The U.S. dollar index which measures the value of the dollar relative to a basket of six major foreign currencies, has increased over 5 percent since the beginning February. While this may not sound like a big move, it is actually quite significant for such a short period of time.

The move into the U.S. dollar reflects continued uncertainty in Europe ("flight to quality") as well as the improving economic data we have received in the U.S. over the past few weeks. Investors are especially encouraged by the recent housing data, which continues to suggest that this important sector of the economy is on the mend. Indeed, it appears that the U.S. is becoming an even fancier house in a still-impoverished neighborhood.

Cyprus would be better off to leave the euro than accept the terms of the bailout imposed by the European Union, International Monetary Fund and European Central Bank.

Until recently, Cyprus was a prosperous island economy thriving through strong tourism, shipping and maritime related activities, and a significant international financial sector.

After marathon and heated discussions, agreement was reached on a new rescue package for Cyprus. Compared to what had emerged a week earlier, this is a better technical outcome -- both in what it contains and in what is left out.

Yet implementation will be very challenging, especially as Europe is yet to find an answer to the most important question of all: how to improve growth and employment prospects in a significant and sustainable manner.

Various attempts to establish an early – and negative – market verdict on Japan's efforts to eradicate deflation are unfair and plain wrong.

The proposed stimulus measures should be given a chance to show what they can do. Jumping to sweeping conclusions based on a few weeks of volatile trading is poor judgment. Especially since the recent behavior of Japan's key financial market variables (stock indices, the yield curve and the yen's exchange rate) could be seen as a sign of support for reflationary policies.

Survey research results that Fidelity Investments released in February created one of those "I told you" so moments for people like me in the employee incentive business.

The Fidelity research shows that U.S. corporations have doubled their spending in the last four years on incentives designed to spur employee participation in wellness programs.

Corporate employers plan to spend an average of $521 per employee on wellness based incentives in 2013, double the per employee average of $260 in 2009.

(Read More: Aetna CEO: Slashing Health Costs With Yoga)

As central as the office is to so many of our lives, the recent debate over the benefits of working in or out of one had a tendency to veer toward extremes.

As if the decision to allow people to work in-house or from home was always an either/or proposition. It's not. The office is going to remain home base for almost anyone who works for a company.

Melissa Mayer, CEO of Yahoo, who ignited the debate with her decision to call her troops home to the home office, would agree. At the same time, she grew up at Google, the company perhaps most responsible for making it possible to work remotely, and a place where the option has long been available.

Right now for her new company, she feels the need to make the most of the particular energy of real, not digitized, eye contact and gesture and conversation.

(Read More: Is Sexism Behind the Yahoo Uproar?)

Breaking the proverbial glass ceiling is going to take more than an organizational hammer. Although every swing is absolutely necessary from that direction, creating environments in which all people can do their best work, women must be willing to chip away at self-limitations.

(Read More: A Titan's How-To on Breaking the Glass Ceiling )

Increased speed has brought considerable benefits to today's equities markets, but the myopic focus on trading speed and electronic efficiency has blinded most of today's participants to the potential value of re-introducing an effective tool of yesteryear: A brief pause of a buy order which gives the broker the chance to ask the question "What's the market?"

Back in the good old days, a broker would take a client's order to the specialist post of the NYSE or to the appropriate crowd on the floor of the CME or CBOT and his first question would be: "What's the market?" The broker would receive information about the state of the market and then he (or she) could use his experience to execute the order.

This process allowed hidden liquidity to be revealed, and custom liquidity created specifically in response to the question to be spawned.

Yesterday, European officials stunned Cypriots (and many others) by announcing a rescue package for their country that involves a levy on ALL bank deposits. The news is spreading far and wide, causing quite a bit of controversy in the process. There are also questions about what will happen next…in Cyprus and beyond.

Having posted an FT column on this earlier today, here is a summary:

The Context: With massively overextended banks and a stumbling economy, Cyprus is in desperate need of external funding. Like other struggling euro zone members, it turned to its European partners and the International Monetary Fund for help.

After months of negotiation, a 10 billion euros ($13 billion) bailout package was announced. It spreads the burden sharing in an unprecedented manner by including a de facto haircut on all bank deposits (de jure, depositors receive an equity claim).

It's clear when looking at the latest retail sales numbers that consumer spending has resumed, albeit at a slow rate. The latest numbers give ammunition to the bulls that the good old days are back. But hold on for just a minute optimists; the numbers aren't THAT great.

Retail sales should be stronger than the current reported numbers. For a recovery, these numbers are weak.