Dateline Raleigh, NC, November 6, 2008: Democratic leaders in the U.S. House of Representatives discuss confiscating our 401(k)s and IRAs, by Carolina Journal Online reporter Karen McMahan.

This shocking pronouncement is certainly an attention grabber, which if even partially true, would have an impact on nearly every employed and retired American. The basis for the report is testimony before the House Committee on Education and Labor in early October.

Dr. Teresa Ghilarducci is one of many witnesses (scholars, retirees, activists, an investment mogul, and benefits experts) who were interviewed by the committee members. (I was skipped over once again, but a receptive person in the HCEL was willing to forward a listing of my articles to the right person. I expect an invitation to testify momentarily)

McMahan writes: “Dr. Ghilarducci, professor of economic policy analysis at the New School for Social Research, …

On Thursday, July 3, the European Central Bank is expected to raise interest rates by 0.25%. That same day, economists expect the U.S. jobs number (”nonfarm payrolls”) to show a 60,000 reduction. Question: How should the two events affect the U.S. dollar’s standing against other currencies? Well, in theory, when a central bank raises interest rates, it makes that country’s assets more attractive to foreign investors. And since the country’s assets are denominated in that country’s currency, it also becomes “more attractive” – i.e. it gains. A weak jobs report speaks for itself. So, come Thursday, the USD should get decimated. Will it? Possibly, but… If you’ve traded forex for a while, you’ve seen many instances when the market would react “illogically” to the news. What’s stopping Thursday from being one of those days? Forex markets often don’t behave as “fundamentals” suggest they should. That’s because what determines the trend ...

MondayEconomic: Chicago PMI (48.5)Earnings: Robbins & Myers (RBN), H&R Block (HRB)TuesdayEconomic: Truck & Auto, Construction (-0.6%), ISM Index (49.6)Earnings: Constellation Brands (STZ), MSC Ind (MSM), Apollo (APOL)WednesdayEconomic: Weekly Crude, ADP (28K), Factory Orders (0.6%)Earnings: Acuity Brands (AYI), Family Dollar (FDO)ThursdayEconomic: Weekly Claims (375K), Jobs Report (-50K, 5.4%, 0.3%), ISM Services (51.5)Earnings: NAhttp://stockweb.blogspot.com/atom.xml

Report: Toyota Plunking $1 Billion on Brazil Plant; India Housing Boom Ending; GDP Revised Up; Home Sales Rise, Values Fall; Anheuser Busch to Reject InBev Bid; Bank of America Sheds Jobs; Gold Shares Glow; Oshkosh Plunges on Lowered Outlook Toyota Motor Corp. (ADR: TM) plans to drop more than $1 billion on a new factory in Sao Paulo, Brazil, Valor Economico reported without citing a source. The new factory would be a bid to capture a share of the economic growth and rising incomes in South America. A pair of mortgage executives in India said the country’s five-year property boom is coming to an end as the number of available homes increases along with interest rates. "Due to the state of the equity markets, many investors who would have bought a second or a third house ...

Source: Citigroup Cutting More Jobs Soon; Housing Outlook Remains Bleak; Consolidating Waste; Declining Euro; Huntsman Sues Apollo; GM Boost Prices, Cuts Costs; Safran Woos with Higher Offer; Motorola Slumps on "Sell" Rating Citigroup Inc. (C) may lay off more workers this week under a March plan to cut its trading and investment-banking workforce by about 6,000, or 10%. So far, about half of the jobs have been shed, a source with knowledge of the matter told Bloomberg. The Joint Center for Housing Studies released its annual State of the Nation’s Housing report yesterday (Monday), MarketWatch reported. According to the report, the slump still has further to run, as local markets continue to grapple with drops in housing starts, new home sales and existing home sales. Republic Services Inc. (RSG) said yesterday (Monday) that it would buy Allied Waste ...

Short post: RBS has taken very few charges on its HELOC buiness. I have pointed out that - at least for some houses the price has fallen to near-zero - and the HELOCs are worthless. This is true for about half of Detroit (an area laden with Charter One branch originated HELOCs). I will leave you one factoid from todays Wall Street Journal: For the first four months of this year, home sales in Detroit, excluding suburbs, totaled 3,360, up 48% from a year earlier, according to the Michigan Association of Realtors. The average price dropped 56% to just $20,514. That average is so low because many of the sales involve decrepit homes in neighborhoods with few jobs. Does anyone believe - even remotely - that Fred Goodwin or Larry Fish have an iota of credibility? Advice to the board: terminate them for cause. Then resign yourself.