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Citigroup has agreed to a settlement with the NY Attorny General's office that will see it buying back about $7.5 billion in securities from individual customers, charities and small businesses. This is good news for anyone still stuck with illiquid auction rate securities.

The dollar has been beaten up over the last couple of years and now has made a modest jump? Will it continue?

The drop in oil prices of almost $24 per barrel has started to shift much of the conversation. Instead of talking about unlimited demand and shrinking supply, people are returning to economic fundamentals, and realizing, like real estate, that nothing goes straight up forever.

As expected the Federal Reserve kept the Federal Funds rate at 2%. The statement below continues to reflect their uncertainty on which way the economy is going - inflation or recession. Expect the Fed to do nothing until the wind breaks one way or the other.

The demand for corporate debt has plunged, forcing companies who want to raise debt money to either borrow from a bank or offer higher rates and other perks to potential investors.

Here's an example of an investment expert getting way ahead of himself. Mark Mobius, who oversees about $40 billion in emerging- market stocks as executive chairman at Templeton Asset Management Ltd. in Singapore thinks falling oil prices make it the right time for the Fed to drop rates.

Like all bubbles, this one has been led by cries of "its different this time." Is it?

Ever wonder why gas prices seem to rocket up when oil prices rise, sometimes rising a few cents in a day, but then take forever to come back down? A theory called Rockets and Feathers explains why and shows how you can help bring gas prices down faster.

The bureau of economic analysis released its preliminary GDP numbers today and they looked pretty good. 1.9% quarterly growth is not a recession. But a closer look at the numbers shows reason for concern.

Lest we all think that we were out of the woods with the credit crisis, the Fed announced today that it was extending several pieces of the assistance it has provided to investment banks.

Everyone wondered at what gas price we (American consumers) would stop driving. The answer is in - $4.00/gallon. Car usage has dropped for the first time in over 20 years and that softening in demand has started a decline in oil prices.

Probably not. This capitulation sale may be the end of the fall for Merrill, but it has real implications for the rest of the banking industry.

Those who still believe that social networking is the future are sorely misled.

After making news as one of the largest bank failures in US history, Indymac is back as a Federal Savings Bank now run by the FDIC. They are looking for deposits. Is there a safer place to put your money than an FDIC run bank? The rates are competitive. Just remember that all bank deposits are insured up to $100,000 per person.

It probably doesn't come as a great surprise that after inflation you'll be making less in 2009 then you did in 2007. Maybe that's why everyone has turned so glum.