Credit Card Companies

V and MA have been the "go to" stocks in this arena for the past few years because they carry no consumer credit risk and make money primarily through swipe fees. The "toll road" method. EBAY is another player in this arena through Paypal. These charts are presently showing a major divergence, in part because MA has greater worldwide (read Europe) exposure. In fact MA got a downgrade from GS this past week for this very reason. Here's the charts.

Note the movement of all 3 stocks on June 29, the date that US swipe fee rules were clarified. I understand that swipe fees rules are presently being considered in Europe and clarity on this issue could move these stocks again.

EBAY reports earnings Wed Jan 18 after the close. Motley Fool article on EBAY: payment processing is where it's at. Paypal president just left to go to Yahoo, fwiw.

V reports earnings Wednesday February 8 after the close.

MA earnings are due Thursday Feb 2 before the open. Hasn't bounced yet. Definitely the weak sister right now. JBTFD?

Sunday Morning

Memo to BAC NE employees

Re: dental plan

We have researched carefully the list of major stockholders as listed on Yahoo! Finance: http://finance.yahoo.com/q/mh?s=BAC+Major+Holders We didn't see your names there.

While we have the greatest empathy for your plight, our fiduciary duty is to those shareholders. (Did you notice GS on that list?)

Perhaps you should consider contacting Bill Gates or Warren Buffet for assistance.

Virtually yours .....