Economy Blog

(March 4, 2008 03:56 PM, by Bryan Caplan) Bhagwati says Hillary’s worse than Obama:[W]hereas Mr Obama?s economist is Austan Goolsbee, a brilliant Massachusetts Institute of Technology PhD at……
Original Source

Ashkan has a good post up on why 2008 may be the year of the Micro Deal .
I am not sure how to define Micro. I will say deals under $100 million although I think big media will do thousands of deals under $40-50 million.
There is a convergence of events:
1. Web 4.48 companies do not need much capital to start. Actually when I first coined Web 4.48 in August 2006, it led to an investment in M…
Original Source

AT&T (T) was called a buy on Stop Trading. It always seems to bounce because of the yield. Cramer is a big believer in oil so buy it everytime it comes down he tells us. XTO (XTO) and Transocean (RIG) should be looked at. He talked last about exposure to California and Florida for banks and told us that we like Hudson City (HCBK) and we do not like Citigroup (C).
…
Original Source

Equities are in the midst of a rough patch. Wobbly economic growth, worries about inflation, and the ongoing fears enveloping the banking sector have produced an aversion to buying.
MarketBeat asked a few different investment managers how they’re navigating through the current storm, and a few thoughts emerged. Investment strategists, in general, are busy trying to upgrade their portfolio, as well-known stocks with strong growth histories are falling to valuations not seen in some time. Internationally focused stocks still seem to be a popular theme, and technology stocks are a favored area, at least for those looking for bargains.
…
Original Source

(March 4, 2008 03:38 PM, by Bryan Caplan) James Hamilton is one of the few macroeconomists whose short-run forecasts never sound like quackery. His latest analysis is full……
Original Source

addslashes(Apple Takes a RIMM Shot With New iPhone Features

…
Original Source
)

Soaring food prices push inflation to 16-month high.…
Original Source

Soaring food prices push inflation to 16-month high.…
Original Source

William Polley, on his blog, takes note of recent commentary from Fed speakers that suggests that the FOMC will begin raising rates as soon as it is feasible. “At this point, I’d say the most likely time for the Fed to want to begin tightening again (barring any unforeseen developments) will probably be very close to election time,” he s…
Original Source

This will accelerate urbanisation but comes with challenges.…
Original Source

Catching up and emptying my burgeoning browser tabs and inbox: Google and the Case of the Missing Clicks (Many Niches) Using Star Language to Connect AT&T’s Call to a Hollywood/Silicon Valley Venture (Wall Street Weather)…
Original Source

Applied Materials (NASDAQ: AMAT) saw a major run on Tuesday. Despite a warning out of Intel the night before, the company is diversifying out of chip cap-ex and equipment dominance into a strategy of being a solar play. This morning the semiconductor equipment maker disclosed in an SEC Filing a $1.9 Billion solar equipment sales agreement. This is technically being listed as a total purchase price for the equipment and related services outside of post-warranty services that will be provided by Applied materials for approximately $1.9 Billion. The sales agreements are with a private non-US corporation where it will supply…
…
Original Source

Efforts to slow economy will continue.…
Original Source

$$$ Deals: Private Equity Plays Both Sides
In our M&A Roundup for the week ended March 2, billion-dollar deals nearly vanish, but private players are back in the (mid-sized) game. [LoSC]

$$$ HOMG– some guy who used to be on CNBC is now on Fox Business. [TV Decoder]
…
Original Source

(March 4, 2008 02:06 PM, by Bryan Caplan) Selwyn Duke says it short and sweet in "Why Most Voters Shouldn’t Vote":Most of us agree that having an educated……
Original Source

addslashes(The Real Story Wrap, March, 4

…
Original Source
)

Altucher: College Isn’t Worth a Dime

…
Original Source

After Government directs central bank to widen trading band.…
Original Source

addslashes(Top 10 Most Searched Stocks on TheStreet.com, Mar. 4

…
Original Source
)

Oasis Group, Inc. is yet another special purpose acquisition company, or SPAC, that has filed to come public via an IPO. The company has filed to raise $300 million with a sale of 30 million units, with each unit consisting of 1 share at $10.00 per share and 1 warrant with a $7.50 strike price. The sole book-runner is listed as Bear Stearns and it will trade under the ticker “OGH” on AMEX. While no business has been set in stone, its first objective is to acquire businesses or assets in the lodging or hospitality sectors, with a particular focus…
…
Original Source