Jobless claims down 23,000 to 403,000 filings last week - Less Than Expected

[mEDITate-OR:
wonder why last weeks numbers were revised up
making this weeks numbers look larger.
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Note that the 2nd article is another of Zacks very good and thorough analysis of these new numbers.
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Unemployment claims drop by 13,000 from last week
Unemployment claims continue on a significant declining trend, with initial and continued claims declining. In all, about 4 million people are receiving unemployment benefits.
http://www.csmonitor.com/Business/Paper-Economy/2011/0421/Unemployment-claims-drop-by-13-000-from-last-week
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Initial Claims Fall Less Than Expected
http://www.zacks.com/stock/news/51715/Initial+Claims+Fall+Less+Than+Expected?adid=
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Mortgage Rates Fall; 30-Year Fixed at 4.8% + But rates below 5% have done little to help a struggling housing market

[mEDITate-OR:
wonder why we all don't refi at these wonderfully low rates...
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Rate on 30-year fixed mortgage falls to 4.80%
But rates below 5% have done little to help a struggling housing market
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/38770102/ns/business-eye_on_the_economy/
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Just How Stupid Are We? + Taxes reach historic low

[mEDITate-OR:
Not notice that:
"A funny thing happened on the way to the TEA Party anti-tax rallies across the country. "
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Just How Stupid Are We?
http://obrag.org/?p=36568
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Taxes reach historic low
http://www.ocregister.com/news/-117079-ocprint--.html
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The Infinite Insanity of the Debt Ceiling

[mEDITate-OR:
say what Max did to Agent 99
"But, we told you not to tell U.S.!!!"
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Do NOT tell U.S. what is true...
only what "The People" think is true...
- that is the only reality.
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The Infinite Insanity of the Debt Ceiling
http://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2011/04/the-infinite-insanity-of-the-debt-ceiling/237682/
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Stingy megabanks swimming in cash - If the megabanks are so big on lending, why do their loan books keep shrinking? = Quarterly mortgage originations down one-third at big four banks

[mEDITate-OR:
sink or swim..., all alone...
surrounded by sharks.
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These are two interesting similar articles.
What they are telling U.S. is that the Big Bad Banksters took W's money and hid it under their books.
They are not making small business loans, they are not making home loans, they are not expanding anyone's line of credit and they are not even doing what they say to U.S. that they are doing.
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Quarterly mortgage originations down one-third at big four banks
http://www.housingwire.com/2011/04/21/quarterly-mortgage-originations-down-one-third-at-big-four-banks
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Stingy megabanks swimming in cash
If the megabanks are so big on lending, why do their loan books keep shrinking?
http://finance.fortune.cnn.com/2011/04/21/stingy-megabanks-swimming-in-cash/
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Dollar Plunges as US Rate Outlook Spurs Bid for Yield + Oil rallies $3 a barrel = above $124 on weak dollar, U.S. stockpile drop + Crude Oil Advances a Third Day on Improving Outlook for Global Fuel Demand

[mEDITate-OR:
find crude what is happening to your vacation plans...
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there is an almost perfect negative correlation between the falling dollar and oil prices

—minus-0.9 to be exact.

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The euro hit a 15-month high above $1.45

the Canadian and Australian dollars to multi-year peaks. 

hitting two-year lows against the Brazilian real and Mexican peso.

China also allowed the yuan to touch a record high =

up 1 percent against the dollar this year and 4.5 percent since mid-2010

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Dollar Plunges as US Rate Outlook Spurs Bid for Yield
http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/04/21/us-markets-oil-idUSTRE72D01W20110421
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$6 gas? Could happen if dollar keeps getting weaker.
Under the right conditions, gas could cost as much as $6 per gallon by the summertime
http://www.csmonitor.com/Business/Latest-News-Wires/2011/0420/6-gas-Could-happen-if-dollar-keeps-getting-weaker
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Crude Oil Advances a Third Day on Improving Outlook for Global Fuel Demand
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-04-20/crude-oil-trades-near-an-eight-day-high-after-equities-rise-dollar-falls.html
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Brent rises above $124 on weak dollar, U.S. stockpile drop
http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/04/21/us-markets-oil-idUSTRE72D01W20110421
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Dollar hits 15-month low against euro = Flight from U.S. dollar + Dollar Getting Hammered, Aussie and Canadian Buck Jumping

[mEDITate-OR:
not see that you might want to stay down on the farm...
bucz you cain't afford to go see Paris...
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Dollar hits 15-month low against euro
http://money.cnn.com/2011/04/20/markets/dollar_euro/index.htm?eref=mrss_igoogle_business
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Flight from U.S. dollar
http://business.financialpost.com/2011/04/20/flight-from-u-s-dollar/
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Dollar Getting Hammered, Aussie and Canadian Buck Jumping
http://blogs.wsj.com/marketbeat/2011/04/20/dollar-getting-hammered-aussie-and-canadian-buck-jumping/
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