What's Going On?

Mallorie Kaufman

NHP
The current stock quote for NHP is between 35.45 - 35.99. I think I may sell this stock because it hasn't been doing very well and it has been losing money. I will probably sel;l all of the stock when it goes up a little bit, to make back what I bought. If this was real I think I would have done more intense research to make sure I was making the right decisions of what stocks to buy. As well, I would have spoke to a professional stock brocker or some professional for their opinion.

a. APPLE:
The quote for apple is 265.10. My group earned $868.54 from this stock
and we would hold the stock the way it is. If this was my actual cash
i would have been more careful and found out more about the stock
before buying it. I would have still kept apple and would have bought
more stocks that represent popular and everyday used companies.
Zoya

Irina Poltarak
The current stock quote of TJX or T.J Max is $4,396.20. Ultimately, at the end of the game this stock made us 7.525or $330.80. I would buy more of these stocks because generally, it is not a very risky stock, it doesn't flop and rise at the drop of a hat, and for me, it made money. What i would've done differently however, was that i would've paid more attention to the stock market. I would follow stock activities and history more, and be a little more frugal in terms of bot just buying 500 shares because they're cheap. Also, it it was my money, i would devote a great deal more attention to the stock markets in general. I would expand my investments over a greater area of companies and be more serious about my investments.

Apple

http://www.nydailynews.com/money/2010/04/14/2010-04-14_apple_forced_to_delay_international_launch_of_ipad_as_demand_outstrips_supply.html


Apple Forced To Delay International Launch of iPad As Demand Outstrips Supply
Mallorie Kaufman

Basically, because of the large sales of the Ipad in the United States, Apple has to delay the international launch of the iPad. There were more sales and orders of the iPad expected and there is not enough supply. Shares of Apple rose about 1 percent in premarket trading after the company said it sold more than 500,000 units of the device in week after the April 3 launch. Apple shares have risen 15 percent this year and now the shares are worth $245.24. With the increasing price of the stock and the increasing amount of sales, I think our group will purchase Apple stocks. In May when the ordering of the iPad will be allowed internationally, the stock should rise even more.

Zoya Simhayev

Apple is trying to popularize a new kind of computing device, one that combines elements of a laptop and a smartphone called the ipad. On the first day of its release 300,000 were sold, which was how much Michael Abramsky, an analyst with RBC Capital predicted it would sell. He says that many people are trying to figure out the relevance of an ipad to them. They also don't understand what it does yet but Michael believes it was a good launch. At the end of the day shares rose up to 1 percent to close at $238.49. Many buyers are waiting for future versions of the iPad, perhaps with a camera or other new features. They may be waiting for an ipad with 3G network as well since the current one works via wifi only.


http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/06/technology/06ipad.html


http://www.appleinsider.com/articles/10/04/15/apple_jumps_to_no_56_in_annual_fortune_500_rankings.html


http://perezhilton.com/2010-04-13-apple-launching-3d-glasses

Irina Poltarak

Upon reading this article, we decided Apple would be a good stock to buy because they are constantly raising revenue, producing greater selling products, and jumping up in the Fortune 500's list of Companies with the highest gross revenue in 2010. Since 2009, Apple has jumped 15 spots to grasp number 56 on the list. Although some of the Fortune 500's lists are editorial decisions, this list is purely based on raw numbers from the company. Apple took in $36.537 billion in revenue in 2009, a 12.5 percent increase from its totals in 2008. The Mac maker ranked as the third-largest company in the computers and office equipment category, behind only HP and Dell. Apple is always rising in stock value and making money for the stock holders and there is insight about a new Apple product in the making that will supposedly make a lot more money than the iPad did. Apple is launching a pair of glasses that will provide high-def 3D video for the small screen. The glasses will allow users to slot their iPod or iPhone into it and the headset will use special lens tech to split the picture between the eyes, which will result in 3D viewing.

Where do we spend our money?

Macy's
1. I spend a lot of money on buying clothes and I spend most of my money at Macy's department store. Macy's sells public stock in the NYSE. I buy both clothes, shoes, and other acessories at Macy's because they always have great sales.
2. The stock is selling at between 22.54 - 22.95 a share. Recently on Monday all retail stores including Macys was at their 52-week high and then flat lined on Tuedsay with the broader markets as attention shifts to whether improved economic and consumer spending data can sustain going forward. Macy's Inc. and rival Nordstrom Inc. were each down about 1%. I would not invest in the stock because in this economy investing in a retail chain is very risky. It constantly goes up and down and its unpredictable. Macy's has always been a trustable company and there are rarely any law suits with them so I will always purchase products from the company.
Mallorie Kaufman

Nike Inc. (NKE)


1. The product that I spend most of my money on is Nike sneakers. I buy my boyfriend sneakers all the time and he wears them almost every single day. Since boys don't normally wear sandals they wear sneakers, and boots. Seemingly, guys on average have at least 20 pairs of sneakers per year and the number accumulates. Nike is one of the more prevalent sneaker brands. In the past two months alone, my boyfriend, for example has accumulated 7 new pairs of sneakers, 5 of them Nike brand.


2. Currently, the NKE stock is trading at $73.79. This stock is trading at a higher value than its 52 week high. In recent headline news, Nike was named one of the stocks that people will regret not buying in 20 years because its 20 year average return is almost 20%. Also, Nike kept their sponsorship with Tiger Woods, predicting that although the major controversy, keeping the sponsorship for Tiger Woods would not decrease their value. Personally, due to recent headline news about the stock, I would invest in it because it seems like a good investment that will have a nice return. Right now however, I would be hesitant because its about its 52 week high and I don't think it will increase in value much more. The way the corporation acts to a certain extent would influence my decision on investing or not investing. If the company is obviously not interested in keeping track of every facet of production to increase value of their company I wouldn't buy the stock. As long as the company is well maintained and no arbitrary financial decisions are made, then the company would seeming be a good decision to invest in.

Irina Poltarak

1. Christian Dior operates as a fashion and luxury brand worldwide.
The company provides wines and spirits, fashion and leather goods,
perfumes and cosmetics, and watches and jewelry, as well as engages in
selective retailing under various brands. I spend a lot of my money on
Dior makeup such as bronzers, eyeliners, and mascaras.

2.
-Paris Stock Exchange- € 82.35 per share

-Industrial revival lifts European stocks:
European shares rose in early trade on Thursday, hitting fresh
18-month highs following positive manufacturing data from Europe and
China. Revisions to data showed that manufacturing activity in the
eurozone grew at its fastest pace in over three years last month,
faster than previously recorded. "Meanwhile, Christian Dior in France
rose 4.1 per cent to €82.18."
(http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/acb048cc-3d6f-11df-bdbb-00144feabdc0.html)

-I would invest in the Christian Dior stock because they are having a
fashion show in Paris in April which usually causes the stock to
increase. They come out with new products and show it off to the
public in one of the biggest fashion shows in the world.

-Dior ads are typically everywhere and it is sold in all the major
stores such as Bloomingdales, Nordstrom, Bergdorf Goodman, etc. Every
female has atleast one product from Dior which shows how popular it
is.
Gabriella Mitselmakher

1. I use Nestle's Coffee-Mate coffee creamer. I buy 2 or 3 different creamers at once when i go to the supermarket. This product has a variety of flavors and it comes in either powder or liquid.
2. Nestle SA (NSRGF) stock is trading at 50.20. According to the recent news, Nestle is doing very well with their products. Campbell's soup is loosing to Nestle's pizza. I would invest in that stock because it is one of the major food companies and almost everyone has a Nestle product at home. If i like something and use it everyday, the way the corporation acts would not have an influence on me purchasing the product.

Zoya Simhayev

Progress

So far, in the game we purchased a 100 shares of both NHP, T and TJX. With the purchase of these stocks, our ranking in the game has decreased to 1305. We have lost some money, but that might change because the stocks go up and down frequently. We have lost $253.48 which is 2.631% of the money that we had invested. Our team will continue to research, sell, and buy stocks according to what we feel would be a good investment.

Blue Chip Stocks

Irina : Coca Cola Co. (KO)

This company's 52 week high was 59.45 and the 52 week low was 40.82. The stock price went down 6.1% in the past 3 months due to the economic climate. Weather has been very cold and Coca Cola sales usually sky rocket around the summer months. Recent headlines include placing a tax on all soda. This may cause a decrease in the profit being made by stock holders because the less people that buy the product, the more the value decreases. This tax proposal, in addition to Bloomberg's decision to take sodas out of schools means a decline in sales. I project that this stock will not significantly be affected by the new proposal to tax soda, however some value will be lost.

Mallorie: Walgreen Co. (WAG)

This blue chip company has has a 52 week high of 40.69 and a 52 week low of 23.39. Recent headlines include that the Walgreen Co. sales at the nationwide stores have only risen a mere 0.04% since last year due to a lower incidence of the flu this year as opposed to last year. It was exactly 0.01% less then anticipated by Walgreen Co., however Walgreen Co. shares rose 1.7% on Wednesday morning. I project that since currently the stock is losing value, it would be wise to sell the stocks that you have in Walgreen Co. because it doesnt seem to be doing so well.

Zoya: McDonals's Corp (MCD)

McDonald's stock has significantly increased in the past year. A year ago on March 9th McDonald's stock was priced at $52.38, and in only a year the stock increased to $65.10. Since the recession hit, McDonald's has been a source of good food for cheap. As long as United States remains in the recession McDonald's will continue to go up because people are less likely to spend a lot of money in restaruants when they can get good food for a significantly cheaper price. Over the last 3 months McDonald's has been an up and down stock however the prices has risen. McDonald's seems that it is going down now but based on the current status in the past i project it to go back up to a higher price than it dropped.

Bonds

1. What is the current interest rate on EE Bonds purchased today?
The current interest rate is 1.20% on EE Bonds purchased today.

2. Explain the advantages of purchasing bonds.
The advantages of purchasing bonds is that you will know how much interest you can expect to receive, how often you'll receive it, and when the maturity date is. Bonds are very steady and the interest rates paid by bonds typically exceed those paid by banks on savings accounts, especially short-term bonds.

3. Which would you prefer to buy an I or EE bonds? Explain.
We would rather prefer to buy an EE bond because it is more stable and the I bond is based on inflation so the interest on the bond can go up and down depending on the inflation.

4. Why must you wait until the bond matures before you redeem it?
You must wait until the bond matures before you redeem it because you will be able to receive the full worth of the bond by receiving all the interest it collected over time.

Team Strategy

Our team is going to approach the game with a lot of judgement and carefulness. We all will utilize MSNFinance to help us make wise purchases in stocks and potentially help us make the most money in class. We keep track of the stock's activity, stability and price. We will try to stay away from fluctuating stocks, and thoes that seem as if they will plumet, or not produce any profit. Our whole team will work hard to produce the most amount of money from our judgements.

Automotive

Toyota
Toyota's reputation lately has changed drastically when millions of their vehicles were recalled for brake and gas petal problems. This recall greatly effected people's trust in Toyota and has effected its stocks. The stock now is currently worth $76.99 a share and for now it is up .34%. Over the last 3 months according to the charts from Yahoo finance, Toyota's stocks have been going down over a three month period. I think the stock will eventually return back to where it was maybe in a year or two when Toyota handles all the recalls and there reputation gets back to where it was before the recall. Many Americans trusted Toyota for years for safe and reliable cars. If my team purchased the Toyota stocks we can be at risk for losing money and I do not think we will risk purchasing this stock because of the direction it is going.

Mallorie Kaufman

Porsche
Porsche Automobile Holding Preferred Shares has had its yearly high of 90.50, yearly low of 46.95 and its previous closing was at 57.00. Their total shares sold is 175.00 Million, and my family is a consumer of this product, which is why I chose it. In recent headline news of the Porsche, sales of their models such as 911, Cayman, and Boxter, the more expensive models, declined significantly from the previous year. More affordable models such as the Cayenne, which my mother happens to have as well, have risen in sales to almost 200 more cars from the previous year. Despite the unusual weather patterns of February 2010, there has been a slight increase in Porsche sales especially in the Northeast, which is one of Porsche’s top sales markets. So far, in 2010, sales have risen 4%. Based on recent headlines and the stock patterns of the 2010 year for Porsche sales, I predict that the stock will go up in value. Since the stock is a generally good price of 57.00, it hasn't reached his high yet and will only increase in value. Currently, the stocks value is going up. This purchase hopefully will help our team make a relatively large amount of money, more than we put into buying the stock. Its seems to keep rising in value and it also seems to be at a stable slope upwards. Hopefully this purchase will make our team a lot f money.

Irina Poltorak

Daimler AG

The highest closing of the year for Daimler was 55.28 and the lowest closing of the year was 28.45. Recent developments from Daimler is that their truck market has most likely bottomed out. In 2009, their trucks dropped 49% or 259,328 vechles and it is said that 2010 would be a challenging year. Based on a recent 10 day chart, i think the prices of this stock will go up. It keeps drastically increasing.
Zoya Simhayev