User 108022

China Increases Minimum Reserves by Another 1%

I just wanted to say how much I appreciate all your columns. I find them very informative; especially this article.

Thank you again.

A Closer Look at Obamanomics

I am resigned to Carter2 whether McCain or Obama wins. Economic forces aren't going to be tamed by either of them and Bernanke. But shame on HSU for reporting from one of the least knowledgeable sources of economic information, the NYROB, to plant a political ad here.

eBay Culling the Herd?

Buying on ebay is no longer a pleasant environment. Buyers determine end demand and having been a 50 transaction/year to 1/year customer the obviousness of the problem is one management must surely recognize.

Becky Quick's Recent Warren Buffett Interview: Brilliant Reporting

Becky Quick has poise and intelligence. She should be the evening anchor at CBS.

Hillary, Greenspan and Volcker

Greenspan? Alan Greenspan?? I bet he would like to be named to a commission to allay blame for the condition he, more than anyone else created. Stupid idea of the day.

Dick Bove: Buy Banks, Avoid Brokers

I agree with GSH1076. Listening to Bove's public announcements would have led to purchases of both LEH and C months ago.

Financials and Retail: Not as Dire as They Seem

WMT, COST and TGT had an average gain of 9% in total sales from last year

Make a reasonable net of food price inflation at WMT and Cost ( which they don't release) and the 9% gain is negligible.

Too Early to Invest in Financials

I agree with your sentiments but do you have any factual basis for the one year time horizon or is that a subjective judgement?

Backlash Against Mark-to-Market Accounting

If MTMarket doesn't work so well why were affected institutions using MTModel pricing that was so wildly off realistic values. In turn this feeds the creation of more of these monsters with unwise financial characteristics. A MTModel that does not take the world outside the security itself is inherently unsafe. I understand liquidity, size, etc. affects price but MTModel makes implicit assumptions about the market that may or may not be true. The only truth you will find is when you go to buy or sell is price. And MTModel was wrong, bad pricing.

It's Getting Harder to Keep on Truckin'

Having lost my independent local trucking business around the Miami area after 31 years maybe some government help would have been useful. Like arresting all the illegals who transport without insurance or valid licenses within the Miami community. Called the state and locals many times and they never helped.

Some Muni Bonds Appear Screaming Buys Here

There were 2 other periods when municipal rates were cheaper than US Treasuries. One was during the NYC crisis in the mid-1970's with the issuance of MAC bonds and the other was in the late 1980's brought on by a rash of municipal issuance before the Tax Act of 1986.