Money manager Alliance Bernstein discusses slower than expected growth during the first half of the year and makes a prediction for the coming second half. "US economic growth fell short of our forecast in the first half, owing to unexpected weakness in construction and defense, a spike in energy prices and supply disruptions. We expect faster growth in the second half, driven by gains in auto output and strong liquidity flows - if job markets gain traction." Download Full Commmentary Here Get Free Research Reports about AllianceBernstein LP [+] Read More

"Fat, drunk and stupid is no way to go through life, son." - Dean Wormer, Animal House. 1978. Money manager Calamos Investments starts their current quarterly commentary comparing the current government actions to a famous quote from the movie Animal House. After looking at the major factors influencing the markets today, Calamos highlights opportunities they see in the midst of volatility and global rebalancing. A must read for those looking for a comprehensive breakdown of the current investing world. Download Full Commmentary Here Get Free Research Reports about Calamos Investments [+] Read More

Money manager Macquarie Allegiance's February newsletter details why they think Treasury yields will continue to increase, especially in the 10 year Treasury. "Our analysis shows that the improving trend of the economy has been pressuring Treasury yields higher. The current macro momentum suggests we are heading for the third test of 4.0% on the 10Y yield in this cycle. However, inflation pressures in the US remain low despite the added pressure coming from surging commodity prices. We conclude that the persistence of a large negative output gap is helping to contain inflation pressures." Download Full Commmentary Here [+] Read More

Money manager Roosevelt Investment's latest report highlights the emerging market's middle class. The worldwide economic picture may be full of uncertainties but one thing seems likely: the demand for goods and services in the developing world will grow at an unprecedented rate as the emerging middle class rapidly expands over the next couple of decades. Download Full Commmentary Here Get Free Research Reports about Roosevelt Investment Group [+] Read More

Now that healthcare reform is the law of the land, the multi-trillion-dollar question is, who will prosper and who will suffer? Lord Abbett experts assess the potential opportunities and pitfalls in a complex and sometimes perplexing new environment, where many new rules have yet to be written. Download Full Commmentary Here Get Free Research Reports about Lord Abbett Company Llc [+] Read More

One of the most important features of the investment markets of the last decade or more has been the gradual rise, across the globe, in the correlation relationships between assets of all types. That is, markets are increasingly moving together. These markets can be as diverse as an emerging country equity index and a domestic equity sector…Too much similarity among dissimilar investments leads, in fact, to instability. Download Full Commmentary Here [+] Read More

Lazard believes there are conflicting signals regarding the current economic conditions, which are affecting certain industry sectors differently. Technology and industrials appear to be resilient, while consumer goods and materials are showing weak trends. Energy, health care, and financials are focused on what transpires in Washington, and Lazard thinks that this trend towards government intervention will play a more prominent role in the years to come compared to any time in the last two decades. Lazard believes attractive opportunities for investors exist in finding those companies with healthy balance sheets, strong organic cash flow, and operational flexibility, as these companies should deliver better results over time. Download Full Commmentary Here [+] Read More

Stocks continued to face high levels of volatility last week as a strong rebound in prices early on gave way to renewed weakness by week's end. Overall, markets did manage to post gains, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average rising 2.3% to 10,620, the SP500 Index advancing 2.2% to 1,136 and the Nasdaq Composite gaining 3.6% to end the week at 2,347. Following these gains, stocks moved back into positive territory for the year. Download Full Commmentary Here Get Free Research Reports about Blackrock Inc [+] Read More

The stock market has covered a lot of ground since that rough period one year ago, but it is still below the levels at which Lehman Brothers declared bankruptcy and sent the financial system into crisis mode. Central banks around the world took coordinated actions to intervene and provide liquidity directly to banks as well as capital markets. Corporate America responded in an unprecedented fashion, slashing jobs and other expenses and reducing capital spending to a much greater degree than expected. As a result, non-financial companies generally came through this recession in much better shape than expected. Download Full Commmentary Here [+] Read More