Salient to Investors: The National Association for Business Economics expects: The US economy to grow 2.1 percent in 2013 – 1.6 percent in Q4, 1.8 percent in Q1, 2.4 percent in Q2, 2.6 percent in Q3, and 3 percent in Q4. Unemployment will average 7.7 percent in 2013. Housing to again be
READ MORE... →Salient to Investors: John Stephenson at First Asset Investment Mgmt said the Fed basically admitted that they don’t have what it takes to deal with the fiscal cliff, and it dimmed the idea that unlimited money printing will help commodities. Saumil Parikh at Pimco said global growth will slow to near stall speed in 2013
READ MORE... →Salient to Investors: The average analyst expects capital spending by S&P 500 companies to drop 1.3 percent in 2013 after 3 years of growth. Bears say the last decline was at the end of 2008, just before stocks slumped to a 12-year low, and expect CEO pessimism to sap the rally. Bulls say
READ MORE... →Salient to Investors: The National Conference of State Legislatures said half of all U.S. states have returned to peak tax-collection levels last seen before the recession five years ago, or will soon. In the preceding two recessions, it took 2 years or less for revenue to return to previous peaks. Corporate income-tax
READ MORE... →Salient to Investors: Gary Shilling at A. Gary Shilling & Co writes: Long-term India will emerge as the more significant global economy than China. About China: Much of its growth before 2008 came from a shift in global manufacturing from Europe and the US, and not by domestic-oriented activity. Its economy remains export-driven – consumers account
READ MORE... →Salient to Investors: Investors said the S&P lowered outlook for the UK’s credit-rating will have little impact. Stuart Thomson at Ignis Asset Mgmt doesn’t see the downgrade as significant for gilts – a move from AAA to AA+ has lost its impact, if it ever had any, and the impact on default is virtually
READ MORE... →Salient to Investors: Scotland’s biggest money managers do not expect the Europe economic slump to end anytime soon. Ben Ritchie at Aberdeen Asset Mgmt expects years of zero or little growth, with strong companies getting stronger and weak companies getting weaker. Greig Bryson at Scottish Widows Investment Partnership looks for companies that can grow irrespective of the
READ MORE... →Salient to Investors: S&P lowered its outlook on Britain’s top credit rating to negative, citing weak economic growth and a worsening debt profile – there is a 1-in-3 chance the rating could be cut in the next 2 years. S&P however expects economic growth to accelerate slowly. Investors often ignore such
READ MORE... →Salient to Investors: Peter Oppenheimer at Goldman Sachs said: Quantitative easings have left little value in the credit markets, so investors should look for returns in European equities over bonds. The STOXX Europe 600 could see annual returns of more than 7 percent despite stagnation in the euro area. Because of a net absence
READ MORE... →Salient to Investors: The US is almost free of imported energy dependence and positioned to overtake Saudi Arabia as the world’s No. 1 producer of oil, whether oil is $60 or $120. The IEA said America’s 6.8 million barrels a day in November was 30 percent less than Saudi Arabia’s 9.7 million,
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