Quote of the day

Dinosaur Trader, “It’s rare that you ever walk away from a trade completely happy.”  (The Reformed Broker)

Chart of the day

Why is the Euro holding up so well?  (The Source)

Markets

The year of energy (and large caps).  (Bespoke, ibid also InvestmentNews)

The spread between large caps and small caps is “frightening.”  (Bronte Capital)

Individual investors are already pulling in their horns.  (Bespoke, Pragmatic Capitalism)

Runs in the S&P 500 like we have seen in the past 102 weeks are rare indeed.  (Big Picture)

Are VIX futures wagging the volatility dog?  (FT Alphaville contra Condor Options)

Strategy

Why second-guessing the market is a dangerous game.  (Felix Salmon)

Bank loan funds are the new MLPs.  (The Reformed Broker)

Investors are once again on the search for yield.  (Fortune)

How much longer are macro themes going to drive the investment conversation?  (Value Restoration Project)

Technology

The tech stocks in the Dow have lagged of late.  (Fundmastery)

Does it matter that tablet computers are best for consumption not creation?  (Selland Capital via TRB)

A sum-of-the-parts analysis of Yahoo! (YHOO).  (Minyanville)

Ten unusual facts about Steve Jobs.  (Altucher Confidential)

The end of the IT department.  (37signals)

What is Klout and why should you care?  (peHUB)

IBM’s Watson joins Twitter.  What does it mean?  (Leigh Drogen)

Funds

Five ETFs that need to die.  (Marketwatch)

Five leveraged “spread ETFs” launch.  (IndexUniverse, Focus on Funds)

Get ready for a whole range of physical-backed metal ETFs.  (IndexUniverse, Clusterstock)

Old media, a trade so contrary, finding an ETF is difficult.  (Morningstar)

Finance

Dave Nadig, “The markets are run, effectively, by unregulated private investors.”  (IndexUniverse)

If you don’t understand insurance, you don’t understand Berkshire Hathaway (BRKB).  (WSJ)

Muni bonds are increasingly attracting yield investors (hedge funds, SWFs).  (FT Alphaville, WSJ)

SAC Capital continues to attract assets despite all the poor publicity surrounding the firm.  (Dealbreaker)

Citadel is cutting E-Trade (ETFC) loose.  (Dealbook)

Commodities

Some themes at play in the current oil situation.  (EnergySource)

The oil/natural gas ratio blows out.  Why aren’t we taking advantage?  (Bespoke, DailyFinance, TRB)

A look at some current commodity ratios.  (Pragmatic Capitalism)

What is the fallout of Mideast unrest on Asia?  (FT Alphaville)

Economy

The Chicago Fed National Activity Index shows a flattish economy.  (Global Economic Intersection)

Initial jobless claims continue to trend lower.  (Capital Spectator, Calculated Risk, Calafia Beach Pundit)

What role do cities play in growing income inequality?  (The Atlantic)

Edward L. Glaeser, “Globalization and new technologies make cities more important by increasing the returns to being smart.”  (Boston Globe)

Earlier on Abnormal Returns

Our Thursday (oil-focused) morning link look-in.  (Abnormal Returns)

Errata

A review of How Traders Achieve Creative Flow.  (Dragonfly Capital)

25 guys to avoid on Wall Street.  (NetNet)

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