CNBC Million Dollar Portfolio Challenge - Tuesday, Week 5

[Scroll down for answers to today's Bonus Bucks trivia questions.]

Hmmph.  Well this week is continuing in lackluster fashion.  Of the three earnings reporters we included in yesterday's picks, two are happily trading to the upside today (PLL and STEI).  The third however (CMGI) is doing atrociously, down more than 20% in late morning trading.

I'll offer only the brief self-acquittal that during this week's crowdsourcing experiment, we're using all eligible earnings reporters, not just the "extra special" ones that we'd been carefully screening for prior to this week.  Accordingly, some spectacular failures were inevitable (and, frankly, tolerable, given the massively multi-player strategy which counts on a single portfolio navigating the week successfully).  That said, I'd be remiss if I didn't apologize to the managers of those portfolios that wound up with CMGI in them today, per yesterday's allocation matrix, for the sea of red they're seeing in one or more of their portfolios today.

A mild consolation is that the reduction in portfolio value will now make each day's bonus bucks count for a greater percentage gain, putting you in a stronger position to win next week's top honors.  I know, it's very mild.

Anyway, let's not wallow.  We hit a bit of a bump, but today's leading group (which looks like it'll probably be #8, #1 or #5 - folks born in October, November, or December, whose phone numbers end in an 8, a 1, or a 5) should be up 5-7% week-to-date (including today's intraday moves and bonus bucks through the end of the day).

Now, because our leading groups have yet to knock it out of the park this week, all participants who lent portfolios to the experiment (and particularly today's Group 8, 1, and 5 and yesterday's Group 4) are encouraged to implement the next allocation round.

This time, after zeroing out all existing positions (before 4 pm), set those maddening little slider bars to 25% for the following names, according to the day of the week on which you were born.

• Sunday:  LCC, CAL, AMR, SKYW
• Monday:  QSII, KFY, LCC, CAL
• Tuesday:  QSII, KFY, KWK, GDP
• Wednesday:  QSII, LCC, CAL, AMR
• Thursday:  QSII, KWK, GDP, CHK
• Friday:  KFY, LCC,  CAL, AMR
• Saturday:  KFY, KWK,  GDP, CHK

Important:  As with yesterday, if you're using more than one portfolio for this project, allocate the first portfolio according to the birthday scheme, the next portfolio to the allocation directly beneath it, and so on, until you've reallocated all involved portfolios.

For example: If you were born on a Tuesday, and you're using 3 portfolios, your allocations would be:

• Tuesday:  QSII, KFY, KWK, GDP
• Wednesday:  QSII, LCC, CAL, AMR
• Thursday:  QSII, KWK, GDP, CHK

Side note:  On the first day, Group 4 prevailed.  On the second day, Groups 8, 1, and 5 are all in contention.  Any Lost numerologists in the house?

Consider all of the above to be for entertainment purposes and not meant to be used as real-world investment recommendations.  The goals and strategies of the Portfolio Challenge are not to be confused with those of sensible investing.

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See all related posts in the CNBC Portfolio Challenge archive:

• Week 5:  Monday, Tuesday 
• Week 4:  Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday
• Week 3:  Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday
• Week 2:  Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday
• Week 1:  Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday
• Week 0:  Pre-game

• A New Fly In the Ointment
• Currency Trading Resumes
• More Technical Difficulties
• Prize Poll
• The Airing Of Grievances
• Technical Difficulties, Orders Cancelled

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Tuesday June 10th

Throughout the contest, each day's answers will be at the top of the CNBC Portfolio Challenge archive as soon as the questions are published, so bookmark accordingly.

Daily Trivia:

Squawk Box:  "Question: In Fast Money's June 6 Web Extra segment, "The Week Ahead," what topics did the traders offer predictions for?"

    Answer:  Oil, Apple & inflation

Squawk On the Street:  "Question: In "Lehman to Raise $6 Billion, Expects $2.8 Billion Loss" (June 9), who offered insights to CNBC's Squawk Box?"

    Answer:  Greenlight's David Einhorn

The Call:  "Question: In Cramer's May 15 Sell Block segment, "The Newest Mortgage Offenders," why did the Mad Money guru slam IndyMac?"

    Answer:  Diluting shareholders

Power Lunch:  "Question: CNBC Stock Blog: In "Playing the Food Chain," what did stock picker Doug Cliggott warn investors to be wary of?"

    Answer:  Need for credit growth

Street Signs:  "Question: How much did Warren Buffett bet that Wall Street pros cannot beat the S&P?"

    Answer:  $320,000

Closing Bell: "Question: Yodel for profit: In "Great Dividend Plays from Switzerland" which company did David Costa recommend?"

    Answer:  Adecco