Barron's Markets
Barron's Markets

• Buffett Isn't Bad for Bond Insurers
  Berkshire's entrance into the sector may not be a negative for the incumbents.
• Using Options to Divine Dividends
  The options market can provide insight for an expected dividend cut.
• Good Times for Makers of Gadget Guts
  Strong flat-TV and laptop sales bode well for electronics companies.
• Stocks in the Spotlight Thursday
  SLM and United Community fell. Document Sciences and American Dental rose.
• Higher Dairy Prices to Milk Food Sector
  UBS cut earnings estimates on Dean Foods, Kraft and Hershey.
• Illumina in the Spotlight
  The life-sciences firm has won a battle in a complex patent-dispute war.
• Stocks in the Spotlight Wednesday
  Big Lots and Macy's fell. Cree and Ambac Financial rose.
• The Winning Sectors for 2008
  The charts suggest that several beaten-down sectors, along with precious metals, could lead the pack next year.
• Don't Get Hammered in Construction
  In the engineering and construction sector, Emcor is the best value play.
• Getting Morgan You Bargained For
  A guest columnist took a bullish stance on the stock, albeit on paper.
• Can a Retail Pick-up Save Weak Season?
  Traffic has picked up at footwear and apparel stores in recent days, but remained below last year's levels, says Wedbush Morgan.
• A Poem As Lovely As a Store Markdown
  It's that time of year when retail analysts turn everything in rhymes.
• Stocks in the Spotlight Monday
  Merrill Lynch and FuelCell fell. Giant Interactive and MTC Technologies gained slipped.
• A System for Picking Stocks
  Applying a simple filter on technical and fundamental factors can serve up big winners.
• Muddy Outlook for U.S. Banks
  Fox-Pitt says risk to the downside exists over the near term for the group.
• Reforming the Rating Agencies
  Rating agencies such as Moody's and Standard & Poor's blew it big-time in the subprime-mortgage mess. Five prescriptions for fixing a troubled industry.
• A Good Bet for Bond Lovers
  Tax-free municipal bonds are now a great value, relative to Treasuries.
• Pick Your Preference
  Yield-oriented investors can find a growing number of opportunities in the preferred stock of Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and Washington Mutual.
• Fortune's Progeny
  Bankers making biggest messes reap rewards -- from abroad.
• U.K. Cliffhanger
  Investors may do well if Northern Rock is nationalized the right way.
• High-Rise Rally
  Housing plays are hot here, and will probably just get hotter.
• The Alchemists
  After all these years, they're finally turning base metal into gold and promises into castles. Don't buy the drops.
• What's the Deal?
  A slew of deals suggests the urge to merge is still strong.
• Study History, Mr. Greenspan
  The very existence of the Federal Reserve lies at the root of our credit woes.