Markets kick off 2009 with sizable rally… what’s behind the best New Year’s rally since 2003…  Obama bounce back in effect… Rob Parenteau on whether his $1 trillion plan will actually work… Dan Amoss on the difference between shorting in 2008 and 2009… Bullish factors for gold (and gold stocks) for 2009… The second wave cometh… more troublesome commercial real estate ripples on the horizon.

For the first time in a long time, we can tell you today that the U.S. stock market is up year to date:

The major indexes rang in the new year with a 3% rally on Friday — the best first day of a new year in the last six. And a sharp contrast to 2008, when the Dow had its worst opening day since 1983.

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We are in the early stages of a long and deep recession, says Adam Lass. But that doesn’t mean savvy investors can’t make a profit. Rising unemployment and underfunded local governments is a recipe for crime in urban areas. And that means big business for companies in the self-protection industry. Adam says TASER International (Nasdaq:TASR) stock could triple in the next 18-24 months.

This from Taipan Daily:

It’s certainly no challenge finding stocks under $10 these days. Unfortunately, many of them used to trade for at least twice that much. To make matters worse, in most circumstances, these sad sacks deserve this ignominious fate.

Take your pick: Homebuilders who put up pasteboard shacks alongside highway interchanges and called them “mini-mansions”… banks that sold mortgages to undocumented workers… brokerage houses that bought and sold worthless bonds… retailers who based their

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As part of our Hedge Fund Startup Guide please see our list of hedge fund backers below: Affiliated Managers Group Boston Brett Perryman Public company has taken equity stakes in four hedge fund shops: AQR Capital, Blue Mountain, First Quadrant and Value Act. Asset Alliance New York Bruce Lipnick Twice has backed off plans to sell stock to the public, most recently in August and in 1998. Offers operational and marketing support in exchange for 50% ownership of management companies. BRI Partners Chicago Adam Brass Provides investment capital in exchange for marketing and operational support. Boxtree Capital Rumson N.J. Robert Picard 732-939-9000 Founded earlier this year by former Optima Fund Management chief investment officer Robert Picard, the firm has not yet made any acquisitions. Hopes to buy minority interests in funds of funds and ...

An article in the New York Times last week about careers in solar energy revealed a shocking number - one that would certainly make me look elsewhere for job. As an investor, this particular number would also call into question the true growth of solar energy over the next few years.

The Times’ story cited the Solar Energy Industries Association as reporting that 3,400 companies in the solar energy sector employ only 25,000 to 35,000 workers, including installers, manufacturers, distributors and project developers and materials suppliers. Those numbers are expected to hit more 110,000 employees by 2016, according to the association.

Wait a minute: So seven years from now, this highly touted, save-the-world market will employ only 110,000 people?

From an investor’s perspective, I thought that number was absolutely puny. Let’s put that into perspective…

– Toyota employs 110,000 part-time workers. – That’s the number of foreclosure notices sent to homeowners in California during

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Dollar plunges to 13-1/2 year trough vs yen, below 88… European, U.S. government debt touch fresh historic lows… Morgan Stanley’s, PNB Paribas’ losses lead stocks lower… Oil slips; OPEC’s record cut doesn’t offset demand slide

The dollar fell anew against the euro and yen while yields on U.S. and European government debt traded at or near historic lows on Wednesday, a day after the bold credit easing by the Federal Reserve to combat a worsening recession.

Oil prices dropped as much as $3 a barrel after dealers said a record supply cut by the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries would not be enough to counter slumping energy demand brought on by the global economic downturn.

Equity markets on either side of the Atlantic slid as the initial enthusiasm over the Fed’s surprisingly aggressive interest rate cut on Tuesday gave way to weak financial results at key banks and

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PIt's another Fed day today, with the FOMC's two-day policy meeting set to wrap up later and the results to be announced at roughly 2:15 eastern. Market betting is that the Fed will cut rates by 50 basis points to a record-low 0.5%. But one has to wonder if that really matters. The effective federal funds rate, determined by actual trading in the market, was just 18 basis points yesterday.brbrThe real question is how will the Fed further explain or define its new strategy of quantitative easing and flooding the banking system with reserves. Or as Bloomberg A href=http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087sid=aJOGrevCE.M4amp;refer=homeexplains things/A this morning ...brbrThe Federal Reserve may today reduce its main interest rate to the lowest level on record and prepare for one of the boldest experiments in its 94-year history: using its balance sheet as the key tool for monetary policy.brbrThe Fed’s Open Market Committee will probably cut the benchmark ...

While the northern part of Israel is perhaps the most aesthetically beautiful part of the country, the region has long been neglected by policy makers. We have often heard about the need to develop the Negev in the southern part of Israel, but we never hear about government plans to make the north a more viable place to live, and encourage relocation to some of those cities.

Why? Because governments aren’t the best at planning and that’s an understatement. Leave it to the private sector and it’s amazing how things get done. Yesterday, news that the Aliyah organization Nefesh B’Nefesh

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With a broad-based sell-off in 2008, many REITs are now trading well below Net Asset Value [NAV], and average yields exceed 9%. Year to date, equity REITs are down about 47%.

We remain neutral on the sector. While valuations are compelling, we have lowered our 2009 outlook; our 2009 FFO [funds from operations] estimates have been for the most part cut across the board. We also expect more dividend cuts as companies try to conserve cash.

The economy will get worse in the first half of 2009, and we expect a much tougher operating environment for REITs. REITs with heavy 2009 and 2010 debt maturities pose the most near-term risk, so look for companies with clean balance sheets, lots of cash, credit availability, low overall debt and limited development exposure.

Volatility will remain in the coming months as commercial real estate re-prices to account for the new reality of

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With a broad-based sell-off in 2008, many REITs are now trading well below Net Asset Value [NAV], and average yields exceed 9%. Year to date, equity REITs are down about 47%.

We remain neutral on the sector. While valuations are compelling, we have lowered our 2009 outlook; our 2009 FFO [funds from operations] estimates have been for the most part cut across the board. We also expect more dividend cuts as companies try to conserve cash.

The economy will get worse in the first half of 2009, and we expect a much tougher operating environment for REITs. REITs with heavy 2009 and 2010 debt maturities pose the most near-term risk, so look for companies with clean balance sheets, lots of cash, credit availability, low overall debt and limited development exposure. 

Volatility will remain in the coming months as commercial real estate re-prices to account for the new reality of constrained

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The base metals were clogged up with red again on Tuesday. Copper fell until the late pre-dawn hours, caught an updraught from there to late morning in New York, but reversed field again to decline into a finish at $1.5845/lb., down nearly 3½ cents.

Nickel had a slight blip up heading into the New York open, but all the rest was downhill, as it closed at its intraday low of $4.2048/lb., down 16 1/3 cents. Zinc had a series of sharp ups and downs, to little ultimate effect, as it ended at $0.5182/lb., down two-thirds of a penny. Aluminum sagged straight through the day, stopping at its intraday low of $0.7416/lb., down more than a penny and a half, while lead was marginally lower at $0.4814/lb., down less than a quarter-cent.

Copper was off yet again, this time as investors eyed stockpiles that quickly reversed Monday’s gains.

Inventories monitored by the LME,

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