Don't Get Sucked Into AOL-Verizon Frenzy

Balance the futures vs. the actuals.
Stocks quotes in this article: VZ, AOL, HUM, ALTR, PLL, TMO, DHR, RAX

Takeovers are again driving things -- or perceived takeovers, like Humana (HUM) or Altera (ALTR). There's so much percolating, and I get that.

The Verizon (VZ) - AOL (AOL) deal and the frenzy over who is going to get Pall (PLL) -- either Action Alerts PLUS holding Thermo Fisher (TMO) or Danaher (DHR) -- emboldens people, even as the overall market is awful because of the linkage to the German bond declines and a spike in yields.

We had better hope that linkage stops soon, because those bonds could double in interest rates and still be unattractive.

I think that the rush to merge puts the lie to the futures action. There are so many companies that can really help other companies grow and so many that are willing to sell -- like AOL -- that you can be torn about the futures vs. the actuals.

I know I am.

The takeovers keep happening. The rumors do, too. Just make sure the company that's being rumored has decent fundamentals, like AOL does, before you speculate. Don't go all Rackspace (RAX). Pick ones that people actually want!

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TAGS: Investing | U.S. Equity

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