10-Year Treasury Constant Maturity Rate

clipped from research.stlouisfed.org

Stock Market still under extreme pressure

The chart below spans twenty five years for the s and P 500. Each bar is one month.

clipped from charts.barchart.com

Down side range expansion continues--good trade opportunity

The downside range expansion continues and all systems indicate that market is going lower. You will notice the spike down to the 741 area in November. Will history repeat itself? i think to some extent it will. Traders should be on their toes for any spike below 741 overnight or early Tuesday morning.

I doubt we will see the monster rally we saw in November. But, looks good for a nice fat trade.

Complacent longs are still in the market and so far they have not capitulated. Sometime soon, very soon they are going to cry "Uncle".

clipped from charts.barchart.com

Stimulus Tax Break Savings

clipped from money.cnn.com TAX SAVINGS How households may fare under the economic recovery plan. Income Avg. tax savings Drop in tax bite Under $19K $476 -95% $19K-$38K $652 -22% $38K-$66K $781 -9% $66K-$112K $1,301 -7.5% $112K-$161K $2,549 -8.3% $161K-$227K $3,883 -8.3% $227K-$603K $5,133 -5.7% $2.8M plus $39,350 -1.4% Source:The Tax Policy C

Obama's foreclosure fix on the way

clipped from money.cnn.com The multipart plan will for the first time commit government money to spur loan modifications. One likely component will be interest-rate subsidies for at-risk borrowers, with the government matching the servicer's rate reduction. Borrowers would have to take an affordability test to see whether they could handle the monthly payment on the reworked loan. The administration is also expected to ramp up loan modifications of borrowers in default. These modifications would lower monthly payments to more affordable terms - often 31% to 38% of gross monthly income - through reducing interest rates or lengthening the loan's term. On deck is controversial legislation to allow bankruptcy judges to modify loans on primary residences. The financial industry is staunchly opposed to this measure, but administration officials told them last week to expect it to happen this year.

Author Terry Pratchett blames his Alzheimer's on mercury fillings

clipped from www.guardian.co.uk Terry Pratchett has reopened the controversy about the safety of mercury-based tooth fillings by blaming them for his Alzheimer's disease. The author of the Discworld series describes the fillings - which millions of Britons have - as "toxic waste". "Having something like mercury in your mouth seemed to me to be a really bad idea and I got rid of the stuff," said Pratchett.

Winners and losers in the final stimulus bill

Follow the link for a more complete breakdown.

clipped from www.cnn.com Foreclosures: $2 billion is set for a neighborhood stabilization program that helps areas plagued with foreclosures by buying back properties and preventing blight. Social Security: $500 million goes to replace its 30-year-old computer system. Car buyers: Anyone who buys a new car in 2009 gets to deduct the sales tax. To qualify, buyer must make less than $125,000 individually or $250,000 jointly. Cost is $1.7 billion. Homebuyers: First-time homebuyers who purchase this calendar year get an $8,000 tax credit which does not have to be repaid like a similar measure last year. This phases out for people making more than $75,000 individually or $150,000 jointly. "First-time homebuyer" is defined as someone who has not owned a home for the past three years. Cost: $6.63 billion. Tax credits: Anyone making $75,000 individually or $150,000 as a family will get refundable tax credit up to $400 per person or $800 per family.