Finance Blog

- Euro Remains Heavy, But 1.25 is the Level to Watch Ahead of Thursday?s European Central Bank Rate Cut - British Pound Holds Above Support at 1.4805, Downside Risks Loom - Japanese Yen Strongest of the Majors as Risk Aversion Sends Dow Down 7.7%

The only significant developments in the COT are in the Swiss Franc futures. Speculators are extremely short CHF futures, which suggests a CHF bottom .

John C. "Jack" Bogle, founder of The Vanguard Group Inc., is 79, and has seen 10 bear markets in more than five decades in the investment business. So is he questioning his fundamental beliefs amid a U.S. recession that was officially declared Monday, and has erased trillions of dollars in stock market value?

NEW YORK----Fitch Ratings has assigned an 'AA-' rating to the State of Wisconsin's $150 million general obligation bonds, 2008 series D, for competitive bids as early as Dec. 1. The 2008 series D bonds are due May 1, 2012-2030, callable at par beginning May 1, 2018.

CHICAGO----Fitch Ratings has assigned an 'AAA' rating to the Iowa Finance Authority's approximately $139 million Iowa state revolving fund revenue bonds, series 2008. The 2008 bonds are scheduled to price via negotiation during the week of Dec. 1.

The euro and British pound face heavy event risk this week as the European Central Bank and Bank of England are both anticipated to slash interest rates. However, other central bank decisions loom as well, including from the Reserve Bank of Australia tonight, while Friday?s US non-farm payrolls are bound to capture the attention of US dollar traders.

The Reserve Bank of Australia is anticipated to cut rates for the fourth time in as many months at 22:30 ET on Monday, with a Bloomberg News poll of economists calling for a 75 basis point reduction to a more than 6-year low of 4.50 percent.

NEW YORK----Fitch Ratings assigns a rating of 'AA+/F1+' to the $ 47,800,000 Hospital Authority of Elkhart County Hospital revenue bonds series 2008 .

LISLE, Ill.----Advent Claymore Convertible Securities and Income Fund , a diversified closed-end management investment company, has declared its December monthly dividend of $0.0939 per share, reflecting a reduction of $0.0779 per share from the previous dividend.

LISLE, Ill.----Advent/Claymore Global Convertible Securities & Income Fund , a diversified closed-end management investment company, has declared its December monthly dividend of $0.0664 per share, reflecting a reduction of $0.0286 per share from the previous dividend.