Wikinvest Wire

Friday, June 23, 2006

Let's Think About This For A Moment

OK, let's say you are the chief equity strategist for a major brokerage firm and you are going to do a TV interview of some sort. Uh, do ya think you might get asked to give a name or two? Something like that seem remotely in the realm of what is possible? As the grand imperial strategist of this brokerage firm mightn't you line up just one or two ducks in anticipation of such an appearance?

Well if you are Tobias Levkovich the answer is no. He has been bullish for a while, too early to say if he is wrong or right, and does a fair bit in the media. The latest one I found was an interview for TheStreet.com which you can watch here. His answer, when asked, is that he does not have disclosures. I don't know what that means but I do not believe this is a true obstacle. He could get the disclosures (don't know what that means either) before doing the interview.

I can think of two things going on here but there may be more. Either someone has decided they will not share any names and they are not saying that or it means he will be less wrong, when he is wrong, by not sticking his neck out as far as someone that will name names. I am very open to any other explanations for this as well.

No one ever calls him on this. Maybe the various bookers he deals with can tell him to get his disclosures before coming on the air.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

This really brings out the distinction between a "strategist" vs a "Money Manager", much like a college finance "professor" vs a real "professional investor". The former professes principles and few ideas but the later is happy to admit not sticking to any priciples and has a lot of ideas. I believe stock market is too complicated to be modelled with any rational assumptions. I often suspect the strategists got where they are because they already passed their productive years and are kept in their organizations becasue of their senority.

A stock market participant.

Roger Nusbaum said...

i like the thinking in this comment. Tobias seems a little young to be a perfect fit but Michael Metz comes to mind.

Anonymous said...

I have followed tobias..in hope that all his proprietary data would be useful predictors. He means well, but his work is an excellent argument for using TA instead...ie, watch trend lines and do not try to anticipate price development. As for his age, he might be older than his boyish looks. I'll bet ya his bullishness has frustrated anyone who thinks he has guru potential. (like me and other smith barney clients)

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