Editor's Desk
Bulls Won't Relent in Poll
David Morrow
02/05/07 - 01:16 PM EST
Participants in TheStreet.com RealMoney Barometer survey are finding no reason to temper their bullishness, as bullish sentiment won out for the 17th straight week.
The bulls captured 781, or 54%, of the 1,442 votes cast. The bears had 272 votes, or 19%. Neutral tallied 389 votes, or 27%, a conistently high showing.
In the sectors, energy equipment and services was seen as most likely to rise this week. Homebuilding was picked as most likely to fall.
The second place bullish sector was integrated oil. The second-most bearish sector was automobiles.
The stock market was mixed on Monday. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was trading at 12,674, up about 21 points; the Nasdaq Composite was up 1.5 points to 2474, and the S&P 500 was trading at 1448, up just under a half-point
M&A activity was at the forefront Monday.
Several merger deals were making headlines, including a plan by State Street (STT) to acquire Investors Financial(IFIN) for roughly $4.5 billion. Another agreement will see Triad Hospitals(TRI) taken private by affiliates of CCMP Capital Advisors and GS Capital Partners in a $4.7 billion acquisition. Elsewhere, Simon Property(SPG) and Farallon Capital have bid $24 a share for Mills(MLS), exceeding by $3 a share the price of a deal with Brookfield Asset Management(BAM).
Natural gas futures soared on Monday, up 6% before falling back, as a brutal cold snap covered much of the U.S. Natural gas for March delivery was last up 21 cents to $7.69 per British thermal unit, on the New York Mercantile Exchange. The high for the day was $8.03.
Light, sweet crude oil was recently trading down 5 cents a barrel from Friday, to $58.97, after hitting a high of $59.95 earlier in the session.
Below are the complete poll results.
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| Date | Bullish | Bearish | Neutral | Week Ending S&P % Change |
Bullish Sector |
Bearish Sector |
| Feb. 5 | 781 (54%) | 272 (19%) | 389 (27%) |  |
Energy Equipment & Services | Homebuilding |
| Jan. 29 | 901 (43%) | 440 (21%) | 737 (35%) | + 1.8% | Integrated Oil | Homebuilding |
| Jan. 22 | 582 (40%) | 357 (24%) | 520 (36%) | - 0.6% | Energy Equipment & Services | Semis, Semi Equipment |
| Jan. 16 | 767 (64%) | 193 (16%) | 240 (20%) | - 0.03% | Integrated Oil | Integrated Oil |
| Jan. 8 | 953 (46%) | 549 (26%) | 569 (27%) | + 1.5% | Biotechnology | Integrated Oil |
| Sector | Total Votes | Percentage |
| Aerospace and Defense | 88 | 6% |
| Airlines | 29 | 2% |
| Automobiles | 10 | 1% |
| Beverages and Food Products | 25 | 2% |
| Biotechnology | 55 | 4% |
| Commercial Banks | 55 | 4% |
| Computers and Peripherals | 46 | 3% |
| Consumer Nondurables | 19 | 1% |
| Energy Equipment & Services | 238 | 16% |
| HMOs and Hospitals | 15 | 1% |
| Homebuilding | 80 | 6% |
| Insurance | 24 | 2% |
| Integrated Oil | 223 | 15% |
| Internet, Software Services | 70 | 5% |
| Investment Bankers and Brokers | 74 | 5% |
| Media | 21 | 1% |
| Multiline Retail | 12 | 1% |
| Pharmaceuticals | 46 | 3% |
| Precious Metals | 82 | 6% |
| Semis, Semi Equipment | 50 | 3% |
| Telecom Equipment | 71 | 5% |
| Tobacco and Alcohol | 30 | 2% |
| Utilities | 35 | 2% |
| Wireless Communications | 34 | 2% |
| Source: RealMoney.com | ||
| Sector | Total Votes | Percentage |
| Aerospace and Defense | 19 | 1% |
| Airlines | 171 | 12% |
| Automobiles | 175 | 12% |
| Beverages and Food Products | 20 | 1% |
| Biotechnology | 24 | 2% |
| Commercial Banks | 21 | 1% |
| Computers and Peripherals | 68 | 5% |
| Consumer Nondurables | 36 | 2% |
| Energy Equipment & Services | 36 | 2% |
| HMOs and Hospitals | 16 | 1% |
| Homebuilding | 183 | 13% |
| Insurance | 24 | 2% |
| Integrated Oil | 120 | 8% |
| Internet, Software Services | 46 | 3% |
| Investment Bankers and Brokers | 30 | 2% |
| Media | 25 | 2% |
| Multiline Retail | 42 | 3% |
| Pharmaceuticals | 62 | 4% |
| Precious Metals | 109 | 8% |
| Semis, Semi Equipment | 62 | 4% |
| Telecom Equipment | 37 | 3% |
| Tobacco and Alcohol | 28 | 2% |
| Utilities | 46 | 3% |
| Wireless Communications | 28 | 2% |
| Source: RealMoney.com | ||