Paul Shread

EMC has released its lowest-cost hardware yet, taking aim at other recent competitors such as IBM’s FAStT600. EMC announced a number of enhancements to the CLARiiON CX200 networked storage system, including a new single-controller option with estimated end-user pricing starting at $10,000, integrated ATA drive technology, and a 60% performance boost. EMC also simplified CLARiiON […]

The Dow and the S&P (first two charts below) broke a lot of support today. However, the breakdowns came on lower volume, and the equity put-call ratio was a very high .89. Let’s see how the indexes do on any bounce tomorrow. If the Dow can recover 8522-8530, the indexes could make another run at […]

Sun Microsystems gapped higher Monday on a renewed alliance with Oracle and takeover speculation, but then followed the rest of the market south to close at the lows of the day. Sun has surged 30% in the last two weeks on takeover speculation. IBM and Cisco have been rumored to be possible suitors, as has […]

If not for options expiry, today’s .40 close on the equity put-call ratio would have us worried. But if the low readings continue next week, it would be a warning sign. The market topped out a day or two after May expiry the last two years; will we get a threepeat? Sell in May and […]

If technology is becoming a commodity, then Dell may be the best-positioned tech company of them all. In an environment where price has become a top priority, Dell’s first-rate execution is enabling the company to grow far faster than the rest of the field. Global shipments were up 29% in the first quarter – while […]

IBM has boosted its TotalStorage Enterprise Storage Server (codenamed “Shark”) to give the new flagship IBM eServer z990 improved data protection and access for business continuity and efficiency. “As the backbone of IBM’s storage product family, we have continued to enhance Shark to deliver increased value to our customers,” states Roland Hagan, Storage Systems Vice […]

The market seems to be spending a lot of energy making only modest progress, given today’s nearly 2 billion-share day on the Nasdaq. Insider selling and new issues have picked up, according to TrimTabs, so liquidity is turning negative. With sentiment getting pretty stretched (the American Association of Individual Investors came in at 63-16 bulls-bears […]

If there is a theme for technology spending in 2003, perhaps “bouncing along the bottom” describes it best. It’s not getting any worse, but it doesn’t appear to be getting much better either. One technology executive after another has come forward in recent weeks to say that the outlook for tech spending in 2003 remains […]

The worldwide Fibre Channel storage area network market grew only 3% last year, according to Gartner, but compared to the rest of the IT industry, that made FC SAN spending a standout. “While the Fibre Channel industry experienced slower growth than in previous years, any increase is a show of strength in what was another […]

So far the market has done nothing more than consolidate at the highs, which suggests the potential for more upside. The S&P 500 (first two charts below) shows the greatest potential for a bullish set-up; another modest down day tomorrow could set up a bullish “rising three methods” pattern, essentially three small red candlesticks within […]

Applied Materials didn’t give investors much reason to hope for an imminent rebound in technology spending. In the company’s earnings and conference call Tuesday night, AMAT predicted flat revenues, orders and earnings, all less than analysts were looking for. The stock declined 3.8% in trading Wednesday. The company has recognized some savings from cost-cutting, but […]

The S&P and the Nasdaq (first four charts below) continue to consolidate below the major levels of 957 and 1600, a break above which would be bullish if the indexes can hold on. 950 on the S&P and 1550 on the Nasdaq are the first resistance levels. 938, 930 and 920 are support on the […]