By Simon van Norden

Today, we're fortunate to have Simon van Norden, Professor of Finance at HEC Montréal (École des Hautes Études Commerciales), as a guest blogger.

"Once you've seen one financial market crisis...you've seen one financial market crisis."

-- Attributed to Federal Reserve Board Governor Kevin Warsh by former US Treasury Assistant Secretary for Economic Policy Phillip Swagel in The Financial Crisis: an Inside View, March 2009, p. 4.

The financial crisis has set a lot of records so far; it's certainly the worst US banking crisis of my lifetime. Some, as suggested by the above quote, see such crises as unique events; each one is singular and there's not much to be learned about how to handle one from looking at past crises. For example, there's no precedent that I know of for a banking crisis involves the failure of the biggest counterparties for credit default swaps.

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Seligman Capital A (SCFIX) seeks capital appreciation by primarily investing in primarily in stocks of medium-sized US companies.

The fund considers both qualitative and quantitative factors to identify companies with above-average growth potential, strong management, reasonable valuations and strong or improving fundamentals. It may invest up to 10% of assets in exchange-traded funds.

Unit holders have to make a minimum initial investment of $2,000 to enter this Zacks#1 Rank (“Strong Buy") fund. It distributes dividends and capital gains annually.

Seligman Emerging Markets A (SHEMX) was incepted in May 1996. The investment seeks long-term capital appreciation.

The fund focuses on companies which conduct their principal business in emerging economies, are organized under those laws, or whose securities are traded principally on exchanges in developing countries. It may invest up to 15% of net assets in illiquid securities.

Vera M. Trojan has been lead manager at the fund since September

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PennyOmega.com Stock Report!

PennyOmega.com Hot Stock News & Alerts!

 

Friday August 14, 2009

PennyOmega.com Stock Report!

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Dot Hill Systems Corp. (Nasdaq: HILL), today announced that Hanif Jamal, the company’s chief financial officer, is scheduled to present at the 2009 Southern California Investor Conference on August 18, 2009 at 10:00 a.m. PT. The conference is being held at The Island Hotel in Newport Beach, Calif.

American Spectrum Realty, Inc. (NYSE AMEX: AQQ), a real estate investment, management and leasing company, headquartered in Houston, Texas, announced today its results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2009. Rental revenue decreased $287,000, or 3.3%, for the three months ended June 30, 2009 in comparison to the three months ended

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Post Properties, Inc. (PPS), a leading real estate investment trust (REIT), has recently sold Post Ridge – a 434-unit garden-style apartment community in Atlanta. The property was sold to an entity affiliated with Centennial Holding Company LLC, a privately held real estate company, for a gross price of $44.8 million.   At the same time, the company also announced the sale of Post Forest – a 364-unit garden-style apartment community in Fairfax, Virginia. The property was sold to Pantzer Properties, Inc., a real estate investment and management company in New York, for a gross price of $57.5 million.   In view of the asset sales, Post Properties is expected to record net gains of $54.0 million in the third quarter of 2009. The company will utilize the proceeds to increase its liquidity and strengthen its balance sheet.   However, we think Post Properties will underperform its peers due ...

by Randy Berg

For getting the most from your Costa Rican investments, you need to begin investing in some of the best properties available across this region. Costa Rica is considered to be a lucrative region for making property investments today and lot of people are able to find reasonably priced homes in this region. The easy tax regime policy and the political environment is currently in favor of Costa Rica as the right destination for making real estate investment. Unlike the initial years where the main emphasis was on agriculture exports and farm cultivation, today this region has diversified into other sectors like Information technology, finance, health care among others. As a result of this modern development, lot of investors are showing greater interest in making property investments across this profitable region.

Besides, the various incentives offered to the industries has lured many large business enterprises to start …

American markets at a standstill… can the Far East drive stocks forward? … Chris Mayer on buying “what China needs, but can’t make for itself” … Dan Denning’s pair trade for the next decade … Bill Bonner and Goldman Sach’s CEO on the current “bull market” … Plus, a CEO pay debate fills our inbox… your letters and our response, below…

The Dow crashed 1.4 points yesterday, wiping out Monday’s 1.3 point moonshot. Desperate for something beyond these 0.014% “swings,” the market’s putting China in the driver’s seat today… and these guys still have quite a lead foot:

Chinese auto sales soared 34% in May, year over year. According to the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers, the Red Nation scooped up 1.12 million vehicles last month, outpacing any nation in the world. Consider the course of the last 12 months,

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The Dow crashed 1.4 points yesterday, wiping out Monday’s 1.3 point moonshot. Desperate for something beyond these 0.014% “swings,” the market’s putting China in the driver’s seat today… and these guys still have quite a lead foot: Chinese auto sales soared 34% in May, year over year. According to the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers, the Red Nation scooped up 1.12 million vehicles last month, outpacing any nation in the world.

Consider the course of the last 12 months, and then look at this chart… is China even part of the global slowdown?

We don’t want to get too excited about this growth, as much of these sales are a product of Chinese government stimulus. But I.O.U.S.A. is certainly throwing a bunch of money at this crisis as well, and the same measure of auto sales here

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by Arick Neilson

Different investment policies might get you confused as to where you will invest. And especially, at the time of economic recession, it becomes crucial to arrive at an informed decision.

Investing in real estate has often been considered as lucrative, safe and more rewarding. Other financial sectors of land banking can be wise investment option you can choose. And here comes the question of finding right investment firm or company that you can trust in.

For the investment solutions and services, you can think of ACE Capital Group which is established as well as trusted real estate investment firm. They have proved themselves to be more profitable during the economic depression.

Why Will You Think Of Land Banking to Be Profitable Mode of Investment?

The prices of investing in land will never decrease and therefore, many financial experts recommend investing in it.

Investing in land, which is called Land Banking, is …

They’re tearing down houses out west…as you’ve probably heard. It’s cheaper than going through all the necessary steps to get the houses mortgaged out, so banks are just bulldozing McMansions.

And closer to home, toxic drywall has become the scourge of South Florida.

It’s particularly bad in St. Lucie County. They’re now saying thousands of homes could possibly be contaminated…that the nearly-toxic levels of sulfur might have seeped into the foundation, meaning the homes will need to be demolished.

And the rest of the U.S. housing market is just as shocking. The free-fall in home prices is still accelerating. 20% of American homeowners are underwater on their mortgages…some 11% (and maybe more) of all the homes in America are unoccupied and unsold…

But most Americans still don’t recognize the biggest mistake they made during the boom…

And That’s Confusing Real Estate Speculation With Real Estate Investment

It didn’t even occur to me until just a

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by Randy Berg

The many facets of Costa Rica real estate business leave investors more fascinated, intrigued, and exposed or otherwise. Even though that foreigners as well as natives possess the same right to possess real estate properties; suffice it to say that individuals not residing in Costa Rica require knowing certain useful tips when acquiring any of this vast and impressive Costa Rica real estate.

Having access to very vital information about the various beautiful and aesthetic tourist spots in Costa Rica enables the buyer to get some insight into obtaining an outstanding and well thought over bargain. Irrespective of what the purpose of buying real estate in Costa Rica is, whether it is your intention to keep the property or to dispose off it later, it still remain relevant to take a look at some certain steps which define the many facets of a Costa Rica real …