It’s a lot more action on Capital Hill than on Wall Street friday. The stock market slides in to a weak ending with a light headwind from the dollar, as the investors park their portfolios in safe havens. But in Washington it’s full storm around treasury secretary Timothy Geithner and his FED-friends, while senator Ted Kaufman [...]

The popularity of investing in Berlin property is on the rise, there is a continuously growing number of prospective buyers and investors researching and learning about the large financial returns from Berlin investment property from this quickly growing business venture.

With an economic growth rate of 2.5 percent posted in 2006, Germany has earned its highest level of confidence in the world market in 15 years. The country is experiencing an unprecedented economic revival, what with a strong export market and a rising housing price index, and therefore making it a perfect time to invest.

Berlin has had a steady and increasing rise of investors after many years of the economy being very slow. It has been especially sluggish in the eastern parts of Germany and of course Berlin. Due to this fact, prices of property have nominally low. Many German citizens are choosing to buy their homes instead of renting them …

This post provides links to a number of interesting articles I have read over the past few days that you may also enjoy.

• Jennifer Hughes (Financial Times): Visibility improved but storms may lie ahead, November 13, 2008. The fog is beginning to lift. All year executives, analysts and investors have talked of a “lack of visibility” on the outlook for the economy, earnings and financial markets. By “visibility” they are in essence complaining about the uncertainty that clouds all forecasts all the time, but which we had increasingly managed to ignore during such a steady run of good times. Investors are becoming more confident that the fog is lifting, but that does not necessarily mean there is sunshine waiting just behind it.

• Doug Kass (TheStreet.com): Market ignorance is bliss, November 12, 2009. I do believe with some certainty that the market’s vulnerability

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Oil is a commodity that has steadily rose since December. Continuing its monumental climb, the commodity rose near $80 a barrel on Wednesday as the dollar continued to weaken, trumping a report pointing to a rise in U.S. oil inventories.

While this trend may be confusing to the everyday investor, analysts have stated that the drastic change in the price of oil is tied to how global stock markets are doing and the dollar’s fluctuating exchange rate. One such analyst is Oliver Jakob. Jakob, who is renowned globally for his spot-on predictions of market trends, stated in reference to the jump in oil prices that, “This has nothing to do with any oil supply and demand fundamentals.”

The Energy Information Administration is the benchmark for the market and they are scheduled to release its supply data on Thursday. While investors anxiously await that report, a survey from the American

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NEW YORK, Nov. 5, 2009 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — TIE Technologies, Inc. (Pink Sheets:TTCS) today announces its participation in the Intelligent Flood Protection Monitoring, Warning and Response System (IFPRMWRS) DNR RSIQ No. 2503-09-21 project awarded by the State of Louisiana to Geocomp and their ‘I-Levee Team’ associates.

TIE Technologies, as a named sub contractor under Geocomp in the I-Levee Team, will be leading the smart communications portion of the project. Designing and developing a ’smart’ communications system, which is independent, reliable and redundant is a critical component of insuring that the data from the sensor networks on the Mississippi Levee provide actionable intelligence to the entire Emergency Responder team.

The State of Louisiana Department of Natural Resources, Office of Coastal Protection and Restoration (OCRP) is planning to deploy a state of the art Intelligent Flood Protection Monitoring, Warning and Response System (IFPRMWRS) at strategic locations within Mississippi River flood control systems

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AIDS experts are aghast to see that rates of HIV in Russia have doubled in the past 8 years, reports the Washington Post.  Russia's 'healthy lifestyles' program and advocacy of abstinence have not been effective in combating the problem, international AIDS workers at an Eastern Europe and Central Asia AIDS Conference have argued.  Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Alexander Yakovenko has apparently defended Russia's 'humanitarian but not dubious methods' (the 'dubious' one being the widely-favored methadone substitution program - illegal in Russia) and advocated the increasing involvement of the Russian Orthodox Church in curbing insalubrious lifestyle choices. So will any advice be heeded?  The problem of HIV in Russia seems to remain, in the Kremlin's ...

For Immediate Release

Chicago, IL – October 29, 2009 – Zacks Equity Research highlights Intersil Corporation (ISIL) as the Bull of the Day and Mack-Cali (CLI) the Bear of the Day. In addition, Zacks Equity Research provides analysis on Ford (F), Paccar (PCAR) and United Technologies (UTX).

Full analysis of all these stocks is available at http://at.zacks.com/?id=2676

Here is a synopsis of all five stocks:

Bull of the Day:

Intersil Corporation (ISIL) is an OEM of analog and mixed signal semiconductor ICs. September quarter results beat consensus estimates on both the top and bottom lines. Forward guidance is for 3% revenue growth in the fourth quarter.

We expect an unfavorable mix of business through 2009, although management initiatives are likely to mitigate the impact. Management expressed confidence that the bottom is behind it, and judging from the increasing order rates and

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Mack-Cali (CLI) is a vertically integrated office REIT with assets in some very competitive markets which are getting worse in conjunction with the overall U.S. economy.

Mack-Cali will have a difficult time holding occupancy and increasing rents due to the continued volatility in the office sector with increasing job cuts and decline in market fundamentals. In addition, we see no near-term growth catalyst for the company.

Our recommendation for Mack-Cali is Underperform as we anticipate it to perform well below the broader market. However, if Mack-Cali can weather the current storm, the share price may rise.Zacks Investment Research

Corning Incorporated (GLW) reported earnings per share for the third quarter of 2009 of 41 cents, beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 39 cents. Quarterly sales were $1.5 billion, up 6% sequentially. Display Technologies combined glass volume, including Corning’s wholly owned business and Samsung Corning Precision Glass Co., Ltd. (SCP), increased 4% over a very strong second quarter. Volume in the company’s wholly owned business was consistent with the second quarter, while SCP’s volume increased 7%. Glass pricing was comparable to the previous quarter. Sales in the Display Technologies segment were $679 million, slightly higher than the second quarter. Third-quarter sales were impacted by an earthquake in Japan that affected production at the company’s LCD facility in Shizuoka in August. Display sales were positively impacted by foreign exchange rate movements in the quarter. Telecommunications segment sales were $450 million, an increase of 3% over the ...

The Dow Jones industrial average moved up 132 points on Tuesday and all major indicators rose more than 1% as the Australian central bank’s decision to raise interest rates boosted optimism about the world economy.   Investors' show of confidence ahead of a flood of corporate earnings reports came as Australia became the first major country to raise interest rates since the onset of the financial crisis last year.  The move signals that policymakers see that country's economy as strong enough to withstand higher borrowing costs. That touched off hopes that other economies might also be growing.

Australia's decision dented demand for the U.S. dollar, which, in turn, raised commodities prices.  US energy and materials stocks moved up, oil also rose, and gold reached a record high.  Stock investors cheered the drop in the dollar because it boosts corporate profits by making U.S. goods cheaper for overseas buyers.

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