Latest Stock Buy or Sell? Make More Informed Decisions!

Covered calls can help volatility a bit and enhance yield. However Canadian banks are under pressure because of very high consumer debt, especially mortgage debt. Technically if you were to buy it use a stop loss at $17.75 which is not much lower than where it is now. Wait for something to resolve in the market.

The question was on oil stocks. There has been some technical damage in oil stocks lately. Oil should not drop too much from here since the U.S. which has been selling reserves may soon be at the point where they may start building reserves again. Perhaps try Vermilion which is exposed to Europe. Start with a partial position and add on strength.

It has been a great performer over time. Two positives are its rising relative strength to to the S&P and TSX as well as trading above the 150 day moving average. The concern is the sector - transports. Be careful and if buying pick your spots.

The question was on accumulating cash and where might be the near term low. The simplest way (not too technical) is to look for a strong day (plus 2% or more) with heavy volume involving many stocks. Then within the next five trading days look for the same thing on one of those days. It means something is happening.

Be careful of the real estate space because of rising rates. Commercial properties will have to trade at higher cap rates and therefore lower prices. Treasury bonds have gone quickly from 0% to 4%. He owns short term bonds as cash instead of fixed income.

It is great business and has made good private investments. The share price is very strong relative to the market.

Producers have had problems with labour and input costs as well the declining price of gold. Think of gold as another currency. He would need to see gold at $2000 before getting excited about it.

It has done well and is trading better than 95% of the companies in the S&P. It is sadly because of the conflict in Ukraine and the growing demand for upgrading defense systems as well as building new ones. There is an increase in defense budgets going forward. A very diversified company. Buy 11, Hold 6, Sell 1 (Analysts’ price target is $499.06)

It is in the biotech sector which came under pressure18 months ago. The sector found a footing in June and has held well above lows while the market is selling off. In general there are great bio technologies coming to market. Specifically it is a leading producer of a Cystic Fibrosis treatment that continues to proliferate around global health care systems. It is head and shoulders over what was available previously. It is a defensive stock because earnings are not cyclical and it is growing at 25% per year as well as trading at 18X next year's earnings. With a 74 billion market cap it just made a 5 year high which is very significant. (Analysts’ price target is $310.80)

There are growth opportunities in alternative energy and utility companies that are expanding in this area. Two examples are Nextera and Northland Power. An investor should focus on companies that are predictable and that have little economic sensitivity. Watch for when the market rallies and then what holds up and what pulls back.