On sea days while 90 percent of my
shipmates aboard Crystal Symphony took part in one of many scheduled activities
or worked out in the fitness center, I attended Louis Rukeyser’s Investment
Seminar. Would I rather having been sunning myself on deck? Absolutely not.
The seminar was a compelling reason for signing up for the cruise, the three-
to five-hour sessions notwithstanding. I may have been the only half of a couple
on the ship where the man became the "cabin husband" and the wife took care
of business. As an interested student of the market, there is always more to
learn and learn I did from Rukeyser himself and four other panelists.
The 85 or so attendees were sophisticated,
knowledgeable investors. Several managed money professionally. One of the panelists
asked, "How many of you have private foundations?" More than half the hands
in the room went up.
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The Rukeyser Panel with Louis Rukeyser
(Credit: Edwin Fancher) |
If you have watched the former PBS
program "Wall $treet Week with Louis Rukeyser" (and who hasn’t)
or the new CNBC show "Louis Rukeyser’s Wall Street," you are
familiar with his format, his skill as a moderator and his ability to draw the
most prestigious names in the investment community. From his roster of guests,
such as Milton Friedman, leading economist, and Sir John Templeton, advocate
of global investing, it seems that requests to appear with Rukeyser are very
welcome.
For his eighth investment cruise, Rukeyser invited four panelists, all of them regulars on his shows. Each brought a different area of expertise to the forum and spoke with authority about their specialties. They did not always agree, but the jovial way in which they took issue with one another made the debate lively.
Frank Cappiello, president
of an investment counseling firm, is a leading financial analyst. The author
of "Finding the Next Superstock," he talked about, among other things, "Stock
Selection: Finding the Winners of the New Bull Market." Cappiello, who does
not favor bonds, discussed what factors he looks for when screening for winning
equities.
Michael Holland, Chairman
of Holland & Company, has spent his years on Wall Street managing equity and
fixed income assets, as well as mutual funds. He focused on the timely topics,
"The Search for Current Yield" and "Balance in Investing."
Mary Farrell, a senior investment
strategist, discussed the markets going forward and rethinking retirement.
Thomas Gallagher, who works
in Washington, specializes in economic and political research. He offered his
insights on how policy themes, the political climate and economic trends impact
markets.
Rukeyser’s own curriculum vitae is a lengthy one filled with a wide range of accomplishments and awards. After a career as a political analyst and foreign correspondent, in 1968 he became TVs first national economic commentator, a job he invented. He believes that "you can’t understand politics if you don’t know economics" and that "economics is the most current subject in journalism." One of his citations praised him for his "singular contribution to the economic education of the American public."
Mr. Rukeyser hosted two sessions, one in which he answered questions from the audience as the other panelists had done following their presentations. The conference ended with The Rukeyser Panel. Lou interviewed the four experts on how to cope with the present market volatility and where they think the best profits will be made in the coming months.
Crystal Cruises does not sell or promote Rukeyser’s seminars. Many passengers were disappointed to learn of the event once at sea and wished they could have taken part. In order to participate in the seminar, you must purchase a cruise from Intershow.
To find out about Louis Rukeyser Investment Seminars at Sea, call 800-278-5996 or visit www.intershow.com. Seminars are priced at $499 per person, $899 per couple.
9th Louis Rukeyser Investment Cruise, Caribbean Medley, Crystal Harmony, November 29 to December 9, 2002.
10th Louis Rukeyser Investment Cruise, Eastern Caribbean, Crystal Symphony, November 28 to December 8, 2003.
Fall 2002
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