Stock pickers aren’t dead yet.  (Crossing Wall Street)

Where do we stand on the “investor sentiment cycle“?  (Kirk Report also A Dash of Insight, VIX and More)

What is a reasonable rate of return on equities?  Think 6% not 11%.  (Marketwatch)

Junk bonds and leveraged loans are much in demand.  (Bloomberg, WSJ also FT Alphaville)

Despite signs of optimism, investors continue to pull money from equity funds.  (Bloomberg)

Everybody talks about gold, but check out the rally in silver.  (WSJ)

Ten myths about gold.  (ROI)

Is it time for a “gold replacement strategy“?  (VIX and More)

On the folly of false precision in trading.  (StockTwitsU)

How dividend hikes affect long-dated options.  (Barron’s)

James Picerno, “So what constitutes a reasonable model portfolio vs. a crummy one?”  (The Capital Spectator)

The stocks matter most to hedge funds.  (Market Folly)

Hedge fund managers are trying to get a fresh start with new funds.  (AR Screencast)

Mike Bellafiore, “Trading is a game of probabilities.  Sometimes the trading Gods smile down on you.  My job is to execute.”  (SMB Training)

On the importance of stretching your thinking as an investor.  (Derek Hernquist)

India has been crushing China (equity market wise) of late.  (Bespoke)

Yet another emerging market sobriquet – the 7% Club.  (beyondbrics earlier Abnormal Returns)

Oracle (ORCL) was doing just prior to Mark Hurd joining the company.  (Bloomberg)

Has dotcom lunacy return to techland?  (Lex)

Just how would a MBO of Potash Corp. (POT) work?  (Streetwise Blog, Deal Journal, FT Alphaville, 24/7 Wall St.)

More evidence that the middle of the year is a crummy time for the stock market.  (CXO Advisory Group)

FedEx (FDX) is not a bellwether.  (Lex)

Has the ECRI WLI turned for the better? (ECRI)

Core inflation still quite subdued.  (Bloomberg, EconomPic Data, FT Alphaville)

Consumers still not feeling the recovery.  (Calculated Risk)

More ideas for stimulus:  a payroll tax holiday, accelerated depreciation.  (WashingtonPost, Big Picture)

On the two economies in the US and the issue of dating this recession.  (Credit Writedowns)

An anonymous ex-hedge fund manager’s plan to fix the economy.  (Ezra Klein)

Whether you are pro or con-Elizabeth Warren this is a weird deal. (Dealbook, Atlantic Business, Felix Salmon, Fortune)

What does an understaffed Federal Reserve staff mean in practice.  (WashingtonPost)

Basel III could have been a lot tougher on banks.  (Floyd Norris also Economist)

Natural gas continues to take share from coal, in the US.  (Bloomberg)

The corn crop is disappointing.  (FT)

A carried interest tax provision is going to pass, maybe, finally.  (Term Sheet)

Mark Wolfinger, “Evidence suggests that individual investors, especially those apparently most in need, tend to ignore expert advice.”  (Options for Rookies)

Research confirms that the SPY and Select SPDRs are more correlated on the open and close of trading.  (SSRN)

We never have enough data in finance and economics.  (Falkenblog)

A personal plea for all you people listening to earnings conference calls.  (footnoted)

The University of Chicago tops the MBA heap.  (Economist)

Some more reviews of Wall Street 2:  Money Never Sleeps.  (Deal Journal)

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