Morning Journal-The latest from John Hussman

Economics
This Week’s Data

Weekly mortgage applications soared 23.1% while purchase applications rose 26.4%; seasonal factors weighed heavily in this report.
http://www.calculatedriskblog.com/2012/01/mba-mortgage-refinance-applications.html

Other

An update on the trade data with China (short):
http://mjperry.blogspot.com/2012/01/us-exports-to-china-have-increased-by.html

The argument against inflation (medium):
http://pragcap.com/where-is-inflation-headed-2

The latest from John Hussman (medium and today’s must read):
http://advisorperspectives.com/commentaries/hussman_11612.php

The World Bank reduces its forecast for growth in 2012 (medium):
http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/01/18/us-worldbank-outlook-idUSTRE80H04S20120118?feedType=RSS&feedName=topNews&rpc=71

Update on money supply/demand (short):
http://scottgrannis.blogspot.com/2012/01/money-demand-is-key-monetary-variable.html


Politics
Domestic

One of the many problems with Medicare (short):
http://mjperry.blogspot.com/2012/01/medicare-is-setting-6-billion-prices.html

More waste in the clean energy business (short):
http://mjperry.blogspot.com/2012/01/cbs-news-12-clean-energy-companies.html

News on Stocks in Our Portfolios

Quarterly earnings per share reports:

Reported Expected

Linear Technology $.40 $.39

Steve Cook received his education in investments from Harvard, where he earned an MBA, New York University, where he did post graduate work in economics and financial analysis and the CFA Institute, where he earned the Chartered Financial Analysts designation in 1973. His 40 years of investment experience includes institutional portfolio management at Scudder, Stevens and Clark and Bear Stearns. Steve's goal at Strategic Stock Investments is to help other investors build wealth and benefit from the investing lessons he learned the hard way.