Why the crisis has Wall Street stressed. It would be wonderful if the U.S. financial markets could “decouple” themselves from what is going on in Greece, Portugal and Spain. Unfortunately, the debt situation in these countries is like a ripple in a pond. The question is, how strong will the ripple ultimately be and will [...]

As the weather warmed up, the market was still pretty hot: the S&P 500 pulled off a 1.48% gain for April.1 On the whole, stocks overcame some major challenges: credit ratings were slashed for three European nations, and Goldman Sachs faced an investigation on charges of securities fraud. With scandal on Main Street’s mind, a financial reform bill started a journey through the Senate.

Quote of the month. “When you are aspiring to the highest place, it is honorable to reach the second or even the third rank.” – Cicero The month in brief. Stocks rocketed north in March. The DJIA, NASDAQ and S&P 500 all advanced between 5.2-7.2% for the month.1 Whispers about a double-dip recession, a possible [...]