“The bear market has ended with a bang,” Jim Cramer told fans of his “Mad Money” TV show Monday. Cramer thinks the fall of Bear Stearns (BSC) has marked a bottom from which investors can get back into stocks. Cramer also cited the Federal Reserves actions to free up Fannie Mae (FNM) and Freddie Mac (FRE) to buy more loans and save them from possibly going under. “Now things look very different,” Cramer said. Both Freddie and Fannie are back on their feet with the backing of the U.S. Treasury. The bulk of the bad home loans, will reset at lower interest rates within the next six months and cause home prices to stabilize. Cramer thinks by next fall housing prices could stop falling and banks will start lending money again with interest rates low enough for financial firms to make money. Cramer said investors can start buying stocks in the retail sector like Costco (COST), Deckers (DECK) and Black and Decker (BDK). In technology he likes EMC (EMC), IBM (IBM), Apple (AAPL) and Research In Motion (RIMM). In the financial sector he likes Goldman Sachs Group (GS) and JPMorgan Chase (JPM). He also favors Procter & Gamble (PG), but he did mention that PG could be hurt if inflation rises. Cramer cautioned investors that market has already made a big move, so buy in small amounts until you see a significant pullback to load up on.

Cramer welcomed Jim Sinegal, President and CEO, of Costco Wholesale (COST) to the “Mad Money” TV show Monday. Cramer has been a big advocate for the stock calling it his favorite retail pick recently. Sinegal explained that Costco pays its employees a high wage and in return those employees produce great results. He feels critics who complain about that company’s high labor costs just don’t understand Costco’s philosophy on paying employees a fair wage for quality performance. Sinegal went on to say that he sees plenty of growth for Costco in overseas markets and domestically. “We could double the size of our company over the next 10 years,” Sinegal said. Cramer thinks COST is the best retailer in America and the stock is going higher.

Cramer was very happy on Monday’s “Mad Money” show after news broke that the Justice Department had approved the merger between leading satellite firms Sirius Satellite (SIRI) and XM Satellite Radio (XMSR). The merger isn’t a done deal yet with a final approval still needed from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). Cramer again encouraged viewers to visit the FCC’s website at www.fcc.gov and express their support for the merger to get done. Cramer thinks if the deal gets done SIRI is going to $5.

Bullish

Verizon (VZ), AT&T (T), Eastman Kodak (EK), Korea Electric Power (KEP), General Mills (GIS), Kellogg (K), Darling International (DAR), Lindsay Corporation (LNN), Mastercard (MA), NuStar Energy (NS) and Mosaic (MOS).

Bearish
Sprint Nextel (S), Systemax (SYX), Campbell Soup (CPB), Raser Technologies (RZ), Visa (V) and Borders Group (BGP).

Cramer told a viewer that Focus Media (FMCN) was hurt after the company reported inline numbers and China is now viewed as being too speculative. With those thoughts in mind, Cramer thinks Focus Media is a buy with the stock down from the earnings report. Cramer wasn’t so kind to another viewers stock pick, Sigma Designs (SIGM). Cramer explained he want to recommended SIGM but he isn’t sticking his neck out after the company reported a disappointing quarter. Finally, Cramer told a viewer to stay with MDU Resources Group (MDU) even though the oil and gas sector could experience pain before you see the gains.

Jim Cramer came out Monday on CNBC’s “Stop Trading” TV show and advised investors to buy Research In Motion (RIMM). “When financial companies rally, it’s a signal of demand for technology products,” Cramer said. “I think the shorts are on the run in RIMM. We’re in the seventh inning of the firings,” Cramer said, in regards to layoffs at financial firms. Cramer commented on Carl Icahn who appeared on CNBC’s “Street Signs,” “I thought he backed down on WCI (WCI).” Cramer mentioned another Icahn holding Motorola (MOT). Cramer told viewers that Motorola should be worried about Apple Computer’s (AAPL) iPhone and the fact that MOT doesn’t have a smart-phone product. “It’s a dumb-phone company,” Cramer said. Cramer also mentioned that he likes Icahn’s position in biotech firm Biogen (BIIB). He advised investors to ride Ichan’s coattails in BIIB. Cramer said investors should disregard talk of a rally in a bear market. “People were talking about a rally in a bear market in 1991.” That rally, Cramer explained, lasted until 1997.

“There’s one stock that’s the key to understanding this market,” Jim Cramer said on his “Mad Money” TV show Thursday. “And that stock is General Electric (GE).” Cramer thinks that GE is a great stock to determine the strength in the overall economy because the firm is well diversified into many different lines of business. Cramer advised investors to watch GE which does business in the media, healthcare, finance and infrastructure sectors. Cramer said that GE will be the new market leader and investors should watch the stock closely. “It will tell the story” of how this market’s doing, Cramer said.

Cramer introduced a new member to his infamous “Wall of Shame.” According to Cramer, Marcal Ospel, president and CEO of UBS (UBS), has run a great franchise into the ground. Cramer said UBS’s $3.7 billion loss on October 30th is evidence enough to remove Ospel, but then the company reported a $10 billion write-down in December and another $4 billion write-down a month later. Cramer recommended investors avoid UBS.