Bridget's Best Picks

My team's stock portfolio made a capital gain of $794.78. The stock that increased in value the most was our Lions Gate stock, rising $316. It would've risen $988 if we had taken it out 1 week earlier, though. Our other good stock choice was Apple, and it rose by $248. These were good stock choices, as they steadily increased over time and made us a significant profit. In my opinion, this investment was a good decision overall, for we almost made $1000. Even though the stock market is risky, investing in it can be a worthwhile endeavor, provided you know what you're doing. If I had $5000 to invest, I would most likely put some of it in a savings account, and some of it in the stock market. There's always a chance I could lose all of my money, but if I have some of it in a bank, then at least I'll have a small sum of money to use as backup if my investments fail me. On the other hand, if the stock market is doing well, I could gain a large profit indeed.

Becky's Bits of Financial Wizardry

My team's stock portfolio made a capital gain of about 794 dollars. Our biggest helper was our shares in Lions Gate, which had risen about $316 from the time we started, though we would've gained $988 dollars if we had stopped a week earlier. Our two best stock choices were Lions Gate and Apple, and these both increased somewhere around the three-hundred dollar range. In my opinion, though the stock market is always risky, this was a good experience, and my team made overall intelligent choices. Based upon my understanding of the stock market, if I had $5,000 to invest, I would probably split it evenly and put half in the stock market and half in the bank, where it is safe. The stock market is a very risky business, but if it is doing well I could make a large profit.

Becka: The Investor's view

My stock portfolio made a capitol gain; I started with $9054.55 and ended with $9621.00. My profit was $575.45. Prada S.P.A., Genesco Inc., and Oil and Natural Gas Corp. limited were the best performing in my portfolio, because they made the most profit. It could have been a better investment but I think that a profit of $575.45 is a big profit for a kid. If I got $5000 I would invest some in stock but would do a little more research, I would also put some in a bank account.

Jonathan's e-trade wisdom

I made a capital gain because out of all my stocks I made money except for BMW. BMW lost a little less then the money I started out with. Apple and eBay, I choose these because Apple never went down and kept rising. I chose eBay because they are going strong and eBay made the most money out of all my stocks. I thought my decision was wise because I made money. I made 1932.42 dollars.

Rachel's Brilliant Wall Street Week

My Stock portfolio made a capital gain every week. An example is like Apple. The first week I made 514.25 per share. The second week I made 544.47 per share. The third week I made 552 per share. Last but not least the forth week I made 601.10 per share.
The two best performing stocks that I think made a lot was Amazon and Lions gate. The reason that I picked those is because every week they went up. They never went down for me it just kept going higher and higher and that makes me happy.

Yes, I think it was a wise investment. I thought it was a good decision because to make money you have to risk your money and thatÆs just what I did and I made money some weeks and some I didn't.

Connor's Investment in Hunger (Games)

My team made a capital gain every week and in every stock. With the apple stock it started at $514.85 and at the end it was worth $601.10.

My two best stocks were Chipotle and Apple. They both went up a considerable amount Chipotle's price per share when I bought was $383.58 and ended $412.76. I bought Apple at $514.85 and ended at $601.10

In my opinion I think my team $10,000 investment because all of my stock is going up at a steady rate. I made a considerable amount of money on my investments so I'm pleased.

If I had another $5,000 I would probably invest in Lions Gate because of the Hunger Games movie. I did reasonably well last time so I would most definitely take the risk.

Carolyn's NYSE worthy observations

My stock portfolio made a capital gain altogether. My stocks, consisting of Ebay, Verizon, Apple, Chipotle Mexican Grill, and Taco Bell all increased in value since the date they were purchased. The stocks made a total growth of $751.02 in four weeks and increased in value.

Two of my best performing stocks were Apple and Chipotle Mexican Grill. These two stocks increased in value the most. Apple showed a growth of $249.36 and Chipotle Mexican Grill increased in value by $141.50. These two stocks grew the most in four weeks and never decreased in value under my watch.

In my opinion, my $10,000 investment was a wise decision. All of my stocks increased in value and I made a total of $751.02. I think that the stocks that were invested in were a good choice because they seem to be stable companies worth investing in.
If I had $5,000 and I could either put the entire amount in my savings account, or invest it into the stock market, I would invest it into the stock market. The stock market can make you money and it usually takes money to make money, even though it involves risk. I think that if I invest my money well and wisely, in the end it will hopefully be worth it and a capital gain will occur.

Max's view from the trees

My stocks that I invested in this quarter went up since the 1st day. My stocks were Chipotle, Apple, Nike, Wal-Mart, and Amazon. In the beginning most of my stocks went up. Mid-way through they went down. In the end all my stocks had gone up. The stock that went up the most was Apple.

Nick P's Summary Genius

I made a capital gain from my stocks because all of my stocks increased in value. My Apple, Chipotle, eBay, Wal-Mart, and Amazon stocks all went increasingly up in value to make me more money than I spent on the original stocks that I bought.
My two best stocks were Apple and eBay. They were my best stocks because they went extremely high up in value. eBay made about $300 dollars more than I bought it for and Apple made about $200 dollars more than I bought the stock for.
Yes, the $10,000 investment was a wise economic decision because all the stocks that I bought increased in value and made me money. If I sold the stocks now I would make nearly $1,000 more than what I had when I bought the original stocks.

John's View: Getting the Sling of it in the Stock Market

My portfolio, which included stocks such as Apple, Verizon, Navarre, Lion's Gate Entertainment, and Dish network, did very well. I started at $9,399.19 total worth and ended at $11,048.43, for a total gain in the four weeks of $1,649.24.

Lion's Gate and Navarre were the highest gainers, with LionÆs gate starting at $9.16 per share and ended at $13.86/share and Navarre starting at $1.67/share and ending at $1.84, but a high volume of stock was purchased. Lions Gate stock most likely went up because of the new Hunger Games movie, and the massive amount of advance ticket sales.

Overall, I think my investment was a wise investment. Most of the stock rose at a steady rate throughout the four weeks. One of the wise decisions I made was investing in Lion's Gate, knowing based on my classmateÆs/teachers hysteria that the movie would do very well.

If I was given $5,000 right now, I would probably invest about half of it into Apple and Lion's Gate stocks, with the idea that I would sell LionÆs Gate when the hype died down unless they came out with another great film. I would put the other half in my savings account because the stock market can be unpredictable.

Vincent's Quick Tips

Thought all four weeks I lost $51.63. The best performing stocks were apple and eBay. My $10000 investment was not a good economic decision. If I had $5000 I would invest in apple because that was the best stock that I invested in.

Nick V's Stock picks

My team's stock portfolio made a capital gain because the total portfolio value is at 10,000 and it went up a lot.

Some of the best choices I made could be Apple or Chipotle Mexican Grill. They would be the best choice.It was a wise decision because the stock went up and so there wasn't a problem. I gained money and that is what it is all about when you buy a stock.

Given some money to invest, I would probably invest the 5,000 dollars in the Apple and Chipotle Mexican Grill stock because I trust that they wonÆt go down but go up. Apple is one the choices that I find the best choice for my stock.

Sami's Stocks

My stocks made a capital gain pretty much every week except for Navarre corporation stock on week four it went down four cents but other than that everything is going great.
My apple stock did very well it went up about $ 20.00 or more every week, and my Yum! Brands inc. did the second best with the rising of about $ 2.00 every week.
In my opinion I think my team investment of $ 10,000 was a wise economic decision because we made a fair amount of money over the four weeks.

Coonor B: Sketchers and Reality Stars

The Sketchers trade of Kim Kardashian for a dog that will race faster dogs then itself with sketchers shoes on and win. In my opinion this will affect the business greatly. It says in the article that before they had her doing their commercials they only had 100,000 fans on their facebook web page. When they hired her they had 400,000 fans. Since they switched to using a French bulldog and a couple of grey hounds for the commercial animal activists have been complaining about animal cruelty. They say the dogs shouldnÆt be put in cages, while they are being kept in the largest cages in the country. This decision may have a large affect on the economy for the reasons being, that people may not buy as many shoes which would decrease the amount of money Sketchers gets. If Sketchers doesnÆt get that money they may not give as many donations to charities or give higher wages to employees. Then the employees would not be able to spend that money and that decrease the flow of money going around in the economy.

Carolyn on Etsy

Etsy is a website where you can purchase artwork online and it includes a blogging service. Etsy was established by Ashley G. and Drew as a business to support themselves. Yes, I do believe that the website has an impact on the United States economy, but I don't think it will turn it all around. This website is all handmade items that are sold online, so the shipping companies are benefitting greatly, but people don't necessarily have to go to stores for artwork anymore, so they may be hurting. I believe that the business of Etsy will make a very small impact on the United States economy.

Jonathon: Fly-Low Skiing Flies high

Fly low skiing gear is new equipment for backcountry skiers. Fly low is helping the economy a lot. This new evolution in ski equipment has boosted the ski industry to four point five billion dollars. Their snow pants and coats are triple layered for extra protection and durability. This new company has employed six full time workers and six part time workers. Fly low skiing gear has helped tremendously in the economy.

Bridget: Scarves that didn't make it

Leslie Singer had an ambition to start her own designer accessory line, but despite her determination, something went wrong. Big companies and stores said since she was new, they couldn't take the risk of buying large quantities of scarves from her because they weren't sure they would sell. They also wanted her to redesign her collection to match that year's trends, for example, in green or leopard print, but she felt that compromised her vision. Singer was successful, however, with smaller boutiques. Simply getting small orders of no more than a couple dozen scarves at a time, though, wasn't enough. She did learn her lesson, however, by admitting that she failed to do her homework on large-volume fashion retail. She never looked at the retailer side, how they buy, how they decide, etc. Maybe if she tries a different approach, and gains the appropriate funds, she can try again and be more successful.

Jack: Subscription underwear?

Man Packs is a company that has a monthly subscription for underwear. This idea is catching the attention of entrepreneurs, investors, and mass media companies such as Maxim and The New York Times. The question everyone is asking about this company is, "Will it have a large effect on the economy of The United States?" The idea of a subscription for underwear is very refreshing and clever. However I do not believe this will turn around the American economy. I believe this due to Man Packs financial set-up. At the moment, Man Packs does not have enough money to get their brand out and set up attention grabbing ad campaigns. Without ads people will not have reclamation of Man Packs. I also believe this product will not succeed in the American Economy because Man Packs target is men who do not buy underwear regularly. Men paying every month for something they do not feel they need would not make sense from an economic stance. Even if Man Packs did impact the economy, it would surely tank. I make this prediction because after a few months the subscribers would feel they had too much underwear, causing them to cancel.
Man Packs is an original idea that could make a few people wealthy but will not work in the economy right now. Maybe if Man Packs started a diaper subscription they could make more money due to the greater need and demand with a baby. Typically men do not like to waste money on things they do not need, so until men feel they need new pairs of underwear per month, Man Packs will not make an effect on the American Economy.

Nick V: iphone apps in education

This article is about Iphone apps and how it can effect our economy. Here's how. Iphone apps are useful for the economy because you can learn and have fun while your doing it.
Some Iphone apps can be classified as games, but many are useful. Educational games such as "Monster Trucks" by Lynette Mattke can be good for little kids and they can have fun while they learn how to read. Iphone apps are very important and will certainly boost the economy.

John W: Seven Steps to Success for Bootstrappers

The seven easy steps to success are: getting close to your customers, make clients pay up front, finding the "free lunch," forget stealth mode, become an expert, ask for help, and be patient.
Getting close to your customers and making them pay up front: these two steps are simple. Getting close to your customers is having your own stores and not having entrepreneurs supply established retailers. This helps promote your product the way you want. Making clients pay up front is important because the key to survival is money flow, not growth.
Looking for the "free lunch" is finding something just as good as 'big name" things for a fraction of the price. Forgetting stealth mode is getting to customers quickly, adapting to what you have and giving it another try. Saying this, you need to find out what the customers want.
Becoming an expert is just how it sounds, know your product. It is important to know your stuff to show that you can compete with the larger competitors.
Ask for help. Don't be too embarrassed to ask for help. Being patient is to not worry that you're taking it too slowly. Just keep letting your business grow.
Follow these seven steps to have success in your business.

Vincent: DVD sales slide, but blu-ray grows

This article talks about DVD sales falling and blu-ray sales growing. DVDs are things that play movies. Blu-ray discs play movies also. You may ask what the difference is. The difference is DVDs aren't HD quality. Blu-ray discs are HD; that means movies look better. This will affect the economy because DVD sales will go down even more and they will become old and no one will make them any more. People want better looking movies because they have HD TVs. I think blu-ray is better-- do you think that also?

Nick P: New Products in 2012

My article was about 10 new consumer products that will be hitting the markets in 2012. The new products are Tide Pods, Dulce de Leche Cheerios, V8 V-Fusion+Energy, Orville Redenbacher's Popcorn Flavors, Kashi Frozen Steam Meals, Suave Professionals Keratin Infusion 30 Day Smoothing Kits, Kraft Sizzling Salads Dinner Kits, MyKleenexTissue 2.0, SC Johnson's All-in-One cleaner, and Orabrush Tongue Foam.
The Tide Pods were made to help reduce the mess of pouring laundry detergent into washing machines. The way Tide Pods work is that you just throw them into the washing machine with your laundry. The Pods are filled with cleaning, stain-fighting, and brightening detergents. Tide hopes the Tide Pods will change the way America does laundry.
Dulce de Leche Cheerios, or Sweet Milk Cheerios, are made by General Mills and target the Hispanic market and Latin America. Dulce de Leche Cheerios are a caramel-flavored cereal, a first of its kind.
The V8 juice brand is adding a new drink to its production lines. V8 V-Fusion+Energy drinks get the Energy from natural green tea. The new drink is coming out according to a recent study. According to the study, every 2 out of 3 people complain that they don't have enough energy, but 40% of people don't believe energy drinks are good for you. The executives of the V8 juice brand saw this as a good opportunity to release their new drink.
Orville Redenbacher's Popcorn Flavors are a variety of different shake-on flavors that people can choose to put on their popcorn. The flavors include White Cheddar, Extra Cheese, and Salt & Vinegar. Possible upcoming flavors include cinnamon, vanilla, and Tabasco.
Kashi Frozen Steam Meals are the new nutritious meals that can be "cooked" in a microwave in about 5 minutes. The reason for these meals is that Kashi provides healthy and nutritious meals but they took too long to make so now even busy people can eat healthier.
Suave Professionals Keratin Infusion 30 Day Smoothing Kit was created to save women money by not having to go to the salon. The Keratin treatment for hair at salons can cost up to $200, while the Suave Professionals Kit costs $12.50. The product will save women everywhere money on not having to go to the salon.
Kraft Sizzling Salads Dinner Kits are a revolutionary form of TV dinners. The meals are averaged to be about 20 minutes cooking time. The salads are convenient and also healthy.
MyKleenexTissue 2.0 consists of a Kleenex box that can be customized and given as a gift. The customized box will cost between $5.99 and $7.99, while a normal box of Kleenex tissues cost $1.99.
SC Johnson, a company that makes cleaning supplies, is coming out with a new combo cleaning pack called All-in-One. All-in-One will hold Windex, Fantastik, Pledge, Shout, and Scrubbing Bubbles cleaners in it to make cleaning more convenient. All-in-One will cost $2.99, but all the other cleaning components it holds also cost $2.99 per each one.
Orabrush came out with a popular tongue-cleaning brush in 2011. This year, Orabrush is coming out with a new tongue product: Tongue Foam. Orabrush's Tongue Foam uses natural enzymes to rid the mouth of bacteria and bad breath.
These new products will affect America's economy by increasing sales and giving the economy a positive boost. These products will lead to other products that will further our economy more and eventually our economy will be back to what it was before this Depression.

ECON: Third Quarter 2012

Welcome to new installments of Cardinal Numbers! This year's class will be blogging about all sorts of things, but their first post is a classic from the past: what's new? Enjoy their article reviews!
Original Articles appeared in INC. Magazine, Fast & Company, and USA Today.