Archive for October, 2008

Commodity News Digest

By Kristina Zurla Landgraf • Oct 31st, 2008 • Category: Commodity News Digest

Gloomy U.S. Consumers Cut Spending, Japan Cuts Rates - Reuters
Dollar Rises, on Pace for Best Month in 17 Years - Reuters
One in Five U.S. Homeowners with Mortgages Under Water - Reuters
Fed Funds Rate Cut a Double-Edged Sword - TheStreet.com
So How Bad Was October? One for the History Books - MarketWatch
Oil Futures Suffer Record Monthly Loss [...]



Friday Funnies: It’s Tough to be a Trader

By Kristina Zurla Landgraf • Oct 31st, 2008 • Category: The Lighter Side

It’s certainly tough to be a trader, as seen in these “sad guys on trading floors” pics.
And as evidenced by this gem of a quote from Morgan Stanley’s David Darst on CNBC: “We tell the young people who are looking for a job on Wall Street now, it’s either Shanghai, Mumbai, Dubai, or goodbye.”

[...]



S&P Futures Struggle, but Week Looking Up

By Kristina Zurla Landgraf • Oct 31st, 2008 • Category: Broker Commentary, Market Updates

The S&P futures are struggling in early trade after a positive close on Thursday and what’s looking to be a positive week overall. Lind Plus Senior Market Strategist Jeff Friedman notes it’s last day of the fiscal year for many mutual funds and hedge funds, and that could add pressure amid redemptions. On the [...]



Commodity News Digest

By Kristina Zurla Landgraf • Oct 30th, 2008 • Category: Commodity News Digest

U.S. Economy Contracts as Consumers Retreat - Reuters
Recession Shadows Next President’s Economic Aims - Reuters
Oil Drops Over 2 Percent as U.S. Economy Shrinks - Reuters
Treasury, FDIC said to Consider Guarantees to Stem Foreclosures - Bloomberg
Money Rates Fall on Rate Cut, Emerging-Market Dollar Swap Lines - Bloomberg
Yellen: New Policies Needed to Help Housing - MarketWatch
Bernanke Makes [...]



Commodity News Digest

By Kristina Zurla Landgraf • Oct 29th, 2008 • Category: Commodity News Digest

Fed Cuts Rate to 1% to Avert Prolonged Recession - Bloomberg
Corn, Soybeans Surge as Rate Cuts May Revive U.S. Crop Demand - Bloomberg
China May Cut Rate to Prevent Economic “Hard Landing” - Bloomberg
Crude Leads Broad Rally in Commodity Futures - MarketWatch
Recovering from Bear Markets - MarketWatch
Treasurys Up as More Fed Cuts Foreseen - MarketWatch
House to [...]



Markets View Rate Cut a Done Deal

By Kristina Zurla Landgraf • Oct 29th, 2008 • Category: Broker Commentary, Market Updates

Financial markets are in wait-and-see mode ahead of this afternoon’s conclusion of the Federal Open Market Committee meeting. A decision on interest rates is expected at 1:15 p.m. CT. Based upon the October 28 market close, CME Group’s 30-Day Federal Funds futures contract is currently pricing in a 100 percent probability that the [...]



Softs Looking Soft: Coffee, Cocoa, Sugar

By Kristina Zurla Landgraf • Oct 28th, 2008 • Category: Broker Commentary, Market Updates

Softs Looking Soft: Coffee, Cocoa, Sugar
By Ken Hughes
The softs market has been hit by the financial market meltdown, as just about all commodities have declined on ideas global demand is set to slow significantly. I’ll take a look at the fundamental and technical picture for coffee, sugar and cocoa futures.



Commodity News Digest

By Paul Nowak • Oct 28th, 2008 • Category: Commodity News Digest

U.S. Stock Market Rallies Over 10 Percent - Bloomberg
Yen Declines Most Versus Dollar Since 1974 - Bloomberg
U.S. Consumer Confidence Drops to Record Low - Bloomberg
Crude Oil Rises as Global Stocks Rebound, OPEC Considers Meeting - Bloomberg
Plunging Markets Are Far From Irrational - Times of London
Gold Futures Fall as Dollar Strengthens - Bloomberg
Japan’s Lost Quarter Century [...]



Letting Some Air Out of Inflated Yen

By Kristina Zurla Landgraf • Oct 28th, 2008 • Category: Broker Commentary, Market Updates

Letting Some Air Out of Inflated Yen
by Phil Streible
The Japanese yen is starting to back down after gaining sharply against both the U.S. dollar and euro currency in recent days. Unwinding of the carry trade has artificially inflated the yen, and policymakers seem ready to let some air out.
The yen has exploded to the upside [...]



Commodity News Digest

By Kristina Zurla Landgraf • Oct 27th, 2008 • Category: Commodity News Digest

New Home Sales Perk up on Gains in the West - MarketWatch
Gold Rises for Second Day as Slump Draws Buyers - MarketWatch
More U.S. Banks Turn to Treasury; G7 Sounds Yen Alarm - Reuters
Financial Meltdown Won’t Spoil Halloween Fun - Reuters
Japan Tries to Rescue Battered Stock Market - FT
Forecasters Race to Call the Bottom to the [...]