A WORD OF CAUTION . . .

The crisis in Ukraine threatens to spoil any improvement in the US stock markets. Sell in May go away. Probably not bad advise.

Steady prices and good retail sales are expected to show the U.S. economy in a more flattering light this week, in encouraging news for the Federal Reserve as it pares back the stimulus that has buoyed financial markets for the last few years.

In the euro zone, where many investors are wondering if the European Central Bank will follow Washington's example by turning on its money printing presses, a continued but modest improvement in output is expected.

But a referendum on independence in eastern Ukraine called by pro-Russian separatists has underscored the threat of civil war in the country, a conflict that could rock confidence and hit trade between Russia and the rest of Europe.

The crisis is having a dramatic impact on the already fragile Russian economy, erasing hopes that 2014 would be a year of recovery and placing the country instead on track for recession as investors scramble to withdraw money.

European Union sanctions have been so far largely symbolic, the threat of stiffer penalties from the United States or Europe against Russia's banks or industry is scaring investors.

Diplomats have told Reuters that the first companies would be added to the list of targets to be sanctioned this week, freezing their assets in Europe and marking a toughening of stance against Russia. The European Union is Russia's top trading partner.

FRAGILE RECOVERY

The conflict threatens to upset Europe at a delicate moment.

The 18 countries in the euro zone are expected to announce this week that economic output has increased at the strongest rate in three years. Germany, the bloc's industrial powerhouse, is also set to report growth.

The recovery is fragile, however, with unemployment at record highs, banks reluctant to lend and sluggish prices meaning that the real burden of debts on countries such as Greece or Portugal is set to remain heavy.

We that is the United States does little trade with Russia, some analysts fear that its business with Europe could be hurt.

To compound problems, China, the engine of the global economy, is slowing.

On Tuesday, a tally of China's factory output and retail sales may portray a stable picture, following a recent improvement in exports.

The government has meanwhile hastened construction of railways and affordable housing, while cutting taxes for small firms.

But while pumping central bank money is easy to start, it is harder to unwind.

The head of the U.S. Federal Reserve Janet Yellen recently said that shrinking its $4.5 trillion portfolio of assets to the pre-crisis size of $800 billion could take the best part of a decade.

My results for the year are posted so you can see what and when I traded weekly. https:/docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccckey=0AjgjBJLwH3rdERid3A0RE1GRFlyaHB0S0VxbHc0Vnc&usp=drive_web#gid=0 

(SLOW MONEY OPTIONS)

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0Aj-gjBJLwH3rcjJqRndVSlBzY2hNenM4YXZQT1FBZEE&usp=drive_web#gid=0 

 (FAST MONEY TRADING)

You know I had some good days and some bad, some good weeks and bad.  But I have a trading plan, goal and consistency in my trading and that is what I'm trying to teach you.  I believe each of you can do the same thing it takes discipline.   Remember me talking about trading/investing is like running a business? 

So how did we do this past week with SLOW MONEY OPTIONS?  Patience payed off in waiting on the SPY 190.5/191 call @.06cr..  And the APPLE put and calls did exactly as planned.   I think that sometimes we forget how profitable 2-4% per week really is and it takes patience to get the trades off and patience to get through to the expiration. Remember you will live to trade another day if you don't get greedy and learn to take a small loss to be right.  I'm in this for the long hall and will not take undue risk. Remember always take the more conservative spread is the reason that I give you choices. What I do is take all my recommendations just split the money between choices. You can trade just enough to give you an extra days results of trading or trade enough to give you a weeks worth of trading. The choice is yours take responsibility. I am trading weekly options to help you grow your portfolios a little each week. We are either making money or not losing money. Thank you for letting me serve you, I consider it a privilege to work with each of you. I strive to make a successful trade one week at a time.Are you making money? If not why not trade with me. Remember the goal is to make money NOT lose money . . . Duh . . . . . . . Take a look and see how Slow Money Option Trading went

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc key=0AjgjBJLwH3rdERid3A0RE1GRFlyaHB0S0VxbHc0Vnc&authkey=COb7xdMJ

Remember if your not a paid up member of the Fast MoneyTradingTeam you will not get the weekly Slow Money Option recommendations. Yes, I expect to publish Wednesday,Thursday or Friday my weekly option trade to the paid up members.