My experience has been that the end of the first quarter is more often than NOT a down time in the resource sector. I have been trading in this area since 2001 - and I am starting to see some rhythms or cycles if you will. The only thing that interrupts such is if there is a big announcement from a comp - however I have also seen where a good report will get lost in the down draft.

We are entering a bit of a "phony war" time frame - the spring time has been a brutal time for resource stocks - each year I say it may be different but for the most cases it hasn't - the phrase "sell in may and go away" is an adage with some punch. It seems the market goes to sleep until the end of September with a brief awakening in late June or early July only to fall asleep till the Fall.

I do not know if there is any secret - one thing is for sure I have not been able to time the market - so I simply go on the basis that if I have made decent profit I take it - otherwise waiting around you loose it - at least I do it seems.

The market is always right and it is no respecter of persons - ask Bern Stearns. The moment you think you have it figured out - you don't.