Fund manager Mark Dow says Dollar is fine

As for the comments on U.S. Treasuries, Dow sees S&P’s outlook change as “overdue” — and a function of the ratings agencies being seen as late to the party.

Speaking of late to the party, he’s steering well clear of the gold and silver frenzy. Dow says there’s still time to reduce risk in general — not entirely different advice than a lot of what we’ve seen of late. What’s unusual is his stance on the dollar, which he sees as a buy relative to European and BRIC currencies.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The unemployment rate fell in two-thirds of the nation’s states last month, the latest evidence that the strengthening economy is encouraging many employers to boost hiring.

The Labor Department said Tuesday that the unemployment rate dropped in 34 states in March. That’s the largest number of states to record a decline since June. The rate rose in seven states and was unchanged in nine and Washington, D.C.

WILMINGTON, Delaware (Reuters) – Warren Buffett, former top lieutenant David Sokol, and the rest of Berkshire Hathaway Inc’s (NYSE:BRK-A – News; NYSE:BRK-B – News) board of directors were sued on Tuesday by a shareholder over a trading scandal that cost Sokol his job.

They are being sued for tricking kids into eating their disgusting slop, by luring them over with toys in “Happy Meals.”

I suppose we live in a “Children of the Corn” world, where parents do not exist.

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Bloomberg’s Kathleen M. Howley suggests that the allure of homeownership has been tarnished as the cheap home markets continues to fail to attract buyers.

The richest man in the world taking a stake in a small cap U.S. driller, ticker BRNC.

They are evaluating offers. The stock is soaring on the news, now up 31%— ticker BBBB.

NOTE: More than 25% of the shares are sold short.

First time ever. New all-time highs.

#NOINFLATION

Min market cap $1 billion

No. Ticker Market Cap Short as % of Float
1 GDOT 1,800,000,000 79.10
2 JOE 2,270,000,000 76.20
3 CLWR 1,410,000,000 54.00
4 DSW 1,940,000,000 49.50
5 YOKU 6,330,000,000 49.35
6 MMYT 1,090,000,000 45.60
7 BBBB 1,290,000,000 44.40
8 CSTR 1,550,000,000 41.21
9 WPO 3,580,000,000 40.60
10 LDK 1,630,000,000 38.55
11 DMND 1,310,000,000 36.20
12 CIEN 2,450,000,000 35.50
13 TZOO 1,300,000,000 35.10
14 DDS 2,720,000,000 34.80
15 WRLD 1,020,000,000 34.70
16 LFT 1,620,000,000 33.29
17 VECO 1,930,000,000 32.72
18 SPWRA 1,450,000,000 32.20
19 TSLA 2,440,000,000 32.00
20 RKT 2,740,000,000 31.30
21 FSLR 11,820,000,000 29.60
22 DOLE 1,180,000,000 29.43
23 PFCB 1,060,000,000 29.30
24 UAL 7,700,000,000 29.00
25 TXI 1,160,000,000 28.60
26 ADS 4,280,000,000 28.60
27 SKS 1,850,000,000 28.30
28 STRA 1,610,000,000 28.20
29 SHLD 8,540,000,000 28.11
30 URI 1,940,000,000 27.90
31 WNR 1,610,000,000 27.70
32 HEI 1,980,000,000 27.70
33 RLD 1,520,000,000 27.60
34 RES 3,440,000,000 27.00
35 OPEN 2,460,000,000 26.96
36 AUXL 1,080,000,000 26.70
37 CEPH 5,740,000,000 26.60
38 ANR 6,570,000,000 26.60
39 NOG 1,420,000,000 25.50
40 GME 3,710,000,000 25.40
41 WTI 1,650,000,000 25.20
42 QSII 2,480,000,000 25.20
43 TWI 1,080,000,000 25.00
44 MDP 1,580,000,000 25.00
45 CREE 4,510,000,000 24.70
46 SVU 2,250,000,000 24.30
47 CLNE 1,140,000,000 24.25
48 LOGM 1,070,000,000 23.53
49 DFT 1,390,000,000 23.30
50 NUVA 1,080,000,000 23.20

Data provided by The PPT

Interestingly, according to seasonal data provided by The PPT, Chinese stocks tend to outperform in the month of April, with 57% of stocks in The PPT Chinese index trading up in April for an average return of 5.22%. It is the best trading month of the year for the group. In recent days, shares of Chinese related stocks have been on fire, led by gains in SINA, YOKU and BIDU. That trend is continuing today.

No. Ticker % Change Industry
1 OSN 18.35 Chinese Burritos
2 CCCL 13.20 Chinese Burritos
3 CCIH 12.54 Chinese Burritos
4 TRIT 10.76 Chinese Burritos
5 PWRD 10.72 Chinese Burritos
6 DANG 7.35 Chinese Burritos
7 CHINA 6.60 Chinese Burritos
8 ZNH 6.35 Chinese Burritos
9 KNDI 5.97 Chinese Burritos
10 ALN 5.61 Chinese Burritos
11 CEA 5.10 Chinese Burritos
12 QIHU 4.89 Chinese Burritos
13 CTRP 4.55 Chinese Burritos
14 SIHI 4.49 Chinese Burritos
15 SINA 4.42 Chinese Burritos
16 WATG 4.30 Chinese Burritos
17 SEED 4.12 Chinese Burritos
18 BSPM 4.12 Chinese Burritos
19 SOHU 3.97 Chinese Burritos
20 CAAS 3.54 Chinese Burritos
21 EJ 3.51 Chinese Burritos
22 YOKU 2.93 Chinese Burritos
23 CYOU 2.71 Chinese Burritos
24 HSFT 2.51 Chinese Burritos
25 CDII 2.42 Chinese Burritos

Reversing earlier losses, now at session highs +0.25%

Based upon robust earning across the board, in all regions.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Housing starts and permits for future home construction rose more than expected in March, snapping back from the prior month’s winter weather depressed levels, government data showed on Tuesday.

The Commerce Department said housing starts rose 7.2 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 549,000 units. February’s starts were revised up to a 512,000-unit pace from the previously reported rate of 479,000 units.

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In what may be the final deathblow to poker-as-spectator-sport, ESPN has responded to the indictments leveled against online poker sites like PokerStars and Full Tilt Poker by removing all poker-related programming and advertising from its family of networks.

Full Story Here

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“When Standard & Poor’s says it might lower its top AAA rating on U.S. government debt, the stock market fell sharply. Traders were worried that if a downgrade happened, it would send interest rates higher. And, in turn, raise companies’ borrowing costs.

But short-term investors were driving the markets Monday. For individual investors who are in the market for the long haul, a downgrade might not be as devastating as it seemed at first — especially if their biggest investment is in the stock market.”

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Lamborghini sales in China may top U.S. sales…

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