The Economist on private equity’s need to present itself as a positive force for change as opposed to “asset-strippers.”

What does the Blackstone acquisition of Equity Office Properties mean for the commercial real estate market? (via Wall Street Journal)

Are rising equity prices slowing the private equity-led buyout boom? (via BusinessWeek.com)

If the “smart money” is getting out of hedge funds, should you be getting in? (via Marketwatch.com)

Red Kite, the metals markets, and the “what have you done for me lately?” mentality. (via Wall Street Journal)

DealBook on a slowdown in hedge fund launches.

One high-profile hedge fund was hurt by a lack of volatility last year. (via Boston Globe)

Should you invest in hedge funds based on the age of the fund? (via FT Alphaville)

The Economist on what liquidity is, and how it can be measured.

Brett Steenbarger at TraderFeed on how “(t)he presence of large institutional traders is what makes for trends.”

Is sector rotation still a worthwhile strategy? (via Wall Street Journal)

The pickings have become slim in the world of closed-end funds. (via Barrons.com)

What, if anything, does this mean for the Nasdaq’s plan to acquire the LSE? (via DealBook)

Free exchange on increasing competition in the private equity world.

Barry Ritholtz at the Big Picture with another look at the geographical distribution of housing price risk.

Daniel Gross at Slate.com is not all that worried about a potential “GasPEC.”

Hal Varian in the New York Times on continuous improvement and how the “(o)ld media just do not understand online kaizen.”

Jon Markman at MSN Money thinks Disney (DIS) is still a “screaming buy.”

Accrued Interest on the role heightened corporate bond liquidity has had on credit spreads.

Microsoft doing their best to alienate every possible customer. (via Slashdot)

Excellent comments by John Taylor on Milton Friedman. (via Econbrowser)

Chris Anderson at The Long Tail on how the digital/analog conversion will change the items we are willing to pay.

Patience really is a virtue. (via The Economist)

Curious, indeed… (via Crossing Wall Street)

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