I can't bear it. It's just too much to endure.
I really can't believe they can be so crazy. Well, maybe I can, but that's just a sad indictment on the system!
So let's not even touch the political situation in Washington D.C. today, okay?
Instead, how about a bit of comic relief? Here goes…
"Twitter Inc's share price could almost double in its first year as a listed company, a brokerage firm said, issuing a 'buy' rating on the stock even before the online messaging service goes public."
So reports The Australian Financial Review…
"SunTrust Robinson Humphrey analyst Robert Peck, the first to rate the stock, suggested Twitter could float at US $28-US $30 per share, and said it could reach US $50 within a year."
The operative word here is "could." As in "could almost double." Or "could reach US $50…"
Could! And if ifs and buts were candy and nuts, we'd all have a merry Christmas!
Avoiding the market's biggest losers
So which companies should YOU avoid investing in? To answer this question, I've got three top Motley Fool analysts weighing in on three ASX stocks 'never to buy'…
Feast your eyes!
First up: Motley Fool Analyst Mike King votes 'no' on the Flying Kangaroo, Qantas (ASX: QAN)…
"It's all the external risks involved in the business," Mike says. "Planes crashing, fuel prices, union activity, competition from sovereign-backed airlines. Even aside from those risks, the airline business necessarily involves high capital costs – and all too often, huge debt levels."
Mike is taking a page from legendary investor Warren Buffett's book – Buffett has classified airline investments among his worst-ever decisions!
Two more ASX stocks to avoid…
Scott Phillips, our eminent Motley Fool Share Advisor investment advisor, votes no on BlueScope Steel (ASX: BSL)…
And you can't say he hasn't got good reason:
"It's a capital intensive business… There's the huge local cost base trying to beat cheaper international competition. We're a high labour-cost country trying to compete with lower-wage and often government-supported imports."
"In all, BlueScope's track record is far from encouraging. It's been hit by cheap imported steel, and has received government handouts in the past to keep it going. Car manufacturers could leave Australia as well, which would be yet another blow."
For Joe Magyer, co-advisor of Motley Fool Hidden Gems (our ASX small-cap service), it's Fortescue Metals (ASX: FMG).
"I'd have a hard time going with Fortescue. Their debt load is tremendous. If iron ore gets hot, it's possible shareholders will do very well. But if it goes cold, they'll get hit. Hard," he warns.
With all this negative talk, you might get the idea that, at The Motley Fool, we enjoy disparaging companies…
Or that we're 'bearish' on the overall market. Nothing could be further from the truth!
Our outlook for the ASX over the long term is anything but negative.
We're optimists, and just like you, we're planning to get rich over the long term by investing in the very best Australian companies…
The Australian Financial Review says "good quality Australian shares that have a long history of paying dividends are a real alternative to a term deposit." Get "3 Stocks for the Great Dividend Boom" in our special FREE report. Click here now to find out the names, stock symbols, and full research for our three favourite income ideas, all completely free!
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