By Guest Author: Andy Richardson

My sister went house hunting last week. She likes a Taylor Wimpey PLC new build development but the plot she would want has not been started. The site representative said that Taylor Wimpey would not start to build on that particular plot until the three existing houses have been sold. They are anticipating about 18 months. So much for green shoots in the housing market. An estate agent I spoke to the other day said how fast rents are falling in my area since so many repossessions are being rented out by the receivers instead of being sold at auction. The receiver gets paid, the mortgage company gets some income and the tenant gets a home with an affordable rent.

I had a hard look at some ‘Industrials’ over the past couple of days. CHTR is a very well managed company yet its last trading announcement was …

A.F. analysts clash… can the niche retailer survive the credit crunch?…Crisis begets steadfast citizens… Americans move about the country at lowest rate in 47 years…A long-term outlook on the American stock market…The latest sector to catch Chris Mayer’s attention…U.K. launches historic spending spree, hikes taxes to 50%..

If the credit-strapped suburban mall culture is truly on the rocks, how long do you think this can survive:

Lady Amaranth, Goth Temptress

Among our analysts, a debate brews at the heart of the current consumer conundrum: “Cutting-edge apparel retailer Hot Topic,” writes Wayne Burritt, about the purveyor of goth clothing and lip-piercing paraphernalia, “is loaded with attractive fundamentals and technicals, while its call options offer an oversized premium. Hot Topic is a mall and Web-based specialty retailer that has a proven track record in the often-fickle teen

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Since I am first-time parent and am learning quite a bit every day, I want to share my trials and tribulations from a financial perspective.  I will start posting on a new category relating to…

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Brown & Brown, Inc. (BRO) has been faring well lately, while other financial companies continue to struggle. The Zacks #1 Rank (“strong buy”) company boasts strong fundamentals as it expands through acquisitions.

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Brown & Brown, Inc. and its subsidiaries offer a broad range of insurance and reinsurance products and services, as well as risk management, third-party administration, managed health care, and Medicare set-aside services and programs.

The company services business, public entity, individual, trade and professional association clients nationwide.

BRO is ranked by Business Insurance magazine as the seventh largest independent insurance intermediary in the United States.

Competitive Income for Shareholders

The company recently declared a regular quarterly cash dividend of 75 cents per share. The dividend is payable on February 18 to shareholders of record on February 4. BRO's dividend represents a 7% increase that occurred in October.

Brown & Brown's dividend yield of 1.5% is better than the

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The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has issued an alert to the public not to consume Mr. Brown instant coffee and milk tea products. The agency says the products are possibly contaminated with melamine as the Taiwanese producer of these drinks uses creamer made in China.