cranky old investor

Will McCain's Vice Presidential Selection Help the Markets?

Sure it will affect the market, for at least 11 minutes; then something else will.
Why would it matter who is McCain's running mate? About the only thing Romney can do is increase demand for nausea pills; Pawlenty, on the other hand, could create acute shortages in No-Doz.

As Home Sales Plunge, Some Say the Crisis Is Almost Over

it's about affordability; it's about momentum; it's about breaking the link between housing and investing;
it will take a lot of time for the housing crisis to resolve itself. but it won't be fully resolved until reasonably safe mortgages can be made at levels that are actually affordable by buyers without artificial stimuli of "no credit check" and "no money down"