Path: bloom-picayune.mit.edu!snorkelwacker.mit.edu!news.media.mit.edu!americast.com!americast.com!usa-post Newsgroups: usa-today.invest From: usa-post@AmeriCast.Com Organization: American Cybercasting Approved: usa-post@AmeriCast.com Subject: invest Thu, Jul 16 1992 Date: Thu, 16 Jul 92 05:07:59 EDT Message-ID: 07-16 0000 DECISIONLINE: Energy USA TODAY Update July 16, 1992 Source: USA TODAY:Gannett National Information Network ANALYST LIKES STOCKS IN DUMPS: The time is coming to clean up on environmental stocks, says Bob Farrell, Merrill Lynch's chief market analyst. But companies such as Waste Management and Browning-Ferris Industries have been in the dumper. Tough new regulations make it harder to do business. But those negatives are what Farrell likes. Many seem so undervalued, like Safety-Kleen, that he sees buy opportunities. STURM RUGER SHOOTS UP: Rising gun sales and falling operating costs are giving Sturm Ruger a lift. The gunmaker's stock jumped 2 1:2 to close at $36 3:8 Wednesday after reaching a record $37 1:4. The company said it is raising its regular dividend 67% to $2 a year and will pay a one-time dividend of 40 cents a share. Behind the rise: Manufacturing savings, rising prices and revenue increases. AIRLINE STOCKS UP FOR NOW: Keeping up with airline stocks the past couple of months has been like watching a heart monitor in a hospital room. It's one of the most volatile stock groups around. That happened again Wednesday as stocks jumped in response to price hike news from American. Parent AMR increased 1 3:8 to close at $65 1:2. United parent UAL rose 1 3:4 to close at $116. MUTUAL FUNDS HAVE DISMAL QUARTER: The average stock mutual fund fell 2.6% last quarter, the worst quarterly performance since a 15.2% drop in third-quarter 1990. According to Lipper Analytical Service, the best quarter for stock funds since the 1970s was fourth-quarter 1982, when they were up 20.5%. The worst: Fourth-quarter 1987, when they were down 20.4%. EARNING REPORTS SENT BY FAX: Starting Wednesday, USA TODAY ON DEMAND will fax complete quarterly earnings reports from selected companies as they're released. The cost is $2 per report. A list of all companies whose earnings reports are available will be faxed to users for free by calling 1-800-441-5494. The list is updated daily. Earnings reports are compiled by San Francisco-based Business Wire. MOTORCYCLE INVESTMENT REVS UP: Sounds almost too good to be legal: A collectible that's a sound investment and fun, too. But for a growing number of enthusiasts, collecting vintage motorcycles fits that description exactly. Experts say vintage motorcycles are hot and getting hotter. Thousands are expected for a July 26 auction in Ohio featuring two rare factory-built Indian racing motorcycles from 1926 and 1930. AMERICAN-MADE MODELS ARE HOT: Experts say vintage motorcycles are becoming increasingly popular as investments. U.S.-made motorcycles have attracted the most attention - and have commanded the highest prices. Some models have appreciated more than 10% a year. At one time, more than 200 motorcycle manufacturers existed in the USA. Now, only Harley-Davidson remains in business. BANK CD YIELDS DROP: Bank certificate of deposit yields dropped this week, Bank Rate Monitor says. The average yield on a six-month CD fell to 3.44% from 3.56% a week ago. One-year CD yields slipped .10% to 3.79% from 3.89%; 2 1:2-year yields averaged 4.61% vs. 4.76%; and five-year, 5.84% vs. 5.96%. TRADING DIRECTIONLESS: Stocks dropped Wednesday as forest products and banking stocks pushed the market down. The Dow Jones industrial average dropped 12.97 points to 3345.42. Broader indexes barely moved. Winners beat losers 901 to 797 on the New York Stock Exchange, where volume was 208 million shares. Throughout the day, directionless trading kept traders guessing where stocks are headed. GOLD AND SILVER BOTH UP: Gold and silver prices rose Wednesday. On the Commodity Exchange, gold for current delivery gained $2.90 to $354 per troy ounce. Republic National Bank quoted the metal at $353.15, up $2.55. Gold traded in London at $351.85, up from $350.75. Silver traded in London at $3.95, up from $3.94. On the Comex, silver for current delivery was quoted at $3.940, up from $3.938. DOW JONES OPENS ON UPSWING: The Dow Jones average of 30 industrials opens Thursday at 3345.42 after closing down 12.13 Wednesday. The New York Stock Exchange composite opens at 229.20, down 0.31. The American Stock Exchange market value opens at 386.87, up 0.79. The NASDAQ OTC composite opens at 575.47, up 0.26. DOLLAR OPENS MIXED OVERSEAS: The dollar opens mixed on Thursday. It opens at 0.5200 British pounds, down from 0.5210; 5.0005 French francs, down from 5.0030; 1.4800 German marks, down from 1.4832; and 125.12 Japanese yen, up from 125.05. (As of 3 p.m. Wednesday. Source: First American Bank of New York.) 24-HOUR TELEPHONE INFORMATION: USA TODAY Money Hot Line. 95 cents a minute. 1-900-555-5555. Personal Investing editor: Beth Mann. (1-919-855-3491) Making copies of USA TODAY Update (Copyright, 1992) for further distribution purposes violates federal law. This article is copyright 1992 Gannett News Service. Redistribution to other sites is not permitted except by arrangement with American Cybercasting Corporation. For more information, send-email to usa@AmeriCast.COM