[This sentiment report] bodes well for consumer spending, … It probably justifies a bit more the market rally.

I think, … that Pfizer is going to benefit from their merger with Warner-Lambert. I think that makes a very good deal. But most pharmaceutical companies do eventually strike deals with biotech companies in terms...

The next three percent move for the S&P could be up, and that would take us to important resistance levels. The question is what is the bias beyond that, what is the next five percent...

It’s going to be push-pull this week, … Will earnings be strong and drive the Dow to 12,000, or will higher rates work to push the Dow lower?

This market has got problems and it’s got earnings problems and it has not discounted yet. You have to expect to be bombarded every day by more earnings warnings in technology.

Earnings are coming in better than expected, and they’re helping the market preserve the rally, but the overriding concern to me is high energy prices and what the Fed is doing.

The market has got to find a catalyst. The only catalyst out there is earnings.

This almost assures the fact that we’ll see an interest rate hike in November,

This is a time to be very diversified and avoid taking chances. Sometimes being a spectator is not a bad idea.

There is a fear that we’ll have a negative surprise and inflationary fears are keeping people on the sidelines, … There’s no real great impetus out there to drive the market.

The bias still seems to be to the upside. Buyers are optimistic and see the long-term side of the market. The downward pressure now is not that great. The money flow has just been too...

Next week’s retail sales numbers and inflation numbers are going to be some key statistics to give us a little bit more input into where the Fed stands.

The market is waiting to see the earnings because that is your first catalyst in the market that can possibly dispel the slower-than-expected growth that the market is anticipating. The market is very split today....

The dreaded whisper number — that’s Wall Street for you. This is day-to-day noise. Normal profit taking in the technology area can be considered to be 20 percent to 30 percent moves.

It’s time to start anticipating a recovery. Buy on weakness and look at tech because I think there will be some good stories later in the year ? the time to be fearful of another...

With McDonald’s you get a minor dividend of 1 percent and right now, where it’s trading, around a 13, 14 price-to-earnings ratio, it is very reasonable, … A little bit below the S&P average at...

What will frame investor decision-making in August is going to be totally Fed-driven. We’ve gotten the anecdotal comments from Mr. Greenspan that we can achieve a slower growth landing but we now have to see...

Net-net, the commentary was positive – I liked the productivity understanding.

Any conglomerate is going to come under question.

The catalyst here is going to be patience. We’re in a bear market.

The market is operating under a little bit of a caution flag here, with energy prices way too high and a fourth quarter starting to show a slowing earnings trend.

The market is still looking on the tech sector in general as one of the sectors that has not been damaged by the hurricane. It’s one of the sectors that has continued to perform well...

I believe that the future of McDonald’s is going to be their international growth. Let’s not forget what President Bush is trying to do in Russia. Russia eventually is going to have to be our...

I look at a market here that is going to continue to be impacted by rates going higher, … and I think it’s heading into one of those post-earnings periods where it meanders. It’s hard...

I think next week has another opportunity to be another good week.

We need some inference from the Fed that interest rates beyond June are in doubt,

Anything that shows the economy is slowing will be taken very well by the market. But the Fed is still out there and I don’t think we should get used to the (idea) the Fed...

A worse-than-expected number tomorrow will discount what happened this week. If we get an inflationary number, the market will go down, but I think it all clears up by mid-June.

I think we are still in a consolidation period, … and I think we can’t afford to overlook the impact of the economic news on the market. You had a retail sales number this morning...

I like Wells Fargo. Super regional bank, great earnings growth, around 13-14 percent year over year. They just got past their 1 millionth on-line investor, and I want to have a super regional bank or...

You have to ignore that because they’re of course going to be bad, … You have to look at earnings potential, and cyclicality stocks, I’ll go for International Paper.

This perception creates a negative opinion on Wall Street. But over time, it will help the equity markets because it is reflexive of a better earnings picture.

If you have a portfolio that is abundant [in the sector], I would say you probably want to diversify, … If you’re underweight in the sector, bear through the tough times ahead.

It was exactly what Wall Street thought, … The wording was exact — no hike, sees inflation risk ahead, recent data shows moderating slowdown is still tentative and preliminary, and leaves open (a) rate hike...

We have an aggressive Fed and an aggressive Justice Department thinking perhaps that all things technological, that have a dominant share of the market, could be considered anti-competitive.

(The GDP) doesn’t justify the slower earnings picture later in the year, … There’s a little bit of saving grace in there because we’re seeing a strong economy still with no dramatic inflationary prospects.

Now we’re going to see more pressure on the bond market and an already stressed equity market. There’s a lot of concern and we’re seeing some defensive investing. This number shows that the Fed will...

They’re (investors) looking for the Fed to be absolutely aggressive and see the economy as slow as can be and to be measured in terms of understanding how important the consumer is at this point....

The financial stocks, which could be a good indication of interest rate sentiment, are up. You want to see the real interest rate sensitive stocks participate.

You have to be careful. There are not many sectors that are doing well out there. This is a slowing economy. People are looking for security of earnings. That means you go toward drug stocks...

All eyes will be on Microsoft to see where they come out based on the Goldman (Sachs) downgrading.

A lot of money left the sector last week over concerns that valuations were just too high. But there’s still a lot of interest in technology.

There’s a little nervousness in the air regarding heightened geopolitical news. The rhetoric from Iran is not helping.

This puts 5.25% on the fed funds rate back on the table. It’s not the job of anyone to interpret what a market’s reaction to a comment will be. This has added volatility on a...

The market is going to continue to be buffeted by this political story that doesn’t go away. If we can get past that, hopefully the market will react positively to the end of a process.

Either people are going to reposition away from technology and seek a home in the migration away from technology, which is why you have other sectors moving, … For those who are tech players, it’s...

Without any major tech stories, the economic numbers are going to take center stage, … It started on Friday with the first peek at the GDP (gross domestic product) for the first quarter.

Intel was generally positive, but I think the stock had run up into the meeting, so that’s why you’re not seeing much reaction.

It’s going to be another confidence building story the closer we get to the Fed meeting. I believe that the unemployment rate and the NAPM numbers will be the key numbers.

The Nasdaq is a different ball game. It’s not a credit-sensitive sector.