How good are you at predicting the stock market? Good or bad, take a crack at it. It's free and fun.
Our 1991 Dow Jones forecasting contest begins today, with first prize winner to enjoy cocktails and dinner for two as guests of Mr. and Mrs. Ticker at the winner's favorite area restaurant.
Second closest, ditto for lunch. The next 10 closest crystal ball gazers receive the latest Maryland Business Almanac published by the Baltimore Sun.
To enter, send your prediction for the Dow Jones closing average on Dec. 31, 1991, on a postcard (no letters accepted) to Ticker Contest, P.O. Box JW-6000, Baltimore Evening Sun, 501 N. Calvert St., Baltimore, Md. 21278.
Print your numerals (no decimals), name, address and home phone number. Give reasons if you wish, but they are not required. One card per person, and a coin flip unties ties. Your postcard must be postmarked by midnight, Sunday, Jan. 27, 1991.
To guide you, here are some Dec. 31, 1991, "expert" predictions, ranked by optimism:
Andy Barth, Channel 2 3333
Richard Barbarita, PaineWebber mgr. 3250
Mark Dyer, Ferris, Baker Watts 3150
Dr. Jeffrey Schein, my dentist 3150
Monte Gordon, Dreyfus Funds 3125
Jack Wasserman, real estate executive 3102
Frank Cappiello, inv. adviser 3101
George Pinsch, my barber 3100
George Bunting Jr., CEO, Noxell 3050
Craig Lewis, CEO, Inv. Couns. Md. 3000
Ray Jenkins, Eve. Sun. edit page ed 3000
Fortune teller, Pulaski Highway 2999
Richard Sher, Ch. 13 anchor 2975
Howard (Pete) Colhoun, adviser 2975
Sally Thorner, Ch. 2 anchor 2969
Rich Dubroff, Wall St. Week producer 2956
Charles McCormick, McCormick CEO 2950
Eddie Brown, investment adviser 2950
Joseph Sterne, Sun edit. page ed 2921
Geo. Collins, CEO, T. Rowe Price 2903
Manuele Wasserman, Pru Bache 2900
Michael Davies, publisher, The Sun 2859
Myron Oppenheimer, Security Trust 2851
Tom Tasselmyer, Ch. 11 weatherman 2850
George McGowan, CEO, BG&E 2820
James Hardesty, Merc. Safe 2801
Louis Goldstein, Md. comptroller 2800
Patricia Fanning, Eve. Sun fin. ed. 2770
Mr. Ticker 2750
Carolyn Walpert, my secy. (29 yrs) 2725
Mrs. Ticker 2700
Mathias DeVito, CEO, Rouse Co. 2700
Allan Prell, WBAL Radio 2634
Sig Shapiro, customs house broker 2578
Norbert Grunwald, Gruntal & Co. 2540
Tom Marr, WCBM talk host 2457
Michael Hodes, financial adviser 2420
Robert Wood, inv. counselor 2410
Larry Adam, Dean Witter 2400
Camilla Carr, Channel 11 anchor 2400
Rich Palmer, Alex. Brown 2370
Rebecca McReynolds, Balto. Bus. Jnl. 2367
George Ferris Jr. (my boss) 2360
Liz O'Neill, Channel 11 anchor 2300
Edwin Warfield IV, pub., Warfields 2250
Denise Koch, Channel l3 anchor 2240
Marty Zweig, market letter publ. 2235
Rob Brown, investment strategist 2222
Henry Rosenberg, Crown Central CEO 2210
Bob Lopez, 98 Rock 2200
Bob Fisher, Legg Mason 2000
Jim Grant, newsletter publisher 2000
Laura Charles, Sun columnist 1950
Ron Smith, WBAL talk show host 1936
CONTEST CORNER: For guidance, watch "Wall Street Week with Louis Rukeyser" tomorrow night, where the topic will be mutual funds; also, panelists will give our year-end predictions . . . I will talk about the 1991 stock market and answer your money questions day after tomorrow, Saturday, Jan. 14, 8-9 a.m., on WBAL Radio's Ron Smith show . . . For good stock market reading between now and deadline, read Barron's, Forbes, Changing Times, Money magazine, Wall Street Journal, etc. . . . For market's present level, see 'Market Watch" below.
