U.S. Expansion Poised for Longevity – Bloomberg 06-09-13

Salient to Investors: The economic expansion shows signs of lasting almost twice as long as average, with few of the excesses that often presage the start of contractions – inflation is slowing, not quickening, household debt is shrinking, not expanding, and the labor market is slack, not tight. Robert Gordon

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La Dolce Vita Eludes Italian Students Found Unemployable – Bloomberg 06-09-13

Salient to Investors: The Italian higher-education system lets undergraduates linger on campus for years and retake final exams 6 times, and schools are disconnected from the economy and only recently opened campus career offices. No Italian schools, public or private, are in the top 200 in the Times Higher Education’s

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Gross Says Jobs Report Suggests Fed Won’t Taper Bond Buying – Bloomberg 06-07-13

Salient to Investors: Bill Gross at Pimco said: The Fed will not taper with unemployment rising to 7.6 percent and very dire metrics for the average work week and wages, but a more normal economy requires the Fed to raise interest rates to more normal levels because QE and low interest rates are distorting capital

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Former Reagan Budget Director Argues Against Bailouts, for Financial Discipline – PBS Newshour 06-04-13

Salient to Investors: David Stockman says: We are in serial bubbles. Greenspan and Bernanke have inflated bubbles for years by keeping interest rates low. A system of bubble finance is geared towards massive borrowing and speculation on leverage, everyone will do it  – a gambler’s dream. Financial markets are full

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Fareed Zakaria GPS – CNN 06-02-13

Fareed Zakaria said: The great American housing market is back as the Case-Shiller housing index showed its largest annual increase in prices in seven years, showing its core character: flexibility and resilience. The US is the only rich country whose population is growing, increasing by 3 million people every year,

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Using Seasonal and Cyclical Stock Market Patterns – AAII Journal 06-01-13

Salient to Investors: Jeffrey Hirsch at the Stock Trader’s Almanac writes: Three main seasonal and cyclical patterns have stood the test of time: the 4-year Presidential Election/Stock Market Cycle, the Best 6 Months Switching Strategy and January’s basket of indicators and trading strategies. Caveat. History never repeats itself exactly. 1.

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