Marketfoolery

What does the disaster in Japan mean for U.S. companies with significant operations in Japan?

We talk about the situation in Japan and discuss what uncertainty means for investors.  

We take stock of the situation in Japan and discuss the future of nuclear power.

Starbucks announces a big deal with Green Mountain Roasters. Microsoft sets a new record with Kinect. And Uncle Sam considers ditching the one dollar bill. 

The bull market celebrates its two-year anniversary.  How long will the party last? Burlington Northern Santa Fe produces $2.25 billion in dividends for Berkshire Hathaway.  Where will Warren Buffett invest his latest billions? Boston Beer reports weaker-than-expected earnings.  What’s on tap for investors?

Is Facebook's foray into movie rentals a serious threat to Netflix? Is McDonald's losing steam in the U.S.? How did Bill Gates give away the top spot in Forbes magazine's annual billionaire's list?    

Will Starbucks grind out bigger profits if it expands beyond the coffee business? Did Warren Buffett miss the boat on gold? Why did Mattel tell Barbie to hit the road in China?  

How are retailers like Limited Brands and Costco getting it done? Will raising money overseas help Yahoo! in the U.S.? And why should investors steer clear of the first pure-play Argentina ETF?   

Will Apple's iPad 2 connect on Wall Street?  What's behind strong earnings at Costco?    

The Obama administration issues the first deep water drilling permit in the Gulf of Mexico since the BP oil spill.  What does it mean for oil stocks? JP Morgan Chase bets big on Twitter.  Is Twitter really worth $4.5 billion? And did Tiffany & Co. make a wise investment when it reportedly paid Academy Awards co-host Anne Hathaway $750,000 to wear Tiffany jewelry during the Oscars?    

Warren Buffett's annual letter to shareholders was released on Saturday.  Regarding the prospect of Berkshire Hathaway making more acquisitions Buffett wrote, “Our elephant gun has been reloaded, and my trigger finger is itchy.”  So which companies would make for an attractive target?  Our analysts discuss why Costco, Markel, and McCormick might be worthy of Buffett’s attention.

General Motors reports its first annual profit in seven years.  Apple shareholders reject a call for the company to disclose its succession plan.  Frito-Lay gets a brand new bag.

Oil prices in the U.S. hit their highest level in more than two years.  Which stocks will benefit?  Shares of Hewlett-Packard tumble after the company lowers its revenue forecast.   Will the Palm acquisition improve HP's fortunes?

Weight Watchers reports big earnings.  Apple and Google battle it out for publishers.  And IBM's Watson supercomputer records an impressive win on Jeopardy.

What's behind better-than-expected earnings at Dell? Is ExxonMobil running out of oil? Will bankruptcy be the final chapter for Borders? And why does IBM's Jeopardy-playing, supercomputer Watson think Toronto is a city in the United States?

What's behind Warren Buffett's latest buying and selling? What does higher inflation in China mean for investors in the U.S.?  Is single-serve coffee the next big market for Starbucks?

According to reports, social gaming company Zynga is now valued at more than seven billion dollars.  Is the company behind the virtual hit FarmVille worth really worth that much?  JPMorgan Chase is planning to start a fund for social media companies.  Is this a savvy investment or just the latest sign of a tech bubble?  Facebook's valuation is roughly the same as Disney's.  Which company would you rather own in five years?   

What's behind Whole Food's healthy earnings? Is Twitter really worth as much as Southwest Airlines? Is Sardar Biglari the next Warren Buffett? Should investors load up on Activision Blizzard?

Will Nokia partner with Microsoft in a bid for smartphone supremacy? What's behind Disney's big earnings? What does a government diagnosis of "pedal misapplication" mean for the future of Toyota?        

Is China real estate the next big bubble? Has McDonald's found a healthy way to consumers' pocketbooks? Are Avon consumers really bothered by the company's declining margins? And should Romania really be taxing witches?