Stocks fall after weak factory order report

How does anyone really know that all the reports such as housing, unemployment, consumer sentiment, manufacturing index etc. are really truthful?  Certainly, when a company reports it's earnings you can dig into to the numbers to see sales and how they really earned their profit whether by actually selling more products/services etc. or was the profit achieved thru closing plants, laying off people, an accounting loophole etc.  It seems every day there is another report, survey etc. and I just don't think they are always truthful and yet the market always reacts favorably when there is even a glint of positive news whether it's verified or not. 

EXCEO..

I agree with your response to my post.  I have worked in corporate America all my life and have seen what really goes on behind the scenes to make the quarterly numbers and you are 100% correct that  "figues can lie and liars can figure".  The sad part is the media does not question the numbers but accepts them as reported.  I have listened in on enough quarterly CEO calls with the investment community to listen how the CEO spins the numbers to make it appear all is well because they don't want investors to sell their stock in the company or they want to attract new investors.  There are very few well run companies in America so I guess you just accept that and invest in those companies that you do your research on that really are growing a business the right way and not through "fuzzy math" and other methods.

you guys are to funny...

Let me tel you a little story...  As told by someone that owns a business in the USA and why jobs continue  to move to China...

First off, In the USA our education establishment degrades people who do not go to college.  Carpenters, Plumbers, Electricians, Machanics, Machinists, Welders, Bakers, Barbers are looked down upon.  So the schools do not teach any skills necessary to do any of these jobs and thousands more.  Thus, students are not ready to do the majority of jobs in the marketplace.  These jobs go unfilled. 

Next we have the regulatory burden placed on us like no other.  The census and other government information requests must be filled out.  The constant drumbeat of government compliance with new regulations takes up quite a bit of time.

Then we get the new high costs of Obamacare and all theregulations it requires.  Most smaller employers (those with less than 1000 employees) will most likely drop coverage altogether...  Of course those that do not run small business will say thats nonsense, but that exactly what will happen.  Look at the thousands of big business' already expemted from this law.   The playing field for business is more unequal than ever.

I can no longer complain about 3 things.  Workman's comp insurance, state income taxes, and industrial property taxes.   I left Illinois, and those costs have disappeared (income tax) or are vastly lower and more reasonable. 

In my mind it is a wonder any jobs remain in the USA at all.  we have the highest corporate taxes in the world.  I can see all the complainers want more and more, but they do not run out and start business. 

In short, if I were young again, I would not open a business in the USA.  I would do it overseas.  The USA has become an extremely antii-business...  Even American stalwart companies like Apple, who less than 20 years ago made everything here, now make NOTHING here....  Simply amazing....

Truthseeker in Vt.

All financial reports are slanted to emphasize a predetermined point of view , whether it be a balance sheet or P&L. A good accountant can come up with a bewildering array of presentations with nebulous captions , reserve accounts etc.. Pay more attention to your gut feelings about the events behind the numbers, not the numbers themselves. For example, Boeing has a back order for over a 1,000 orders for their dreamliner - thats going to create a huge demand from thousands of suppliers in and out of U.S.. etc, etc. There are a host of other developments - don't waste your time on trying to decipher numbers - you know the old adage , figures can lie and liars can figure. The reports you're reading for directional guidance are almost worthless. Good Luck.

I have heard around the news that housing and renovations on homes is hopefully ,expectedly going to be robust this first two quarters(better be) historically speaking it is the busiest two quarters,no news there.

Heads up, this past week a manufacture of Anderson window parts here on   LI NY is going belly up as orders /contracts are done and over with this Co.

 No news of a new sub in site.

Guess the window/renovation/en​​ergy efficiency business only works if people can afford homes they live in (NOT) or can use them as bank accounts to fund their spending,thats over.

Add another 900 Peeps to the unemployment line in about 2 months, and another vacant commercial building(75,000 SQFT)

Ignatius75...  I know of at least one idiot calling for more SPENDING, BORROW, TAXING...  Mr. Obama called for just  that in his budget that lost in the house 414-0...   Maybe if  Mr. Obama was calling for 1 trillion in spending cuts,things would not be this bad...

And I know of at least couple of other idiots besides Obama, also calling for more debasement...Bernach​​e and Geitner (the tax cheat)... 

So you must be ignoring Obama's constant calls for more spending...,. Most people are....