On May 4th, Assured Guaranty reported another phenomenal quarter of financial performance. Operating income was $273MM, or $2.14 per share in the quarter. These figures were up from $123MM, or $.89 per share in the prior year’s quarter. These returns were achieved despite the company adding an extra roughly $100MM in reserves for Puerto Rico,...Read More

Today the U.S. economy posted terrible jobs growth furthering concern of an economic slowdown.  Over the last 3 months the U.S. economy has only created 225,000 jobs which is truly abysmal.  While the Federal Reserve has done everything it can, the government needs to implement job programs and get more aggressive in promoting growth.  It...Read More

The U.S. economy is slowing quickly and nowhere is it more apparent than the ISM’s manufacturing purchasing managers’ index plunging to 49.7% in June.  A reading below 50% shows contraction and this is the first time the number has been below 50% since July 2009.  Problems in Europe and a slowdown in the United States...Read More

Today’s housing news contributed to the market route but I don’t think the number were as bad as some people think.  Sales of existing homes were still up 9.6% from last year, and although they were down sequentially, inventories are low limiting sales opportunities.  It is going to be a tough slog especially with all...Read More

One of the real bright lights of the U.S. economy has been the automobile industry where demand is perking up, and where the domestic manufacturers are performing quite admirably.  Reduce cost structures have significantly lowered the break even number of sales for the big three, and an aged car fleet leaves plenty of room for...Read More