Why Stock Markets Love Falling Budget Deficits

By Gary Alexander The biggest investment cloud hanging over the market in 2010 seems to be the expanding federal budget deficit, which grew by $1.4 trillion in fiscal-2009 and now threatens to top that record this year. But according to Ken Fisher — CEO of Fisher Investments, a Forbes columnist and one of the Forbes…

Consumer Electronics Purchases to Rise This Holiday Season

By Chris Morris, Contributor, InvestorPlace.com Never doubt the drawing power of a low-priced HDTV. 26 percent of the people surveyed by ChangeWave Research say they plan to spend more on consumer electronics than last year — a nine-point jump from the previous month — and an overall 18 percent improvement over the same period a…

Who Will Prevail in Fertilizer War? (CF, TRA, AGU, POT, MON, MOS)

By Paul Ausick Last January, fertilizer maker CF Industries (CF) made a $2.1 billion all-stock offer for rival Terra Industries (TRA). A month later, Canadian fertilizer giant Agrium (AGU) made a $3.6 billion offer for CF, provided that CF drop its bid for Terra.   The 5 Top Performing Stocks of the Decade The competing…

Alcoa’s (AA) Drop Today May Be Just the Beginning

By Paul Ausick Since the beginning of the year, Alcoa (AA) shares have risen more than 20%. The price of aluminum on the London Metals Exchange in the same time has risen less than 10%. Copper prices have nearly doubled in 2009, and nickel has jumped about 50%.   13 Dow Stocks That Are Doomed…

Amgen (AMGN) Holds Up Despite FDA Delay

By John Ogg Amgen Inc. (AMGN) shares actually held up quite a bit better today than many investors might have guessed considering an FDA delay.   The biotech giant was on deck for an FDA decision due no later than today on its Prolia drug for the treatment and prevention of postmenopausal osteoporosis.  Unfortunately, the…