Quote of the day

William O’Brien, “New Jersey is the new heart of Wall Street.”  (NYTimes)

Chart of the day

If the stock market had a vote it might just re-elect Pres. Obama.  (Global Macro Monitor)

Markets

Equity market sentiment at week-end.  (Trader’s Narrative, The Technical Take)

The bull case succinctly stated.  (The Reformed Broker also Global Macro Monitor)

Hedge fund returns were pretty blah in 2010.  (Reuters)

On the other hand John Paulson had a good December (and year).  (Dealbook)

In 2010, “Virtually every single turn stocks made, crude oil made it right along-side the S&P 500.”  (Afraid to Trade)

A year-end review of a weak US dollar.  (Calafia Beach Pundit)

Strategy and Tactics

Where do tactical asset allocation models stand at month end?  (MarketSci Blog, TAA for the Masses)

Seven attractively valued Dow stocks.  (YCharts Blog also chessNwine)

Sean McLaughlin, “Trading can be an ideal occupation for an aspiring, world-traveling, location independent entrepreneur.”  (Minimalist Trader)

On the benefits/challenges of being your own trader/boss.  (Crosshairs Trader)

P. Arthur Huprich, “We can’t control the stock market. The very best we can do is to try to understand what the stock market is trying to tell us.”  (Big Picture)

On the importance of understanding relative strength.  (SMB Training)

ETFs

Firms looking to launch actively managed ETFs are taking derivatives off the table.  (IndexUniverse)

John Bogle, “The ability to trade frequently is not an unmixed blessing. E.T.F.’s, in their way, are a dangerous weapon.”  (NYTimes)

Technology

On the power of technology and globalization.  (A VC)

“Streamonomics” is rapidly changing the world of technology.  (TechCrunch)

“Big biology” and the role of biosciences in the US economy.  (Mandel on Innovation)

Housing

Big question for 2011:  how much farther will house prices fall?  (Calculated Risk, Pragmatic Capitalism)

Some states can’t have a housing double-dip because they never had a first dip.  (Carpe Diem)

Norway has its own housing bubble underway.  (Mish)

Economy

These days a new job often means a cut in pay.  (Economist’s View)

Taxpayers are becoming increasingly irritated with public employee unions.  (NYTimes)

The loss of “cheap BTUs” will continue to weigh on the economic fortunes of the West.  (Gregor Macdonald)

The looming demographic disaster that is southern Europe.  (NYTimes)

Have the industrialized countries reached “peak travel‘?  (Marginal Revolution)

Just because

Are our brains shrinking?  (Daily Mail via naked capitalism)

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