LIKE TO chase high-tech, high-flying stocks? Here's contrarian advice:

"Buying strong companies beaten up by a fickle market is the safest, most profitable way to invest," says Kiplinger's Personal Finance Adviser.

"Consider stocks down 50 percent or so. Examples: Borders Group (books); Schlumberger Ltd. (oil services); Service Corporation International (chain of funeral homes); Silicon Valley Group (semiconductors) and Deere & Co. (farm equipment)."

Martin Sosnoff writes in Forbes: "When the market seems priced for perfection, look for imperfection. Buy some 'also rans,' stocks way off their highs like Warner Lambert Co., Dell Computer Corp., Intel Corp. and Philip Morris Cos."

LAST CALL: "Lowering your 1998 taxes didn't end on Dec. 31. Contribute to retirement plans by April 15 (tomorrow), and lower your tax bills. Put $2,000 in an IRA and deduct it from 1998 income." (Rosen, Seymour, Shapass, CPAs)

WORTH CHECKING: "Recently, 340 out of 500 closed-end funds sold below 'net asset value' (stocks' values in the fund). Investors who bought Clemente Growth Fund in October 1997 at a 22 percent discount and sold one year later made a 33 percent profit." (U.S. News & World Report)

WALL ST. WATCH: "The Dow will end the year around 10,500. It began around 9,100, so there will be about a 15 percent gain, not bad in a low-inflation climate." (Deborah Allen, financial consultant)

"We see signs of market strength. The fact that the Nasdaq has been stronger on a relative-strength basis was historically healthy for stocks in general." (McClellan Market Report in Barron's)

Pub Date: 4/14/99