Will the ECB become the lender of last resort?

All eyes are on the European Central Bank. The financial risk in Europe has escalated to a point where investors see no way out unless the ECB comes to the rescue. The problem is that the bank’s charter makes that difficult. (more…)

Our national debt stands at $14 trillion and rising $3 million a minute or $3.99 billion a day, every day. Given that our debt ceiling at the moment stands at $14.294 trillion, it is only a matter of time before we once again have to renegotiate the debt ceiling. (more…)

Patience is a virtue but even virtues can run their course. The housing market is in its third year of continued decline. Those who have been waiting to sell and can’t are starting to rethink their alternatives. (more…)

 So here we are again. Another G-20 Summit, Greece on center stage, the Euro trading like a seismograph and you, my dear reader, simply trying to cope. (more…)

 For well over 20 years I have been guilty of the sin of cluttering. It is only now, after I was finally forced to address the consequences of my actions, that I can write this column. This is my confession. (more…)

After this week’s stupendous rally, the logical question to ask is what happens next? Do stocks continue to move higher? Is it time to take profits? How do you navigate the future when there are still so many unknowns ahead of us? (more…)

It finally looks like the European Union is on the right track. After almost two years of vacillating, finger pointing and empty promises, the outlines of a deal were announced this week in Brussels that could provide a solution to Europe’s debt crisis.

Chugging out of the fog

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Forget about earnings. Forget about the economy. None of it matters. Investors are totally mesmerized by every twist and turn in the on-going soap opera playing out in Europe.

When will Europe show it's cards?

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From May through September of this year, retail investors yanked over $90 billion from stocks funds. If you include the money investors have taken out of mutual funds since January, 2007, the total is almost $250 billion. The question is whether or not the little guy will ever want to come back to the market?

Does the little guy stand a chance?

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My hunch paid off. Investors continued to buy stocks this week hoping that Europe will be able to sort out its financial crisis within the next few weeks. Right now, the markets are in need of a few days of consolidation before breaking higher.

Please, Please, let the EU deliver on a plan

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