Archive for January, 2008
January 30, 2008 4:08PM
By Cheryl Casone
I cover the markets, I watch the numbers all day, I talk to people who make their living making bets. Today Bruce Weinstein (The Ethics Guy) came on the show to explain that gambling at work is not ethical, and shouldn’t happen.
I had several problems with this argument, which you can see in the video of the segment, which should be to the right. The office pool is fun and that twenty bucks I may lose on this Sunday’s game is worth it, not for the money, but for the camaraderie. We play games, we tell jokes, we act stupid, and it’s a good thing. Everyone needs a break. Bruce says we are at work to work and that should be it. He compares gambling at work to sex at work. I called him out on that one! Again, watch the video!

Last week I bet someone here the Dow would close the day in the red after the Asian market tumble, my colleague said we would end positive. I was right, and I won that bet. That colleague will be taking me to dinner at a local Cuban place. It made the ugly, painful, panicked market day, into something that stung just a little less.
Luckily, Charles Massimo and Michael Schulman were there to add their two cents. It was actually their FIFTY cents, and at one point I was laughing off camera so hard, they didn’t take my camera. Bruce has great writing, and he’s fun to have on, even though I rarely agree with the guy. His column is featured in Business Week if you are interested.
January 30, 2008 3:37PM
By Cheryl Casone
We had Hedy Manon from Dallas on the show this morning. She runs her own company that of course has her name on it! She spent years in the fashion industry, and realized she could do much better selling clothing and accessories for pampered dogs. I know people laugh a little at first, but at least here in New York, dog accessories like sweaters, booties, and strollers are very popular. New Yorkers don’t even bat an eye when someone walks through Central Park with their dog in a stroller.
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January 29, 2008 3:02PM
By Cheryl Casone
One industry that has shown five consecutive years of growth is the RV business. With the dollar in the toilet, it makes sense that Americans would want to travel in their own backyard. But in 2007, there was a slight sales decline, just as we’ve seen in the housing market. Richard Coon, RVIA’s chief spokesman joined us today on the show, and he brought along a 43-foot long RV from Newmar, a Class A motor-home.

It’s a 14 billion dollar industry that showed record revenues in 2006. Go to their website, www.gorving.com for more industry specs. I really want to thank Tim Gearhart from Newmar Corporation, who drove this monster into New York from Indiana. Our booker Marissa and Elaine (who did such a great job on this segment) said they could barely breathe while the RVIA team tried to park it on 48th street next to FBN. You can guess how New York drivers feel about a street being blocked! Oy.
This thing has three beds, two bathrooms, two full kitchens, an ice machine, and a full size grill. It is gigantic! Here’s another pic of myself and Tim Gearhart…. Read More
January 28, 2008 2:37PM
By Cheryl Casone
Tonight is the State of the Union with President Bush. Neil will be anchoring live, and we’ll have Asian market data, oil and gold prices on the screen as he speaks then some post-game analysis. Can’t wait.
Last year, during his State of the Union, President Bush said the word “economy” eight times. I have a sneaking suspicion we will hear that word many more times tonight so I took the pulse of our panel, and here are their predictions:
Adam Shapiro (Shaps) 16 James Laybenthal 20 and Clint Greenleaf predicts 25.
Tune in tomorrow, and we’ll use the Price is Right formula here. Whomever is closest without going over…wins!
CC
January 25, 2008 6:40AM
By Cheryl Casone

I asked him if he wouldn’t mind hitting the bell at the NYSE again, we could use another 300 point gain. He said he’d hit it ten times if that’s what it took!
January 24, 2008 3:58PM
By Cheryl Casone
I’m about to walk over to Neil’s FNC show for a quick hit (as in my daily Neil Cavuto fix). The piece I am doing for him might be of interest to you web surfers during this crack cocaine week of stock trading:
“ACCORDING TO TRIM TABS, NERVOUS INDIVIDUALS HAVE PULLED ABOUT FORTY ONE BILLION DOLLARS OUT OF THEIR MUTUAL FUNDS IN THE LAST THREE WEEKS. YOU THINK YOU DODGED A BULLET, BUT WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THE MARKET REBOUNDS AND YOU MISS IT…..WHICH YOU MOST LIKELY WILL.
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January 24, 2008 6:38AM
By Cheryl Casone
What an amazing close yesterday at the NYSE. Maybe it was the megwatt country music star who rang the bell? John Rich of Big and Rich was on the platform. We did see an escalation in buying during the final hour, in fact, it was a feeding frenzy.
John Rich is on the show today, talking about cashing in on country music. We’ll have the interview posted here later today!
CC
January 23, 2008 4:42PM
By Cheryl Casone
Some live for days like these, and others just want to hide their money in their mattress. You know what category I am in, but I’ve seen so many days like this before, I guess I am somewhat immune. This is why percentages are so important.
Do you know what percentages your portfolio is in right now? Do you have emerging markets, small cap, mid cap, and large? The more spread out you are through different groups, the more protected you will be. We are going into a few months of “extreme” volatility. If you are prone to vomiting on circus rides, this is your dramamine.
Also…..there are two separate events happening right now, one in Washington and one in New York. Stocks are searching for a bottom, and I don’t think they’ve found it. For now until they can show us something concrete, the equity market is ignoring the events in Washington. Yes, the Bernanke rate cut made a difference, but it was a quick shot of Tequila, and we are ready for AA.
The sober option? Pick the percentages, and stick with them for the next four to six months. More tomorrow…..
January 22, 2008 6:09PM
By Cheryl Casone
The great thing about working in television, especially in New York, for the most part is access. I am a big fan of Muriel Siebert. First woman on the exchange, she has got some attitude, and I love that. She’s someone I want to book. (we’ve had her on FBN so I’m waiting awhile to have her back.)
That’s the point, we have great guests, and we can usually get the kinds of people that you want to talk to. That’s what I’m looking for here. We have a “Coming Up” section on this blog. Each day, we’ll tell you who we have on tap. So what questions do you want us to ask? The “on tap” I guess belongs to Go Go and Happy Hour, but I’ll steal the phrase for now.
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January 22, 2008 6:05PM
By Cheryl Casone
I like shoes. Mostly black and brown, but I have a few pairs of gold sandals I wear. Oh, and my favorite winter boots, knee high black suede boots from Nine West. They were fifty bucks on sale and since they are pretty smoking, I feel like I’m still following “The Rules” of New York City.
Yes, there are rules, and I really want to talk to the person who made them up. Rule number one, because of a certain television show, is that many New York women feel that spending 500 dollars on a pair of shoes is ok. Yes, America, that is not uncommon in Manhattan.
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