I am at the MoneyShow San Francisco. This may be the best financial conference I have ever attended. Watch talks here by Jim Rogers, the famed hedge fund manager, Tom Sosnoff, of TastyTrade fame & Gene Simmons, who I knew best as a member of KISS, says Kerry Given PhD.

The bull market continues in spite of all of the negative news being headlined. It seems like all of the headlines are focused on negatives, intending to drive us all into depression.

The Standard and Poors 500 Index (SPX) opened at 2854 last week and closed at 2875, up 0.7% last week alone. SPX gapped open higher Friday morning (August 24), underscoring the bullish mood of the market. That was the second gap opening higher last week.

chart 1
Standard and Po0r’s 500 Index (SPX)
Chart courtesy of StockCharts.com

I drew the price chart below on SPX from November 2016 to the present and had to ask myself, why am I surprised by this incredible chart?

Why isn’t this the premier message on all of the financial networks and being preached by all of the talking heads? Instead, it seems like we are embarrassed by all of this positive economic news. Why?

chart 2
Standard and Poor’s 500 Index (SPX)
Chart courtesy of StockCharts.com

Market volatility, as measured by the S&P 500 Volatility Index (VIX) remains relatively low at 12%.  This relatively low value of implied volatility tells us that the large institutional traders don’t see much on the horizon to worry them. That seems contrary to the evening news.

chart 3
CBOE SPX Volatility Index (VIX)
Chart courtesy of StockCharts.com


I am at the MoneyShow San Francisco and I must say this may be the best financial conference I have ever attended.

I heard talks today by Jim Rogers, the famed hedge fund manager, Tom Sosnoff of TastyTrade fame, and Gene Simmons, who I knew best as a member of the rock band, KISS.

Jim Rogers: How I see the world and what I am doing about it video.

Recorded: MoneyShow San Francisco August 24, 2018.
Duration: 36.41.

Gene Simmons stole the show. He encouraged the audience to have the courage to follow their dreams; he suggested each of us should strive to be a “psychopath with a conscience.” The idea was to not be constrained by the norms or rules of business and/or society, but to have a conscience, i.e., don’t hurt anyone.

Fireside Chat with Gene Simmons and Tom Sosnoff. Living the American Dream.

Recorded: MoneyShow San Francisco August 24, 2018.
Duration: 35.37.

Simmons appears to relish negative labels such as brash, insolent, and irreverent. He believes that much of his success in multiple businesses is due to his willingness to entertain ideas that many would regard as crazy.

One of his current investments is a cannabis business in Canada, Invictus MD (IVITF), starting up just as Canada is legalizing all marijuana. The irony is that Gene says he doesn't smoke, drink or do any drugs, including marijuana. His focus is on the medical applications of cannabis.

He told some incredible stories about the positive medicinal effects, e.g., relieving epilepsy in children. His talk was also an extremely bullish presentation on the freedoms we have in this country that enable all of these business success stories.

Simmons is very critical of the typical American's focus on leisure time and an unwillingness to work hard to succeed. One of his interesting anecdotes was to observe that we have two days off every week, or 104 days per year. He asked us, what have we accomplished with all of that time?

The presentation by Jim Rogers and Tom Sosnoff’s interview of Gene Simmons were recorded and are available on the MoneyShow.com. I encourage you to be sure and watch. It will be worth your time.

And reporting from the minor leagues, my presentation, Options don't have to be risky, was also recorded and I think you will find it worthwhile.

Kerry Given: Options don't have to be risky video.

Recorded: MoneyShow San Francisco August 24, 2018.
Duration: 36.34.

Kerry W. Given, Ph.D.
Parkwood Capital, LLC

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