Updown Virtual Stock Market Game Pays Real Money

This site is a lot of fun, I've been there 18 months now. You get to trade a virtual portfolio of one million, you can start groups, keep a friends list, message them, have group discussions. Your trading skills will improve, and you can win real money by beating the market or winning a site trading contest.

As seen on CNBC, they had a news story on the site when it went public.

It's FREE, give it a try! - the Jman

Stem Cell Stocks Have Obama Rally

Stem cell and selected biotech stocks started moving when Obama won the election. Geron (GERN) was 3.50 then, near 8.00 now. Stemcells (STEM) has gone from 1.50 to 2.50. It could be a temporary reaction pop, but since he gave approval to Geron to inject stem cells into humans with spinal cord injuries, with tests beginning in the summer, most insiders expect more favorable announcements in the future.

The next step will be to remove the ban on using federal funds to fund stem cell research, reversing eight years of anti-progress policy from the Bush administration. After that, he'll be free to allocate some federal funds for stem cell research, giving these stocks a boost yet again.

It's a little revenue, small cap sector, so be careful. Here's a link to get you started doing more research before investing.


Stem Cell Stock Informer



Disclosure: I'm currently long GERN, STEM, CYTX

Solar and AG hammered on Wed, 10/22

Dow fell 514 pts today...

The Solar Index was down 9.1% (71k) at 707,913 - now off 64.6% (1,292,089) YTD... ouch-o-rama!

The AG Index was down 7.65% (91k) at 1,085,623 - it's now off 45.7% (914k) ytd, when it had been up as much as 25%... Crash-a-teria!

At least with AG you can use the AGA to go 2x short, or DAG to go 2x long, if you're a trader.

.. good luck otherwise! - Jman

Solar and Ag up 7.6% on Monday, 10/20

Dow up 400 on Monday, 10/20

Solar Index was up 7.6% to 812k -- down 59.4% ytd...
SPWRA was up 15.2%, HOKU up 14.7%... AKNS up 13.5%...

AG was up 7.6% (a plot?) or 87k to 1232k, still off 38.4% ytd...
MOS was up 16%, and SQM (Chile) 14%...

...keep it green ... Jman

Ag and Solar down over 34% each 3rd quarter

The New Index values on 9/30 close:

SOLAR: 1,093, 147 (-906,853 for 08) -45.3% for 2008
.... 3 month change: -34.7%

Agriculture: 1,571,624 (-428,376 for 08) -21.4% for 2008
.... 3 month change: -37.2%

The "bloom" is off for ag stocks, it was never on solar in 08 as those plunged in January. The perception of a global slowdown will hurt both sectors for different reasons. Solar needs major capital investment, while ag products are (unfairly?) tied to overall economies of developing nations. I can see why solar is falling, but AG products continue to be in strong demand, the companies are still doing well but the PE multiple is shrinking, perhaps a good time to buy for the long term.

CY now gone, out of Solar Index

Cypress Semi spun off all shares of Sunpower (SPWR), which makes it a non-solar stock now. We had to replace it with something, and I wanted something similar to the price drop in CY, which was off about 50% for the year before the recent spinoff and totally wacky price calculations for everything involved. I was down to two IPO's which came out during 08, SOL and TAN. SOL opened around 80, trades around 10-15 now, which is a huge drop. TAN is actually an international ETF, but does include stocks we can't trade in the US, and is down about 35% since it's IPO, so that was a closer match.

Normally I wouldn't include an ETF in a stock index like this, because it's another index itself, of sorts, but I did anyway just for similar value exchange.

The new index (post "No Bailout") is currently now off 45% for the year, thanks to the recent stock plunge overall, last time I checked the Solar Index with TAN had a value of just over 1,050,000. I'll update both indices after the close today, as the AG index has gone negative for 08 recently as well.

Solar and Ag up Monday 6.23

Monday, June 23, 2008: Dow -.33 at 11,886 __ Nasdaq –20 at 2386 __ SP500 +.07 at 1318

Agribusiness
Ag stocks were up .9% on Monday (22k) at 2,502,059, now up 25.1% for 08 (502k). Gainers were led by SQM +3.5%, AGU +3.5%, LNN +3.4%, POT +2.7%, ADM +2.5%. Leading losers were SPC (6.5%), SDTH (4.3%), SMG (3.7%), ANDE (2.3%). 13 were up, 7 down.

Solar
Solar stocks jumped 1.7% Monday (due to an upgrade on FSLR), up 28k to 1,673,591, still 0ff 16.3% (326k) for 08. Leading gainers were FSLR +7.4%, ENER +5.8%, LDK +4.8%, ESLR +3.5%, CSIQ +2.9%, SOLF +2.5%. Leading losers: BTUI (4.1%), DSTI (2.5%), YGE (2.5%). 11 were up, 9 down, in spite of the upgrade.

Solar up, Ag down with down market Wed 6.18

Wednesday, June 18, 2008: Dow off 131 at 12029 __ Nas (28) at 2430 __ SP500 (13) at 1338

Agribusiness
Ag stocks were off .7% (18k) at 2,540,829 on Wednesday. This sector is still up 27% for 08 (+541k). Best gains today: SQM (continues its onslaught) +6.1%, SYT +2.4%, TNH +3%. Worst losses: ANDE (4.9%), LNN hammered, down 16.7%, 1% drops in CAT, DE, and SPC.

Solar
Solar was up .3% overall (5k) at 1,690,675, off 15.5% (309k) for 08. Best gainers today: ASTI +5%, CSIQ +8.5%, DSTI +4.3%, SOLF +2.5%, SPWR +2.9%. Leading losers: BTUI (1.9%), FCEL (3.5%), FSLR (2.3%), HOKU (4%), LDK (5.7%), STP (1.9%), TSL (2.7%).

Solar leaps 7.5%, Ag up 1.6% Monday 6.16

Monday, June 16, 2008: Dow off 38 at 12,269 __ Nasdaq +20 at 2475 __ SP500 +.1 at 1360

Solar
Solar stocks leaped 7.5% Monday on an industry upgrade, up 116k at 1,673,563, now off 16.3% (326k) for 08. Only BTUI fell (down 2%), and the other 19 were up, led by: AKNS +8.8%, ASTI +19.1%, CSIQ +8.9%, CSUN +10.5%, DSTI +12.1%, ENER +14.7%, JASO +7.8%, LDK +7.3%, SOLF +15.2%, SPWR +7.4%, and YGE +5.6%. Industry “leader” FSLR was up only 1.3%.

Agribusiness
Ag stocks were up 1.6% (39k) at 2,486,615, now up 24.3% or 487k for the year. Today’s leading gainers were CF +3.6%, DE +3.4%, SPC +7.4%, SQM +3.8%, SYT +4.8%, TRA +4.7%. Losers were led by ANDE (2.8%), SMG (1.8%), and TNH (2.2%).

Ag and Solar down in terrible market, Friday 6.06

Friday, June 6, 2008: Dow (395) at 12,210 __ Nasdaq (75) at 2475 __ Sp500 (43) at 1361

Agribusiness
Ag stocks fell 1.65% Friday (less than the market), off 40k at 2,386,186, now up 19.3% (386k) for 08. Gainers were DBC +1.5%, DBC +2.6%, LNN +3.5%. Leading losers were ADM (3.3%), CAT (3.3%), CF (3.6%), SMG (5.4%), SPC (3.8%), SQM (4.8%).

Solar
Solar stocks fell 3% Friday, off 50k more to 1,625,197, now off 18.7% (375k) year-to-date. The only gains were fractional, HOKU and WFR. The worst losses were CSIQ (3.3%), CSUN (3.4%), FCEL (11.4%), JASO (3.9%), TSL (9.3%), YGE (4.6%).

Solar down again, Ag flat on Wednesday 6.04

Wednesday, June 04, 2008: Dow off 12 at 12,390 __ Nasdaq +22.7 at 2503 __ SP500 (.5) at 1377

Agribusiness
Ag stocks were up .1% (1.6k) at 2,328,855, now up 16.4% or 329k for 08. Gainers today minimal, led by SQM +6.5%, with fractional gains in ANDE, CAT, DBA, LNN, SDTH. Losers were led by CF (1.3%), DBC (1.5%), MON (1.2%), MOS (1.5%), POT (1.5%), TNH (1%), TRA (1.7%).

Solar
Solar stocks fell 1.8% or 29k at 1,612,142, off 19.4% or 388 year-to-date. Gainers today (4) were BTUI +6.3%, DSTI +2.5%, with FCEL and TSL up fractionally. Losers were led by AKNS (3.9%), ASTI (5.4%), CSIQ (3.6%), CSUN (3.3%), FSLR (5.6%) LDK (4.1%), STP (3.6%), YGE (6.7%).

Solar bounce back, Ag up on Friday 5.30

Friday, May 30, 2008: Dow off 8 at 12,638 __ Nasdaq +14 at 2523 __ SP500 +2 at 1400

Agribusiness
Ag stocks were up .01% (184) at 2,276,876, now up 13.8% (277) year to date. Best gainers today (13 were up): AGU +3.7%, CF +2.8%, MON +2.9%, MOS +2.9%, TRA +4.9%. Losers (7 of 20) were ANDE (1.9%), SPC (4.2%), SQM (7.8%), fractional losses in CAT, DBA, LNN, and TNH.

Solar
Solar bounced back 5.3% (almost yesterday’s drop), up 84k at 1,683,515, off 15.8% (316k) for 08. Best gains today were CSIQ 5.1%, CY 5%, ENER 16%, FSLR 6.1%, JASO 5.1%, LDK 8%, SOLF 13%, SPWR 7.7%, STP 5%. The only loser of 20 was BTUI (1.4%), yesterday the only gainer. Apparently the German government didn’t cut the subsidies as much as some feared yesterday. Rumors, rumors, rumors… I still don’t understand why people react to them so much, it just encourages more and more manipulation.

Solar clobbered, Ag up on Thursday 5.29

Thursday, May 29, 2008: Dow +52 at 12,727 __ Nasdaq +22 at 2508 __ SP500 +7 at 1398

Agribusiness
Ag stocks rose .2% (4k) to 2,276,692, up 13.8% (277k) for 08. Gainers today were ANDE +1.4%, LNN +1.9%, SDTH +1%, SMG +1.5%, SPC +4.6%, SQM +7%. Worst losses were AGU (2%), CF (2.5%), DBC (2.7%), DE (1.5%), MOS (1.6%), SYT and TNH (1.4%).

Solar
Solar stocks plunged 5.7% on Thursday because of a downgrade, falling 97k to 1,599,029, now off 20% (401k) year-to-date. Only BTUI was up, and only .7%. The losing parade was led by: AKNS (7.6%), ASTI (7.3%), CSIQ (7.9%), ESLR (9.4%), FSLR (7.7%), JASO (8.7%), SOLF (7.8%), SPWR (8.4%), STP (8.7%), TSL (9.6%), YGE (11%). Merrill Lynch downgraded ESLR and SPWR due to German politics, but kept a buy on FSLR.

Solar and Ag up big on Wednesday 5.28

Wednesday, May 28, 2008: Dow +46 at 12,594 __ Nasdaq +5 at 2487 __ SP500 +5.5 at 1391

Agribusiness
Ag jumped 3.4% today (74k) to 2t272,547, now up 13.6% (273k) for 2008. Biggest gainers (19 were up): AGU +5.3%, CF +10.1%, MON +5.3%, MOS +7.2%, SQM +5.6%, TNH +5.9%, TRA +8.4%.

Solar
Solar stocks were up 2.3% Wednesday (38k) at 1,696,267, off 15.2% (304k) year-to-date. There were some terrific gainers today: AKNS (U.S. solar panel installer) +18.3%, CSIQ +5.2%, ESLR +6.2%, FSLR +3%, TSL +5.2%, and YGE +6%. Fifteen were up, five down. The worst losses were DSTI (2.4%), SOLF (2.8%), STP (3.6%).

Cramer gave us these wind-power related stocks tonight: TRN, OTTR, ANM, OC, WGOV, TNG, KDN, MTZ, and over the counter (or pink sheet) stocks: VWDRY.PK, BWEN.OB, and CRPWF.PK.

Ag and Solar down 1% Tuesday 5.27

Tuesday, May 27, 2008: Dow +69 at 12,573 __ Nas +37 at 2481 __ SP500 +9.5 at 1385

Agribusiness
Ag stocks fell 1.6% (36k) at 2,198,107, up 9.9% (198k) for the year. Today’s gainers were LNN +5.3%, ANDE +.9%, CAT +.5%. Biggest losers were ADM (2.8%), AGU (2.9%), CF (2.5%), MON (2%), MOS (3.7%), POT (3%), SQM (2.7%), SYT (3.9%), TNH (3.1%), TRA (3.6%).

Solar
Solar stocks fell another 1.8% (30k) on Tuesday, now at 1,658,125, off 17.1% (342k) for 08. Gainers today FCEL +5.3%, ASTI +2.5%, WFR +1.7%, CSIQ +1.3%. Biggest losers today were AKNS (3.8%), DSTI (6.3%), FSLR (4.9%), JASO (5.4%), LDK (5.7%), TSL (4.4%), YGE (5.2%). The only gainers for the year now are: ENER +64.5% and CSIQ +38.5%. FSLR is now off .7%. Biggest losers for 08 are: ASTI (45.8%), YGE (45.4%), STP (44.1%), ESLR (38.6%).

Stocks for a Green Planet, reposted

[This repeats our first post, a description of our index stocks]

We will highlight these solar stocks, which comprise our solar index, any new ones, other green technology, and related news:

AKNS – Akeena Solar (US); installs solar systems
ASTI - Ascent Solar (US); thin film photovoltaic technology
BTUI – BTU Int’l (US); solar cell manufacturing equipment
CSIQ – Canadian Solar (Canada); solar module products
CSUN – China Sunergy (China); solar cells
CY – Cypress Semiconductor (US); solar power products & wafers
DSTI – Daystar Technologies US); thin film solar sheets
ENER – Energy Conversion Devices (US); thin film modules
ESLR – Evergreen Solar (US); solar panels, cells, systems
FSLR – First Solar (US); solar electric power modules
HOKU – Hoku Scientific (US); clean energy technologies
JASO – JA Solar Holdings (China); markets solar cells
LDK – LDK Solar (China); solar wafers for use in cells
SOLF – Solar Fun Power (China); photovoltaic cells & modules
SPWR – Sunpower Corp (US); solar electric power products
STP – Suntech Power (China); photovoltaic cells & modules
TSL – Trina Solar (China); solar modules and cells
WFR – MEMC Electronic (US); silicon wafers for solar & power
YGE – Yinglee Green Energy (China); photovoltaic cells & modules

The global solar etf, TAN, was not available when we built this index. Had they come out in 2005, they'd be up 200% or more.

- El Presidenté Wm José Sinclair

Solar surges, Ag down on Friday 5.23

Friday, May 23, 2008: Dow off 146 @ 12480 __ Nasdaq (20) at 2445 __ SP500 (18) at 1376

Solar
Solar stocks jumped 2.7% Friday in a down market, up 44k to 1,688,418. The index is now off 15.6% for the year (312k). 18 stocks were up, led by CSUN +11%, DSTI +3.7%, ENER +2%, FSLR +2.6%, JASO +4.8%, LDK +8.8%, SOLF +9.4%, SPWR +3.1%, STP +4.3%, TSL +2.7%, YGE 2.4%. The only two losers were ASTI (5.5%) and WFR (.4%).

Agribusiness
Ag stocks were off 1% Friday, off 22k to 2,234,419, now up 11.7% (234k) for 08. Gainers were fractional only: DBA, DBC, MON, and SYT. The worst losses were CF (3.5%), MOS (2.2%), SMG (2.5%), TNH (3.1%).

Solar plunges, Ag down on Thursday 5.22

Thursday, May 22, 2008: Dow +24 at 12626 __ Nasdaq +16 at 2465 __ SP500 +3.6 at 1394

Agribusiness
Ag stocks fell .2% (4k) to 2,256,514, up 12.8% (256k) for 08. Gainers: ANDE +2%, CF +1.9%, MOS +1.5%, POT +2.1%, SQM +1.8%, SYT +1.8%. Losers: CAT (1.4%), DBA (1.9%), DBC (1.4%), SDTH (4.5%), SPC (10.4%).

Solar
Solar plunged 3.8% today (66k), so I guess they used the oil dip as the excuse today. The index fell to 1,644,630, off 17.8% (355k) for 08. Gainers today: BTUI +5.6%, ESLR +20%, FCEL +1.2%, fractional gains in ENER and WFR. Losers were AKNS (7.3%), ASTI (6%), CSIQ (13.5%), CSUN (12%), FSLR (2.9%), JASO (4.4%), SOLF (22.1%), SPWR (3.2%), STP (2.8%), TSL (8%).

Ag and Solar hammered with the market on Wednesday 5.21

Wednesday, May 21, 2008: Dow (227) at 12,862 __ Nasdaq (44) at 2448 __ SP500 (23) at 1391

Everyone tried to blame oil for today's drop, the Kudlow airheads blamed Obama! Yep, let's find the nearest minority and blame it on them, plus they'd love to manipulate this election toward the Republican (ie, rich and white) party. [That's just my opinion, I might be wrong]

Solar
Solar stocks fell 1.8% with the market Wednesday, off 32k at 1,710,176, now off 14.5% (290k) for the year. There were some gainers (5): BTUI +4.8%, LDK +7.8%, SOLF +5%, STP +2%, TSL +2.4%. The biggest losers were AKNS (5.7%), CSIQ (3%), DSTI (4.4%), ENER (5.1%), ESLR (4.5%), FSLR (6.6%), YGE (5.3%).
[Disclosure: I’m still long FSLR and TAN, but now I’m wondering why!]

Agribusiness
Ag stocks fell 2.5% (58k) to 2,260,530, up 13% (260k) for the year. The three gainers were DBA +1.2%, DBC +2.9%, and SPC +4.8%. The worst losers were AGU (4.4%), CF (4.5%), MON (4.1%), MOS (4.9%), POT (4%), SDTH (13.6%), TNH (5.8%), and TRA (7.8%).

Ag and Solar up in bad market Tuesday 5.20

Tuesday, May 20, 2008: Dow (199) at 12829 __ Nasdaq (24) at 2492 __ SP500 (13) at 1413

Agribusiness
Ag was up 2% in a down market, +45k at 2,318,232, up 15.9% (318k) for 08. Best gainers were AGU +3.8%, ANDE +4.1%, CF +2.1%, MON +2.3%, MOS +2.5%, POT +2.7%, SDTH +4.8%, SQM +6.7%, TNH +6.2%. Losers were CAT (.5%), LNN (2.8%), SPC (1.1%)

Solar
Solar stocks were basically flat, up .14% (2k) at 1,741,863, off 12.9% (258k) for 08. Today’s gainers were AKNS +3.4%, ASTI +.9%, BTUI +1%, CSIQ +4.7%, FSLR +1.1%, LDK +2.7%. Losers were CSUN (2.5%), CY (1.5%), ESLR (2.1%), HOKU (1.7%), JASO (2.1%), SPWR (1.4%), STP (1.5%), WFR (1.6%), YGE (3.6%).

The talking heads on tv continue to tout solar while oil hits new highs, yet none can make a convincing argument as to how solar competes with oil, when it's mainly an electricity generator; if anything, it will compete with coal and nuclear as a power generator. How close to these people think we are to solar vehicles, the primary use for oil? There are also no futures in solar power as in oil; the owners of oil can take our petrodollars and simply buy more oil futures, thus our own money drives the price up further and further. The only solution to me is that the U.S. must nationalize oil, take over the oil companies for U.S. bonds, then they can directly benefit from the profits and help control the price as well. Countries with nationalized oil (such as Venezuela and China) pay an average of a QUARTER per gallon for gasoline; what's wrong with that? Other countries, such as much of Arabia, give the profits to the citizens, usually in the form of food coupons. That's a much better benefit than getting 3% dividends from Exxon while they get billions in profit every year by bankrupting the country. If it works elsewhere, we should give it a try here. The cost of oil is only 1.10 per gallon of gasoline, the disparity in the price is profit for all the middlemen who transport and sell us the gasoline. Eventually this system has to end.