Morning Journal-Geithner: up to his ears in Libor

Economics

This Week’s Data

June new home sales fell 8.3% versus expectations of a 1.6% increase.
http://www.calculatedriskblog.com/2012/07/new-home-sales-declined-in-june-to.html

Weekly jobless claims fell 33,000 versus estimates of a 6,000 decline; seasonal adjustments continue to heavily influence these numbers.
http://www.calculatedriskblog.com/2012/07/weekly-initial-unemployment-claims_26.html

June durable goods orders rose 1.6% versus forecasts of up 0.6%; however, ex transportation orders, they dropped 1.1% versus an anticipated increase of 0.2%.



Domestic

What caused the $12 trillion budget shortfall (medium):
http://www.realclearmarkets.com/articles/2012/07/25/who_caused_the_12_trillion_budget_blunder_99785.html

Geithner is up to his ears in the Libor scandal (short):
http://www.powerlineblog.com/archives/2012/07/time-to-tear-down-that-statue-of-tim-geithner.php

International War Against Radical Islam

Deception in the state department (medium):
http://www.nationalreview.com/articles/312211/huma-abedin-s-muslim-brotherhood-ties-andrew-c-mccarthy

Analysis of international hotspots from Stratfor (two 4 minute videos):
http://www.zerohedge.com/news/spot-naval-hot-zone

News on Stocks in Our Portfolios

More quarterly earnings per share reports:

Reported Expected

Canadian Pacific RR $1.50 $1.46
T Rowe Price .79 .81
Suncor C.81 C.72
ConocoPhillips 1.22 1.29
CR Bard 1.62 1.63
3M 1.65 1.66
Colgate Palmolive 1.30 1.33
Sanofi Aventis E1.46 E1.37
CMI Group .74 .83

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.