The Big Picture

The VIX has not made the same dramatic move down during December that it made in mid-October: VIX (SPX Volatility Index) 3 month chart...

From a new American Express news release. Not only are the bargain hunters out there, they will be “regifting” unwanted...

I previously took issue with the “No retail discounting this Xmas” meme (“Are Retailers playing a game of...

Drink with Europeans! has been relocated to essays & effluvia here.

Every year around this time, we get treated to the PNC Advisors 12 Days of Christmas Price Index. Perhaps I’m just a Grinch, but...

The markets are sure to enjoy the weekend capture of Saddam Hussein. The big market winners in the Middle-East were the Tel Aviv 25 Index...

Q: How can you be bearish on the overall economy, yet exhort people to stay long? Isn’t that contradictory? A: It comes down to...

On the Friday after Thanksgiving, Dennis Gartman puts out his “Rules of Trading,” adding to them as wisdom increases. John...

A friend, who insists on remaining anonymous (under penalty of death) has some astoundingly astute observations regarding yesterdays...

Yesterday, I discussed the UCLA Anderson Forecastby Edward Leamer. To keep the blog “Fair and Balanced,” today we present the...