CXO Advisory Group and FT Alphaville both review some research on a future for hedge funds filled with lower returns, greater institutionalization and more regulation.

In light of the Fortress Investment (FIG) offering, Eleanor Laise in the Wall Street Journal examines the options open to individual investors interested in hedge fund exposure.

All About Alpha recaps an “unsettling look” at the hedge fund industry.

David Leonhardt in the New York Times on the rise of “prediction markets” and what it means for the forthcoming presidential election.

Daniel Gross and Barry Ritholtz are a tad more skeptical of prediction markets.

Doug Kass at TheStreet.com on the risk to earnings from a mean reversion in profit margins.

MarketBeat on the market getting more comfortable with low VIX readings.

Jeff Miller at A Dash of Insight walks us through a historical application of the Fed model.

DealBook on the question of whether initial buyout bids are “artificially low.”

Steven M. Sears at Barrons.com on what next (options?) for the Nasdaq.

breakingviews is skeptical that a $100 billion buyout is happening any time soon.

Roger Nusbaum at TheStreet.com on a “better mousetrap” for investors in gold.

Despised stocks outperform admired stocks. (via CXO Advisory Group)

Controlled Greed passes along nine lessons by a longtime investment columnist.

Yaser Anwar reviews a couple of trading-oriented books.

Mebane Faber at World Beta takes a statistical look at some so-called “lazy portfolios.”

Jonathan Clements in the Wall Street Journal on the benefit, i.e. low expenses, of bond ETFs.

Jeff Matthews has an interesting look at the credit markets’ “race to the bottom.”

Elizabeth Nowicki at Truth on the Market on shareholder voting on executive compensation packages.

Is the age of having a “face for radio” over? (via New York Times)

Price inelasticity and why everything on Valentine’s Day costs so darn much. (via Free exchange)

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