Even during the worldwide recession it seems consumers continue to abandon ‘dumb’ phones when, for just a little bit more money, they can get a pocket-sized computer – a smartphone – instead. According to research firm Gartner, overall handset sales are expected to shrink by 4 percent this year compared to last year. Meanwhile, smartphone sales are forecast to grow by more than 20 percent.

Smartphones account for only 14 percent of the mobile phone market today, but this segment has doubled its share of the global mobile phone business over the past three years. More than 500 million smartphones are expected to be sold in 2012 when they are forecasted to make up half the market. Revenues from smartphones are expected to double to half the industry total by 2014.

With the smartphone market being really the only game in town, the intensity of the battle for the smartphone market is

...

We often discuss the Presidential Election Cycle’s effect on markets but what about other main branches of government? The research group ISI dusted off an academic study on Congress’ effect on stock markets from a few years ago….

We often discuss the Presidential Election Cyclersquo;s effect on markets but what about other main branches of government? The research group ISI dusted off an academic study on Congressrsquo; effect on stock markets from a few years ago. Ferguson and Witte published ldquo;Congress and the Stock Marketrdquo; back in March of 2006. They found that the market performs better when Congress is adjourned. How the Market Performs When Congress is In and Out of Session Note: Data for the Dow begins in 1879 and data for the Samp;P 500 begins in 1957 Annualized Returns ...

Kraig Biocraft Laboratories, Inc., the Michigan-based research group best known for its innovative research in genetic engineering for the production of spider silk, is representative of what some are saying will be the 21st century’s most important scientific and industrial movement, biotechnology. Reflecting this is the fact that biotechnology, loosely defined as the application of advanced microbiological sciences for industrial or health objectives, is still the darling of venture capitalists.

According to a Reuters article by David Lawsky, “Biotechnology leapt ahead as the biggest recipient of U.S. venture capital money in the second quarter”, indicating that “the venture capital industry put $3.67 billion into 612 separate companies or deals during the second quarter, of which $1.5 billion involved first time funding”, though the article went on to say that funding was still well below levels earlier in the decade.

The article quoted Tracy

...

According to the research group Gartner, the outlook for the semiconductor equipment industry is showing signs of improvement, as it appears that capital equipment spending bottomed out in the second quarter of 2009. Most semiconductor companies spent the first half of 2009 working through the high levels of inventory built up in the last six months of 2008.Capital spending remains a major concern; it is expected to be down around 40% - 45% in 2009 and not expected to return to normal levels anytime before 2011. In fact, Gartner had earlier predicted that chip sales won't return to 2008 levels until 2013 as the industry struggle through the global downturn. The economy might show bleak signs of recovery, but the road is long and slow before demand and spending return to normalcy.Klaus Rinnen, Managing Vice President for Gartner's Semiconductor Manufacturing Group, had earlier observed that ...

The typical Econbrowser reader might not be surprised at the NBER decision -- but some others will. From a May 2008 WSJ article:

"The data are pretty clear that we are not in a recession," Council of Economic Advisers Chairman Edward Lazear told a meeting of editors and reporters from the Wall Street Journal and Dow Jones Newswires.

...

"I would be very surprised if the NBER, looking back at this period, would date this as a recession," Mr. Lazear said. There are even indications that revised first-quarter estimates would be slightly stronger than 0.6%. "The optimists seem to have been closer to right on that than the pessimists," he said.

Just to reiterate, that quote is from May 2008.

Here's a picture of GDP and gross domestic income (as suggested by Jim in this post, and noted in the BCDC announcement).

Figure 1: Gross domestic product (blue), and ...

Retail experts are predicting one of the most dismal holiday shopping seasons in decades this year – a crucial stretch that will set the stage for poor retail sales throughout 2009.

As the U.S. economy decelerates, pummeled by the aftershocks of the worldwide financial crisis, consumers have been hit from every direction: Unemployment has spiked, and will continue to rise, economy unwinds and continues to work through the aftershocks of the global credit crisis, consumers have been beset on all sides. Unemployment is up, home prices are down, and credit is hard to come by.

And although inflation is beginning to moderate somewhat – slowing to a pace of 3.7% year-over-year in October – it’s still well above the U.S. Federal Reserve’s desired target rate of 2.0%.

With rampant inflation no longer artificially propping up consumer spending figures, retail sales have really started to lose their

...

v\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);} o\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);} w\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);} .shape {behavior:url(#default#VML);} Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin-top:0in; mso-para-margin-right:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt; mso-para-margin-left:0in; line-height:115%; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}

 

Editor's Note: The following is a roundup of what others are writing about exchange-traded funds, index mutual funds and indexes. This column is updated throughout the day by IndexUniverse.com's staff.  Suggestions are welcome by sending comments or links to: <!-- var prefix = 'ma' + 'il' + 'to'; var path = 'hr' + 'ef' + '='; var addy98263 = 'mcoleman' + '@'; addy98263 = addy98263 + 'indexuniverse' + '.' + 'com'; document.write( '' ); document.write( addy98263 ); document.write( '' ); //-->mcoleman@indexuniverse.com. 

 

Look Who's Talkin'

You've heard it all before. But for the uninitiated, we're providing a link to our own Matt Hougan, who was grilled by reporter Trang Ho for this Q&A appearing in Investor's Business Daily on Tuesday.

Hougan comes through, providing what IU.com readers have become accustomed to -- unblinking analysis and fiercely independent commentary on everything relating to ETFs.

You can see

...

GOLD PRICES extended last week's 13% gain early Monday, nearing Wednesday's six-week high of $892 per ounce as the US Dollar tumbled on the foreign exchanges and world stock markets retreated from Friday's "big bail out" surge. Pointing to the US Treasury's plans for a $700 billion "resolution trust" for toxic mortgage-backed securities, "the US Dollar's response last week was further depreciation," notes Walter de Wet at Standard Bank. "That provided support to commodities in general and precious metals specifically." Commodity prices continued to rise sharply in London on Monday, while government bond prices fell back after last week's record jump. Crude oil leapt to breach $106 per barrel. Three-month US Treasury bond yields rose towards 1.00% after reaching an all-time record low of 0.02% last Tuesday. European government bonds also dropped, pushing 6-month yields back above 4.10% in London and Frankfurt as the ...

TapImmune Inc. (TPIM.OB) recently announced that an independent third-party research group published an article in the Journal of Investigative Dermatology confirming that a TapImmune (TAP) vaccine should be considered as a therapy for treating Melanoma based cancer. The National Cancer Institute has forecasted that within the next five years cancer will be ranked as the number one cause of death by illness of Americans.

The company’s TAP vaccine against cancer helps the body move cancer makers to the surface of cells to allow a person’s body to detect and fight the cancerous cells. Initially developed at The University of British Columbia, the preclinical trials for melanoma and lung carcinoma in animal subjects show positive results. A 70% survival rate was achieved in test subjects when using the TAP vaccine therapy, while a 100% survival rate was achieved when the TAP was administered ex-vivo.

The TAP vaccine has also shown success

...