[expat_panama]

companies on the right column had secret blessings

It's true that Apple, Facebook, and Google are a bunch of loopy leftwingers but while I don't want to ignore the power of Central Command let's not forget that supply and demand wins every time.  Businesses get big when they meet a need, not because they know the right people.

[expat_panama]

	Markets		Yesterday		Today
	metals		Still holding to prices going back to November's bases --> $1,204.15 and $16.57		now @ $1,220.50  & $16.92; futures very strong +1.67%
	stocks		Off slightly in mixed volume; NASDAQ ending its streak;  IBD: "Market Takes Breather"		futures now trading up just barely --> +0.13%

While yesterday's econ reports were mixed/tepid, today we'll be slammed w/ both claims day and CPI:

Initial Claims
Continuing Claims
CPI
Core CPI
Durable Orders
Durable Goods -ex transportation
FHFA Housing Price Index
Natural Gas Inventories

Forget the press, the FR has it all here:

• The Hyperinflation Hype: Why the U.S. Can Never Be Weimar
• Is the Star Trek Economy a Welfare State?
• Many Americans Still Struggling In Dismal Obama Economy
• Why Obama Is So Autocratic About Environmental Policy [that's what dictators do]
• How an Undocumented Immigrant From Mexico Became a Star at Goldman Sachs
• Christie and Walker take different paths on union issues
• There's a new mortgage crisis brewing [Richard Bove] (h/t Lurkina.n.Learnin)
• Germany sells five-year debt at negative yield (h/t Lurkina.n.Learnin)