Book list: The best business books of the year picked by Bryan Burroughs including The Song Machine: Inside the Hit Factory by John Seabrook. (WSJ)
Quote of the Day
"Strategists, like fortune tellers, need to be good storytellers to make a name for themselves. They build reputations with bold predictions about bull markets or bear markets, just like the palm readers who see tall dark strangers or grave danger on the horizon."
(Michael P Regan)
Markets
- Corporate insiders are selling stock at a rapid rate. (cnbc.com)
- Hedge funds are wicked short oil. (ft.com)
Offers
- Sign up for a free trial from Audible.com and get two free books including "The Song Machine: Inside the Hit Factory." (amzn.to)
- Don't go through the holiday season with Amazon Prime. Sign up for free trial now. (amazon.com)
Companies
- Apple ($AAPL) is becoming a services company. (asymco.com)
- A look back at Barry Diller's de-conglomeratization strategy at IAC/Interactive ($IACI). (nytimes.com)
- The iPad Mini's best days are behind Apple ($AAPL). (aboveavalon.com)
Pfizer
- Why there is a spin-off in the future for the combined Pfizer ($PFE). (bloomberg.com)
- The Pfizer deal for Allergan ($AGN) is cynical and a "disgrace." (newyorker.com)
Bill Ackman
- Bill Ackman just can't quit Valeant ($VRX). Ups his stake in the company. (nytimes.com)
- A closer look at how Bill Ackman traded Valeant shares. (kiddynamitesworld.com)
Funds
Economy
- House prices were up 5% year-over-year ending in September. (calculatedriskblog.com)
- Dr. Copper should use his license to practice. (valueplays.net)
- Why Millennials still live with their parents. (jedkolko.com)
- The evidence against a financial transaction tax. (marginalrevolution.com)
Earlier on Abnormal Returns
- Startup links: better pitch decks. (abnormalreturns.com)
- What you may have missed in our Monday linkfest. (abnormalreturns.com)
- Need some holiday book ideas? Then check out this compilation of book-related links from the past month. (abnormalreturns.com)
- Raising your media IQ. My Q&A with Brett Steenbarger. (forbes.com)
