nice starting point..

Business Financial Newswire
"House builder Barratt Developments has become a 'shorting' target for institutional fund mangers with Marshall Wace the latest to climb on the bandwagon.

As at 1 October 2009, Marshall Wace had a short position equivalent to 0.3% of the share capital of Barratt."

"GLG Partners has shorted Barratt Developments shares.

As at 1 October 2009 GLG held a short position equivalent of 0.25% of the issued share capital of the UK house builder."

You have to feel for the recent shorters!

More shorting.

Amazing. This yet again raises the old arguement of whether the sp should be down this low (fair valuation) or whether the shorters are forcing the sp down and therefore accentuating the decline (the more that short, the further it goes). Of course the stock has to be lent in the first place, so maybe just market forces at work?
I think I will stay out at present!

Fidelity joins Barratt shorting bandwagon

Barratt Developments share have been shorted by the world's larget fund manager, Fidelity International.

As at 22 October 2009, Fidelity held a short position equivalent to 0.27% of the issued share capital of Barratt Developments

Trafalagar Asset Managers is the latest fund management group to short Barratt Developments shares.

As at 26 October 2009, Traflagar held a short postion in the house builder's shares of 0.555% of the issued share capital.

I am assuming it's part B which the hedge funds see as the reason to short?
"A o Placing of 72,916,666 Placing Shares at 240 pence per Placing Share,
representing a 10.6% discount to the Closing Price of 268.5 pence per
Existing Ordinary Share on 22 September 2009 (being the last practicable
day prior to the publication of this announcement) to raise gross proceeds of
175 million. The Placees will be Qualifying Shareholders for the purposes of
the Rights Issue.
B o 1.3 for 1 Rights Issue of 545,525,090 New Ordinary Shares at 100 pence per
New Ordinary Share, representing a 37.8% discount to the theoretical exrights
price, when calculated by reference to the Placing Price, to raise gross
proceeds of 545.5 million"

that, or the continued lack of mortgage finance availability, lack of improvement in consumer confidence, and likely topping out of the recent housing mini-bounce ?

More shorting.

Interim management Statement.

In accordance with the requirements of D.T.R. 3.1.2 Barratt Developments PLC
(the "Company") was notified on 10 December 2009 that, David Thomas, Group
Finance Director, acquired 25,000 ordinary shares (0.0026% of the Company's
issued share capital) in the Company at a price of GBP1.12 per share, in London,
on 10 December 2009.


Following the above purchase, David Thomas holds 96,000 ordinary shares of 10p
each in the Company representing 0.01% of the Company's issued share capital.

below is a comparative chart which is pretty much self-explanatory

blue = BDEV
red = TW.
green = PAG (mortgage provider)

i have actually gone for BDEV rather than TW. purely because sp is at an interesting chart point and because sp has arguably better upside potential.

i have also bought a few PAG on the basis that if houses start to sell, PAG will almost certainly benefit quite significantly

Trading Update

Highlights

Net private reservations per active site up 8.9% on prior year

First half completions in-line with expectations at 5,028

Total average selling prices increased by 4% to c. 167,000, largely driven by changes in mix

Total forward sales up 43% on prior year at 651.2m

Increased operating profitability in the first half

Better than expected net debt reduction to around 610m from 1,276.9m at 30 June 2009

Good entry point at 110p.

Oddly enough, I just might disagree with both of you. I'll stick a chart up over the weekend.

don't forget BDEV had a rights issue

A few thoughts for what it's worth:

In an uptrend since the low of 30p in Dec 08 (grey dotted line)
In a downtrend since the high of 193p in Nov 09 (red dotted/slash line)
Downtrend accelerating since Jan 14 2010 (red dotted/slash line)
MACD MAs making higher lows during the last 12 months, although still firmly in negative territory.
RSI bumping along 12 mongths lows, albeit in the shallowest of uptrends.
SP currently sitting on long term trendline support.
Horizontal SP support only 5p away.
50MA crossed below 200MA 10 Jan 2010.

So, what does all that lot indicate? If someone held a gun to my head I'd rather be short than long, but to be honest it's a really difficult call and I think there are much easier opportunities (either short or long) than messing around with BDEV.

ptholden - So what does all that indicate? Heard of Premium Bonds?

pth
i think you have summed it up very well. lets sit back and wait for those easier ones to materialise.they always do, eventually, as i am sure you know.
regards
jkd