Microsoft is the Hillary Clinton of the computer world, moving up the success ladder by lying, extorting, cutting the throats of competitors and exercising unfailingly poor judgment. We are all familiar with Hillary’s story. But for Microsoft, it began with Bill Gates’ lowball buyout of DOS from its inventor, followed by a con-job of IBM to secure royalty rights to the operating system. When Gates killed off Netscape by bundling Internet Explorer with every new PC and laptop, a complicit, congenitally stupid press didn’t catch up with him until after he’d crushed Netscape and its founder, Mark Andressen. Now, just like Hillary, Microsoft is acting more brazenly than ever, sabotaging Windows 7 in order to push the PC world onto a Windows 10 platform that few want and no one needs. Click here for the sordid story in Forbes if you think I’ve exaggerated.

Despite all of this, or perhaps because of it, Microsoft shares have soared into record territory and look primed to move even higher.  From a technical standpoint, assuming they get past a Hidden Pivot resistance at 58.51, the next target above it would be 65.16.  Jot down those numbers if you trade the stock or hold a long-term position, since either target could mark an important top. If so, it would likely be caused by the global rejection of Windows 10. Perhaps that’s too much to hope for in a world where companies that do business ethically all too often wind up as roadkill. _______ UPDATE (September 4, 1:31 p.m.): Since peaking a week ago at 58.70, 19 cents above my target, the stock has receded to a so-far low of 57.30. The upside penetration of the target was not decisive, but that’s what it would take to put the 65.16 target in play. No one reported a trade, so I have not established a tracking position. If you shorted options when MSFT was peaking, though, I’d suggest taking a partial profit at this time. _______ UPDATE (September 11): I’m taking this tout off the sheets after Monday, since no one has mentioned Microsoft in the chat room. FYI, the daily chart still looks bullish and will remain so unless sellers push the stock beneath July 28’s ‘external’ low at 55.72.