– From “Lenguistics”, by Paul Lengeman –

Anecdotal reports usually come first, and then the official statistics confirm what is happening in the real world. Some of the U.S. automobile companies are already feeling the improved economic environment. Look at Ford (NYSE: F). They had a huge increase in sales in the last month. The next companies to look at are the better retail chains, such as JC Penny (NYSE: JCP) or home improvement companies such as Lowes (NYSE: LOW). If these firms show good sales and earnings results we might be on the road to true recovery.

An unscientific survey of several businesses in the North-East and in Florida concluded that an early spring is in the air. Business is growing to some extent. Businessmen are more positive.

Says one sales executive in New York: “There is activity. There is not a lot of closing going on yet. But there is activity. Before Christmas I would get five or six emails and most of those were from co-workers complaining that there was no business being done. Now I get 50 emails a day and less than a handful are from colleagues. The emails are mostly inquiries; few are people asking to buy.”

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