Lots of technical talk this morning on yesterday's weakness. RBC Capital Markets, in a note to clients this morning, noted that "An inability to make new highs into late September would be a significant negative for stocks well into Q4."    Read More

If you want to ride out the rest of this recession in a cave, that’s fine — just make sure it’s up to code. Just one of the valuable recession lessons you can learn from a caveman!   Read More

There were any number of optimistic statements made last week. The G-7 finance ministers and central bankers said in a statement that "the pace of decline in our economies has slowed and some signs of stabilization are emerging." Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner said, "There are signs that the pace of deterioration in economic activity and trade flows has eased." Both Geithner and the G-7 leaders warned that what they see are encouraging signs but warned downside risks are still present.    Read More