ZEW says Germany is on the mend…  UK inflation remains higher than expected…  Safe Haven, what safe haven?  Housing data remains soft… And Now… Today’s Pfennig!

Gold slid more than 1 percent on Monday as a stronger dollar dented interest in the metal as an alternative asset, with investors buying the currency as a safe store of value amid fears over the economic outlook.

Currencies stop the dollar’s run… BRIC meeting could get ugly for the dollar… RBA meeting notes good for Aussie dollars… Depressing data / forecasts for housing… And Now… Today’s Pfennig!

Risk Assets soar!  German Investor Confidence surprises!  High yielders kicking tail…  Who’s afraid of the SNB? And Now… Today’s Pfennig!

The Treasury is having a tough time hawking US debt these days.  This from today’s Financial Times: The 30-year Treasury yield rose to 4.30 per cent on Thursday from 4.10 per cent the day before after bids at the government auction came at lower prices than expected.

At a roundtable discussion tomorrow (Tuesday), the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) will talk about restoring a rule that some believe could have mitigated the bear market in U.S stocks.

With every proposed financial fix-up plan for the U.S. banking system, there’s always been one major sticking point: The logjam of hard-to-price – and even “toxic” – assets clogging the balance sheets of banks, investment houses or any other type of company with an involvement in the financial-services sector.

Tune into the financial media and you’re guaranteed to hear an “expert” call the stock market’s bottom at least once a day.

What’s that hiss? Bond sales break record, but “investors” demand higher yields…U.S. budget deficit sets annual record… in just 4 months! Key trading signals from one of our resident options analysts… Data still disappoint… housing, jobs, retail improve slightly, but still in the dumps… Last, Dubai in danger… foreigners flee so hurriedly they’re leaving cars behind…