LOLZ!

More concerning, though, was the fact that the greatest volatility stocks contained mostly financials and a few retail stocks with a smattering of other sectors represented. That grouping had a range of returns of 50-100% and on average was up almost 60%. What this says is that much of the recent rally was made up of the kind of stocks that the very active quant funds had been shorting. This created a need to exit short positions (also known as a short-squeeze), which in turn pushed shares higher, creating the need to continue to cover positions that moved higher than the quant models would allow. The process repeated itself over and over, causing many of the riskiest stocks with the worst fundamentals to overshoot most analysts’ target prices by a wide margin.

Survey Says? Errrrrt. (or, "ow, my balls!")

Pre-Report Consensus:
The March U.S. Treasury monthly budget report showed a deficit of $192.3 billion. Fiscal stimulus and various bailout plans have pushed federal spending up sharply. Half way through the fiscal year the deficit stands at $956.8 billion, about double the deficit at this time last year. Looking ahead, the month of April typically shows a sizeable surplus. Over the past 10 years, the average April surplus has been $107.7 billion and $84.6 billion over the past 5 years. The April 2008 surplus was $159.3 billion. But in today's economy, past news is only useful for portraying the stark reality of how much federal spending is supporting the economy.

And for dessert? This tasty morsel!

(I so dig the TD).

Mitt's Game Book

Today, the oracle spoke and revealed that POTUS'08 candidate Mitt Romney will set up shop in the Granite State, dig in to the business of campaigning in preparation for the 2010 mid-term election, and get into fighting shape for 2012. Feign surprise, ye shall not, should such a quest result in a slam dunk for Romney. Recall New Hampshire's most recent congressional slap-fight. Rinse, repeat.

Meet your new friend, Senator Mitt Romney.

You heard it here first.

Pretty much sums up the banking crisis....at least in my mind.

One part this:



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...and two parts this:



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...with a dash of this thrown in for good measure. And, becuase it made me chuckle.


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