This Market May Have a Lot More Upside to Go

If you haven’t noticed, the stock market, as measured by the main market indices, is doing great. It’s odd in a way, because there isn’t much in the way of a catalyst or major good news out there. It almost seems that investors are buying stocks because there is an absence of news.

It’s likely that the recent strength in the broader market is due to pre-earnings speculating. First quarter earnings season is imminent.

One thing I’ve noticed recently is that China stocks are hot once again. They never weren’t hot; they only took a rest after some major gains.

The other day, Trina Solar Ltd. (NYSE/TSL) jumped over $10 a share, or 17.5%, to close at $68.75 per share. When I first wrote about this company in this column in early February, the stock was trading at $35 per share. $70 per share seems like an easy threshold and would make for a 100% gain in just over two months’ time. That’s a serious capital gain in a short period.

Everyone I talk to who dabbles in the stock market always asks me for stock tips. My neighbors came over the other evening for dinner, and all they wanted to talk about was the market’s hottest stocks. The gentlemen owns his own auto parts company that manufactures shocks and springs. He said his business is booming! I said that China stocks were still the hottest sector of the stock market. When I asked my neighbor about tips on running his business, he didn’t want to talk about it.

Despite all the hype and the headlines, a lot of investors are amazed that China stocks are doing so well. The fact that they are listing on American stock exchanges (mainly as ADRs) is a real plus for domestic investors. Trina Solar is only the latest hot China investment opportunity.

I have to say that I am really impressed with the strength of the stock market at this time. Perhaps Jeremy Grantham’s theory about election cycles (discussed last month in this column) and the stock market is true. If it is, this market has a lot more upside to go.