Friday, May 30, 2008

Features of the week

Get set for our, "Features of the week".

1. US economy: first-quarter growth estimates raised.

2. Fresh fears for US economy as corporate profits tumble again.

3. Marc Faber: credit crunch will continue and spread.

4. Banks establish central clearing facilty for OTC credit derivatives.

5. The CFTC investigates crude oil trading practices, and announces closer crutiny of commodity index funds.

6. Are index investors driving commodity prices?

See also: "Index Speculators responsible for commodity prices?", and Hard Assets Investor's interview with Bob Greer, manager of Pimco's RealReturn funds.

7. Pimco's June 2008 Investment Outlook focuses on suspicious inflation measurements and inflation-themed investments.

8. Agflation: Reuters global coverage.

9. Is the Dollar Doomed? Presentation by Dr. Benn Steil.

10. "Greenspan's incessant contradictions". - Brady Willett.

11. New tax law for US exiles - WSJ tax report.

"Now, after years of threatening to do so, Congress has passed a law that will tax the assets of those who leave for good on their way out the door, as if they were selling those assets."

Sounds like the ultimate "leaving town tax".

12. Ken Heebner: America's hottest investor.

13. Munehisa Honma (Homma): best hedge fund manager ever?

14. FT Video: Nouriel Roubini on US recession, housing, and the stock market.

15. Brazil leads the world's largest equity markets, while Vietnam's stock market continues to slump on inflation.

16. Mark Mobius sees opportunity in frontier markets.

17. Oil exporters are unable to keep up with demand.

18. $200 oil? Q&A with Paul Horsnell of Barclays Capital.

19. Oil and the World War III portfolio.

20. "Peak Water" and conserving water resources.

21. Google, Chevron back solar thermal power.

22. Burma's citizens take up aid burden (with audio slideshow).

23. John Lydon: "I'm fat, I'm 50, and I'm back".

Thanks for reading Finance Trends Matter. Y'all come back now...