Today’s free linkgrab …
- The Capital Spectator looks at the prospects for a “soft landing” for the economy as well as the confusing haze (mirage ?) of economic forecasting.
- Econbrowser takes a look at the inverted state of the yield curve and what that means for the prospects of a recession.
- Gary Becker and Richard Posner look at the economics of stem-cell research.
- voluntaryXchange lists the questions Mike Wallace should have asked Ahmadinejad. BTW, Ahmadinejad rather long and frightfully rambling blog can be enjoyed in English as well.
- DJIA fell 36.42 points to 11345.05 Monday following last week’s five-day run, hurt by rising oil prices and Lowe’s profit warning. Gold prices rose more than $10 an ounce. Friendster is receiving $10 million from investors hoping to revive the social-networking firm.
- The Securities and Exchange Commission on Monday filed a civil suit in an effort to freeze the assets of a group of New Yorkers accused of selling at least $1.6 million of fraudulent investments to at least 64 unsuspecting investors, many of them elderly.
- Wells Fargo said it would buy Barrington Associates, a Los Angeles-based boutique investment banking firm. Wells Fargo, which is based in San Francisco, said Barrington would keep its name and become the lender’s main unit handling middle-market megers and acquisitions.
- Interesting article at Marketwatch advises you how to spot a Fund Manager that is not being forthcoming as to his performance. According to Chuck Jaffe, too many fund managers “get it wrong when they get things wrong.” If their money-management mistakes lead to poor excuses, or indifference, oroverreactions — then you may have a bigger problem than an underperfomring fund — you have a bum manager.
- Intuit announced that their special committee had reached the end of its examination of the firm’s stock option accounting practices. Their examination covered the period from Aug. 1, 1997 to the present. Their conclusion: the coast is clear. No issues found. No restatement required.
