I have a confession to make. Every once in a while, when the lottery jackpot is worth at least a few hundred million dollars, I will spend two dollars on a lottery ticket. I don’t think I’ve ever matched more than two numbers, but the chance at winning such a large amount of money is occasionally, to me, worth a $2 investment. In my mind, I have convinced myself that I would be able to handle the jackpot without going loony tunes like most lottery winners. I would give large amounts of money away to churches, Christian causes, Christian organizations, etc., etc. I would sponsor all of the unsponsored Compassion children in Ecuador (and/or some other country). I would only keep a small amount of the money for myself. So, why doesn’t God cause me to win the lottery? More on that later. First, to the question at hand.
Let me define what exactly I mean by gambling. I would define gambling as risking money, with the goal of winning significantly more money, in something that is significantly against the odds. Whether it is buying a lottery ticket, or playing blackjack in a casino, or betting at the horse track, what all of those activities have in common is that the odds of winning are very low. Far more people will lose money gambling on those activities than will gain money. That is why the gambling industry is so successful. The reason the gambling industry can afford to occasionally give away millions of dollars is that it is consistently bringing in hundreds of millions of dollars. So, with this definition of gambling in mind — what does the Bible say about gambling? Source
With all of that said, let me make it clear, I believe the Bible gives us the freedom to spend reasonable amounts of money on entertainment/fun. If all other financial responsibilities are being fully and properly managed, there is nothing wrong with “wasting” a little money on a little frivolity. Could this frivolity include spending a dollar or two on lottery tickets? Perhaps. But, again, utmost caution should be taken to make sure it is not done out of a love for money or a desire to get rich. And, be warned, recent scientific studies are showing that gambling addiction can be as strong an addiction as heroin and other illicit drugs.
Traders following current indicator levels on shares of Bancorpsouth Inc (BXS) can note that the short-term MACD indicator is presently reading a Sell.
The MACD is typically used to measure bullish or bearish price movements. The MACD signal direction is currently reading Strongest. Switching to another short-term indicator, we have noted that the current 7-day average directional indicator is Buy. This signal may be used to determine the market trend. The 7-day average directional direction is currently Strongest. This signal indicates whether the Buy or Sell signal is getting stronger or weakening, or whether the Hold is leaning towards a Buy or Sell. The 7-day directional strength is Weak. This trend strength indicator measures the signal based on historical performance where minimum would indicate the weakest, and maximum would indicate the strongest.
Dedicated investors are usually on the lookout for promising stocks that have been overlooked by the investment community. They may be searching for companies that have slipped under the radar and are primed for a move higher. Some investors may do the research and locate these stocks that are infrequently in the financial news headlines and are relatively unknown by the average investor. These stocks may be smaller cap, trading on a foreign exchange, or stocks that used to be prominent that have not been part of the conversation recently. Finding these stocks may take some extra research and effort. Investors who are able to do enough digging may be able to find some great names to help support the stock portfolio.
After a recent look, the stock’s first resistance level is 30.01. On the other side, investors may be taking note of the first support level which is currently 29.49. Investors are often watching stock price support and resistance levels. The support is a level where shares may see a rebound after they have fallen. If the stock price manages to break through the first support level, the attention may shift to the second level of support. The resistance is the opposite of support. As a stock rises, it may see a retreat once it touches a certain level of resistance.
We have also noted that the difference between the most recent close and the close one month ago is presently -2.09. This represents a percent change of -6.55% over that period of time. Taking a look back to the start of the calendar year, we can see that the price change has been noted at 3.68. Investors may be trying to gauge which way company shares will trend in the second half of the calendar year. As companies start reporting quarterly earnings, everyone will be focused on how the actual numbers stack up against analyst estimates. An earnings beat may prod company shares higher, while a miss may stall momentum. Looking further, we can see that the current 9 day MACD for Bancorpsouth Inc (BXS) has been noted at 0.66. This value represents the difference between a short-term and a long-term moving average. A reading above zero may offer a bullish signal, and a value below zero may indicate a bearish signal. Shares of Bancorpsouth Inc (BXS) currently have a standard deviation of +0.53. Standard deviation is defined as a measure of the dispersion from the mean in regards to a data set. When dealing with financial instruments, the standard deviation is applied to the annual rate of return to help gauge the volatility of a specific investment. Tracking the standard deviation may help investors with trying to project if a stock is primed for a major move. The stock’s current pivot is 29.68. The pivot point is frequently used as a trend indicator. The pivot is the average of the close, low, and high of the prior trading period.
Many individual investors who trade stocks are looking for the next big breakout. It can be much more exciting to be able to tell glamorous stories of picking a winning stock before everybody else was aware. Of course, this is no easy task. There are so many stocks to choose from, and hunting for undervalued stocks may take lots of time that many investors do not have. Other investors will strictly trade the big established names with the hope that consistent growth will provide stable returns to the portfolio. Understanding risks involved with picking stocks can help the investor figure out what is best for them individually. It is typically considered wise to make sure that there is proper diversification in the stock portfolio. Finding that balance to achieve long lasting portfolio health is generally what most investors attempt to accomplish when trading equities.Source
StevieRay Hansen
Editor, Bankster Crime
MY MISSION IS NOT TO CONVINCE YOU, ONLY TO INFORM…
