Suitably Flip

Scott Cole Shows Us Love On CNBC

Scott, congrats once again on your spectacular finish and your enviable winnings.  And many thanks for the shout out!

Cole, the second-place winner, also focused on ETFs and Australian and London stocks. “There’s a tremendous amount of luck in this," said Cole, whose been trading for 17 years. Cole said he also discussed strategy with trading enthusiasts including Flip Pidot, author of the Suitably Flip blog.

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 Archive:  CNBC Portfolio Challenge 2011

CNBC Million Dollar Portfolio Challenge - The Results Show

Today's the day.  Last chance to submit your predictions for the 1st and 2nd place winners.  Anyone in the house who may be in contention (or felt like they were close but aren't at CNBC studios today) and isn't gagged by the network, feel free to post your ending portfolio values so we can try to zero in on the winning threshold and narrow down the contenders.  As you know, my money's on Cole and Chamblee as 1 and 2.

Pam should be able to help us sort things out with her diligent leaderboard archiving work.

I'll update this post with any notable data points and the results when announced.

Update:  Gary Lewis wins the million, Scott Cole drives off in the car.  Congrats to both.  Scott, when you're back online, fill us in on some details.

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Archive:  CNBC Portfolio Challenge 2011

Something New

As we count down the hours to the end of the Million Dollar Portfolio Challenge, I want to invite any interested traders to stick around after it wraps up and participate in an ongoing community trading initiative.  A few readers have already indicated interest, so while I don't yet know exactly what form it will take, this would be a good time to kick off a discussion to see 1) who's interested, 2) what everyone would like the focus to be (real-time sharing of day-trading strategies, story stocks, knowledge sharing about charting and technical analysis methods, fundamental analysis), 3) what features people want to see (real-time chat, ability to post/share charts and other graphics, integration with Stocktwits, guest posting for longer-form research and analysis, a community feedback system whereby traders offering the most helpful/profitable insights are awarded higher scores by their peers), and 4) any special skills you might like to contribute to the effort (web design, coding, technical analysis, etc.).

We certainly have more than a few gurus in the room with various areas of expertise, many of whom have been very generous with their insights.  Building on that would help make this an instantly valuable community of real-time trading collaboration.

For now, let's use the comment thread to this post as a forum for kicking around ideas and connecting with other interested participants.  I'll begin to pull a list together and will update as things begin to come into focus.

CNBC Million Dollar Portfolio Challenge - Friday, Week 10

Bonus Bucks for Friday, December 2 (the ones posted Thursday night).

1. According to Ilian Mihov, a professor of Economics at the INSEAD business school, Italy will have to refinance what percentage of its total debt in 2012.
B. 20%

2. What major government official told a news conference on Thursday that the United Kingdom is preparing itself for a wide range of European financial crises?
B. Bank of England Governor Mervyn King

3. According to a new report, how many days delinquent is the average housing loan in foreclosure?
A. 631 days

No leaderboard update, though the totals as of Wednesday's close are available in yesterday's post. 

Best of luck to everyone on the final day of trading (especially to those readers/commenters who are on the cusp of clinching that $1 million or the Maserati).

Thanks for all your comments and trading insights.  Don't be a stranger after the contest wraps up.  Blogging will get back to normal after Friday, though I'll be posting updates as we begin to get results, and I'm sure the more prolific commenters will continue to weigh in.

And although the official leaderboard is vanished, anyone who wants to update us with their final totals (weekly and/or overall), please feel free to submit them in the comments.  I'll update this post with any notable ones.

Update:  Well, that about does it.  Be sure to check out the comments where readers are sharing their final results.  At least one from our flock (Jane Chamblee, who I earlier predicted would win the Maserati) made it to the top 10.  Who else got the call?

The results will be announced on CNBC on Wednesday.

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Archive:  CNBC Portfolio Challenge 2011

CNBC Million Dollar Portfolio Challenge - Thursday, Week 10

For answers to the most recent Bonus Bucks trivia questions, click here.

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Bonus Bucks for Thursday, December 1 (the ones posted Wednesday night).

1. What is the “most shorted” stock in the S&P 500 stock index, according to figures compiled this week by CNBC.com?
D. First Solar

2. Gibson Guitar factories in Tennessee were raided last week by federal officials trying to enforce:
B. Logging rules

3. Border guards, teachers and nurses among other state workers walked out on Wednesday in protest against the government's austerity measures. It was Britain's first mass strike in how many years?
D. more than 30 years

I did promise volatility this week.  I hope it's been to your liking.

Leaderboard update:  Despite starting the day in the bearish ETFs, Scott managed to hang on to the top spot, with $1.99M.  This permabear, on the other hand, slipped off the leaderboard entirely (for the first time in a couple weeks - so cold out here, so very... very cold), landing at 57th and 118th.  And that's despite booking some $200k in AMR gains.  Oh yes, I've managed to disappear an impressive pile of fake money in 72 hours. 

In better news, Jane is still on the board at 12th and Denaro is making his leaderboard debut at 14th.  The rest of our crew is in the wilderness, at least temporarily.  But our most prolific dispenser of trading advice, Boston Wealth aka Ben (along with a handful of others) have got this maniacal market wired and are moving up with great ferocity.

Also, I just reloaded the leaderboard and it vanished (forever), the previously announced "freezing" by CNBC to obscure the standings over the final couple days.  For posteritry, I'm posting the most recent version (current as of Wednesday's close), with thanks to Paul for putting it up in a comment to the previous post.

1. Scott Cole  $1,994,263.91
2. morris myers  $1,958,305.63
3. Gary Lewis  $1,947,352.11
4. Simon Sommerfeld  $1,910,802.16
5. Deanna Aho  $1,866,570.63
6. Michael Mondville  $1,864,450.10
7. Jonathan Griffin  $1,838,669.26
8. Seung Kim  $1,837,766.24
9. John W Grosvenor  $1,820,865.55
10. Peter Stacy  $1,811,334.73
11. Ronnie Hart  $1,807,442.40
12. Jane chamblee  $1,806,684.81
13. Todd Pavlik  $1,787,320.04
14. Keith Cimera  $1,761,122.73
15. Rohit Mansukhani  $1,757,992.68
16. Terry Hada  $1,747,821.59
17. Greg van de Sande  $1,724,822.32
18. Bryan Gunter  $1,723,703.44
19. Ryne Varnadore  $1,715,903.66
20. Nicola Craig  $1,709,350.59

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Archive:  CNBC Portfolio Challenge 2011

CNBC Million Dollar Portfolio Challenge - Wednesday, Week 10

For answers to the most recent Bonus Bucks trivia questions, click here.

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Bonus Bucks for Wednesday, November 30 (the ones posted Tuesday night).

1. How many United States cities are included in CNBC.com’s The World’s Best Places to Live 2011?
D. None

2. UK mortgage approvals rose more than expected in October although the overall picture for lending remained depressed. Mortgage approvals in October were:
D. the highest since Dec 2009

3. Since September, how many billion dollars worth of Hong Kong listings have been shelved because of volatile markets, according to the story Hong Kong IPO Rush Is a Sign of Bearishness: Strategist
C. more than $ 4 billion

Leaderboard update:  Scott remains on top with $2.04 million.  I sank to #16, but Spider jumped up to #4 on some well-timed AMR trades.  This may be the last leaderboard update, as CNBC will no longer provide updates after tomorrow.  Not sure whether we get a final look Wednesdsay or not.

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Archive:  CNBC Portfolio Challenge 2011

CNBC Million Dollar Portfolio Challenge - Tuesday, Week 10

For answers to the most recent Bonus Bucks trivia questions, click here.

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Bonus Bucks for Tuesday, November 29 (the ones posted Monday night).

1. Research conducted by financial services recruitment firm Astbury Marsden showed City workers were expecting what average bonus this year?
B. £19,920

2. Morgan Stanley has cut global growth forecasts for 2012 once again, nearly three and a half months after cutting them in august. What is the firm's new forecast?
B. 3.5%

3. Which of the following is NOT one of three things to watch in Europe this week, according to PIMCO’s Mohamed El-Erian?
D. Stock market performances

Leaderboard update:  Scott is unstoppable lately.  Another strong day now finds him on the verge of $2 million.  Me, I was bearish going into Monday, so I took a stomping and fell from 2nd to 8th (though my next best portfolio rode the bull and jumped up to 46th).  Spider also had a tough day and fell from 5th to 17th.  Jane is also still on the board at 16th.  Alas, Jason and Rahul have temporarily slipped from the top 20, but there's a long week of savory volatility ahead.

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Archive:  CNBC Portfolio Challenge 2011

CNBC Million Dollar Portfolio Challenge - Monday, Week 10

For answers to the most recent Bonus Bucks trivia questions, click here.

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Bonus Bucks for Monday, November 28 (the ones posted Sunday night).

1. In the story " Investors Short HK Property Stocks On China Slowdown" analysts expect property prices in Hong Kong to fall by how much next year?
A. 10-15%

2. The Bank of England's Monetary Policy Committee member Ben Broadbent said there is a risk of recession in the UK in what period?
A. in the fourth quarter

3. According to the CEO of DBS Bank, Piyush Gupta, how large are the bank's savings deposits in Singapore dollar terms?
B. S$80 billion

Leaderboard update:  Going into the final week, Scott and I are still 1st and 2nd, separated by about $110k.  Rahul is back another $100k in 3rd (and 6th, 7th, 8th, and 10th).  Spider is 5th and Jason is 16th.

As of early Sunday evening, it was looking to be a bull-friendly Monday, with investors seeming to buy the newest plan the Europeans have begun to plan in order to devise a plan to save the world (and strong Black Friday sales, etc.).  There's an Italian bond auction Monday morning, which may tell us more about the edibility of this latest batch of Euro pudding.

Either way, anyone hoping for a quiet week to cap off the contest should brace for disappointment.

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Archive:  CNBC Portfolio Challenge 2011

CNBC Million Dollar Portfolio Challenge - Friday, Week 9

For answers to the most recent Bonus Bucks trivia questions, click here.

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Bonus Bucks for Friday, November 25 (the ones posted Thursday night).

1. The Bank of England published the minutes to its last meeting on Wednesday. How many members of the Monetary Policy Committee backed maintaining their target level of quantitative easing asset purchases at 275 billion pounds after October's unexpected 75 billion pound increase?
A. All nine

2. According to CNBC’s "Best Books for the Holidays 2011," Walter Isaacson has put together the ultimate biography of what technology and design genius?
C. Steve Jobs

3. Which of the following is NOT included in CNBC.com’s “10 Holiday Shopping Apps That Will Save You Money?”
D. Shopper

Leaderboard update:  Damnit, Scott.  I thought I was terribly clever for squeezing out a few thousand in Australian and UK trading on Thanksgiving, only to see you put up some $24k, extending your lead over me to $60k.

6 days remain.  There can be only... well, 2.

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Archive:  CNBC Portfolio Challenge 2011

CNBC Million Dollar Portfolio Challenge - Thursday, Week 9

For answers to the most recent Bonus Bucks trivia questions, click here.

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Bonus Bucks for Thursday, November 24 (the ones posted Wednesdsay night).

Yes, there are Bonus Bucks tonight, despite not being the eve of a (U.S.) trading day.  Sorry for being tardy.  I didn't think of it until just now.

1. The Head of Investment Strategy at AMP Capital expects China's November inflation figures to come in at what level?
B. 4.5 to 5%

2. According to the 2011 survey on the “Cost of a Thanksgiving Dinner,” what is the increase in the price of a pound of cranberries since last year?
A. 7 cents

3. UK inflation, currently at 5 percent, has ate into people's purchasing power. But which "category" has been hit hardest by inflation?
C. baby boomer (aged 45 - 65)

Leaderboard update:  Scott and I remain 1st and 2nd, respectively, but I did manage to shrink the distance between us by about half (now $1.84M to $1.8M).  Rahul Ghosh's currency frenzy continues to help elevate his 5 portfolios - now ranked 3rd, 4th, 6th 7th, and 10th.  Spider jumped up to 9th.  Jason seems to have slipped to 16th, based on his score, but he isn't featued on the leaderboard.  A number of other readers have written in saying their portfolio totals are incorrect as of today's close.  You're encouraged to contact CNBC Customer Care if you're seeing a similar problem in your portfolios.

Happy Thanksgiving and happy day off!

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Archive:  CNBC Portfolio Challenge 2011

CNBC Million Dollar Portfolio Challenge - Wednesday, Week 9

For answers to the most recent Bonus Bucks trivia questions, click here.

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Bonus Bucks for Wednesday, November 23 (the ones posted Tuesday night).

1. Independent think-tank Reform said the UK needs how many years of austerity to resolve its debt problems?
D. at least 10

2. Mr Yen, or Eisuke Sakakibara, expects the Japanese authorities to intervene in the forex market once again when the yen reaches what level against the dollar?
B. 75

3. In a recent interview on CNBC’s Squawk Box, trader Kevin Ferry of Cronus Futures Management compared long-term interest rates to a:
C. “Hot, sexy girl”

Leaderboard update:  Looks like most of the leaders had a rough day.  I barely managed to stay even (or rather, my losses were small enough to be outweighed by Bonus Bucks), but that was enough to hang onto 2nd place for another day.  Scott was the exception and he more than tripled his lead over me ($1.78M to $1.71M).  Jason also found it tough sledding today, but only slid two spots to 5th with $1.64M.  The 5 Rahuls remain on the leaderboard, with a top rank of 7th.  And Spider's hanging tough at 15th.

Overnight, much like last night, I'm 100% bearish, Scott is half bearish, and Jason is bullish.

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Archive:  CNBC Portfolio Challenge 2011

CNBC Million Dollar Portfolio Challenge - Tuesday, Week 9

For answers to the most recent Bonus Bucks trivia questions, click here.

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Bonus Bucks for Tuesday, November 22 (the ones posted Monday night).

1. What UK stock does billionaire investor Warren Buffet want to buy more of if the price decreases?
C. Tesco

2. A Chicago apartment owned by Oprah Winfrey is available to rent for $15,000 a month. What did she pay for it and when did she buy it?
A. $5.6 million in 2006

3. Exports make up what percentage of China's GDP according to the story "Tough Decisions Face China as Global Woes Grow"?
C. 30%

Leaderboard update:  Our pal Scott Cole had a monster day and jumped into 1st place, with $1.722 million.  Jason and I traded ranks (I'm now 2nd, while Jason's 3rd).  After many days on top, Dennis Mantel slipped to 4th.

That means readers (and writers) of this blog now occupy the top 3 ranks.  Kudos all around, folks.

Speaking of my readers absolutely killing it, Rahul Ghosh once again has all 5 portfolios in the top 20, with a top rank of 6th.  And Freddy Fung is on the bubble at 22nd.

Overnight, I'm 100% bearish, Scott is half bearish, and Jason is bullish.

Update:  Spider/Khaled is also on the leaderboard, at #14.  Sorry for the omission.

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Archive:  CNBC Portfolio Challenge 2011

CNBC Million Dollar Portfolio Challenge - Monday, Week 9

For answers to the most recent Bonus Bucks trivia questions, click here.

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Bonus Bucks for Monday, November 21 (the ones posted Sunday night).

1. Occupy London Stock Exchange demonstrators announced on Friday they had “repossessed” a building belonging to an investment bank. Which bank owns the building the activists gained access to?
B. UBS

2. Consumers in Hong Kong and mainland China will make up what percentage of global luxury sales by 2020, according to CLSA Asia Pacific Markets' research.
B. 44%

3. According to a DuPont report for 2011, what is the most popular color for new car buyers in North America?
B. White/pearl

Futures were pointing sharply lower early Sunday evening, with the Supercommittee throwing in the towel and European armageddon continuing to weigh on sentiment.  Premature congratulations to those who rode the bear over the weekend.

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Archive:  CNBC Portfolio Challenge 2011

CNBC Million Dollar Portfolio Challenge - Friday, Week 8

For answers to the most recent Bonus Bucks trivia questions, click here.

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Bonus Bucks for Friday, November 18 (the ones posted Thursday night).

1. On Wednesday, the Bank of England predicted that inflation would fall to what level in two year's time?
D. 1.3 percent

2. Despite the U.S. consumer confidence at recession levels, Smead Capital Management believes its time to buy shares of consumer discretionary stocks. Which ones does it suggest?
A. Walgreen, Starbucks, Nordstrom

3. According to Hiring For Attitude, one of CNBC.com’s best books for the holidays, what percentage of newly hired employees fail within 18 months?
A. 46 percent

I trust everyone's enjoying the highly vomitous roller coaster this week.  Ready for one more spin, on this options expiration Friday?

Leaderboard update:  Jason maintained his 2nd place rank, though I'm nipping his heels at a new personal best rank of 3rd.  Scott Cole edged up to 6th (and stayed #1 on the weekly leaderboard).  And Freddy Fung is staying strong at 18th.  Pretty soon we're going to have to start listing the leaderboard ranks not occupied by blog contributors to save space.

Dennis Mantel continues to sit at the top of the leaderboard, but for the first time since we made his acquaintance, he had a down day, suggesting he may just be fallible after all.

Overnight, I'm short, Jason's long.

Update:  After the least volatile, but somehow most hellish trading session in the last three (during which I produced a gain of less than $1,000, including the $6,000 in Bonus Bucks), I've somehow maintained my #3 ranking ($1.592M).  It was apparently a blessedly awful day for many on the leaderboard.  Jason also remained #2 ($1.685M), though he managed to move the needle in the right direction, gaining a bit of ground on Mantel ($1.746M).  Scott Cole slipped just one rung to #7.  And all the other spots on the leaderboard are Rahul Ghosh.

Once again, I'm bearish going into Monday, while Jason's bullish.  (I'm bullish in my runner-up portfolio, which crept back onto the leaderboard at #19.)

Update:  I neglected to notice that our buddy Spider (Khaled Helmi) is also on the leaderboard, at #13.  If we include Rahul's 4 slots, readers (and proprietors) of this blog now account for fully 40% of the Top 20 leaderboard.  I want at least 50% by Monday night.  Freddy, denaro, tradingmom, Boston Wealth, we're counting on you!

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Archive:  CNBC Portfolio Challenge 2011

CNBC Million Dollar Portfolio Challenge - Thursday, Week 8

For answers to the most recent Bonus Bucks trivia questions, click here.

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Bonus Bucks for Thursday, November 17 (the ones posted Wednesday night).

1. According to Darren Rovell’s calculations, how much of their own money did NBA players put on the line with their announced intention to disband their union?
B. $3.3 billion

2. According to chartist Daryl Guppy, the upside for Nymex oil over the next few weeks is capped at?
C. $110-115

3. According to CNBC.com's guest writer Shaun Rein, which luxury brand is getting too popular for its own good in China?
A. Louis Vuitton

Leaderboard update:  Jason reclaimed his #2 position.  I climbed back to #8.  Our friends Scott Cole (who is definitely a human being) and Freddy Fung are on the board at #7 and #16, respectively, while Denaro is tantalizingly close at #21.

Dennis Mantel continues his epic run and has cruised to a cool $1.8 million, exactly $200k ahead of Jason.

I'm short overnight in my one surviving portfolio, throwing some speculative darts with my now distant runner-up, notably Rambus and Qihoo.  What's the house sentiment here - does the bleeding continue tomorrow morning or do we have a big reversal to the upside?

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Archive:  CNBC Portfolio Challenge 2011

CNBC Million Dollar Portfolio Challenge - Wednesdsay, Week 8

For answers to the most recent Bonus Bucks trivia questions, click here.

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Bonus Bucks for Wednesday, November 16 (the ones posted Tuesdsay night).

1. UBS Wealth Management expects a fall of how many barrels in global crude oil consumption next year?
B. 500,000

2. Which 2011 member of Congress has an estimated minimum net worth of $44.21?
B. Rep. Vern Buchanan (R.-Fla.)

3. UK Chancellor George Osborne and other ministers are drawing up plans for a big increase in infrastructure spending in the country. How much money will be involved for the projects?
A. $80 billion

Leaderboard update: Jason maintained his top-5 ranking with $1.52 million.  Two of our other friends are on the bubble at 23rd (denaro) and Freddy (26th).  And for the first time, I've got two portfolios on the leaderboard, at 11th and 17th.  Our gradual takeover continues apace.

Meanwhile, overall leader Dennis Mantel ($1.73 million) extends his lead to $200k over the his closest competition.

I've got one bearish and one mostly bullish (with a couple of lottery tickets) going into Wednesday's open.  Whatchyou got?

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Archive:  CNBC Portfolio Challenge 2011

CNBC Million Dollar Portfolio Challenge - Tuesday, Week 8

For answers to the most recent Bonus Bucks trivia questions, click here.

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Bonus Bucks for Tuesday, November 15 (the ones posted Monday night).

Hmm, they seem to be late today (or maybe CNBC finally set their clocks back; the usual publishing time went from 7 pm to 6 pm the day after daylight savings).  Will update this space when they become available.

Update:  9:40 am and still no questions.  Bizarre.  I'd guess they'll issue a mea culpa and simply credit everyone $6,000.

Update:  In the comments, Miss B notes she got a response from CNBC, saying that, indeed, everyone will simply get the $6,000 today.  I guess someone fell asleep at the trivia machine.

Leaderboard update: Jason hung onto his #2 slot with nearly $1.53 million.  I managed to sneak back on at #15 with $1.41 million.  What's everyone's directional inkling going into Tuesday?  I've got my top performer in the bear ETFs, but my runner-up ($1.37 million) is in the bulls, so I'm relatively indifferent, so long as we get a gap.  But it feels to me like there's still a lot of room below.

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Archive:  CNBC Portfolio Challenge 2011

CNBC Million Dollar Portfolio Challenge - Monday, Week 8

For answers to the most recent Bonus Bucks trivia questions, click here.

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Bonus Bucks for Monday, November 14 (the ones posted Sunday night).

1. Interest rates from the Bank of England are at a historic low, and on Thursday, November 10th the BoE decided to keep them there. Where do rates stand?
B. 0.5 percent

2. Selling your house on the Internet isn’t easy and trying to sell it without photos of the front of the house or the interior makes it even more difficult. What three-time presidential candidate forgot to include these photos on their official home website?
C. Ron Paul

3. According to CNBC.com’s rankings based on the World Bank’s “Ease of Doing Business” study, what is the “worst” country for business?
B. Venezuela

Note that question 3 has appeared before - don't know if they're recycling or if it's a glitch.  So if you're answering these on Sunday night, you might want to check in again on Monday before 4 pm to make sure they haven't replaced it with a fresh one.

Amazingly, Jason has clawed his way into 2nd place overall, with a hefty $1.52 million.  Good luck this week to Jason and loyal readers of all ranks.

How's everyone positioned going into Monday's open?  Me, I'm short across the board.  I don't know if itll be Monday, but I'm guessing we'll shortly experience a day of reckoning to clobber last Wednesday, the first time we get actual new news out of Italy that's anything shy of rosy and sweet and pre-announced and orchestrated.

Of course, that's basically the same thesis I was operating under on Thursday and Friday, and you'll notice my name is no longer featured on the leaderboard.

Futures were pointing higher early Sunday night.

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Archive:  CNBC Portfolio Challenge 2011

CNBC Million Dollar Portfolio Challenge - Friday, Week 7

For answers to the most recent Bonus Bucks trivia questions, click here.

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Bonus Bucks for Friday, November 11 (the ones posted Thursday night).

1. While questioning former News Corp executive James Murdoch in UK parliament on Thursday, Labour MP Tom Watson compared James, the son of Rupert Murdoch, to what?
C. a "mafia boss"

2. According to the author of a book about the history of MTV, the cable channel’s relationship with the record labels passed through these four distinct phases:
D. Disdain, resentment, dependence, indignation

3. The stock market of which emerging economy is the worst performer of the year, but still holds long-term promise, according to CNBC's guest writer Michael Yoshikami.of YCMNET Advisors.
B. India

Sorry for the delay in posting tonight.  What should've been a 90-minute flight from New York to Charlottesville early this morning turned into a 14-hour odyssey.  There's fog in New York, you see, and apparently airplane fuselages are unable to penetrate fog.  After a few hours of staring out at empty, misty runways and monitors covered with the word CANCELED, I threw in the towel and drove the 400 miles.

Anyway, being separated from my trading screen didn't do me too much harm.  I'm delighted to have hung onto a top 10 ranking, though I did slip three spots to #8.  Jason Huizinga vacated the 8-spot to make room for me and leapt to #4.  I'm also cooling my heels in 4th place on the weekly leaderboard [correction: 5th place; can't count, been a long day], though that portfolio and my overall top-performer are currently both positioned the same way for Friday (bearish) and such alignment makes me itchy, particularly as tomorrow will be another day when I'll be hard-pressed to find my way to an internet machine to twiddle with positions during the trading session.  Alas.  Maybe armageddon will strike and all will be well.

(Many thanks to those of you who emailed or posted comments on the previous post with Friday's Bonus Bucks answers in my tardiness.)

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Archive:  CNBC Portfolio Challenge 2011

CNBC Million Dollar Portfolio Challenge - Thursday, Week 7

For answers to the most recent Bonus Bucks trivia questions, click here.

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Bonus Bucks for Thursday, November 10 (the ones posted Wednesday night).

1. Greg Dove of the National Flea Market Association, noted that the flea market industry has estimated annual sales of how much?
C. $30 Billion

2. What is the Dow's target for January according to chartist Daryl Guppy?
B. 12,600

3. With companies in the S&P 500 stock index reporting record profits, why aren’t stock prices also hitting record highs, according to Fast Money’s Karen Finerman?
D. “The expectation is that earnings may decline if Europe can’t get out of its own way.”

Thanks to today's carnage, I'm making my Top 5 debut today in the overall leaderboard.  I jumped into our buddy Jason Huizinga's spot, while Jason is temporarily slumming it in 8th place.

Congrats to everyone who hung on to bearish positions for dear life throughout the wild Wednesday session (or at least made it out alive).  And if you got crushed, don't despar.  There sould be plenty more opportunities to ride the volaility rocket in the coming days.

Of course the $1,000,000 question now is: how are you positioned going into Thursday's open, in the wake of all that madness?  Long, short, or on the sidelines?

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Archive:  CNBC Portfolio Challenge 2011

CNBC Million Dollar Portfolio Challenge - Wednesday, Week 7

For answers to the most recent Bonus Bucks trivia questions, click here.

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Bonus Bucks for Wednesday, November 9 (the ones posted Tuesday night).

1. Where is CNBC’s Republican Presidential Debate being held?
A. Oakland University, Rochester, MI

2. British parliamentarians this week took the unusual step of interviewing a revenue and customs lawyer under oath over an alleged "sweetheart" tax deal with what U.S. bank?
D. Goldman Sachs

3. China's clampdown on bank lending has been a boon for banks outside China, according to Standard & Poor's Equity Research. Which Asian bank stock did the firm recently upgrade?
A. DBS

Revisiting the leaderboard, Jason is hanging on at #5 overall, while reader Psychic Webbach rocketed to #23 and #32.  Keep it up, boys.

Thanks to that DYN pop, I climbed back up to #49 overall and have two portfolios appearing on the weekly leaderboard.

Quick show of hands - who reckons we're due for a drastic snapback tomorrow?

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Archive:  CNBC Portfolio Challenge 2011

CNBC Million Dollar Portfolio Challenge - Tuesday, Week 7

For answers to the most recent Bonus Bucks trivia questions, click here.

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Bonus Bucks for Tuesday, November 8 (the ones posted Monday night).

1. There has been mounting talk that the troubles in Greece will cause the Euro zone to break up. According JP Morgan Asset Management will this happen?
B. No

2. What US retailer said on Monday that it is scrapping plans for a chain of European superstores, and announced that it is buying out its British partner in a mobile phone initiative?
A. Best Buy

3. What luxurious holiday gift comes with a price tag of $5,000?
A. Johnnie Walker Private Scotch Tasting

Our pal Jason Huizinga, having climbed steadily in the rankings since the reset, now stands at #3 overall, with $1.387 million.  Congrats, Jason!

You can benefit from Jason's insights in the comment thread for just about any post.

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Archive:  CNBC Portfolio Challenge 2011

CNBC Million Dollar Portfolio Challenge - Monday, Week 7

For answers to the most recent Bonus Bucks trivia questions, click here.

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Bonus Bucks for Monday, November 7 (the ones posted Sunday night).

1. Mining company Anglo American agreed on Friday to buy a majority stake in what other miner?
B. De Beers

2. Out of the world's 50 largest economies, which is the worst place to do business in?
D. Venezuela

3. In a live interview on CNBC, how did Ken Langone describe the Occupy Wall Street demonstrators in downtown Manhattan?
A. "Babies in adults' bodies"

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Archive:  CNBC Portfolio Challenge 2011

CNBC Million Dollar Portfolio Challenge - Trade From Your Phone or Tablet (If You Dare)

If you've tried accessing the contest site from a mobile devce, you've likely been advised to get yourself to a laptop or desktop if you want to place any actual trades.  I've tried using a few different browsers from my Android tablet, to no avail, and CNBC doesn't have that handy "Full Site" button to de-mobilize the site.

But on Monday I'll be mobile for most of the day (and epic volatility may be in store), so I set about finding a workaround.  Turns out there is one.

Your menus might differ, depending on your device and OS, but here's how it goes for Android Honeycomb users:

1. In the browser's address bar, type about:debug, then hit enter.  You may see a Javascript Console toolbar appear.  Ignore it.
2. Open the browser menu and click Settings.
3. Select the Debug tab, then click UAString.
4. Set to Desktop.

When you're done trading, you'll probably want to set the UAString back to Android or iPad or Xoom, or whatever it used to be, then type about:debug into the address bar again to jump out of debug mode.

Now...

Since we've all gotten so caught up in the rules lately, I should point out the following passage from the "Summary of Contest" section:

Although the mobile version of the Site allows for Contest registration (after September 19, 2011) and viewing of Portfolio balances, all other Contest-related actions must be made on the full, non-mobile version of CNBC.com.

I read this as a disclosure of a technological limitation, not an admonition not to trade from a mobile device.  Further, it states only that such actions must be made on the full, non-mobile version of the CNBC.com, not from a non-mobile device.  By employing the above technique, you are indeed using "the full, non-mobile version of CNBC.com"; you're simply accessing that non-mobile version from a mobile device.

Nor does this literal interpretation of the letter of the rules seem to violate any "spirit of the rules" expressed anywhere on the site.  I can't see how mobile trading would give you any undue advantage over desk-bound trading (except insofar as it allows you to trade more flexibly, but that hardly seems like a perversion of the gameplay or a divergence from the real-world activity it seeks to mimic).

In short, who could possibly care?

All that being said, make your own decision and use your newfound ability to trade on the go at your own risk.  I'm confident a few commenters will deem this a dastardly exploitation and get into something of a lather over it.  To everyone else, you're quite welcome.  Happy trading and good luck!

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Archive:  CNBC Portfolio Challenge 2011

CNBC Million Dollar Portfolio Challenge - Friday, Week 6

For answers to the most recent Bonus Bucks trivia questions, click here.

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Bonus Bucks for Friday, November 4 (the ones posted Thursday night).

1. Which of the following is NOT one of the “10 Biggest Mistakes Made by Small Business Owners?”
A. Relying too much on friends and family

2. According to Matthew Kidman, Author of Bulls, Bears & A Croupier, the Dow Jones Industrial Index will reach what level in 20 years?
D. 100,000

3. BT, the UK telecom giant that reported quarterly financial results on Thursday, has seen its shares rise more than 100 percent since it began a turnaround. When did it begin that turnaround?
B. April 2009

A big jump in the leaderboard-leading gains today, following another wild and wooly day of multiple percent-plus swings.  The new leader Nicola Craig is up 38.1% (versus yesterday's top score 27.2%).

Me, I did swell in the first hour, then got bludgeoned relentlessly the rest of the day, for a net -1% in my top portfolio (dropping from 29th to 128th place).

How'd you all do?  Any of those several new faces on the leaderboard in the house?

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Archive:  CNBC Portfolio Challenge 2011

CNBC Million Dollar Portfolio Challenge - Thursday, Week 6

For answers to the most recent Bonus Bucks trivia questions, click here.

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Bonus Bucks for Thursday, November 3 (the ones posted Wednesday night).

A UK court ruled on Wednesday that what prominent figure should be extradited out of the country for questioning overseas?
D. Julian Assange

According to Chartist Daryl Guppy, shares of Japanese camera maker Olympus are expected to fall by how much more?
C. 20%

What was Robert Zoellick’s top position during his time at Goldman Sachs?
B. International Vice-Chairman

Well, the currency anomaly seems to have been resolved.  Ted Hamilton disappeared from the leaderboard, leaving a much more tightly grouped distribution among the remaining currency hotshots.  I suppose it's possible he squandered the vast majority of his 278% gain, but it seems more likely that there was a clerical error or another irregularity that's been taken care of.

At the end of three days, the overall top-ranked player had posted a gain of 27.2%, a surprisingly modest leap of less than 5% over the previous day's top gainer (even ex-Hamilton).  I myself fell from the leaderboard, from 17th place to 29th, with $1.215 million (positioned bearishly going into Thursday's open).  My second-best is ranked 38th with $1.212 million and is poised bullishly.  So I'm hoping for any kind of crazy action Thursday morning.  But Rahul Ghosh, with three portfolios on the leaderboard, is going to be hard to beat this week.

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Archive:  CNBC Portfolio Challenge 2011

CNBC Million Dollar Portfolio Challenge - Wednesday, Week 6

For answers to the most recent Bonus Bucks trivia questions, click here.

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Bonus Bucks for Wednesday, November 2 (the ones posted Tuesday night).

1. In a live interview on CNBC, Fifth Third Bancorp CEO Kevin Kabat said the bank increased its third quarter earnings through:
A. “Loan growth, expansion of the margin”

2. How much did UK gross domestic product grow in the third quarter, according to a report from the Office for National Statistics released this week?
C. 0.5 percent

3. Inflation in China is still running high but latest manufacturing data shows slowing growth. What do analysts at HSBC and RBC say should be China's monetary stance?
C. Targeted Easing

Checking in on the leader board, we see that yesterday's outlier Ted Hamilton has come back to earth a bit.  He's still sitting at #1, but wasn't able to reproduce his astronomical first-day currency gains (and actually lost about $50,000).  Perhaps he's human after all.

The top 20 leaders' scores are a little more sanely distributed today, with a range in gains of 18.3% - 23.3%.  Yours truly vaulted to #17 (#6 in equities) after a few fortunate pivots with our leveraged ETF friends, as the will-he-won't-he drama over George Papandreou's call for a Greek bailout referendum unfolded.

In case you're interested, I've got my top portfolio sitting in the bear funds overnight.  Futures were pointing lower Tuesday night, which augurs well, but who knows what those crazy Europeans will cook up by Wednesday's open.

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Archive:  CNBC Portfolio Challenge 2011

CNBC Million Dollar Portfolio Challenge - Tuesday, Week 6

For answers to the most recent Bonus Bucks trivia questions, click here.

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Bonus Bucks for Tuesday, November 1 (the ones posted Monday night).

1. According to the Bank of England, how many mortgage approvals took place in the United Kingdom in September?
A. 50,967

2. What is the net worth of Asia-Pacific's richest family, the Ambanis, founders of India's Reliance Industries.
C. $37.6 billion

3. Why does Uwe Parpart think Japan's strength as an industrial society is fading on the international stage?
D. Over regulation

And we have our first look at the leaderboard, post-reset.  Looks like a nice reasonable distribution, with the top gainers netting 6-8%, ex-Bonus Bucks.  But boy is there an outlier.  Ted Hamilton of Birmingham, Michigan jumped a whopping 28.5% on the first day of the reboot.  That's 3.5x the gain put up by his nearest competitor.

Did he catch something we all missed?  Or is a glitch still afoot?

Hamilton's gains came almost entirely from currency trading (he nearly quadrupled his $100,000 in a day), so if something's amiss, it's not the same something that was tripping up equities before the reset.

I don't think I'm out on much of a limb in saying something doesn't smell right.  Expect to see this one reversed when all is said and done.

Forget the $10 million portfolio values we saw at the end of Week 5.  If Ted can maintain 278% daily gains in his currency portfolio, he'll surpass $77 million by Friday and $27 trillion by the end of Week 10.

Update:  FWIW, Ted appears to be a software engineer.  I've reached out to ask for any insights into his monster day / clerical error.  Will update with any clarity that yields.

Update:  Looking a little more closely at the currency leaderboard, we see that it was a day of unusually lofty currency gains.  Hamilton was still a remarkable outlier, but all 20 made more than 40% in their currency portfolios. We haven't see anything like that before.  But the multiple currency rocketeers suggests this might simply reflect the kind of gains achievable amid today's crazy forex action, rather than another glitch.  The dollar-yen pair moved more than 3% (which becomes 30% thanks to the 10:1 currency leverage), which makes 40% in a day begin to sound feasible.  And 287% begins to seem... well, potentially fathomable.  Perhaps.

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Archive:  CNBC Portfolio Challenge 2011

CNBC Million Dollar Portfolio Challenge - Monday, Week 6

For answers to the most recent Bonus Bucks trivia questions, click here.

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They're baaaack...

Bonus Bucks for Monday, October 31 (the ones posted Sunday night).

1. What European head of state last week told UK prime minister David Cameron that he was "sick of you criticizing us and telling us what to do"?
B. Nicolas Sarkozy

2. What wealthy Southeast Asian family has a majority stake in Wilmar International, the world’s largest publicly-listed palm oil company?
C. Kuok Family

3. How many Tweets per second were sent when Beyonce revealed her “baby bump” on August 28?
C. 8,868

The only additional commentary we have from CNBC on the nature of the glitch is this:

We have corrected the equity trading issue and all trades will now correctly execute based on the next last-sale price as stated in the rules.

Make of that what you will.  My best guess, all things considered, is that the "glitch" basically boiled to down a slight time lag, whether that was the result of the CNBC quote stream actually lagging 3rd party real-time quote services (allowing players to front-run the contest, playing with a crystal ball with a couple seconds' visibility) or the result of an actual software glitch that caused trades to be matched at the last last-sale price, rather than the next last-sale price - not quite as valuable an advantage, but certainly a repeatedly exploitable glitch, particularly with foreign-traded penny stocks or beaten down stocks like Eastman Kodak.

If it was an actual lag problem, I wouldn't presume the resolution involved speeding up the system, when a nearly equivalent fix would be simply to impose a few second delay on every trade processed.  So it should be apparent rather quickly if that's what's happened.  And based on what we've heard from the multiple top tier leaderboard dwellers who've recounted their methods on this site (including at least a couple who didn't realize they were exploiting any kind of glitch), it seems more likely that the problem was in the actual matching engine (last last sale vs. next last sale), which would strongly favor penny stock day traders, trying to capture 1-2 cent swings, dumping every time it ticks up (even if it only catches a single tick, a last last sale matching algorithm would give you credit for the gain).

Anyway, whatever what went wrong is ostensibly remedied, so feel to avail yourselves with great abandon of the volatile, the beaten down, the leveraged, and the foreign-listed, without fear of being summarily disqualified.  We're assured that the "exploit" is no longer achievable, thanks to whatever software patching they've undertaken.  While they haven't seen fit to spell it out for us and we're thus to trust in their patchwork, it stands to reason that we can on similarly blind faith accept that inadvertent or nebulously proscribed cheating is now literally impossible, since the as-yet undefined, erstwhile exploitable glitch is no longer.

Good luck to everyone in the next five weeks.  If you've answered the above questions (and assuming you got the early registration bonus), you're currently tied for 1st place.  Kudos.  Try not to blow it this time.

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Archive:  CNBC Portfolio Challenge 2011

CNBC Million Dollar Portfolio Challenge - Friday, Suspension Week

Your suspension is nearly at an end, traders. They've begun to reset the equity portfolio values (though you may have noticed not all of the fields yet reflect the reset values, nor have the currency accounts yet been reset).

CNBC hasn't given any further clarification of the nature of the "glitch" or how it was being exploited, which others have rightly noted leaves us in a bit of a pickle if we want to ensure we don't exploit it ourselves.  We haven't even been informed whether the technical glitch itself has been resolved, or whether we're just to reacquaint ourselves with the rules and try our best to interpret them within the ever-nebulous "spirit of the contest" to ensure we don't run afoul of it.  We still have more than 48 hours until trading resumes.  It'd be great if CNBC could settle some of this.

A few have pointed out this clause in the rules.  I can't say for sure whether this was added this week, but I definitely don't recall seeing it before:

19.                Participant Behavior:
...
Participants agree not to trade or cause others to trade the actual equities (or options) of the companies included in their Contest portfolios, within five (5) trading days of the effective date of a trade of such Equity within the Contest.

Of course, this doesn't mean you have to hold a stock in the MDPC for a minimum of 5 days - just that you can't go out there and manipulate the real-world price of the stock, just before or after you buy or sell it in the contest.  If this is a change, it seems like one of the less crucial ones, as market manipulation was already explicitly forbidden.  But maybe one or more of the irregularties they found did involve such behavior (whether with the ASX penny stocks, as theorized here) or elsewhere.  If so, that wildly differs (both in methodology and seriousness) from our understanding of the "exploitation" method that brought everything to a halt.

Even that method (which was less egregious, per our understanding, than real-world market manipulation would be) was deemed to be straight-up cheating by nearly 60% of you who participated in our poll.  22% thought the rules concerning exploitation were too ambiguous and 18% said the alleged exploiters got a bum rap.

Update:  Commenter Jay indicates the 5-day rule was indeed in the original rules, suggesting there may not have been any rule changes since the suspension, and debunking the suspicion cases of real-world price manipulation triggered the reset.

Previously:
Tuesday, Suspension Week
CNBC Million Dollar Portfolio Challenge - Monday, Suspension Week
MDPC RESET!
Friday, Week 5; Update: Leaders Reveal Their Secrets

Full Archive:  CNBC Portfolio Challenge 2011

CNBC Million Dollar Portfolio Challenge - Tuesday, Suspension Week

Apparently there will be no further Bonus Bucks to tide us over, but reader WEC had a fine idea in an earlier post's comment thread, namely to poll the readership on whether the "glitch" "exploiters" were indeed cheating.

I won't bother rehashing the arguments for and against.  Instead, check out these two posts and their respective comment threads for endless discussion thereabout (or Friday's installment for the post that appears to have sparked this whole $#!&storm).  You might also re-read sections 17 and 19 of the contest rules for the official discussion of contest exploitation and modification.

Previously:
CNBC Million Dollar Portfolio Challenge - Monday, Suspension Week
MDPC RESET!
Friday, Week 5; Update: Leaders Reveal Their Secrets

Full Archive:  CNBC Portfolio Challenge 2011

CNBC Million Dollar Portfolio Challenge - Monday, Suspension Week

Um, okay... I wasn't really expecting a fresh batch of Monday questions, given the weeklong hiatus.  But there they are nonetheless, so we may as well answer them.

(In the meantime, Bonus Bucks writers, call your office.)

And you, noble trader, answer at your own risk!  You wouldn't want the contest admins to decide you'd been grubbing ill-gotten Bonus Bucks outside of regulation play and force another reset.

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Bonus Bucks for Monday, October 24 (the ones posted Sunday night):

Concerns have recently come to a head about the effectiveness of UK consumer product regulation, following a series of fires determined to have been caused by what kind of appliances?
A. Freezers

The Royal Bank of Scotland expects Asian stocks to fall by how much over the next three months?
B. 15-20%

How many Tweets per second were sent when Beyonce revealed her “baby bump” on August 28?
C. 8,868

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Previously:

MDPC RESET!
Friday, Week 5; Update: Leaders Reveal Their Secrets

Full Archive:  CNBC Portfolio Challenge 2011

CNBC Million Dollar Portfolio Challenge - RESET!

Ho. Ly. Crap.

CNBC has announced that due to a "glitch" in the system, they're suspending trading until October 30, at which point all portfolios will reset to $1 million, and trading will resume for the final 5 weeks.  Weekly winners from week 1-5 will keep their vacation prizes, but other than that, we're all back to the starting gate.

In case you missed it, Jam and Mr. Anonymous offered up some secrets of the leaderboard on this site earlier today, revealing what some decried as a shady, borderline-against-the-rules method, which they'd used to post gains as high as 800% over the last 5 weeks.  As I noted in that thread, I don't see the method as cheating, even arguably.  As I understand it, it simply exploits a well-documented simplification in the game mechanics (trades are booked at the last trade price, not the bid or ask price) that CNBC chose to adopt and make known in the official rules.  Unless there's more shadiness to the method than I've been made aware, I don't see why this should have resulted in the suspension of the game.

Then again, it could just be coincidence that this was made public on this forum today and they suspended the game today.

But I tend to doubt it.  At least 3 people from NBC Universal visited this site at least 13 times between 3:00 and 5:15 pm (around the time the announcement was made), usually landing on the previous post, in which the method was discussed.  If any such personnel happen upon this post and care to comment (Was this exploit the so-called "glitch"? Was the method deemed cheating? If so, are those who used it banned? If not, then why the suspension of trading and reset of portfolios?), please feel free, either in the comment thread or via email.

More as it unfolds.

Update:  Finally found this official announcement.  Why it doesn't appear on the MDPC site, I can't say.

Portfolio Challenge Suspended for One Week

Trading in CNBC's Million Dollar Portfolio Challenge was suspended as of close of trading today at 4:00 p.m. ET for one week.

It came to our attention that there was a technical glitch in the current trading system, which a handful of players found and exploited to jump to the top of the leaderboard. The contest accidentally allowed what our rules specifically prohibited.

Out of fairness to all registered contestants and as is our right, according to the rules of the contest, we are suspending the contest and will restart it Sunday, October 30 at 5:00 p.m. ET. Upon relaunch, all player accounts will be reset to their opening balance. Play will begin anew for the final five weeks of the contest. All winners from the first five weeks, including this week, will retain their prizes.

We apologize for any inconvenience, but fundamental fairness compels us to take this action.

For the persnickety, here's the relevant section of the Rules:

17.  Contest Modification:
...
CNBC reserves the right to cancel, modify, or suspend the Contest or any element thereof (including, without limitation, these Official Rules) without notice in any manner and for any reason including, without limitation, if (i) viruses, bugs, unauthorized human intervention, fraud, technical failure or other causes which may corrupt or affect the administration, security, fairness, integrity or proper conduct of the Contest; or (ii) earthquake, flood, fire, storm or other natural disaster, act of God, labor controversy or threat thereof, civil disturbance or commotion, disruption of the public markets, war or armed conflict (whether or not officially declared). 

CNBC and its representatives reserve the right to make changes to the Site, any elements of this Contest, or the Rules at any time with or without notice. CNBC further reserves the right to terminate, postpone, suspend, amend or modify the Contest for any reason, in the sole discretion of CNBC. Notice of such cancellation, modification, or suspension will be posted on the Site.

CNBC's certainly within their rights; they give themselves pretty broad license to do whatever they like.  I just think it was a bad call (assuming the glitch/exploit/whatever was no more exotic than what Jam and Mr. Anonymous outlined).  The game had a flaw.  Not an unknown bug or short-circuit or "glitch," to use their word, but a deliberation approximation of real world conditions deemed necessary by the game's designers (in favor of trade processing efficiency, presumably) that users found a way to turn to their advantage, without breaching the rules.

A lot of people felt the game became unfair because of the runaway scores, but the method was no less available to them than to those who found and employed it.  Still, in pursuit of the slippery concept of fairness (and also, to be blunt, assuredly in pursuit of recapturing the monetizable participation of hundreds of thousands of de facto dropouts), CNBC chose neither to accept the suboptimal consequences that their simplification had wrought, nor to truly own the opposite path, brand the exploiters as cheaters, ban them, and warn copycats of similar treatment, but to slink down a middling road, pretending the simplification was an inadvertent bug and torching the entirety of the contest to date.

Alas.

Update:  Since a number of my dear readers respectfully differ with me on this, let me throw out a blanket caveat.  My take depends crucially on the idea that we now thoroughly understand the special method.  If, contrary to current understanding, it turns out there was more to it - if, say, there really was a software glitch, whereby you can effectively trade slightly in advance of the CNBC reflecting a one-tick move visible on a 3rd party streaing quote provider (or any similar true "glitch" that enabled users to knowingly gin up false gains, clearly beyond the parameters so clearly delineated in the rules) - then not only was it an exploit, it was genuine cheating.  And not only should the contest be rebooted, but the perpetrators should be booted, if not worse.  So far, I don't know anything like that to be the case.  The method, as described to us earlier today, does not fit that description.

Either way, one clear obligation CNBC now has is to tell us what the problematic trading behavior was, why/how it violated the rules, and how (if at all) the mechanics or rules have been altered going forward to clarify what's permissable and what's not.  With $1 million at stake, it's not enough to sketch broad strokes with multiple potential good faith interpretations and admonish people to abide by the spirit of those rules.  They need to be unmistakable and unambiguous and then we all (including CNBC) need to live with them, even if it turns out they constitute a flawed game that bears little resemblance to real-world trading.

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Archive:  CNBC Portfolio Challenge 2011

CNBC Million Dollar Portfolio Challenge - Friday, Week 5; Update: Leaders Reveal Their Secrets

For answers to the most recent Bonus Bucks trivia questions, click here.

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Bonus Bucks for Friday, October 21 (the ones posted Thursday night).

1. The Marco Polo Pure China Fund is down by how much year-to-date?
D. 25%

2. What did the unofficial U.S. “misery index” do for September?
A. Rose to 13.0, highest since 1983

3. Miner Anglo American said on Thursday that its third-quarter copper production dropped by 9 percent. Where is Anglo American's flagship Los Bronces copper mine?
A. Chile

Want to know how the folks atop the leaderboard are putting up such consistently huge gains?  Check out the comment thread.

Update:  Holy crap.

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Archive:  CNBC Portfolio Challenge 2011

CNBC Million Dollar Portfolio Challenge - Thursday, Week 5

For answers to the most recent Bonus Bucks trivia questions, click here.

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Bonus Bucks for Thursday, October 20 (the ones posted Wednesday night).

1. Which of Rupert Murdoch's four children once ran a television production company called Shine that was acquired by Murdoch's News Corp. in April?
B. Elisabeth

2. According to CNBC.com’s table of earnings surprises, how did Abbott Laboratories’ most recently reported earnings per share number compare to the consensus estimate?
C. EPS was one cent above the estimate

3. Which publicly listed company has the world's largest workforce?
D. Wal-Mart

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Archive:  CNBC Portfolio Challenge 2011

CNBC Million Dollar Portfolio Challenge - Wednesday, Week 5

For answers to the most recent Bonus Bucks trivia questions, click here.

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Bonus Bucks for Wednesday, October 19 (the ones posted Tuesday night).

1. China's economy is expected to grow at what rate in 2012, according to the China Market Research Group?
B. 8.5%

2. Which college dropout went on to create on of the largest social networking websites with an estimated worth of $100 billion?
C. Mark Zuckerberg

3. According to a CNBC.com analysis, compensation for financial sector CEOs is what percentage of the companies’ earnings before taxes?
B. 0.21%

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Archive:  CNBC Portfolio Challenge 2011

CNBC Million Dollar Portfolio Challenge - Tuesday, Week 5

For answers to the most recent Bonus Bucks trivia questions, click here.

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Bonus Bucks for Tuesday, October 18 (the ones posted Monday night).

1. How did real estate agent Bret Parsons characterize the decor of actor Nicolas Cage's foreclosed mansion in Bel Air, California?
C. "Frat house bordello"

2. What word did analyst Anthony DiClemente use on CNBC to describe Google's cash hoard?
B. "Astonishing"

3. The Ernst & Young ITEM Club, which bases its quarterly growth report on finance ministry models, cut its forecast for the UK gross domestic product increase. What is the ITEM Club's new prediction for UK growth for this year?
C. 0.9% growth

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Archive:  CNBC Portfolio Challenge 2011

CNBC Million Dollar Portfolio Challenge - Monday, Week 5

For answers to the most recent Bonus Bucks trivia questions, click here.

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Bonus Bucks for Monday, October 17 (the ones posted Sunday night).

1. The seventh most emptiest US City is:
C. Dayton, OH

2. The domestic gross of the remake of Conan The Barbarian was:
C. 21.3 million

3. Property prices in Beijing fell by how much in August, according to Daiwa Capital Markets.
A. 2.3%

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Archive:  CNBC Portfolio Challenge 2011

CNBC Million Dollar Portfolio Challenge - Friday, Week 4

For answers to the most recent Bonus Bucks trivia questions, click here.

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Bonus Bucks for Friday, October 14 (the ones posted Thursday night).

1. In the third quarter of this year there were 284 Initial Public Offerings. The Asia Pacific region accounted for what percentage of these IPOs according to Ernst & Young?
C. 57%

2. The UK trade deficit for August, which analysts expected to swell to
8.8 billion pounds, ended up contracting instead. What did it fall to?
A. 7.768 billion pounds

3. For what company is Anna Anisimova the “daughter heir-apparent?”
B. Coalco International

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Archive:  CNBC Portfolio Challenge 2011

CNBC Million Dollar Portfolio Challenge - Thursday, Week 4

For answers to the most recent Bonus Bucks trivia questions, click here.

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Bonus Bucks for Thursday, October 13 (the ones posted Wednesday night).

1. In CNBC.com’s Scenes from the ‘Occupy’ Protests slideshow, what is written immediately below the “We Occupy Boston” sign?
B. “End Corporate Greed”

2. The number of unemployed in Britain jumped on Wednesday. When did the jobless rate, now at 8.1 percent, last high such highs?
D. October 1996

3. Which country in Asia Pacific is expected to cut interest rates when its central bank meets next, according to AMP Capital Investors.
C. Australia

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Archive:  CNBC Portfolio Challenge 2011

CNBC Million Dollar Portfolio Challenge - Wednesday, Week 4

For answers to the most recent Bonus Bucks trivia questions, click here.

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Bonus Bucks for Wednesday, October 12 (the ones posted Tuesday night).

1. According to NFLShop.com, what was the third best-selling NFL jersey between April 1 and September 30, 2011?
B. Michael Vick, Philadelphia Eagles

2. How much did Huijin - a unit of China's sovereign wealth fund - spend on buying shares of the 'Big Four' Chinese banks, according to an analyst at Mizuho Securities Asia.
C. $31 Million

3. The Bank of England has said it will buy UK government bonds or gilts again. But which assets will the Bank of England not buy?
C. Corporate Bonds

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Archive:  CNBC Portfolio Challenge 2011

CNBC Million Dollar Portfolio Challenge - Tuesday, Week 4

For answers to the most recent Bonus Bucks trivia questions, click here.

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Bonus Bucks for Tuesday, October 11 (the ones posted Monday night).

1. Which are the world's top three most polluted countries?
B. Mongolia, Botswana, and Pakistan

2. What is Aviva's exposure to Spanish government debt?
B. 300 million pounds

3. Siemens' Peter Solmssen tells CNBC his company has _______ job openings in America that his company is having trouble filling.
D. 3000

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Archive:  CNBC Portfolio Challenge 2011

CNBC Million Dollar Portfolio Challenge - Monday, Week 4

For answers to the most recent Bonus Bucks trivia questions, click here.

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Bonus Bucks for Monday, October 10 (the ones posted Sunday night).

1. Which economist believes the United States is now in a "modern-day depression?"
C.  David Rosenberg at Gluskin Sheff

2. Household spending accounts for what portion of the UK economy?
C. Two-thirds

3. Which tech executive or entrepreneur said Steve Jobs had spent time offering him advice and knowledge "even though he was not at all well?"
D. Larry Page

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Archive:  CNBC Portfolio Challenge 2011

CNBC Million Dollar Portfolio Challenge - Friday, Week 3

For answers to the most recent Bonus Bucks trivia questions, click here.

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Bonus Bucks for Friday, October 7 (the ones posted Thursday night).

1. The Bank of England on Thursday said it voted to boost its asset purchase program by 75 billion pounds ($114.8 billion) to a total of how many pounds?
A. 275 billion pounds

2. Goldman Sachs cut its 2011 GDP growth forecast for Australia. What is its new forecast?
A. 1.5%

3. The Bank of England on Thursday said it voted to boost its asset purchase program by 75 billion pounds ($114.8 billion) to a total of how many pounds?
A. 275 billion pounds

Yes, questions 1 and 3 do look similar.  At least they do for me.  If you're seeing something different, please advise.

Update:  Commenter Zip is showing this for Question 3:

3.  In what year did “Fast Money” contributor Karen Finerman co-found Metropolitan Capital Advisors?

Answer: 1992

That is indeed the right answer to that question.  I'm just not seeing it on my Bonus Bucks page, for whatever reason.  Let me know if anyone experiences different weirdness with Question 3.

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It probably goes without saying, but keep a close eye on that September employment report at 8:30.  Following decent numbers from ADP and initial unemployment claims, the S&P 500 is up more than 8% from Tuesday's lows.  The Dow's regained more than 700 points.

Look out below if unemployment fails to keep itself to 9.1% and/or payroll growth doesn't jump from August's goose egg to at least the 60,000 the market's expecting.

Update:  Better than expected payroll growth of 103,000.  August revised up to 57,000.  Unemployment rate unchanged at 9.1%.  Futures erased their losses and were pointing to a Dow gain of 60+ at the open, following the report.

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Previously:

10/5:  Wednesday, Week 3
10/4:  Tuesday, Week 3
10/3:  Can You Win Without Kodak?
10/3:  Monday, Week 3
9/30:  Friday, Week 2
9/29:  Thursday, Week 2
9/28:  Cheaters' Edition!
9/28:  Wednesday, Week 2
9/27:  Tuesday, Week 2
9/26:  Monday, Week 2
9/23:  Friday, Week 1
9/22:  Thursday, Week 1
9/21:  Wednesday, Week 1 (Supplemental Open Thread)
9/21:  Wednesday, Week 1
9/20:  Tuesday, Week 1
9/19:  Monday, Week 1: Trading Begins!
8/23:  CNBC Million Dollar Portfolio Challenge - Eligible Stocks, Funds
8/21:  CNBC Million Dollar Portfolio Challenge (More Details)
8/20:  CNBC Million Dollar Portfolio Challenge (Kicks Off Sunday August 21)

Full Archive:  CNBC Portfolio Challenge 2011

CNBC Million Dollar Portfolio Challenge - Thursday, Week 3

For answers to the most recent Bonus Bucks trivia questions, click here.

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Bonus Bucks for Thursday, October 6 (the ones posted Wednesday night).

1. This week UK Finance Minister George Osborne tacitly admitted that a British program designed to get banks to lend to small businesses wasn't working satisfactorily, and that further measures would be necessary. What is the name of that program?
C. Project Merlin

2. Which 3 resources stocks did James Chirnside, the CIO of Asia Pacific Asset Management recommend on CNBC on Tuesday?
D. BHP, Fortescue and Vale

3. What is the pollution level in the world’s 4th most polluted country?
A. 145 ug/m3

Checking in on the leaderboard, our pal Bradford Pine continues to climb in the rankings, checking in at #8 and #19 overall tonight (and #7 and #8 for the week).  Get it done, Brad!

Meanwhile, #1 Tracy Sanders is closing in on $2 million.  Her nearest competition (herself) is 2.5% behind.

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Previously:

10/5:  Wednesday, Week 3
10/4:  Tuesday, Week 3
10/3:  Can You Win Without Kodak?
10/3:  Monday, Week 3
9/30:  Friday, Week 2
9/29:  Thursday, Week 2
9/28:  Cheaters' Edition!
9/28:  Wednesday, Week 2
9/27:  Tuesday, Week 2
9/26:  Monday, Week 2
9/23:  Friday, Week 1
9/22:  Thursday, Week 1
9/21:  Wednesday, Week 1 (Supplemental Open Thread)
9/21:  Wednesday, Week 1
9/20:  Tuesday, Week 1
9/19:  Monday, Week 1: Trading Begins!
8/23:  CNBC Million Dollar Portfolio Challenge - Eligible Stocks, Funds
8/21:  CNBC Million Dollar Portfolio Challenge (More Details)
8/20:  CNBC Million Dollar Portfolio Challenge (Kicks Off Sunday August 21)

Full Archive:  CNBC Portfolio Challenge 2011

CNBC Million Dollar Portfolio Challenge - Wednesday, Week 3

For answers to the most recent Bonus Bucks trivia questions, click here.

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Bonus Bucks for Wednesday, October 5 (the ones posted Tuesday night).

1. According to UBS, if Greece were to default, the U.S. were to experience weak growth (but not a recession) and China were to avoid a hard landing, how much would stocks in Asia ex-Japan fall by?
A. 18%

2. How does Phillip Carter describe his "Texas Cash Cow Investments" business?
D. "Instead of doing cattle, we’re doing houses."

3. According to the World Federation of Exchanges, what percentage of the trading that takes place in London involves shares of companies that are based outside of the United Kingdom?
C. 14 percent

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Previously:

10/3:  Can You Win Without Kodak?
10/3:  Monday, Week 3
9/30:  Friday, Week 2
9/29:  Thursday, Week 2
9/28:  Cheaters' Edition!
9/28:  Wednesday, Week 2
9/27:  Tuesday, Week 2
9/26:  Monday, Week 2
9/23:  Friday, Week 1
9/22:  Thursday, Week 1
9/21:  Wednesday, Week 1 (Supplemental Open Thread)
9/21:  Wednesday, Week 1
9/20:  Tuesday, Week 1
9/19:  Monday, Week 1: Trading Begins!
8/23:  CNBC Million Dollar Portfolio Challenge - Eligible Stocks, Funds
8/21:  CNBC Million Dollar Portfolio Challenge (More Details)
8/20:  CNBC Million Dollar Portfolio Challenge (Kicks Off Sunday August 21)

Full Archive:  CNBC Portfolio Challenge 2011

CNBC Million Dollar Portfolio Challenge - Tuesday, Week 3

For answers to the most recent Bonus Bucks trivia questions, click here.

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Bonus Bucks for Tuesday, October 4 (the ones posted Monday night).

1. An economic advisor at Arbuthnot Banking Group predicted on Friday that the United Kingdom will see further monetary stimulus from the government by what time frame?
D. End of November 2011

2. Which of the following is not cited as a post-March drag on stocks in CNBC.com’s Investor Winterizing special report.
D. S&P’s downgrade of U.S. credit rating

3. Which investment bank said September's asian equity selloff was caused largely by long-term investors than by short-term investors or hot money outflows?
C. RBS

I have to say I'm a little surprised the leaderboard isn't showing even more massive numbers, what with the Kodak situation, likely to be the best trade of the contest.  It appears that no one who was already on the leaderboard (or even on the cusp, with the possible exception of Tom McAdam) was in EK.

Still, the trade did yield a bit of a shakeup in the roster, including the return of our old buddy Bradford Pine (who took home 2nd Prize in the 2008 MDPC), who cruised Kodak back to the leaderboard at #19.  Well done, Brad.

And take heart.  The updated leaderboard suggests the leaders are growing complacent.  While they've been steadily gaining each day, rarely perturbed by up-and-comers, today nicely illustrates that in a market like this, a single day can launch you into the top tier.  We may not get another Kodak, but with no sign of volatility easing and earnings season upon us, those leaderboard spots are ripe for the picking.

With that in mind, it's worth remembering the words of Herman Blume:

Here's my advice to the rest of you: Take dead aim on the rich boys. Get them in the crosshairs and take them down. Just remember, they can buy anything but they can't buy backbone. Don't let them forget it.

---

Previously:

10/3:  Can You Win Without Kodak?
10/3:  Monday, Week 3
9/30:  Friday, Week 2
9/29:  Thursday, Week 2
9/28:  Cheaters' Edition!
9/28:  Wednesday, Week 2
9/27:  Tuesday, Week 2
9/26:  Monday, Week 2
9/23:  Friday, Week 1
9/22:  Thursday, Week 1
9/21:  Wednesday, Week 1 (Supplemental Open Thread)
9/21:  Wednesday, Week 1
9/20:  Tuesday, Week 1
9/19:  Monday, Week 1: Trading Begins!
8/23:  CNBC Million Dollar Portfolio Challenge - Eligible Stocks, Funds
8/21:  CNBC Million Dollar Portfolio Challenge (More Details)
8/20:  CNBC Million Dollar Portfolio Challenge (Kicks Off Sunday August 21)

Full Archive:  CNBC Portfolio Challenge 2011

CNBC Million Dollar Portfolio Challenge - Can You Win Without Kodak?

For answers to the most recent Bonus Bucks trivia questions, click here.

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It's gonna be tough.  Eastman Kodak (EK) was not on the original list of eligible equities, but it was apparently added when CNBC revised the list prior to the contest kickoff.  Anyone who was holding it this morning made up to 100%+, meaning a one-day bump of 25% in their portfolio value.  A portfolio with a value of $1.2 million or so going into today would jump onto the leaderboard (based on Friday's closing values).  There are well over 1,000 portfolios that were at $1.2 million or better and the Kodak story was well publicized on Friday, meaning the 50% aggregate gainers club (numbering only 20 or so until today) probably just got a lot bigger.

Worse, if the median leaderboard member were holding EK today, he'd be looking at a total gain of roughly 90% now.

It's a long contest and missing out on one humongous windfall certainly doesn't count you out, but it's probably safe to say the Week 3 trip winner will be a Kodak beneficiary.

---

Previously:

9/30:  Friday, Week 2
9/29:  Thursday, Week 2
9/28:  Cheaters' Edition!
9/28:  Wednesday, Week 2
9/27:  Tuesday, Week 2
9/26:  Monday, Week 2
9/23:  Friday, Week 1
9/22:  Thursday, Week 1
9/21:  Wednesday, Week 1 (Supplemental Open Thread)
9/21:  Wednesday, Week 1
9/20:  Tuesday, Week 1
9/19:  Monday, Week 1: Trading Begins!
8/23:  CNBC Million Dollar Portfolio Challenge - Eligible Stocks, Funds
8/21:  CNBC Million Dollar Portfolio Challenge (More Details)
8/20:  CNBC Million Dollar Portfolio Challenge (Kicks Off Sunday August 21)

Full Archive:  CNBC Portfolio Challenge 2011

CNBC Million Dollar Portfolio Challenge - Monday, Week 3

For answers to the most recent Bonus Bucks trivia questions, click here.

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Bonus Bucks for Monday, October 3 (the ones posted Sunday night).

1.  Australians are expected to splurge A$7.88 billion on pet care services and products in the 2011-2012 financial year. How much are they spending on food per year, according to market research firm IBIS?

B. A$ 2.8 billion

2.  London Metal Exchange is being courted as a possible acquisition target, according to its CEO, Martin Abbott. Which major financial institution now owns a 9.5 percent stake in the exchange?

A. Goldman Sachs

3.  According to CNBC.com’s Best Places to Work on Wall Street, who is the “king” of Wall Street?

A. Jamie Dimon

---

Previously:

9/30:  Friday, Week 2
9/29:  Thursday, Week 2
9/28:  Cheaters' Edition!
9/28:  Wednesday, Week 2
9/27:  Tuesday, Week 2
9/26:  Monday, Week 2
9/23:  Friday, Week 1
9/22:  Thursday, Week 1
9/21:  Wednesday, Week 1 (Supplemental Open Thread)
9/21:  Wednesday, Week 1
9/20:  Tuesday, Week 1
9/19:  Monday, Week 1: Trading Begins!
8/23:  CNBC Million Dollar Portfolio Challenge - Eligible Stocks, Funds
8/21:  CNBC Million Dollar Portfolio Challenge (More Details)
8/20:  CNBC Million Dollar Portfolio Challenge (Kicks Off Sunday August 21)

Full Archive:  CNBC Portfolio Challenge 2011

CNBC Million Dollar Portfolio Challenge - Friday, Week 2

For answers to the most recent Bonus Bucks trivia questions, click here.

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Bonus Bucks for Friday, September 30 (the ones posted Thursday night).

1.  In the opinion of Morgan Stanley’s Adam Parker, how likely is a “global synchronous recession where deflation becomes more visible?”
B. 10 percent chance of occurring

2.  What reason did Ashraf Laidi give for the euro to drop to 1.29 vs the dollar?
A. Interest rate differentials

3.  Which UK political leader this week said that the country's economy needs to reward small businesses rather than "predators who are just interested in the fast buck"?
B. Ed Miliband

Thanks to commenters ak and Flight of the Conchords for covering the Bonus Bucks beat while I was out of range earlier.

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Previously:

9/29:  Thursday, Week 2
9/28:  Cheaters' Edition!
9/28:  Wednesday, Week 2
9/27:  Tuesday, Week 2
9/26:  Monday, Week 2
9/23:  Friday, Week 1
9/22:  Thursday, Week 1
9/21:  Wednesday, Week 1 (Supplemental Open Thread)
9/21:  Wednesday, Week 1
9/20:  Tuesday, Week 1
9/19:   Monday, Week 1: Trading Begins!
8/23:  CNBC Million Dollar Portfolio Challenge - Eligible Stocks, Funds
8/21:  CNBC Million Dollar Portfolio Challenge (More Details)
8/20:  CNBC Million Dollar Portfolio Challenge (Kicks Off Sunday August 21)

Full Archive:  CNBC Portfolio Challenge 2011