CMI July 9, 2011 -- Continuing Contraction Moderation; Shakespeare's Stimulating Idea

Some positive economic signs... or at least, getting bad less rapidly: ``We are becoming more convinced with each passing week that the rate of contraction of on-line consumer demand for discretionary durable goods "bottomed" at the end of May 2011... The upward movement of our Weighted Composite Index has been accompanied by some stirrings among people sitting on the vast inventory of available residential real-estate. In particular our measurements of people engaging listing services has shown some relative strength recently, perhaps as owners hope that the bottom has been reached''