IBM’s numbers looked very good. Intel’s the ugly one because the worry is many investors are expecting higher corporate spending to offset potential weakness in consumer spending.

We’re seeing global rate increases, which is having an impact on global bonds and that affects stocks here. American investors are becoming more concerned about how higher rates will affect consumer spending.

The worry with Intel is many investors are expecting higher corporate spending to offset potential weakness in consumer spending for GDP growth this year.

It looks like a lot of investors made quarter-end adjustments yesterday as they put cash to use at the quarter’s end. Today it seems like the economic news wasn’t particularly surprising and the energy markets...

Investors are very concerned about future earnings, even more so than usual. That kind of slowdown in GDP growth, along with some of the lower guidance we’ve seen from companies, is going to have people...

This is hugely positive for the market tomorrow — two bellwether companies reporting big upside surprises in a market where people are heavily short and pessimistic.

Good news out of ‘mega-cap’ companies like Exxon and Wal-Mart is clearly a positive for the market.

In light of Intel’s very disappointing earnings, it makes IBM’s numbers look that much better and makes it look like a possible safe haven for tech investors.

The big picture is that the economy is accelerating and we live in a consumer-driven economy. It seems pretty obvious what the best way is to play this.

You can call this the good, the bad and the ugly.

Investors are becoming more concerned about how higher rates will affect consumer spending. The market can’t move higher with this threat of rate hikes and inflation hanging over its head.

The Consumer Price Index came in ‘in line’ with expectations, which calmed investors. And the Fed commented that they’re not particularly concerned about inflation and that they don’t seem to be any more aggressive in...

I think the market will continue to rally as the economic data continues to improve.

Bottom line, the consumer is extremely healthy and sentiment is good. I believe they will be spending heavily this year, and that December retail sales will beat expectations.

Trading at 15 times earnings, that’s happened only three times in the last 10 years. Later in those same years, stocks moved up to 20 times earnings. This time around, interest rates are lower and...

It looks like each underlying division was very strong, especially the closely watched imaging division, which is the key to the valuation of the company. In addition, overall margins were better.

People are probably taking a wait-and-see approach before the Fed, and the market’s taking a breather after last week.

The No. 1 driver for equities is corporate profit growth. Inflation is subdued, which suggests higher energy prices are not trickling through.