Today's Opening Notes

random readings:

• Stick to the best stocks, while looking for optimal buy points to start to a position or add to one. Avoid buying laggards that are late to the party.
• oil prices slipped again. February crude dipped 22 cents to $56.09 a barrel, reversing after early gains. Warm winter weather in the Northeast and ample supply have fueled a drop of nearly 9% in oil prices over the past week. Energy stocks, which led the market in the first half of 2006, have mostly fizzled since then, with oil prices about 40% off summer's peak levels.