There is “..a growing public sense that a real downturn is inevitable.” (Free Exchange)

What say the “RV indicator” about the economy? (Bloomberg.com)

Checking in with the NBER’s Business-Cycle Dating Committee. (Curious Capitalist)

Is subprime bottoming out? (Infectious Greed)

A country-by-country look at the global equity market decline. (Bespoke Investment Group)

A country-by-country look at global equity market YTD returns. (Ticker Sense)

Value stocks, especially financials, have taken it on the chin of late. (WSJ.com)

Do some value investors need to have a more open mind towards other investment strategies? (Street Capitalist)

Stock portfolios that now yield more than Treasury bonds. (WSJ.com)

A closer, and more realistic look, at what Citigroup (C) is actually paying on its Abu Dhabi debt. (Market Movers)

Speaking of raising capital, expect the monoline bond insurers to raise what looks to be “expensive” capital. (Accrued Interest)

Private equity firms find that the hedge fund business isn’t as easy as it looks. (Deal Journal)

Private equity firms can thrive in most environments, except those like the past six months. (Going Private)

“There must be 50 ways to leave your private equity acquisition target.” (Slate.com)

Are we now entering the age of the “actively managed ETF“? (IndexUniverse.com)

Should Sears (SHLD) look to improve its internal operations before thinking about acquisitions? (Jeff Matthews)

Are cable stocks worth a second look? (Silicon Alley Insider)

Some stuff worth reading on risk measurement and systematic trading. (Bill Rempel)

Don’t mistake illiquidity for alpha. (All About Alpha)

How much farther do home prices need to fall? (Calculated Risk)

First it was the “private equity put” now its the “SWF put.” (Infectious Greed)

“The oil-rich nations are also investing more in real estate, private equity funds and hedge funds, analysts say, and increasingly they are investing the money on their own, bypassing the major financial institutions of the United States and Europe.” (NYTimes.com)

“We’re finally starting to see signs of gains in global oil production.” (Econbrowser)

Ethanol’s problems have much to do with its past success.” (WSJ.com)

Do we really need more bank regulation? (Marginal Revolution)

A useful summary of a handful of papers on the burgeoning prediction markets. (CXO Advisory Group)

An extended interview with Jim Simons. (Bloomberg.com via multiple sources)

AOL Money has launched a new stock quote service. (Silicon Alley Insider)

Wash your hands to help prevent the flu. (BBC News)

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