After pausing for the past couple of days, the risk trade resumes. The dollar is having its worst day in 2 weeks, pushing stock futures up nicely this morning. Commodities are rising on the weak dollar, with the metals complex (gold, silver, platinum and copper) rising to new highs.

The story of the week is the dollar's stabilization and the consequent stall in the stock market. European Central Bank President Jean-Claude Trichet said the ECB will gradually withdraw emergency cash.

Corporate bond market hot: what's up? While equity trading volumes have dried up in November, stock traders are talking about the avalanche of corporate bond issuance this month.

Maybe Bernanke really does have some clout: ever since Monday, when Bernanke engaged in unusual jawboning in support of the dollar, the dollar has stabilized and is even in a mild uptrend.

Colgate up about 5 percent on a report from the London Telegraph that Reckitt Benckiser, a UK based consumer product company that owns Lysol household cleaner among other products, may be interested in purchasing the company.

Trading desks idle as light volume continues. It started on November 1st — sell-side desks started seeing a drop in trading volume, and it has continued through the month. What gives?