Joshua M Brown

Hot Links: Faber on Cramer, Kwak on Dimon & My Parents Were Awesome

Hot Links for Weekend Reading… Note To Jamie Dimon: Repeating Something Doesn’t Make it True – Kwak dismantles Big Bank Benefit Op-Ed. (BaselineScenario) Corporate board rules under the new Dodd finance reform bill.  Important read for investors.  (TBP) Two Madoff IT geeks arrested.  I say Hang ’em High, he couldn’t have done it without them. …

Seven Things You Should Know 11/13/2009

Seven Things You Should Know November 13th 2009 1.  Earnings Season:  More than 80% of S&P 500 companies beat their earnings estimates this earnings season, the average stock that beat estimates went up 1.32% on its report day, while the average stock that missed estimates went down 3.43%.  (Source: Bespoke Investment Group) 2.  Jobless Claims: …

The Economist: Total Factor Productivity is China's Secret Sauce

In the latest issue of The Economist, we get a great article about why Productivity Growth is perhaps the single most important gauge of an economy’s strength.  More importantly, we read about Total Factor Productivity, a measure by which China leaves everyone in the dust. Here’s what it’s all about… A better gauge of an…

Why Geithner's Treasury Won't Sell the Gold

The United States is currently the largest holder of gold in the world.  The US Treasury is currently sitting on 261.5 million ounces.  Multiplied by roughly $1100 per ounce, we’re talking about a stash worth almost $300 billion at today’s prices. In an article today at CNNMoney, we learn a few interesting things about our gold…

Eight Trading Superstitions

Every profession has its own idiosyncratic superstitions. In honor of tomorrow being Friday the 13th, I thought this would be a good time to discuss this topic.

Hot Links: Dobbs, Rogers, Dimon & The Cloud

Stuff I’m Reading this Morning… Post of the Day:  Is everyone investing by the seat of their pants?  (AbnormalReturns) JPMorgan’s Dimon is “helping shape” what the new bank regulation will look like.  (Forbes) Unfortunately for Dimon, the big banks are probably f@cked if Rep Kanjorski has his way.  (Bloomberg) Paul Krugman bashes Fox Business.  Can’t…

Last Remaining Code Talkers Break Their Silence This Veterans Day

In recognition of Veterans Day, I found this great story about the last surviving Code Talkers.   The Code Talkers were Navajo Indians who joined the Marines in World War II’s Pacific Theater.  They have come to New York City this week to participate in the Veterans Day Parade and to tell their story.  There is a great deal of…

Holiday Gift Idea for Traders: Chart Jewelry

Just in time for the holidays, allow me to introduce the new PLOT line of jewelry.  Launched by advertising firm Wieden + Kennedy, PLOT takes charts and turns them into wearable art.  Below is their gold necklace followed by the gold chart that inspired it: They’ve also done some cool stuff with the charts of…

Droppin' Knowledge: Henry Kaufman on the Politicization of the Fed

Henry Kaufman has a great op-ed in the Wall Street Journal this morning in which he expresses his near-term fears about a politicized Federal Reserve.  In the course of making his case that some political involvement in monetary policy is probably unavoidable, he gives us a quick history lesson on how US Presidents have historically…