I think that domestic or Canadian oils are going to be the place to be if there is a 9/11 type of thing in the Middle East OIl fields (God forbid). I like SU if you don't care about dividends. It is a play on the Alberta Basin oil shale. They can get oil out of shale for about $10 a barrel. If you like a big dividend (which I do) there is PWI and PGH. They just paid off big time dividends and are still going up, which is unusual. They pay 13 to 14% dividends but not very secure. But, if you really want both, take a look at PTF (Amex). Pays 12% dividends and has almost doubled this year and still has a PE under 16!! Not too shaby, huh?

 
I also LOVE PTR. I have owned it for over a year. Check out the chart. It combines my two loves (investment wise), oil and China. When I bought it, it was paying like a 9% dividend. But it has gone up so much, that the dividend is now about 4.6 %. I think the Chinese may raise it.

 
PFE and ACAS both seem to be on the move. I don't know much about ACAS except their resurection of Piper seems to be working out well. PFE is THE best pharmaceutical company, at least the big guys and is just now getting out from the debt burden of buying Pharmacia-Upjohn last year making them the 800 pound gorilla in the group. A lot of their new drugs should be getting approved. The new impotance drugs have been poorly advertised and most people only know of Viagra, so far. Are they forming some kind of a handle?

 
PS on MMP. Insiders have been buying away.

 
One of my favorites took a bit of a dive today. MMP. Transportation of oil and gas. Huge pipeline system. Over 6000 miles. Just watch the gauges and collect the money. Check the chart for 03, like a rocket. I think a few big guys bailed out, and it's a buying opp. But I dould be wrong. Used to be Williams Pipeline. Pays a nice 6+% dividend as well. It is called a limited gas and oil partnership and I guess they do have some of each, but it is mainly transporting the stuff. I think a buying opp.

 
Most steel companies here in the us will fell a little pressure. USSteel, Nucor, even the new one in Granite City - can't remember the name. The tariffs effected everything from raw steel to specialty items so it is broad. It will work itself out as usual. I have clients who get calls from China, India, ect. where they are soliciting my job of drafting out of the country. I even know a guy who opened a drafting shop in Tiawan (sp?) because he can get the same workforce for pennies on the dollar. I am counting on the language barrier and the time difference. Are you retired now, Tom? Put Options? How is TC2000 going?

 
But what about the put options?

 
Personally, I think the stock of the '00 years will be oils. As China comes on stream the demand is going to grow expotentally. Tom has a point about markets eventually leaving small caps and moving into large caps. But it usually happens at the late middle to top of a run. Then at the end there is a 'flight to quality' as the rats desert the ship. The flight seldom saves anyone's bacon. Is this a temporary top? Feels like it to me. Stocks that are down are going down further with end of year tax selling. Stocks that are up are peeling off their tops as end of the year profit taking comes into play. I am left with once again not having any more idea of what the market is doing then those talking heads on CNBC. Thus, I am left with the only option remaining - pick individual stocks, don't get to many irons into the fire, and pay attention to TC2000.

 
You can't tell me that Japan and Europe can make steel any cheaper than the US and ship it over here. China, Korea, yes. Japanese and European steel companies are being subsidized by their governments to screw our companies.

 
They closed BRSIX. If you got in you still can buy. If you didn't what the hell, microcaps may have shot their wad anyway. This is one of the first closures I have seen in this bull market.
Andy which steel company would you advise as to being the worst? Maybe we could buy put options in it.