11/3/08

Economics

This Week’s Data

Other

Putting current bank failures in perspective:

http://calculatedrisk.blogspot.com/2008/10/fdic-bank-failures.html

Update on credit crisis indicators:

http://calculatedrisk.blogspot.com/2008/10/credit-crisis-indicators-some-progress_31.html

Another credit crisis indicator: write downs versus capital raised:

http://bespokeinvest.typepad.com/bespoke/2008/10/global-writedowns-vs-capital-raised.html

The virtue of doing nothing:

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122541582835686689.html

Housing affordability index:

http://mjperry.blogspot.com/2008/11/housing-affordability-close-to-4-year.html

Here is a great (though a little long) article on the role that securitization of mortgages and how they weren’t regulated contributed to the financial crisis:

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601170&refer=home&sid=aYJZOB_gZi0I

Politics

Domestic

Obama on the Fairness Doctrine:

http://www.r8ny.com/blog/jerry_skurnik/pulitzer_prize_winner_needs_a_fact_checker.html

Of course, there are other ways of dealing with the issue:

http://elections.foxnews.com/2008/10/31/obama-plane-pitches-reporters-mccain-endorsing-papers/

Here is the audio clip of Obama’s comments on the coal industry:

http://hughhewitt.townhall.com/blog/g/e68e2f07-3514-41fe-882f-2808907a0f05

Monday morning humor:

http://www.powerlineblog.com/archives/2008/11/021955.php

International War Against Radical Islam

The Market

Technical

On hedge fund liquidations:

http://www.thestreet.com/story/10445360/1/hedge-fund-liquidations-five-things-you-need-to-know.html?puc=_htmlbooyah

Update on money flow:

http://traderfeed.blogspot.com/2008/10/further-signs-of-stock-market-strength.html

Fundamental

News on Stocks in Our Portfolios

Positive comments on Becton Dickinson (Aggressive Growth Portfolio):
http://www.zacks.com/rank/zcommentary/?id=9041

Positive comments on McDonald’s (Dividend Growth Portfolio):

http://www.zacks.com/rank/zcommentary/?id=9056

More Cash in Investors’ Hands