Economy & Markets
The important economic and stock market news that advisors need to know.
Merkel Thwarted on Debt Buyback by Parliament
By Marlene Y. SatterAngela Merkel, chancellor of Germany, finds herself in a tight spot. She was put there by her own government as members of parliament in the ruling coalition on Wednesday passed a nonbinding resolution opposing the repurchase of debt by the European Stabilization Mechanism when that vehicle replaces the existing euro...
February 22, 2011
Stocks Rattled by Libya Unrest; Oil Prices JumpStocks fell sharply and oil prices spiked to their highest level in two years on Tuesday as unrest in Libya worsened.
February 22, 2011
What to Buy in a Pullback, Part IILast Thursday’s blog post turned out to be more prescient than planned. I certainly didn’t expect today’s selloff, but considering the…
February 22, 2011
SEC Questions Mutual Fund Muni-Debt PricesThe Securities and Exchange Commission is investigating whether some mutual funds have overstated the value of risky municipal bonds that are thinly traded, according to people familiar with the matter.
February 22, 2011
Emerging Market Stock Performance Overtaken by Developed CountriesStocks in developed countries are rising the most since 1998 while emerging markets slump, a sign the United States is returning to its role as the engine of world growth aided by a recovery in Europe.
February 22, 2011
PIMCO’s El-Erian: Arab World Strife Fuels Short-Term Stagflation, Long-Term StabilityPIMCO CEO Mohamed El-Erian wrote in a Tuesday op-ed in The Financial Times that while global markets initially paid little attention to the unfolding events in Tunisia and Egypt, those countries have sparked a region-wide “tipping point” for change in the global economy that is beyond the control of Western...
February 22, 2011
Oil, Metals ETFs Rise on Libya TurmoilThe S&P Energy Index is up 9% for the month, while the S&P TSX Canadian Gold Index has ticked up nearly 6%.
February 22, 2011
Wealthiest Investors Heading Back to Stocks: Spectrem ReportMore than half of America’s wealthiest investors are eyeing a return to equities in 2011, says a report from Spectrem Group, led by George H. Walper Jr.