Tepid Thursday

Markets were lukewarm today. Wal Mart is already cautioning about the Christmas retail season, but this may not be the trend for ALL retailers. Could it be that deep discounters are falling behind, as shoppers aim for the higher end experience? If you really want the best, check out http://biz.yahoo.com/special/luxury110206_article1.html. Surprise! Surprise! Mortgage rates FELL last week. As the real estate market slowed and inflation stayed in check, long-term rates fell into line. This slowdown may actually be good news, since we face the possibility of slow, steady growth. That could translate to a long-term expansion. For now, though, markets yawned. Dow -12.48 NASDAQ -0.33 S&P 500 -0.47