Daily Intent

Santa Barbara, CA

Buzzword: Goocher
Two individuals perfectly timing a plunge and a number entered.   Synchronizing two distinct acts at the same exact moment in time.

Though the creators of the word, Analise Maggio-Kjensrud and Nicholas James Mullen, their rusting thumbs have left room for others to claim the top spot.

This isn’t arbitrary commentary.  Despite their proclamations of greatness, their peers would claim others to be better at “synchronizing” the act of noting a runner / walker crossing the finish line with the act of registering the exact person crossing the finish line.

Synchronize your acts.  Better your business.  Mount goochers throughout the day.

  Six Points to Ponder:

   1. Goldman Sachs and JP Morgan Chase post large Q2 profits, market investors go on cheering.
   2. All Markets up big this week - The Dow is trading at 8686, S&P 500 at 938 while the Nasdaq is at 1877.  Oil is up to $62/bbl.
   3. Walmart sets forth conscious consumers/suppliers plan.  New product information to come!
   4. Foreclosures hit 1.54 million within the first 6 months of this year.  A 9% increase over the previous 6 months.
   5. CIT Group to file bankruptcy tomorrow if no investors step in.  Fed looks on.
   6. Fielder wins home run contest.  AL wins the All-Star game.  Lamar and Lakers yet to find agreeable ground.  Tiger “Open”s with a 1 over first round.

Positives:

    * Financial services are beginning to turn the corner on their poor investments.  Big profits, proves money is still to be made, if done right.  That said, rising loan losses continue to hurt profits.  Bank of America, along with Citi, will be announcing their Q2 results this Friday.  Their results aren’t believe to be as solid.
    * Your investment portfolio got a nice boost upward this week.  The Dow gained 500 points in the last week, 6 - 7% gain.  Tech stocks performed even better.
    * Walmart, an ‘08 $401Bn sales whale, will be throwing its weight around  to get suppliers to begin calculating their environmental impact.  Within 5 years, they plan on deploying their price tags labeled with environmental impact information, empowering the shopper to determine which product is more inline with their beliefs.  If pulled off, this will be quite revolutionary.
    * British Open golf calls golfers to change their style of play.  Keep the ball under the wind, let it run, enjoy the true challenges of nature amidst 4 rounds of golf.
    * The All-Star game was full of young, bright stars that seem to be less steroid enhanced and truer athletes.

Negatives:

    * Though many believe the recession is ending, or will end by year’s end, increasing loan losses still hender Financials’ balance sheets, thus, proving the average American still faces strong headwinds.
    * Foreclosures reaching levels 15% greater year over year teaches us, as homeowners and buyers, that millions of homes still need to be cleansed from the market to return the broad housing markets to normalcy.  The silver lining to these data points: homebuilders confidence escalated last month to a 10 month high and local statistics are proving strong.  Home sales saw a nice blip upward in June and should continue as rates remain low throughout the summer months.
    * CIT going bankrupt disrupts the credit markets for thousands of small and midsize businesses.  The government is choosing not to bail them out as they did Lehman.  This proves their optimism for the markets and their ability to sustain a heavy hit by a big company going under.
    * Lamar Odom was a key player in the Lakers run.  When he played well the Lakers won and won often.  When he didn’t they were near .500.  He wants security in exchange for the pay cut he’ll be taking.

Services: Entrepreneurial Resources
Looking to start a new business in this down economy?  Via Catalyst For Thought I have made many fantastic contacts which may be of help.  Please don’t hesitate to call.  I’ll be sure to link you up with the right people.

Local:

Catalyst for Thought - “Invest in Yourself.  Invest in Your Community.”
Where: Canary Hotel. Corner of Carrillo and Chapala
When: Tuesday, July 21st, 6pm - 8pm
Cost: $10 online.  $15 at the door.
Why:  Develop your business.  www.catalystsb.org

Live and Be Well,

Jeff Bochsler