SHORT INTERESTS: TIPS, TRENDS, OBSERVATIONS

Buy side, ‘bye side

Consumer researcher Leo J. Shapiro informs us of two interesting phenomena in his latest national surveys.

Each month, his Chicago firm asks random respondents if they’d sell their stock investments if prices dropped 10% and even 20%. Interesting phenomenon No. 1: The ratio of professed stock buyers during a correction vs. professed sellers has increased over the past few months, to about 2-to-1. (Mr. Shapiro figures individual investors are becoming more sophisticated — they know that corrections can mean buying opportunities.)

Interesting phenomenon No. 2: Growing fears among consumers that President Clinton could be impeached or forced to resign — up in August, to 38% of consumers polled, vs. 28% in July — could influence their stock buying or selling. “The ratio of buyers to sellers changes unfavorably when they begin to contemplate President Clinton’s leaving office, and in some cases you have more sellers than buyers,” Mr. Shapiro says.

The finding, he cautions, is preliminary. His September survey should offer more. But he leaves us with an intriguing footnote: “The August survey was conducted before Mr. Nixon — I mean Mr. Clinton — went on television” to confirm his, ahem, “not appropriate” relationship with Monica Lewinsky.

Stock and tackle

Two Berkeley buddies turned computer programmers have invented an Internet game that combines their deepest loves: sports and finance. Nate Grover and Travis Wilson of Oakland, Calif., have designed a game in which players invest a virtual $2 million portfolio around football teams. You can find it at football.majorleaguemarket.com.

You buy and sell teams and players and earn virtual dividends, $4 for each point your team wins by. “We created a real valuation scheme so the player stocks will list based on what kind of stats they produce,” says Mr. Grover.

Mr. Grover and Mr. Wilson graduated from the University of California in 1995. Last February they designed a similar baseball game.

A pension plan with punch

Managers might start sluggin’ it out for professional boxers’ pension assets if recommendations of Segal Co. are heeded, reports InvestmentNews sister publication Pensions & Investments.

The Segal study, conducted for the Department of Labor, calls for the formation of a charitable trust, a defined contribution plan, a defined benefit plan and a disability/survivors’ benefit program.

The study is required by a 1996 law.

Federal legislation will be needed to design a retirement program for boxers, but it is not known when such legislation will be drafted.

Among the study’s conclusions:

* Impoverished ex-pugs who have immediate medical needs are the top priority for assistance.

* Pension plan assets should come from broadcast revenue.

* Any program can include only boxers who made a living from the sport for several years.

One suggestion: Pay an annual pension of $100 for a fight of at least eight rounds. A present or former boxer would have to have had two or more fights in three different years to receive a $1,000 benefit for each “year of service,” which is equal to one year with two eight-round fights.

* Individual boxers should be responsible for contributing to their own pensions to help increase awareness of the program.