While catching up on the news is merely depressing to the citizen who has no stocks, it is a dangerous habit for the investor. - Peter Lynch

One reason bonds are so popular is that elderly people have most of the money in this country, and elderly people tend to live off interest.

One obvious sell signal is that inventories are building up and the company can’t get rid of them, which means lower prices and lower profits down the road. I always pay attention to rising inventories. When the parking lot is full of ingots, it’s certainly time to sell the cyclical. In fact, you may be a little late.

If you can follow only one bit of data, follow the earnings — assuming the company in question has earnings. As you’ll see in this text, I subscribe to the crusty notion that sooner or later earnings make or break an investment in equities. What the stock price does today, tomorrow, or next week is only a distraction.