an evolving, growing, learning entrepreneur who’s always going deeper into how you serve your clients, I don’t think that it’s possible to design your brand at the beginning and then have it be relevant for the life of your business.You’re learning, growing and changing. Your clients are becoming more sophisticated as they work with you. Your brand needs to grow and change with you as you evolve, and as they grow with you – to keep up with how awesome you’ve become.Your charge is… to evolve and stretch it with care and in a way that keeps your clients comfortable.Take excellent care of your clients after they buy. The emphasis in branding is on marketing and selling. This approach doesn’t take into account the most important part of your brand – the experience that your clients get with you after they buy your services.There’s a statistic that 20% of your clients will make up 80% of your business. That’s a comfy place – where you’re serving a small, close-knit group so well. You can really transform them!In order to make that magic ratio happen, you’ve got a responsibility to your clients – you’ve got to induce mutual comfy-ness. Make them feel welcome and secure, and like they know what’s going on throughout the process with you – so they can surrender their trust to you.These 3 ideas will give you a solid, non-icky start to creating a brand that’s inviting and welcoming.If you want to get your hands on 10 more ways to create an ick-proof brand that invites your clients in to work with you… party favor below!

Online Education – A Great Way to Get Ahead in Life

If you have ever thought about an online education to further your current career, or to get training for a new career, now is a great time to get started. In the past, some people may have thought that an online education was not of the same quality as a “traditional” education, and that it was similar to one of those “mail order” degrees. This is no longer the case. In fact, many public and private universities offer online education courses and degree programs in addition to the many other strictly online universities. You can get anything from an associate’s degree to a doctorate online and you can also get technical college degrees. For those who are not looking for an online education degree program, but just to update their professional knowledge there are many opportunities there as well.It stands to reason that one of the more popular online education offerings is computer training. You can get a degree in computer programming, or many other different computer related degrees which will put you into one of the fastest growing career fields. As you will discover many employers and businesses are coming to respect and seek out graduates who participate in these types of degree programs.But, for those who are not interested in computers as a career, you can find online education degree programs for everything from education to marketing. No matter what level you are starting at-high school graduate to doctoral candidate, you can find courses that will meet your needs.If you already have a degree and are not looking for another one, you can always update your knowledge and skills with an online education course that is geared specifically for continuing education. You can update your computer skills; get recertification training for teachers, and so on and so on. The possibilities are nearly endless.There are several advantages to pursuing a degree or training online. You can do it at your own speed in your own time. While a degree at a traditional university or college may take 2 to 4 years, you can cut that time short or stretch it out as needed. You can get loans, financial aid and flexible financing just as you would at any other school. Just be sure that the online university is accredited and that your online credits will be recognized in your chosen industry or career field. Get online and get ahead!

Social Networking Sites

Social networking sites like Facebook, MySpace, and Twitter have become a mainstream part of the American and world pop culture. “Social networking” is the term used to describe websites where people set up their own personal web page, use this to meet new friends and reunite with old friends, and otherwise create a network of friends and contacts on the Internet.Online social networks have become a way to keep in touch with your oldest friends in the world, share your love of games, network for love, reignite old romantic flames, or even further your career through business networking. Because tweeting and Facebooking provides such a variety of advantages and options to such a wide range of people, social network sites have become a mainstream online phenomenon.FacebookFacebook is the site people wanting to contact old classmates and childhood friends use. When you establish a page, you’ll get friend suggestions according to your current address, your childhood addresses, and the schools you attended. Once you start to add friend, you might receive suggestions from their list of friends, so that you have an ever-expanding network of people you might have known throughout your life. Eventually, you tend to reunite with dozens, if not hundreds, of old friends and acquaintances.Another aspect to Facebook is the tendency people have to meet their old boyfriends and girlfriends online and catch up on old times. Often, the nostalgia for a lost love turns into a reunion of another sorts, or people who had mutual crushes in their teen years or college days end up hooking up for romantic relationships, to see what might have been or fulfill a long-standing fantasy. This has led one preacher to deride Facebook as a “portal to infidelity”, though it should go without saying that the vast majority of people on Facebook are more interested in telling you about their kids, their spouse, and their latest trip to the grocery store. (Also, that particular preacher turned out to have a past far seedier than your average Facebook fancy.)TwitterTwitter gives people the ability to send short, pithy “tweets” to all the people in their online network. Each tweet only contains 140 characters or less, so brevity is key on Twitter. Submitting links to favorite online stories or re-tweeting other people’s tweets is a way to show people what it is you care about, as well as show what you’re following on the computer.Since a few athletes and politicians began tweeting, and since a few of these celebrities got into trouble for posting on Twitter something they didn’t entirely think through, Twitter has become a place to follow mini-scandals. A number of celebrities have become big Twitter phenoms–Ashton Kutcher most famously.MySpaceMySpace was the first huge, mainstream social networking site. MySpace began as a portal for bands, musicians, and musical artists to find jobs, bandmates, and other career opportunities. At a point, My-Space morphed into a portal for a mainstream audience, including millions of teens and tweens. While Facebook and Twitter have surpassed MySpace in the social consciousness these days, this is still a massive web presence still impacting the culture.Linked InLinkedIn specifically caters to business professionals wanting to find job, meet business contacts, and otherwise advance and network in the career field and business world. With 85,000,000 people linked into the site, this is a place anyone with a commercial venture, business skills, or need for a job should have a page on.There are a huge number and variety of social network websites out there, and you should view LinkedIn as the type of niche sites available out there. If you have a particular hobby, interest, or venture in mind, you can probably find a web address that lets you network socially online in this field of interest.

Strategies to Transform From a Trainer to a Workforce Educator

Corporate training has tremendous potential to promote learning in organizations. There are two primary elements that are responsible for how much potential is realized within the corporate training classroom, and those elements are the materials provided and the method of delivery. An instructional designer, or someone in a similar role, can develop engaging materials but if the delivery is not well executed, the training will not be as effective as it could. In contrast, if the training materials have not been designed in the most engaging manner, or the material is technical in nature, it is the trainer who can still create positive classroom conditions that are conducive to learning.There are two types of trainers that can be found within organizations that choose to invest in learning and development. The first is a trainer who adequately delivers the required training materials and meets the minimum requirements for their role. The other type is a trainer who has evolved into someone who has a much greater impact on the learning process within a training classroom, a trainer who has transformed into a workforce educator. While it may seem that both are performing the same function, and to some degree they are because they work with the same materials, one disseminates information and the other brings the class to life and connects the information to participants in a meaningful manner. Becoming a workforce educator does not happen automatically and requires making a conscious decision as a trainer to improve upon existing skills, acquire additional knowledge, and develop new instructional strategies.The Work of a Corporate TrainerIn general, a corporate trainer will view training from an outcome-based, task-oriented perspective. Participants are required to attend assigned classes and their willing compliance is expected. The role of a trainer involves preparing to instruct participants for what they are expected to learn or complete by the end of the class, whether it involves acquiring new knowledge or developing new skills. They also understand that the primary responsibilities for their role include providing materials, giving instructions, showing processes and procedures, and answering questions. A trainer knows that the learning objectives or outcomes, whether or not they have been directly involved in developing them, determine what must be accomplished and the final results at the end of the class are somewhat within their control since they demand involvement but they cannot force participants to learn.Of course there are certainly exceptions to this general rule and there are trainers who have taken workshops and classes to advance their knowledge of corporate training methodologies and processes; however, someone who holds a task-centered view of learning still fits within the typical definition of a corporate trainer. Professional development is available through a variety of resources, which includes professional associations devoted to this field. However, professional development requires more than a membership to an organization or group, it must also involve a genuine interest in the growth of the trainer’s own skills. It is easy to believe that if classroom observations and/or performance reviews are adequate, and students respond in a mostly favorable manner to the training instruction, that no further learning and development is needed. That belief only sustains a trainer’s current role and mindset, which can limit their future potential.Corporate trainers may also be called facilitators or instructors. The words instructor and trainer are generally thought to have the same meaning and they are used interchangeably. Some organizations refer to their trainers as facilitators as it suggests that a trainer is guiding the class rather than leading the process of learning. While that is certainly possible, taking this type of approach still requires advanced instructional experience and strategies, which would change the role of the trainer beyond someone who delivers materials and expects that participants will comply with their instructions. Unless a trainer has acquired advanced knowledge of adult learning and pursued their own professional development, what they are usually most skilled at is the art of corporate training.What it Means to Be a Workforce EducatorThe word facilitator is really not enough to adequately describe a trainer who has transformed from someone who delivers information to someone who educates. A corporate classroom is still going to be instructor-driven, given the nature of how most training occurs, which means the instructor is going to do something more than facilitate a process. Unless students are given the materials in advance, allowed to prepare for discussions before the class begins, and given an opportunity to demonstrate what they have learned through written projects, a trainer is going to do more than guide the participants – they are still going to lead and direct the class. However, what can change the process of corporate training is a trainer who has purposefully transformed and become a workforce educator.An educator is someone who has developed a different view of how employees as participants are involved in the learning process. In addition, an educator understands that learning begins within the mind of the participants, not with the materials they need to deliver. They are not going to just give participants information that must be assimilated – they understand the basic process of adult learning and through knowing some of the most important adult education principles they will help students learn, apply, and retain new knowledge. A workforce educator will develop instructional strategies that are learner or employee focused, and they will partner with the instructional designer or person who is involved in curriculum development to make certain that all learning activities support the participants’ overall progress and development.There is another important distinction made between a corporate trainer and a workforce educator. A corporate trainer believes they know enough and are well-equipped to train employees. In contrast, an educator is someone who is focused on their own professional self-development. Regardless of whether a trainer was hired because of their experience rather than their academic accomplishments, they possess a genuine interest in learning how to educate adults. They continue to learn from classes and workshops they attend, they read materials and resources that further the development of their own knowledge base, and they use self-reflection after each class to assess the effectiveness of their instructional strategies. It is possible to be a natural educator without having an advanced degree in adult education because what matters most is the pursuit of some form of ongoing professional development, along with a willingness to continue to learn and adapt for the benefit of the employees as students.Strategies to Transform from a Trainer to an EducatorThe most important characteristics needed to make the transformation from trainer to educator is a mindset that is focused on teaching rather than telling participants what they need to learn, along with an attitude of ongoing development and a willingness to learn. An educator is someone who views themselves as a lifelong learner, even if they have not acquired advanced education. There are many resources available now for educators, especially online, which will anyone to acquire the knowledge necessary to improve their craft. But if someone believes they have already learned enough or know enough about learning, that thinking is going to cause them to get stuck and their developmental capacity becomes limited over time.Once a trainer has decided they want acquire additional knowledge about adult learning, they can begin to conduct research and read about some of the most important adult education theories. This is going to serve as a pivotal turning point in an educator’s career, becoming well-informed about the process of learning as an adult. One theory that can inform the work of an educator is andragogy, which is about the process of teaching adults who already have experience and knowledge that shapes how they are involved as students or participants. Additional topics and theories that are important to research include cognition, learning styles, critical thinking, transformative learning, student motivation and engagement, multiple intelligences, constructivism, academic skills and academic preparedness, and self-directed learning. There are numerous online websites and blogs devoted to adult education, along with articles about adult learning that can be found online or in print through an online library database.Ongoing professional development can continue by connecting with other professionals, and LinkedIn is a helpful place to begin searching as there are numerous groups and associations that can be found through this professional networking website resource. As a member of a LinkedIn group it is possible to become involved in discussions and share resources with like-minded professionals who have similar interests in adult learning. Another helpful social networking website that can be used for sharing resources with educators worldwide is Twitter. Your ability to connect with the right audience will depend upon the manner in which you establish your profile and indicate what your professional interests are. The purpose of being involved in ongoing research and connecting with other educators is to inform your work and help you develop instructional strategies that are effective in creating conditions in the classroom where learning can occur. The more you transform and improve your instructional style, the better outcomes your students are likely to experience as a result of attending your corporate training classes.Corporate Training is Necessary, Workforce Education is DevelopmentalCorporate training will always be necessary for any organization that needs to provide skill set training or relevant job-related knowledge. There are many individuals who have made a successful career from their work as a trainer, skillfully delivering information in a manner that reduces employee resistance to the training process. Those same individuals may believe that they offer the best possible classroom experience and no further training is required, and they may well be correct. However, everyone who is involved in corporate training has an ability to become more than a trainer, regardless of whether they provide technical training, soft skills training, or other developmental forms of training. Workforce education changes the perspective of a trainer and focuses on the potential of every employee. An educator can help employees obtain the maximum possible benefit from the training classes, while helping them transfer what was learned in the class to their job. This brings out the best in the trainers and the participants as employees, as both experience the transformative nature of learning and being fully engaged in the process. The result of a trainer becoming a workforce educator is that they will likely be more effective in their role, which means that employees (as participants) will gain more from the learning process while improving their retention of knowledge and engagement at work.

S&P 500 Rallies As U.S. Dollar Pulls Back Towards Weekly Lows

Key Insights
The strong pullback in the U.S. dollar provided significant support to stocks.
Treasury yields have pulled back after touching new highs, which served as an additional positive catalyst for S&P 500.
A move above 3730 will push S&P 500 towards the resistance level at 3760.
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Pfizer Rallies After Announcing A Huge Price Hike For Its COVID-19 Vaccines
S&P 500 is currently trying to settle above 3730 as traders’ appetite for risk is growing. The U.S. dollar has recently gained strong downside momentum as the BoJ intervened to stop the rally in USD/JPY. Weaker U.S. dollar is bullish for stocks as it increases profits of multinational companies and makes U.S. equities cheaper for foreign investors.

The leading oil services company Schlumberger is up by 9% after beating analyst estimates on both earnings and revenue. Schlumberger’s peers Baker Hughes and Halliburton have also enjoyed strong support today.

Vaccine makers Pfizer and Moderna gained strong upside momentum after Pfizer announced that it will raise the price of its coronavirus vaccine to $110 – $130 per shot.

Biggest losers today include Verizon and Twitter. Verizon is down by 5% despite beating analyst estimates on both earnings and revenue. Subscriber numbers missed estimates, and traders pushed the stock to multi-year lows.

Twitter stock moved towards the $50 level as the U.S. may conduct a security review of Musk’s purchase of the company.

From a big picture point of view, today’s rebound is broad, and most market segments are moving higher. Treasury yields have started to move lower after testing new highs, providing additional support to S&P 500. It looks that some traders are ready to bet that Fed will be less hawkish than previously expected.

S&P 500 Tests Resistance At 3730

S&P 500 has recently managed to get above the 20 EMA and is trying to settle above the resistance at 3730. RSI is in the moderate territory, and there is plenty of room to gain additional upside momentum in case the right catalysts emerge.

If S&P 500 manages to settle above 3730, it will head towards the next resistance level at 3760. A successful test of this level will push S&P 500 towards the next resistance at October highs at 3805. The 50 EMA is located in the nearby, so S&P 500 will likely face strong resistance above the 3800 level.

On the support side, the previous resistance at 3700 will likely serve as the first support level for S&P 500. In case S&P 500 declines below this level, it will move towards the next support level at 3675. A move below 3675 will push S&P 500 towards the support at 3640.

SPDN: An Inexpensive Way To Profit When The S&P 500 Falls

Summary
SPDN is not the largest or oldest way to short the S&P 500, but it’s a solid choice.
This ETF uses a variety of financial instruments to target a return opposite that of the S&P 500 Index.
SPDN’s 0.49% Expense Ratio is nearly half that of the larger, longer-tenured -1x Inverse S&P 500 ETF.
Details aside, the potential continuation of the equity bear market makes single-inverse ETFs an investment segment investor should be familiar with.
We rate SPDN a Strong Buy because we believe the risks of a continued bear market greatly outweigh the possibility of a quick return to a bull market.
Put a gear stick into R position, (Reverse).
Birdlkportfolio

By Rob Isbitts

Summary
The S&P 500 is in a bear market, and we don’t see a quick-fix. Many investors assume the only way to navigate a potentially long-term bear market is to hide in cash, day-trade or “just hang in there” while the bear takes their retirement nest egg.

The Direxion Daily S&P 500® Bear 1X ETF (NYSEARCA:SPDN) is one of a class of single-inverse ETFs that allow investors to profit from down moves in the stock market.

SPDN is an unleveraged, liquid, low-cost way to either try to hedge an equity portfolio, profit from a decline in the S&P 500, or both. We rate it a Strong Buy, given our concern about the intermediate-term outlook for the global equity market.

Strategy
SPDN keeps it simple. If the S&P 500 goes up by X%, it should go down by X%. The opposite is also expected.

Proprietary ETF Grades
Offense/Defense: Defense

Segment: Inverse Equity

Sub-Segment: Inverse S&P 500

Correlation (vs. S&P 500): Very High (inverse)

Expected Volatility (vs. S&P 500): Similar (but opposite)

Holding Analysis
SPDN does not rely on shorting individual stocks in the S&P 500. Instead, the managers typically use a combination of futures, swaps and other derivative instruments to create a portfolio that consistently aims to deliver the opposite of what the S&P 500 does.

Strengths
SPDN is a fairly “no-frills” way to do what many investors probably wished they could do during the first 9 months of 2022 and in past bear markets: find something that goes up when the “market” goes down. After all, bonds are not the answer they used to be, commodities like gold have, shall we say, lost their luster. And moving to cash creates the issue of making two correct timing decisions, when to get in and when to get out. SPDN and its single-inverse ETF brethren offer a liquid tool to use in a variety of ways, depending on what a particular investor wants to achieve.

Weaknesses
The weakness of any inverse ETF is that it does the opposite of what the market does, when the market goes up. So, even in bear markets when the broader market trend is down, sharp bear market rallies (or any rallies for that matter) in the S&P 500 will cause SPDN to drop as much as the market goes up.

Opportunities
While inverse ETFs have a reputation in some circles as nothing more than day-trading vehicles, our own experience with them is, pardon the pun, exactly the opposite! We encourage investors to try to better-understand single inverse ETFs like SPDN. While traders tend to gravitate to leveraged inverse ETFs (which actually are day-trading tools), we believe that in an extended bear market, SPDN and its ilk could be a game-saver for many portfolios.

Threats
SPDN and most other single inverse ETFs are vulnerable to a sustained rise in the price of the index it aims to deliver the inverse of. But that threat of loss in a rising market means that when an investor considers SPDN, they should also have a game plan for how and when they will deploy this unique portfolio weapon.

Proprietary Technical Ratings
Short-Term Rating (next 3 months): Strong Buy

Long-Term Rating (next 12 months): Buy

Conclusions
ETF Quality Opinion
SPDN does what it aims to do, and has done so for over 6 years now. For a while, it was largely-ignored, given the existence of a similar ETF that has been around much longer. But the more tenured SPDN has become, the more attractive it looks as an alternative.

ETF Investment Opinion

SPDN is rated Strong Buy because the S&P 500 continues to look as vulnerable to further decline. And, while the market bottomed in mid-June, rallied, then waffled since that time, our proprietary macro market indicators all point to much greater risk of a major decline from this level than a fast return to bull market glory. Thus, SPDN is at best a way to exploit and attack the bear, and at worst a hedge on an otherwise equity-laden portfolio.

S&P 500 Biotech Giant Vertex Leads 5 Stocks Showing Strength

Your stocks to watch for the week ahead are Cheniere Energy (LNG), S&P 500 biotech giant Vertex Pharmaceuticals (VRTX), Cardinal Health (CAH), Steel Dynamics (STLD) and Genuine Parts (GPC).

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While the market remains in correction, with analysts and investors wary of an economic downturn, these five stocks are worth adding to watchlists. S&P 500 medical giants Vertex and Cardinal Health have been holding up, as health-care related plays tend to do well in down markets.

Steel Dynamics and Genuine Parts are both coming off strong earnings as both the steel and auto parts industries report optimistic outlooks. Meanwhile, Cheniere Energy saw sales boom in the second quarter as demand in Europe for natural gas continues to grow.

Major indexes have been making rally attempts with the Dow Jones and S&P 500 testing weekly support on Friday. With market uncertainty, investors should be ready for follow-through day breakouts and keep an eye on these stocks.

Cheniere Energy, Cardinal Health and VRTX stock are all on IBD Leaderboard.

Cheniere Energy Stock
LNG shares rose 1.1% to 175.79 during Friday’s market trading. On the week, the stock advanced 3.1%, not from highs, bouncing from its 21-day and 10-week lines earlier in the week.

Cheniere Energy has been consolidating since mid-September, but needs another week to forge a proper base, with a potential 182.72 buy point formed on Aug. 10.

Houston-based Cheniere Energy was IBD Stock Of The Day on Thursday, as the largest U.S. producer of liquefied natural gas eyes strong demand in Europe.

Even though natural gas prices are plunging in the U.S. and Europe, investors still see strong LNG demand for Cheniere and others.

The U.K. government confirmed last week that it is in talks for an LNG purchase agreement with a number of companies, including Cheniere.

In the first half of 2021, less than 40% of Cheniere’s cargoes of LNG landed in Europe. That jumped to more than 70% through this year’s second quarter, even as the company ramped up new export capacity. The urgency of Europe’s natural gas shortage only intensified last month. That is when an explosion disabled the Nord Stream 1 pipeline from Russia that had once supplied 40% of the European Union’s natural gas.

In Q2, sales increased 165% to $8 billion and LNG earned $2.90 per share, up from a net loss of $1.30 per share in Q2 2021. The company will report Q3 earnings Nov. 3, with investors seeing booming profits for the next few quarters.

Cheniere Energy has a Composite Rating of 84. It has a 98 Relative Strength Rating, an exclusive IBD Stock Checkup gauge for share price movement with a 1 to 99 score. The rating shows how a stock’s performance over the last 52 weeks holds up against all the other stocks in IBD’s database. The EPS rating is 41.

Vertex Stock
VRTX stock jumped 3.4% to 300 on Friday, rebounding from a test of its 50-day moving average. Shares climbed 2.2% for the week. Vertex stock has formed a tight flat base with an official buy point of 306.05, according to MarketSmith analysis.

The stock has remained consistent over recent weeks, while the relative strength line has trended higher. The RS line tracks a stock’s performance vs. the S&P 500 index.

Vertex Q3 earnings are on due Oct. 27. Analysts see EPS edging up 1% to $3.61 per share with sales increasing 16% to $2.2 billion, according to FactSet.

The Boston-based global biotech company dominates the cystic fibrosis treatment market. Vertex also has other products in late-stage clinical development that target sickle cell disease, Type 1 diabetes and certain genetically caused kidney diseases. That includes a gene-editing partnership with Crispr Therapeutics (CRSP).

In early August, Vertex reported better-than-expected second-quarter results and raised full-year sales targets.

S&P 500 stock Vertex ranks second in the Medical-Biomed/Biotech industry group. VRTX has a 99 Composite Rating. Its Relative Strength Rating is 94 and its EPS Rating is 99.

CRISPR Stocks: Will Concerns Over Risk Inhibit Gene-Editing Cures?

Cardinal Health Stock
CAH stock advanced 3.2% to 73.03 Friday, clearing a 71.22 buy point from a shallow cup-with-handle base and hitting a record high. But volume was light on the breakout. CAH stock leapt 7.3% for the week.

Cardinal Health stock’s relative strength line has also been trending up for months.

The cup-with-handle base is part of a base-on-base pattern, forming just above a cup base cleared on Aug. 11.

Cardinal Health, based in Dublin, Ohio, offers a wide assortment of health care services and medical supplies to hospitals, labs, pharmacies and long-term care facilities. The company reports that it serves around 90% of hospitals and 60,000 pharmacies in the U.S.

S&P 500 stock Cardinal Health will report Q1 2023 earnings on Nov. 4. Analysts forecast earnings falling 26% to 96 cents per share. Sales are expected to increase 10% to $48.3 billion, according to FactSet.

Cardinal Health stock ranks first in the Medical-Wholesale Drug/Supplies industry group, ahead of McKesson (MCK), which is also showing positive action. CAH stock has a 94 Composite Rating out of 99. It has a 97 Relative Strength Rating and an EPS rating of 73.

Steel Dynamics Stock
STLD shares shot up 8.5% to 92.92 on Friday and soared 19% on the week, coming off a Steel Dynamics earnings beat Wednesday night.

Shares blasted above an 88.72 consolidation buy point Friday after clearing a trendline Thursday. STLD stock is 17% above its 50-day line, definitely extended from that key average.

Steel Dynamics’ latest consolidation could be seen as part of a larger base going back six months.

Steel Dynamics topped Q3 earnings views with EPS rising 10% to $5.46 while revenue grew 11% to $5.65 billion. The steel producer’s outlook is optimistic despite weaker flat rolled steel pricing. STLD reports its order activity and backlogs remain solid.

The Fort Wayne, Indiana-based company is among the largest producers of carbon steel products in the U.S. It engages in metal recycling operations along with steel fabrication and produces myriad steel products.

How Millett Grew Steel Dynamics From A Three Employee Business

STLD stock ranks first in the Steel-Producers industry group. STLD stock has a 96 Composite Rating out of 99. It has a 90 Relative Strength Rating, an exclusive IBD Stock Checkup gauge for share-price movement that tops at 99. The rating shows how a stock’s performance over the last 52 weeks holds up against all the other stocks in IBD’s database. The EPS rating is 98.

Genuine Parts Stock
GPC stock gained 2.8% to 162.35 Friday after the company topped earnings views with its Q3 results on Thursday. For the week GPC advanced 5.1% as the stock held its 50-day line and is in a flat base.

GPC has an official 165.09 flat-base buy point after a three-week rally, according to MarketSmith analysis.

The relative strength line for Genuine Parts stock has rallied sharply to highs over the past several months.

On Thursday, the Atlanta-based auto parts company raised its full-year guidance on growth across its automotive and industrial sales.

Genuine Parts earnings per share advanced 19% to $2.23 and revenue grew 18% to $5.675 billion in Q3. GPC’s full-year guidance is now calling for EPS of $8.05-$8.15, up from $7.80-$7.95. The company now forecasts revenue growth of 15%-16%, up from the earlier 12%-14%.

During the Covid pandemic, supply chain constraints caused a major upheaval in the auto industry, sending prices for new and used cars to record levels. This has made consumers more likely to hang on to their existing vehicles for longer, driving mileage higher and boosting demand for auto replacement parts.

Fellow auto stocks O’Reilly Auto Parts (ORLY) and AutoZone (AZO) have also rallied near buy points amid the struggling market. O’Reilly reports on Oct. 26.

IBD ranks Genuine Parts first in the Retail/Wholesale-Auto Parts industry group. GPC stock has a 96 Composite Rating. Its Relative Strength Rating is 94 and it has an EPS Rating of 89.

Shoe Repairs And Several Other Things When I Was 7

Shoe Repairs And Several Other Things When I Was 7
My Dad repaired most of our shoes believe it or not, I can hardly believe it myself now. With 7 pairs of shoes always needing repairs I think he was quite clever to learn how to “Keep us in shoe Leather” to coin a phrase!

He bought several different sizes of cast iron cobbler’s “lasts”. Last, the old English “Laest” meaning footprint. Lasts were holding devices shaped like a human foot. I have no idea where he would have bought the shoe leather. Only that it was a beautiful creamy, shiny colour and the smell was lovely.

But I do remember our shoes turned upside down on and fitted into these lasts, my Dad cutting the leather around the shape of the shoe, and then hammering nails, into the leather shape. Sometimes we’d feel one or 2 of those nails poking through the insides of our shoes, but our dad always fixed it.

Hiking and Swimming Galas
Dad was a very outdoorsy type, unlike my mother, who was probably too busy indoors. She also enjoyed the peace and quiet when he took us off for the day!

Anyway, he often took us hiking in the mountains where we’d have a picnic of sandwiches and flasks of tea. And more often than not we went by steam train.

We loved poking our heads out of the window until our eyes hurt like mad from a blast of soot blowing back from the engine. But sore, bloodshot eyes never dampened our enthusiasm.

Dad was an avid swimmer and water polo player, and he used to take us to swimming galas, as they were called back then. He often took part in these galas. And again we always travelled by steam train.

Rowing Over To Ireland’s Eye
That’s what we did back then, we had to go by rowboat, the only way to get to Ireland’s eye, which is 15 minutes from mainland Howth. From there we could see Malahide, Lambay Island and Howth Head of course. These days you can take a Round Trip Cruise on a small cruise ship!

But we thoroughly enjoyed rowing and once there we couldn’t wait to climb the rocks, and have a swim. We picnicked and watched the friendly seals doing their thing and showing off.

Not to mention all kinds of birdlife including the Puffin.The Martello Tower was also interesting but a bit dangerous to attempt entering. I’m getting lost in the past as I write, and have to drag myself back to the present.

Fun Outings with The camera Club
Dad was also a very keen amateur photographer, and was a member of a camera Club. There were many Sunday photography outings and along with us came other kids of the members of the club.

And we always had great fun while the adults busied themselves taking photos of everything and anything, it seemed to us. Dad was so serious about his photography that he set up a dark room where he developed and printed his photographs.

All black and white at the time. He and his camera club entered many of their favourites in exhibitions throughout Europe. I’m quite proud to say that many cups and medals were won by Dad. They have been shared amongst all his grandchildren which I find quite special.

He liked taking portraits of us kids too, mostly when we were in a state of untidiness, usually during play. Dad always preferred the natural look of messy hair and clothes in the photos of his children.