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Features of the week

Hey gang, hope you're ready for this latest edition of, "Features of the week".

We've got a lot of links and information to wrap up for you, but we're going to do it in a nice, compressed package. All you need in one easy place. So grab a chair, kick back, and enjoy.

1. Fitch, S&P cut Beazer deeper into junk territory. If the ratings agencies are on the case, you know the situation must be bad.

See also, Moody's cuts 3 homebuilders to junk.

2. Och-Ziff eyes $1 billion IPO. Yep, going public is now the option for large US hedge fund and private equity businesses. Note that Fortress and Blackstone share prices have rebounded a bit recently.

3. Oil hits record $84 on supply concerns. Wait, I thought the whole Iraq liberation was supposed to result in a freeflowing gusher of oil revenues and $25 a barrel oil. At least that's what they told us at the time - ad nauseum.

4. Timing of genocide resolution questioned. Why are they having this political debate? Maybe these clowns should be looking at America's current actions (at home and abroad)instead. Maybe we all should.

5. Wall St. Journal - The United States of Subprime.

6. Will SWFs (sovereign wealth funds) change the world? FT Alphaville comments.

7. Brics: coherent strategy or catchy name? Good question.

8. Carl Icahn says the market might be reaching a peak, citing major concerns.

9. Mark Mobius says some interesting things about emerging markets in this Bloomberg interview.

10. Who benefits from inflation? The people who get the money first, and debtors.

11. Keynes and the Totalitarian State. He didn't invent the policies; he provided the rationalizations.

12. Check out The Kirk Report's latest link post for more great stories and features!

Have a great weekend, gang. Thanks for reading & bookmarking Finance Trends Matter.

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