Hedge funds, which experienced sharp drops in assets during the credit crisis, now hold an all-time high of more than $2 trillion in capital, according to a new survey by Hedge Fund Research Inc. The figure is 50% higher than crisis-driven lows reached in the first quarter of 2009.
Apple has accumulated tons of cash, but how should it spend that money? A smart bet would be to use it to bring in the next Steve Jobs -- but there isn't one. Which leads to this thought: Maybe Apple should pay out a big dividend.
Index futures, index options, equity options and security futures are all set to expire Friday in a phenomenon known as the "quadruple witching" hour. It usually signals a time of higher trading volumes and surprises on Wall Street, but this time, investor uncertainty is likely to keep trades low.
