The Daily Dow FOOL GLOBAL WIRE by Robert Sheard LEXINGTON, KY. (Apr. 15, 1997) -- The optimists are out in force today. Some strong earnings reports and a better-than-expected retail inflation indicator launched a rally for the Dow, tacking on 135 points for the session. Two Dow components beating the Street today were EASTMAN KODAK <% if gsSubBrand = "aolsnapshot" then Response.Write("(NYSE: EK)") else Response.Write("(NYSE: EK)") end if %> and CATERPILLAR <% if gsSubBrand = "aolsnapshot" then Response.Write("(NYSE: CAT)") else Response.Write("(NYSE: CAT)") end if %>. Both stocks have been among the high yielders in the past year, so undoubtedly a few of you are smiling on the news today. The good news led a number of investors to believe that the Federal Reserve may not have to raise rates further to ward off inflation, or at least delay the next hike to mid-summer rather than at the next meeting. Regardless of what the Fed does, earnings still drive the market and individual stocks, and as long as the Dow stocks keep growing "the bottom line," it's likely to bode well for this high-yield conservative approach. That said, the hike in interest rates we had in March (and any subsequent hikes) can still take a bite out of future earnings. It takes a little while for these moves to have an impact. The best thing about this approach, of course, is that you don't really have to think about all of these economic issues and act upon them. Whether rates go up or down, whether the market is up or down, by rotating periodically into out-of-favor Blue Chips, you're setting yourself up for a wonderful investing career. Fool on! (c) Copyright 1997, The Motley Fool. All rights reserved. This material is for personal use only. Republication and redissemination, including posting to news groups, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of The Motley Fool. ________________________________

The Current BTD 10 AT&T <% if gsSubBrand = "aolsnapshot" then Response.Write("(NYSE:T)") else Response.Write("(NYSE:T)") end if %> *Philip Morris <% if gsSubBrand = "aolsnapshot" then Response.Write("(NYSE:MO)") else Response.Write("(NYSE:MO)") end if %> *Intl. Paper <% if gsSubBrand = "aolsnapshot" then Response.Write("(NYSE:IP)") else Response.Write("(NYSE:IP)") end if %> * Exxon <% if gsSubBrand = "aolsnapshot" then Response.Write("(NYSE:XON)") else Response.Write("(NYSE:XON)") end if %> *General Motors <% if gsSubBrand = "aolsnapshot" then Response.Write("(NYSE:GM)") else Response.Write("(NYSE:GM)") end if %> Chevron <% if gsSubBrand = "aolsnapshot" then Response.Write("(NYSE:CHV)") else Response.Write("(NYSE:CHV)") end if %> Eastman Kodak <% if gsSubBrand = "aolsnapshot" then Response.Write("(NYSE:EK)") else Response.Write("(NYSE:EK)") end if %> Minnesota Mining <% if gsSubBrand = "aolsnapshot" then Response.Write("(NYSE:MMM)") else Response.Write("(NYSE:MMM)") end if %> J.P. Morgan <% if gsSubBrand = "aolsnapshot" then Response.Write("(NYSE:JPM)") else Response.Write("(NYSE:JPM)") end if %> DuPont <% if gsSubBrand = "aolsnapshot" then Response.Write("(NYSE:DD)") else Response.Write("(NYSE:DD)") end if %> NOTE: Foolish four stocks are preceded by an asterisk. Updated Daily

1997 Foolish Four Model Stock Change Last -------------------- T - 1/8 33.38 GM + 3/4 54.25 CHV + 1/4 64.13 MMM +2 83.13 Day Month Year FOOL-4 +0.77% -4.05% -8.17% DJIA +2.10% 0.06% 2.15% S&P 500 +1.48% -0.32% 1.89% NASDAQ -0.29% -0.72% -6.05% Rec'd # Security In At Now Change 1/2/97 120 3M 83.00 83.13 0.15% 1/2/97 153 Chevron 65.00 64.13 -1.35% 1/2/97 179 Gen. Motor 55.75 54.25 -2.69% 1/2/97 479 AT&T 41.75 33.38 -20.06% Rec'd # Security In At Value Change 1/2/97 120 3M 9960.00 9975.00 $15.00 1/2/97 153 Chevron 9945.00 9811.13 -$133.88 1/2/97 179 Gen. Motor 9979.25 9710.75 -$268.50 1/2/97 479 AT&T 19998.25 15986.63 -$4011.63 CASH $431.29 TOTAL $45914.79

© Copyright 1995-2000, The Motley Fool. All rights reserved. This material is for personal use only. Republication and redissemination, including posting to news groups, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of The Motley Fool. The Motley Fool is a registered trademark and the "Fool" logo is a trademark of The Motley Fool, Inc. Contact Us