The Lineman: Week Five NFL picks

OK, it is not exactly the big week I was looking for but 3-3 at least has the Lineman heading back in the right direction. But catch a look at the Pick of the Week 3-1 (soon to be 4-1). Good tipping to all. Record: 12-12. Last week 3-3 Pick of the Week: 3-1 PICK OF THE WEEK San Diego Chargers (3-1) at Denver Broncos (1-3) (Chargers minus-4.5) Maybe I am one of those guys who keeps banging his head against the wall but for the second time in three weeks I am backing the Chargers as my sure thing. The Bolts let me down when they failed to cover against the Kansas City Chiefs accounting for my only blemish so far on my Lock of the Week. Could I be zapped again here? Perhaps, but 4.5 points seems seriously thin for a Chargers team. that has avoided its traditional stumbling start and finding is finding its stride as travels to Denver to take on the Broncos, who were beaten like a rented mule last week by the Green Bay Packers. The Broncos play much tougher at Mile High and with the exception of the blowout at Green Bay have kept games close, their other three contests all decided by three points or less. Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers has been a little off target tossing a league high six interceptions but so has Broncos QB Kyle Orton. The difference is, Rivers has the Chargers offense humming averaging a solid 415 yards per game and 313 yards passing. Bolts wide receiver Vincent Jackson has emerged as a serious game breaker averaging 18.7 yards a catch, each one of his grabs going for a touchdown or first down. Running back Ryan Matthews is a double threat out of the backfield with 19 catches. Rivers and company should enjoy a productive day against the Broncos 29th ranked defense that has coughed up nearly 28 points a game. After this game the Chargers have a bye week and should be motivated knowing a win over their AFC West rivals would keep them in top spot in the division until they return to work. So after a Week Three shock, I am re-Charged. Take the Bolts and give up the 4.5. - – - - Seattle Seahawks (1-3) at New York Giants (3-1) (Lines minus-9.5) I very nearly went with the Giants as my lock of the week but I think I actually saw Tom Coughlin smile last week and that, well, it rattled me. Decimated by injuries at the start of the season, the G-Men did not look like they would be a factor in the NFC East but have hung tough and could yet be the class of the division. Giants QB Eli Manning has the mojo going with wide receiver Hakeem Nicks, who had a career day last week hauling in 10 passes for 162 yards and a touchdown in New York’s big comeback win over the Cardinals. The New York defense is still rounding into form but has 12 sacks and should have few problems controlling a lifeless Seattle attack that ranks dead last in total offense. The Seahawks travel about as well as Ms. Lineman who needs valium and chardonnay flying to fly to the coast. Certainly, you will find no “I LUV New York” t-shirts in the Seattle locker room. The Seahawks are 1-6 on trips to the Big Apple and where hammered 44-6 on their last visit in 2008. After opening the season with three-of-four games on the road the surging G-Men return home looking for a fourth straight win. It all means Giant problems for the Seahawks. Take the G-Men and give up the 9.5. - – - - Philadelphia Eagles (1-3) at Buffalo Bills (3-1) (Line Eagles minus-2.5) The Dream may be over for the Eagles but not the season. At least not yet. A loss to the Bills on Sunday, however, and the Eagles could be done – cementing a spot in the over-hyped Hall of Fame. Caught in a three game tailspin, the Eagles are without a doubt this season’s biggest disappointment throwing around big money on the free-agent market and handing quarterback Michael Vick a $100 million contract. A $100 million just does not buy what it used to. Statistically there are no glaring areas of concern. The Eagles offence is averaging a respectable 25 points and 434 yards per game (fourth best in the league). Vick has plenty of weapons and is using them, LeSean McCoy fifth in the league in rushing with Jeremy Maclin and DeSean Jackson among the top pass catchers. The Eagles have given up a lot of points but the their pass defense has been adequate and pass rush is tops in the league with 15 sacks. While the Eagles have been one of the biggest disappointments the Bills have been one of biggest surprises going 3-0 including a magical win over the Patriots. But in a loss to the Bengals last week the Bills were exposed for the team they really are – an improving club still a step away from joining the elite. The Buffalo offense led by Ryan Fitzpatrick can put up oodles of points but their defense is near the bottom of the league yielding more than 400 yards a game. The Eagles have made a habit of giving up big leads, the Bills calling card has been big comebacks. This a one is shaping out as a shootout between Fitzpatrick a Harvard grab and Vick, an ex-con. Street smarts say take the desperate Eagles and give up the 2.5. - – - - New York Jets (2-2) at New England Patriots (3-1) (Line Jets plus-9.5) New York, New York, I’m liking the look of both Big Apple teams this week. This could be the most entertaining game of the week, a grudge match between two teams and coaches who don’t like each other whole bunch. The Pats will be looking for a bit of revenge for the Jets knocking them out of the playoffs last year while the 45-3 beat down the New Englanders laid on the New Yorkers last season will not soon be forgotten. Tom Brady is the top ranked quarterback having already tossed for over 1,500 yards and 13 touchdowns but the Jets own the league’s second ranked pass defense. New England is a bit banged up and could be without players at key positions with linebacker Jerod Mayo, running back Danny Woodhead and tight end Aaron Hernandez all doubtful. But Brady will have plenty of weapons at his disposal including Wes Welker leads the league in receptions (40) and receiving yards (616). The Jets looked horrible losing to the Ravens last week, as quarterback Mark Sanchez was left scrambling for his life. But the New England defense is not nearly as scary as the Ravens and Sanchez should at least have an opportunity to put some points on the board. This one will be decided by the Jets defense. Rex Ryan will blitz Brady all day hoping to force him into making mistakes. Hey, it could happen, he threw four interceptions against the Bills. Brady has won 29 consecutive games at home but not only do I think the Jets cover, I think they could pull the upset here. Jets shoot down Pats? Maybe. But they will cover. Take the Jets and the 9.5. - – - - New Orleans Saints (3-1) at Carolina Panthers (1-3) (Line Saints minus-3.5) I can admit that Cam Newton is having an exceptional rookie season but for some reason I am just not convinced this is a team on the verge of big things. The Panthers have been competitive in every game so far and get a boost from the home crowd but this week they face an improving Saints team that has won three straight and on the march. No shock to see Drew Brees and New Orleans as the second ranked offence averaging 454 yards per game but it was a surprise to see the Panthers right behind them averaging 440 yards. Jump over to the quarterback ratings and same thing, Brees signs in at number two passing for 1,410 yards and there is Newton at number three with 1,386. Despite Newton’s undeniable talent it is still hard to see the Panthers keeping pace with Brees who has a much stronger supporting cast. Newton and wide receiver Steve Smith have chemistry but Brees has more weapons including back field trio of Pierre Thomas, Darren Sproles and Mark Ingram that should give Panthers defense fits. For all his gaudy numbers, Newton is still a rookie and prone to rookie mistakes, his five touchdown passes offset by five interceptions. It is also worth remembering the Panthers won just two games a year while the Saints won it all in 2010. Saints march to fourth straight win. Take the Saints and give up the 6.5. - – - - Oakland Raiders (2-2) at Houston Texans (3-1) (Line Texans minus-5.5) Houston will be without injured All Pro wide receiver Andre Johnson but will not need him this week as the Texans go up against a leaky Raiders defense that ranks 30th in points allowed (28.3 per game) and rank 29th in yards allowed (409.8 ypg). Instead , running back Arian Foster, last season’s leading rusher is likely to be the man in the offensive spotlight for the Texans as he gets plenty of work against Oakland’s 28th ranked run defense. Oakland will also be counting heavily on their ground game and running back Darren McFadden, who is tops in rushing with 468 yards. The stingy Houston defense, which ranks fourth allowing an average of just 17.5 points per game, is likely to focus their attention on McFadden while and relentless pass rush that has produced 12 sacks will keep Raiders quarterback Jason Campbell scrambling. The Texans have made a terrible habit of throwing in a clunker just when things seem to be going smooth but with a chance to start a season 4-1 for the first time and playing at home I can’t see them letting this one slip away. Texans get their win. Take Houston and give up the 5.5. Picture: San Diego Chargers defensive back Marcus Gilchrist (R) is called for pass interference on Miami Dolphins wide receiver Brian Hartline (82) as San Diego Chargers free safety Eric Weddle (32) pulls in the ball during their NFL football game in San Diego, California October 2, 2011.

@7 months ago with 93 notes
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ECB to end bond-buying when markets stabilize: Trichet

ECB President Jean-Claude Trichet told a news conference at a G20 finance chiefs’ summit that the bank’s bond buying was designed to tackle disruption of markets and was implemented to improve the transmission of ECB monetary policy.”It is because we have the absence of financial stability in the euro area that we have to intervene to help restore a better transmission of monetary policy,” Trichet said.”The working assumption is that when we have — thanks to the new flexible EFSF — financial stability, we do not have to help restore better transmission of monetary policy,” he said.The ECB had to buy Spanish and Italian bonds over the last two months to keep financing costs for the two countries at sustainable levels and prevent Madrid and Rome from being shut out off from markets like Greece, Ireland and Portugal, in what euro zone policymakers call containing contagion.EU Economic and Monetary Affairs Commissioner Olli Rehn, said the new powers for the EFSF, which also include extending precautionary credit to governments and lending for bank recapitalization, as well as the fund’s planned higher firepower through leveraging and an earlier introduction of a permanent bailout fund, should help stop contagion.Trichet said that was the ECB’s assumption too.”The working assumption is that when the EFSF is up and running and able to intervene in the secondary market, we take it that it will ensure better financial stability and that it will permit us not to help restore an appropriate transmission of monetary policy — that is the working assumption,” he said.

@7 months ago with 45 notes
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Stern Advice: Learning to love the volatility

On 18 different trading days in September the Dow Jones industrial average swung by at least 200 points. In one week, it moved more than 400 points a day for four days straight. One day last week, on Oct. 4, it abruptly reversed a sharp drop to jump more than 400 points in less than an hour at the close.Get used to it. Those sharp swings are likely to be part of the landscape, as trigger happy computer traders move large amounts of money in and out of stocks in seconds, while the market’s long-term direction remains uncertain in the absence of clear signs from Europe, the U.S. economy, federal deficit cutters and more.Of course, it’s easier to take those volatile shifts when they are on the upside, sending averages and portfolios skyward. But if you want to feel good about your finances regardless of the direction of the daily lurch, consider using the volatility, instead of avoiding it. Here are some ways to do that.— Pay attention. It’s one thing to set up an automatic investment plan and not panic every time the market changes direction. But the old “set it and forget it” strategy seems a tad out of touch now. “Investors are better served with a buy-and-monitor strategy as opposed to simply buy-and-hold,” says Jason Ware, an analyst with Albion Financial Group. He suggests that investors keep an eye on the market and, more importantly, on what’s going on in the economy. “This keeps the investor more nimble.”Does that mean you want to day trade? Probably not. But if you have a list of stocks you want to buy and shares tumble, you could be ready to go in and pick them up. You could also be prepared to sell losing stocks (to lock in tax losses) on those killer down days.— Buy strategically. Long-term investors are often encouraged to “dollar cost average.” That’s when you invest the same amount at regular intervals, such as $200 a month, in the same mutual fund or exchange traded fund. The advantages of that are magnified in a volatile market. When prices are down, you will buy more shares (at a lower average cost) than when prices are high.But you can magnify that advantage even more by using a technique called “value cost averaging.” To do that, you adjust the amount you invest every month, based on the price moves of the security. So, if you put in $200 the first month, and the price of the stock or fund falls 4 percent, the next month, you would put in an additional 4 percent — investing $208 instead of $200. If the share price rises, you would adjust your investment downward instead.— Bet on volatility. Instead of guessing whether shares will go up or down, you could somehow put money down on the idea that volatility will reign. After all, the VIX, an index that measures the volatility of the Standard and Poor’s 500 stock index, is up 104 percent so far this year. One ETF — the ProShares II VIX Short Term Futures ETF — gained 124 percent in the three months between July 8 and October 10, according to Lipper, a Thomson Reuters company. But investing in those VIX-linked funds is risky and best left to investors who understand market fundamentals and technicalities, says Jeff Tjornehoj, a Lipper analyst.— Play it safe. Instead of riding volatility, you could try to insure against it. Ware says volatility is usually reflective of fear, so safe assets like gold and Treasury bonds will continue to do well when volatility spikes. Some funds, like the Bridgeway Managed Volatility Fund or the SEI Managed Volatility Funds, aim to pick up most market gains while damping volatility. Kevin Crowe of SEI says his funds do that by aiming at market sectors, like consumer staples, that have lower rates of volatility, and then by filling in with companies, like ExxonMobilor IBM , that tend to be more stable.— Cherry-pick the stocks you buy. During the big moves of 2009 and 2010, stocks in the same sector were well correlated with each other, for the most part. But recent volatility is resulting in a situation where individual stocks are going their own way more. That’s partly a result of big sector themes having played themselves out, according to Ware. For example, he pointed to the retail sector. “The easy money has been made. Next year you’re going to have to mine through for the best in breed and look for good sustainable brands.”

@7 months ago with 21 notes
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Spain’s Liberbank sells 85 pct of Telecable to Carlyle Group

MADRID Oct 18 (Reuters) - Spanish savings bank Liberbank said on Tuesday it has agreed to sell 85 percent of telecommunications company Telecable to the Carlyle Group, cutting the bank’s stake to 15 percent.No financial details of the sale were provided.On Monday, a source told Reuters that Liberbank planned to raise capital by selling an approximately 70 percent stake in Telecable worth about 300 million euros.Spain has forced its banks — laden with bad debt after a housing bubble burst in 2008 — to merge and raise capital or be taken over by the government.Banks without significant private investment must meet a 10 percent core tier 1 capital ratio.Liberbank, formed by the merger of regional savings banks Cajastur, Caja Extremadura and Caja Cantabria, initially required about 519 million euros to reach the 10 percent target, but had cut this back to about 200 million euros by generating capital organically, the source said on Monday.The Bank of Spain gave Liberbank and one other bank, Banco Mare Nostrum (BMN) more time to raise funds.BMN plans to issue 250 million euros of convertible bonds to meet the central bank’s tough new capital requirements, a source close to the deal said on Monday.

@7 months ago with 12 notes
#Spains #Liberbank #sells #85 #pct #of #Telecable #to #Carlyle #Group 

FSA’s Sants compares notes with SEC’s Schapiro

“Close cooperation between the FSA and the SEC (Securities and Exchange Commission) is important as we seek to meet the G20 commitment to enhance transparency, mitigate systemic risk and protect against market abuse,” Sants said.The meeting came ahead of a busy week in the European regulation calendar. European MiFID II measures expected next week will crack down on high-frequency trading, expand the scope of existing rules to commodities and bonds and introduce tougher corporate governance requirements.The International Organisation of Securities Commissions (IOSCO) is also expected to publish recommendations on regulating high-frequency trading next week.The FSA and SEC have held senior-level meetings, called “strategic dialogue meetings”, since 2006. Sants said they allowed the two agencies to find common ground, build on areas of mutual interest and identify potential regulatory gaps.”As Europe and the U.S. continue to enhance regulation in the wake of the financial crisis, working with all of our counterparts is essential to help prevent regulatory arbitrage, especially in the areas involving over-the-counter derivatives and market structure,” said Schapiro.

@7 months ago with 48 notes
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