Economics is not the stuff of poetry. “Planet of Slums” is a great title to a really great book by Mike Davis. But slum economics needs another book. read »
On a deserted road on the outer slopes of Kenya’s Ngong Hills, where Nairobi residents relax on Saturday afternoons, Joseph Okello was talking to me. He wanted to be a slum dweller. read »
Wall Street veteran and Joseph Gunnar’s chief market analyst and equity strategist Clark Yingst gave Forbes a few investment ideas for these turbulent times targeting Japan, the end of QE2, the financial sector, and some tech stocks. Yingst, who champions a mix of technical analysis with strong fundamentals, reminds investors to keep their eyes open for opportunities and to not marry any single model. read »
The global growth story is not slowing if the chemical companies are any indication. Kraton Performance Polymers (KRA -Snapshot Report) saw sales volume rise 10% in the fourth quarter of 2010 and expects the growth story to continue in 2011. This Zacks #1 Rank (strong buy) is still cheap, trading at just 11 times forward estimates. read »
Third Avenue Funds CIO Curtis Jensen surveys the real estate investment landscape.
Nasdaq OMX and InterContinetal Exchange trumped Deutsche Börse's deal of NYSE Euronext Friday with an offer worth $11.3 billion in cash and stock, but Stephen Axinn, founding partner of law firm Axinn Veltrop & Harkrider, is skeptical the rival bid has much chance of success. read »
Earnings prime time has arrived, and the latest in a string of strong reports and new record earnings is about to be put in the book. Recent economic and trade statistics point to rapid global expansion feeding into the U.S., which is seeing the heaviest trucking and rail traffic ever, a surefire indication of job hires and capital investment projects ahead. Stocks have now largely recouped their headline losses, as Japan’s natural disaster and mid-east tumult have been placed on the rhetorical[...] read »
Ford Motors announced sales for March, beating fellow Detroiter GM with 212,777 vehicle deliveries, up 19% from the same period a year ago. The company saw increased demand for smaller, fuel efficient vehicles and managed to beat GM in sales for the second time since 1998, according to CNBC. read »
A new takeover offer for NYSE Euronext trumps the $10 billion merger with Deutsche Börse the exchange operator agreed to in February, and while it eliminates the contentious issue of a foreign company controlling the iconic Big Board, the bid from Nasdaq OMX and Intercontinental Exchange raises a host of other questions. read »