We have been moving up and down recently between the 11,000 mark and the 12,000 mark. The fall in commodities, namely energy, has really fueled the recent rally. But the last two days have been ugly for the market with much of the rally fizzling. Where is this going? When will we enter a new bull market?

I decided I will begin providing updates of all stock trades I make in order to promote continued transparency between what I write and what I do. Hopefully, you enjoy!
Today, I made two moves in my portfolio.
First, I sold a portion of my Apple position at $174.02.  I did this completely based on near term view.  Tech stocks have been trading weakly and I believe there might be a sell off after Apple releases earnings next week.  We’ll see.
Second, I bought a good chunk of Chesapeake at $53.27.  As …

When looking at specific companies to invest in, there are many factors to consider and research. These factors can be internal characteristics of the company such as management, product line, and growth strategy. There are also external or macroeconomic factors that can impact a stock performance.
While it is important to understand the macroeconomic picture related to the company you are invested in, it is important to note that well run companies can outperform even in an environment that seems to work against the company. Conversely, some companies …