Investment Figures of the Week

Investment Figures of the Week

COMMENTARY

Close but no cigar: The Dow Jones industrial average nearly hit 4000 on Feb. 15, but profit taking set in. Still, the Dow closed at 3986, which beats the previous record high of 3978 set in early 1994. Strong corporate profits, good news on inflation, and a rally in the bond market combined to bolster stocks. No doubt, the Dow will take another stab at the millennial mark. One potential problem is the further deterioration south of the border: The peso slid an additional 10%, and Mexican stocks lost over 7%.

MARKET ANALYSIS

% change

U.S. STOCKS Latest Week 52-week

DOW JONES INDUSTRIALS 3986.2 1.3 1.2

MIDSIZE COMPANIES (S&P MidCap Index) 178.8 0.9 -1.3

SMALL COMPANIES (Russell 2000) 257.5 1.5 -3.2

ALL COMPANIES (Russell 3000) 277.7 0.8 1.5

% change (local currency)

FOREIGN STOCKS Latest Week 52-week

LONDON (FINANCIAL TIMES 100) 3074.9 0.1 -10.0

TOKYO (NIKKEI INDEX) 17,991.0 -1.6 -5.6

TORONTO (TSE COMPOSITE) 4125.2 0.5 -6.8

FUNDAMENTALS Latest Week ago Year ago

90-DAY TREASURY BILL YIELD 5.88% 5.89% 3.34%

30-YEAR TREASURY BOND YIELD 7.56% 7.64% 6.46%

S&P 500 DIVIDEND YIELD 2.68% 2.69% 2.52%

S&P 500 PRICE/EARNINGS RATIO 16.2 16.4 21.7

TECHNICAL INDICATORS Latest Week ago Reading

S&P 500 200-day moving average 460.5 459.8 Positive

Stocks above 200-day moving average 52.0% 51.0%r Neutral

Speculative sentiment: Put/call ratio 0.60 0.59r Neutral

Insider sentiment: Vickers

sell/buy ratio 0.76 0.84 Positive

INDUSTRY GROUPS BLOOMBERG FINANCIAL MARKETS

% change % change

4- 52- Strongest stock 4- 52-

FOUR-WEEK LEADERS week week in group week week Price

1 RESTAURANTS 13.8 8.3 McDONALD'S 15.8 11.3 33 7/8

2 TOYS 11.4 4.7 HASBRO 13.1 -6.2 32 3/8

3 ENTERTAINMENT 10.3 8.0 WALT DISNEY 12.6 14.4 52 1/2

4 DEFENSE ELECTRONICS 8.6 -2.8 LORAL 11.2 4.7 42 1/8

5 MANUFACTURED HOUSING 8.5 -15.2 FLEETWOOD ENTERPRISES 10.8 -13.2 20 1/2

% change % change

4- 52- Weakest stock 4- 52-

FOUR-WEEK LAGGARDS week week in group week week Price

1 STEEL -9.9 -13.5 INLAND STEEL INDUSTRIES -14.0 -15.0 29 7/8

2 AUTOMOBILES -8.0 -27.5 CHRYSLER -13.1 -22.5 45 3/4

3 HEAVY-DUTY TRUCKS -7.5 -23.3 EATON -10.8 -21.6 46 3/8

4 GOLD MINING -6.8 -22.5 SANTA FE PACIFIC GOLD -13.7 NA 10 1/4

5 ALUMINUM -6.6 5.6 ALCOA -9.3 3.5 80 7/8

MUTUAL FUNDS MORNINGSTAR INC.

LEADERS LAGGARDS

Four-week total return % Four-week total return %

1 GUINNESS FLIGHT WRIGHT EQUIFUND-MEXICO

CHINA & HONG KONG 10.9 NATL.FID.EQTY. -13.8

2 PERKINS OPPORTUNITY 9.5 MORGAN STANLEY LATIN AMERICAN A -13.8

3 FIDELITY SELECT BT INVESTMENT

BIOTECHNOLOGY 8.9 LATIN AMERICAN EQUITY -13.7

52-week total return % 52-week total return %

1 SELIGMAN COMMUNICATIONS MONITREND

& INFORM. A 31.9 GOLD -53.0

2 GOVETT SMALLER TCW/DW LATIN

COMPANIES 28.8 AMERICAN GROWTH -45.1

3 FIDELITY SELECT FIDELITY

HEALTH CARE 28.4 LATIN AMERICA -44.6

Four-week total return

52-week total return

RELATIVE PORTFOLIOS DRI/McGRAW-HILL

Dollar amounts represent the present value of $10,000 invested one year ago in each portfolio

Percentages indicate five-day total returns

U.S. stocks Money market fund Foreign stocks Gold Treasury bonds