All eyes and ears are on the Fed this week. With Bernanke in New York discussing potential new bubbles and the New York Fed getting heat for overpaying AIG’s many creditors, investors are having a tough time knowing exactly who to follow.

For those of you who hold up the “Fire the Fed” signs, move over. I am thinking about joining your camp.

Chuck Butler (The Daily Reckoning):
What a ride yesterday for the currencies! Gold? Well, at one point gold had shot up $24 on the day! It topped out at $1,142… The shiny metal then gave some back on profit taking, but gold holders have got to love it! Those who keep waiting for a pullback. Well, they might still be waiting when the cows come home.

Baltimore (TFN): The Fed is meeting today. And I ask who cares? At this point, Bernanke and his troupe of politicians masquerading as economists are in so far over their heads, no matter what they do or say, you can bet the move is designed to protect their butts, not yours.

Our story continues…According to the popular version, Ben Bernanke, our flawed hero, has averted a Second Great Depression. When the crisis came in ’07-’08, he calmly took out the text he had written himself: “Dummies’ Guide to Avoiding a Japan-style Deflation”… or something like that.

What can we tell you about the US stock market that you don’t already know deep in your belly? This is a stimulus rally, pure and simple. It’s one big bet that the government’s funny money will lift up stocks out of mire of the recession… and send them to the moon!

Sellers back in control… China, FDIC, U.S. consumers trigger global sell-off… Chris Mayer examines a disturbing trend among American investors… Signs of the times: Bernanke frets over commercial real estate, Treasury to sell U.S. mortgages to China… Greg Guenthner with a Far East opportunity growing “at an astronomical rate”…

The yen and the dollar edged up against the euro today, Wednesday, as falls in equities and oil prices dampened investors’ appetite for riskier assets.

Fed sees the bright side… Bernanke says worst it over, inflation not a worry… Warren Buffett can’t see any green shoots… even after eye surgery… Alan Knuckman on how to survive a sideways stock market… Byron King says now’s a good time to book profits on this sector… Housing still out of whack… one chart foreshadows the market’s next move…

Currencies rally…  More on the BRIC’s…  New Zealand’s GDP contracts..  Bernanke gets grilled! And Now… Today’s Pfennig!