Filed under: China, Blackstone Group L.P (BX)Since President Nixon opened the doors to China back in the 1970s, the relationship has certainly been interesting - and complicated. Of course, now China is a critical piece of the global economy and a huge funder of U.S. debt, which is even more important in light of our massive deficit spending.So, will China continue buying up our Treasuries? Perhaps so. This is according to a piece in the FT. The director general of the China Banking Regulatory Commission, Luo Ping, said there is really no other place to put lots of cash (at least in a safe way). In fact, he wasn't too thrilled with the U.S.'s financial moves over the years. And, he even thinks the U.S. dollar will continue to sink (yes, not really a ringing endorsement from our financial s

Filed under: International markets, Newsletters, Mutual funds, ETF Investing, Agriculture, Stocks to Buy, Green Stocks, Obama Picks"In a few years we'll be staring at new highs in the prices of many natural resources," says Larry Edelson, a specialist in resource-related stocks. In Real Wealth, he looks at two exchange-traded funds focused on food and water. "Mind you, the U.S. and global economies will not get back to the growth levels we've recently seen, not anytime soon. "But they don't have to for natural resource prices to soar again. The chief reason they will climb again: Massive, worldwide currency devaluations, especially in the U.S. dollar. "Moreover, natural resources will get a huge boost from the massive infrastructure spending that is now commencin

Filed under: Major movement, Earnings reports, Good news, Options, Technical AnalysisNetApp (NASDAQ: NTAP - option chain) shares are headed higher today after the company announced it plans to cut 6 percent of its global work force in order to reduce costs. NTAP reported a loss of 23 cents per share, but excluding items made 28 cents, which was in line with estimates. If you think that the stock won't fall by too much in the coming months, then now could be a good time to look at a bullish hedged trade on NTAP.NTAP opened this morning at $14.10. So far today the stock has hit a low of $14.07 and a high of $16.41. As of 11:55, NTAP is trading at $16.41, up $1.16 (7.6%). The chart for NTAP looks bearish and S&P gives NTAP a negative 2 STARS (out of 5) sell ranking.Continue reading Q3

Its fun being right, since the market has shit canned itself, investors have been running to gold and more importantly the Gold stocks.  We spotlighted three of our favorite gold stocks in December, told you to place your bets, and you bet they have paid off. Agnico-Eagle Mines (NYSE: AEM) Yamana Gold (NYSE: AUY) and Kinross Gold (NYSE: KGC), three of the best read more

Filed under: Consumer experience, Market matters, Money and Finance Today, Personal finance, Federal ReserveWe had a parade of bank executives meet with the House Committee on Financial Services. Each one had a set of prepared remarks that described how their banks were lending money and how they are trying to use the money that the U.S. Treasury gave them wisely. There is no doubt that these bankers are lending money. That is not the problem. The problem is the rate at which they are lending this money. The Federal Reserve has lowered the "prime rate" to 3.25%. The prime rate is the rate at which corporations with the best credit can borrow. So this money should have been lent out at 3.25%, or 1% higher, at 4.25%.Continue reading Banks not playing fair with TARP money -- should

Filed under: International markets, Forecasts, India, China, Brazil, Russia, Middle East, Mexico, Japan, Recession, Financial CrisisThe manager of the world's largest bond fund, PIMCO, has laid-out in unambiguous terms the problem facing the global economy in the quarters ahead: The U.S. and global recession will worsen -- with a "second wave" of turmoil -- unless governments increase fiscal stimulus and spending plans. "The economic setback is still in its early stages," Koyo Ozeki, head of Asia-Pacific credit research at Pimco's Tokyo office, wrote in a report published on PIMCO's web site. "Any further decline in housing prices could accelerate the downturn, intensifying the pernicious feedback loop and possibly leading to a second wave in the financial crisis i

I just finished watching an interesting BBC series, The Voyage of Charles Darwin. I had no idea how important Darwin's journey on the Beagle was to his work. He was at sea for five years.

In other words, he calls Arnold Kling a racist: A few days ago notice was taken (I'm practicing my passive voice) of economist Arnold Kling's contention that the Obama stimulus plan was actually "reparations" in disguise. Given the complexion of our new president, this was interpreted as injecting a needless bit of race-baiting into the economic debate, raising the specter of a million Jeremiah Wrights marching on the capital mall with outstretched hands, demanding their cut of the action. One of the great advantages of seeing the race card played is that it tells me which side realizes it's losing the argument. Thanks, James. You saved folks a lot of time.

Dennis Moore, a Representative from Kansas asked the CEOs of all the banks, "How much taxpayer money did you get and how much salary did you get in 2008?"  Check out the clip of all the CEOs droning out their response. Nobody got a bonus. read more