Overall, the buying and selling in the stock market has been balanced over the past month as the S&P 500 has remained in a range of 1090-1125. While there are many factors influencing our outlook for 2010, including the pace of economic and profit growth and the changes in global monetary and fiscal policy, we believe the buying power is likely to win out over the forces of  selling in the coming months.

Some Highlights:

- At the heart of it, all markets come down to buyers and sellers.

- Since March of 2009, buying from individual investors has been rising and may mark a multiyear turning point for individual investor inflows.

- Purchases of U.S. stocks by foreigners have risen back to the prior peaks in 2000 and 2007.

- The sellers include companies and insiders, or top executives, of S&P 500 companies.

- We believe the buying power of individual investors is likely to win out over the forces of selling in the coming months.

Weekly Market Commentary 01_04_10