James type results for polynomials and symmetric multilinear forms

We prove versions of James' weak compactness theorem for polynomials and symmetric multilinear forms of finite type. We also show that a Banach spaceX is reflexive if and only if it admits and equivalent norm such that there existsx ₀≠0 inX and a weak-^*-open subsetA of the dual space, satisfying thatx ^*⊗x ₀ attains its numerical radius. for eachx ^* inA. The first and third author were supported in part by D.G.E.S., project no. BFM 2000-1467. The second author was partially supported by Junta de Andalucía Grant FQM0199.