Europe and Asia were leading the way higher for S&P futures early this morning…until this ugly bucket of cold water was thrown at the optimists. What you’re looking at here is July Retail Sales broken down by sector. Don’t get too fired up over the Cash 4 Clunkers-induced gain for the autos. We’re not going to…
Trading
FOMC Day! Get Your Programs!
I love FOMC Day! From the moment I wake up, my stomach is filled with butterflies, really pretty purple and pink ones, as I look forward to the 2 o’clock hour. At this appointed hour, the chairman of the world’s most secretive monetary institution descends from on high with his stone tablets, which are emblazoned…
Paul Wilmott on High Frequency Trading
This is a very important perspective on what the rise of High Frequency Trading may mean to our markets and the companies that trade on them. The piece is short on empirical evidence but long on common sense. The main questions raised in the op-ed are: Is the liquidity argument that HFT proponents spout so…
Bespoke's Best and Worst Earnings Reactions: Q2 2009
Bespoke rocks. For those of us who play earnings season like a full contact sport, it’s nice to have a scorecard. Below is a look at how your favorite names traded after releasing their earnings (or lack thereof) this quarter. I’ve posted the winners, for the worst reactions, visit Bespoke Investment Group: BIG
Breakfast Links: Pinning Down Roubini
Stuff I’m Reading this Morning… OMG, some my fave links of the month so far today! Blankfein to Goldman employees: “Please refrain from wearing your crowns outside of the office”. (New Yorker) The recession is now screwing with the British pub business, time for us to get serious. (USA Today) Just try pinning down Nouriel…
Stubborn Little Winners
Today we’re going to salute some little guys who wouldn’t give up. Small (er) cap stocks that refused to quit and have made their true-believer shareholders money this year, in one of the worst environments imaginable. What these names have in common is that they all are consumer-oriented companies, 4 of them are engaged in the…
Are You Paying a Hidden Tax to the High Frequency Traders
This is a developing story, but one which has all the potential to explode if the right people hear about it. I don’t have a strong opinion on this stuff yet, but I thought I’d put John Mauldin‘s take on the table and let everyone make up their own minds. From Thoughts From the Frontline:…
Melt It Like Beckham: Major Changes for the Indian Gold Market
Very quietly, two developments occurred in India over the last week that could have major implications for the gold market. Both of these developments could portend drastic changes in gold demand from a key market, just as the inflationistas believe they are at the threshold of a paradigm shift in the precious metal’s pricing. First…
We're All Correlated Now
Lockstep Main Entry: lock·step Pronunciation: ˈläk-ˌstep Function: noun 1 : a mode of marching in step by a body of persons going one after another as closely as possible 2 : a standard method or procedure that is mindlessly adhered to or that minimizes individuality — in lockstep : in perfect or rigid often mindless…
Smart Balance: It's Like Buttah…Maybe
I’ll start by saying that this is not a post that contains any investment advice. I do not make specific recommendations or market calls to anyone through The Reformed Broker. In this piece, I’ll be discussing the merits of one small cap company that I consider to have a very interesting story. It could double…
