Bullish Blog

AFP - Much has changed at the Frankfurt stock exchange in 20 years but as its Dax index celebrates the milestone it remains the barometer for German economic well-being.

Investor's Business Daily - One of the largest China-focused exchange traded funds is iShares FTSE/Xinhua 25 (NYSEArca:FXI.TO - News). It's down 12.30% over the last month and 22.74% year to date. The ETF has $6.7 billion in assets.

Late selling saps a rally, and the Dow has its worst June since 1930. Oil tops $143 but falls back. Energy and metals stocks rise, but techs and financials are weak. Lehman Bros. shares fall 11%. Chrysler will cut back minivan production.

AFP - Europe's main markets showed mixed fortunes on Monday in more volatile trading as oil prices struck new record highs and the euro remained strong.

Reuters - The Dow and S&P 500 were little changed on Monday on the final trading day of the second quarter as record oil boosted energy shares, offsetting weak financial stocks amid nagging concerns of further credit losses.

AP - Wall Street ended a grueling first half quietly Monday, closing mixed as investors again based their trades on what has become the dominant force in the market: the price of oil. The major indexes closed out the first six months of 2008 with double digit declines, and are perilously close to the levels of a bear market.

Sure, the economy is taking a bite. But Circuit City is still doing much worse than its competition. I'll short it as well as Blockbuster, which is considering a takeover of this electronic dog.

When the future is uncertain, it can pay to split the difference on your investments. That way, if the price of being wrong is too high, you'll buy yourself a little peace of mind.

That sound you hear is the popping of a financial bubble in housing, the economy and the market. And you can trace it all to Alan Greenspan's Federal Reserve.

AP - The year is nearly halfway over, and Wall Street appears to be on even shakier ground than when it began 2008. And this shortened week ahead of the Fourth of July holiday is unlikely to bring the market enough proof that the economic climate is improving.