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Politics : Ask Michael Burke -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Knighty Tin who wrote (85685)	11/18/2000 10:17:24 PM
From: grinder965	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 132070

Michael, Trading question if I may. I currently have Jan01 calls in a tech stock that has gone up substantially after recently buying them. I'm now thinking I'd like to lock in my gains but don't want to cash out and pay taxes in CY2000. Buying puts at a strike price around the money are still quite expensive. What is the most economical way to preserve my gains and postpone the tax liability until 2001? Should I short the stock and cover when I close the sale of the options in 2001? If this is the way to play it, and since I've never shorted before, do I need equity (other than the value of the calls) in my brokerage account to do it? Your sage advice would be most appreciated. All the best, Mike

To: Knighty Tin who wrote (85685)	11/19/2000 8:17:01 AM
From: BSGrinder	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 132070

Michael, What do you think of the idea of Topps (TOPP) as a value play? As described in Grant's, they have $3 a share in cash, a great balance sheet, and a line of trading cards and cheap novelty candy (Bazooka, ring pops, etc.) that might get even more popular as people have less money to throw at stocks and Sharper Image catalogs. Thanks, /Kit

To: Knighty Tin who wrote (85685)	11/19/2000 8:57:30 PM
From: Terry Maloney	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 132070

Michael, what's your take on why the dollar is doing this levitating act in the face of reality? The bond and currency markets, not to mention foreign central banks, are all acting as if the emperor has such wonderful clothes. Despite all the emerging credit problems, which I imagine they have known about for a long time ... after all, you bond guys are supposed to sharp, right? <g> Yet they all seem to be doing their bit to keep the dollar propped up, despite many 'differing agendas' ... could they all be running scared, having seen 'The Future' that awaits the dollar's decline?