The Wall Street Journal (subscription may be required) is reporting that four large brokerage houses gave their CEO’s an average 33% pay raise after their stocks rose on average 4.7%. not bad. I wonder who is paying for the difference.
It’s Good to be the King

I just received a pop-up from the Wall Street Journal on my monitor telling we that oil has hit its all-time high price. well, I guess in one sense they are correct. The nominal price of a barrel of crude oil has never reached $56.35.
However, if you look at this chart you will see that we have a long way to go to match the historical highs after inflation is factored. Not that I am excited about $2.15 a gallon for the cheap stuff, but things could be worse.
Highest Oil …

Shares fall as Amazon reports surprising top-line miss. Earnings come in ahead of Wall Street?s projections.

Amazon earnings fall; sales miss targets

Netflix, the stock that Wall Street loved to hate, roared back on Thursday morning, says Jon Friedman.

MarketWatch First Take: Netflix is not dead yet

Jefferies Group’s executives and employees at it prime brokerage unit have threatened to leave over several issues, including the recent restructuring and year-end compensation, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing people familiar with the matter.
Jefferies Staff Threatens to Leave Over Pay

Wall Street finds reason for hope in Italian bond auction, the leadership change in Greece and decline in U.S. jobless claims.

Market Snapshot: U.S. stocks rise as European worries ebb

Great Article from the WSJ about doing a 1031 exchange into a REIT.  This new option of exchanging to a REIT has obvious benefits.  However, the IRS rulings are not completely clear.  Here’s our analysis of the legality (1031-721 Analysis Link).  as always check with your tax advisor.
Staff Reporter of the Wall Street Journal
From The Wall Street Journal Online
If you like 1031s, you’re going to love 721s.
As the market for 1031 exchanges is growing, so are the options for individual real-estate investors who conduct them. the latest is the …

The Securities and Exchange Commission today published on its website a request for public comment on the feasibility, benefits, and costs of two short selling disclosure regimes as a part of a study mandated by the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act.
SEC Seeks Public Comment on Short Sale Disclosure

Heard on the Street: Quantitative Questions from Wall Street Job Interviews

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Heard on the Street: Quantitative Questions from Wall Street Job Interviews OverviewThis is a must read! It is the first and the original book of quantitative questions from finance job interviews. Painstakingly revised over 15 years and …

CHICO — Local victims of domestic violence will have the opportunity to learn financial skills through a $10,000 grant provided to Catalyst Domestic Violence Services by the Allstate Foundation.
The domestic violence shelter based in Chico, celebrated the announcement of the grant funding Monday morning at its Wall Street office.
The Allstate Foundation provided a total $110,000 to five California domestic violence shelters. Organizations in Placerville, Kelseyville, Crescent City and Jackson were fellow grant recipients.
Anastacia Snyder, Catalyst executive director, said the funding received locally will be used to implement a …