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Fannie, Freddie and You: What It Means to the Public
So what does the federal takeover of two mortgage finance giants mean to consumers? Mortgage rates may fall a bit initially but probably not enough to halt the decline in home prices anytime soon. Some delinquent borrowers may have a better shot at modifying their loans and ending up with lower fixed payments. And the rules on new mortgages could slightly change. Oh, and the federal government will help pay for it all, using your tax money.
-- Your Money - Fannie, Freddie and You - What It Means to the Public - NYTimes.com
-- What the rescue means for borrowers - CNNmoney
-- Biggest Losers in Fannie & Freddie Bailouts

Seizure of Fannie & Fredde May Cause More Bank Failures
Government seizure of Fannie and Freddie could cause problems, even failure, for many small banks, even if it helps to stabilize the battered mortgage market. Seizure of Fannie & Freddie may cause wider banks woes - CNNmoney

Stocks: Buy 'Em Like Buffett
S&P turns up 49 attractive names with its newest stock screen that tracks the Berkshire Hathaway honcho's investing criteria. Among the attractive stocks are Alcon, Charles Schwab, Freeport-McMoran, Garmin, Genentech, Halliburton, J&J, McDonald's, Microsoft, Novo-Nordisk, Oracle, Qualcomm & Research in Motion.
Stock Screen: Buy 'Em Like Buffett
See: List of 49 Stocks

Thursday's Market Meltdown: What the Pros Are Saying
What market strategists and Fed officials had to say about Thursday, September 4th's stock plunge. PIMCO's Bill Gross, S&P's Chris Burba and Miller Tabak's Tony Crescenzi speak out.
The Market: What the Pros Are Saying

6 'Cheap' Stocks to Consider Shorting
Sometimes what appears to be cheap really isn't. Here are a few companies Morningstar uncovered that fall into this category. they include Air France-KLM, Earthlink, Felcor Lodging Trust, Hertz, James River Coal and MEMC Electronic Materials.
Six "Cheap" Stocks to Consider Shorting - Morningstar Stock Strategist

7 Bad Borrowing Strategies
Just because you can, doesn't mean you should. Here are seven of the worst things you can do today if you need to borrow money. They include home equity loans, wedding loans, car title loans, payday loans and co-signing for somebody else's loan.
7 brainless borrowing behaviors -Bankrate.com

The Final Fate of Fannie and Freddie
Partial bailout or full-on takeover, here's how the rescue of the troubled government-sponsored enterprises could ripple through the financial system.
The Final Fate of Fannie and Freddie - BusinessWeek

Freddie Mac or Big Mac?
What should you do with that $5 bill -- indulge your fast-food craving or invest in one of America's mightiest enterprises? We'll help you decide.
Freddie Mac or Big Mac? - BusinessWeek

The Best (and Worst) Ways to Raise Fast Cash
What credit crunch? Here are 17 ways to get your mitts on some money, ranked from best to worst. The best is to tap your emergency fund (that is what is there for) and the worst is to get a payday loan.
The best (and worst) ways to raise fast cash - Money Magazine

Energy Stocks: Time for a Fresh Look
After the recent sell-off in energy shares, S&P has boosted its recommendation on the sector to overweight. Here's why.
Energy Stocks: Time for a Fresh Look - BusinessWeek

Consumers Feeling Fallout of Fannie & Freddie
Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac may or may not need a government bailout, but the turmoil surrounding the mortgage finance companies' decline has already meant four things for borrowers: higher interest rates, more fees and closing costs, bigger down payments and fewer loan choices.
Consumers Feel Fallout from Fannie, Freddie - AOL Money & Finance
Also: Future of Fannie & Freddie Uncertain

In the News
The Best ETFs
With 800 choices, you can't just throw darts. Kiplinger picks great ETFs in 13 categories.
Getting Past the ETF Clutter - Kiplinger.com

How the World Spends Its Money
Ever wondered how global consumers spend their hard-earned incomes? Data from the World Bank's most recent study breaks global individual consumption into 11 buckets--from food and clothing to health care and recreation. While just 6% of U.S. income goes to food China residents spend 24% and Ethopians a whooping 55%. At the other extreme, Americans spend 18% of its income on healthcare, which is much higher than most other countries.
How The World Spends Its Money - Forbes.com

What Happened to Safe Haven Stocks?
When the markets hit a rough patch, many investors turn to 'safe' stocks for shelter. Stocks like Wal-Mart, GE, Exxon Mobil, Google etc. You would think these big name stocks can weather the market storms of late, but in fact have gotten caught and underperformed the Dow over the past quarter. They are hardly "safe" for investors who want to preserve capital in a bad market. If these firms can't post promising results, not many companies can.
What Happened to Safe Haven Stocks? - 24/7WallSt.

Cash-Strapped States Quicker to Seize Unused Accounts
Faced with swelling budget deficits, a growing number of states are taking control of unclaimed property -- such as bank accounts and traveler's checks -- sooner. Generally, states can seize abandoned property if the owners fail to claim it after a specified period that varies by state. People should track their bank accounts and other assets closely. ING, which turned over $3.8 million to states last year, is warning customers that states can seize accounts if there's no activity for a certain period, often three to five years.
Cash-strapped states quicker to seize unused accounts - USATODAY.com

In the News:
The Great Panic - One Year Later
On August 9, 2007, it became clear that fear had paralyzed the world's credit markets. The question was no longer only about the quality of assets or the availability of cash. Everything was suspect and no one was willing to take any chances. The world had turned subprime.
How the world changed on August 9, 2007 - Portfolio.com


Cell-Phone Health Concerns Persist
Despite years of study, questions continue to be raised whether mobile phones can contribute to health problems. Why can't we get a definitive answer about cell phones and health?
Why Cell-Phone Health Concerns Persist - BusinessWeek

In the News:
Top Colleges for Getting Rich
These colleges produce top earners. Graduates of Dartmouth College finished on top of the list with a median compensation of $134,000, edging out alumni of Princeton University who finished second with a median comp of $131,000. For public colleges the University of California, Berkley tops the list at $112,000 followed by University of Virginia and University of California, Los Angeles.
Top Colleges For Getting Rich - Forbes.com
Also: Top Public Colleges for Getting Rich

Cars Most Affordable in 30 Years
Except for a brief time right after Sept. 11, 2001, cars today are more affordable than they have been since 1980.
Cars most affordable in past 30 years- Bankrate.com

In the News:
10 Tech Giants to Buy Now
Shares of companies such as IBM, Nokia and Microsoft have taken a hit along with the rest of the market, but they don't deserve to be this cheap. Other tech stocks to consider include Apple, Cisco, Google, HP, Intel, Oracle and Qualcomm.
Ten Tech Giants to Buy Now - Kiplinger.com

New Life for Grocery Store Standbys
Innovation is Pinnacle's lifeblood. The N.J.-based company -- which so far owns or licenses more than a dozen food brands -- specializes in acquiring venerable, but stagnant, brand names in need of TLC. It then works to breathe new life into them with updated formulations, new products, improved packaging, added convenience and smart marketing. Among the brands in Pinnacle's cub bard are Duncan Hines, Lender's Bagels, Log Cabin, Hungry Man, Mrs. Butterworth, Aunt Jemima, Swanson and more.
Pinnacle gives new life to old standbys - USATODAY.com

In the News:

Falling Oil Prices May Not Be as Good as You Think
Oil prices are falling sharply, and that's good news. But not nearly as good as you might think. Lower prices mean less pain at the pump - but tougher times ahead for the economy. Falling oil prices suggest that the recession the U.S. has so far avoided is well on its way, as consumers pull back from the spending spree that drove economic growth earlier this decade. A weakening economy will mean more layoffs, further pressuring already reduced spending.
Lower oil prices: a mixed blessing - FORTUNE

What Now for Bennigan's Franchisees?
What happens to franchisees when a franchisor goes bankrupt? Bennigan's owners are about to find out.
The pub-themed casual dining chain filed a Chapter 7 bankruptcy on July 29, meaning it chose to cease operations and liquidate its assets rather than attempt to reorganize under Chapter 11. Bennigan's closed all company-owned locations and announced plans to sell off the assets. The remaining 138 franchisees are still operating, but they face a tough road ahead.
After a Franchisor Files for Bankruptcy - BusinessWeek
In Photos: 11 Big Brands That Went Bankrupt & What Handppened Next to Franchisees

One 'Lettter' Stocks Offer Opportunity
Several companies with single-letter ticker symbols currently offer potential for value investors, says George Putnam. The editor of The Turnaround Letter stock publication highlights a number of single-letter stocks that have been "beaten down pretty badly and now look particularly appealing." They include Agilent ('A'), Citigroup ('C'), Ford Motor ('F'), Kellogg ('K'), Macy's ('M'), NetSuite ('N'), Qwest ('Q'), Spring Nextel ('S') and AT&T ('T').
'Singular' values: A, C, F, K, M, N, Q, S, T - BloggingStocks

August Trading Strategies
August is traditionally one of the worst months for the market. Against an already volatile backdrop, Experts show you 12 ways to navigate the dog days of summer.
http://www.marketwatch.com/newscommentary/tradingstrategies

In the News:

Your Money: McCain vs. Obama
See where the presidential candidates stand on the major economic issues like gas prices, taxes, mortgage crisis, jobs, health crisis and more.
Your Money: McCain vs. Obama - CNNMoney.com

If Only Martha Stewart Was a Little More Patient
If they only had been more patient investors of ImClone Systems, Martha Stewart and others might have done just fine, and avoided jail time. In a strange twist, ImClone -- the biotechnology company whose stock was dumped just before bad news was announced about an experimental cancer drug -- has received a multibillion-dollar takeover bid pegged to the success of that very same drug.
Once Dumped, ImClone Soars - NYTimes.com