I think Maria was originally hot - remember PCI- VIA - 1) because she was a real New Yorker, and 2) because guys on the floor would take time out to talk to her.


But as she has moved up in the reporting world, among economists and such, she has the problem that people don't take her seriously. So, she gets real serious and spends over a half hour preparing each report, gets all wound up, and then delivers her homerun.


Only problem, at least half the time it seems, by the time she says the market is up, its down, and vice versa. Whereas, if the Dow has been up or down 5 points all day - and hence above and below 0 about 20 times - she calls that "volatile."


It's funny though, because she also says random things that just were never true. I actually find her more entertaining than the ticker.


eLROY