The rising allocation to stocks and stock funds confirms what we have seen in our sentiment survey.
This is valuable information, because the fundamental goal of our sentiment analysis is to see where money is positioned.
This is why I suggest using our sentiment survey as just one part of your market analysis, as opposed to making it the cornerstone.
The decline in stock and stock fund allocations occurred as optimism about the direction of stock prices fell to its lowest level since last August in our sentiment survey.
The relative level of stability in portfolio holdings is not surprising given that our Sentiment Survey has been showing a cautious level of optimism, with both bullish and bearish sentiment near their historical averages.
Bearish sentiment hit 47.7% on June 9 in our weekly Sentiment Survey, the highest level of pessimism since August 26, 2010.
The increased allocation in stocks corresponds with the data we were seeing in our weekly sentiment survey.
Individual investors have become more optimistic about the stock market, as is evident in our weekly Sentiment Survey.
Optimism about the direction of stock prices was below average for most of the month according to our weekly sentiment survey.
For the time being according to our proprietary sentiment indicator, sentiment on Apple has reached the level of negativity that is interpreted as bullish.
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Such a slight would probably betray our American sentiment and plainspoken manner, but we have realized that Lord Grantham himself is not above a guest-list snubbing to make a point.
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Though the belief that there is a false sense of calm may sound like it contradicts with our weekly sentiment survey has been registering, I think it accurately portrays what many investors are feeling.
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Stock and stock fund allocations did receive some benefit from improved optimism about the short-term direction of stock prices, however, with individual investors being more bullish in July than they were in June according to our weekly Sentiment Survey showed.
Our recent Market Sentiment Survey showed that a majority of business owners plan on using a tablet or similar device for in the near future.
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Our assumptions about sentiment analysis, however, may be fundamentally flawed.
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But our favorite Oscar sentiment came from Shirley MacLaine.
In our analysis, sentiment on Apple is overly negative.
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He was one of the first presidents to use tools of our profession to shape public sentiment.
If the markets are not exhausted by then, we have the personal income, Chicago PMI and consumer sentiment reports coming our way Friday.
Our poll shows they have voter sentiment with them in the abstract, but holding those voters through the details of deficit reduction is another matter.
"The further and increased slippage in economic sentiment in April reinforces our belief that the European Central Bank is more likely than not to cut interest rates on Thursday, " said IHS Global Insight economist Howard Archer.
Anti-free-trade sentiment is being fueled by our record trade deficits.
With lower oil quotes, our inflation rate is containable, consumer sentiment stays strong, savings rates run low and personal consumption expenditures grow between 2 and 3 percent as does GDP.
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As to whether one presidential candidate was better for Hanger, his reaction echoed the sentiment of every other executive among our best small companies asked the same question.
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In fact, you should never buy or sell stocks based on any single sentiment indicator, whether it is our survey, the State Street Investor Confidence Index or the Investors Intelligence Advisors Survey.
Rather than reacting to short-term shifts in sentiment, diversify your portfolio (see our Asset Allocation Models for suggestions on how), rebalance as necessary and think long-term.
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It is worth noting, however, that it is not just our survey that has shown an improvement in individual investor sentiment.
Does anyone really think such sentiment means these voters seek leaders who will imperil our security?
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Improving investor sentiment and market conditions provided a strong backdrop for our advisors to grow their businesses.
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