The US economy shrank in the third quarter, says Bloomberg, and “a further contraction is likely in the next two quarters…which would make the recession the longest since 1981-82.”

A true contrarian investor is always looking to own shares of companies that are out of favor with the investing public. And no sector has been more discarded than real estate…

The percentage of homeowners, as opposed to renters, fell from 69.1% to 67.8% this year, the sharpest decline in 20 years, according to census data through the end of March. Despite the doom and gloom surrounding real estate, Diligent Investors editor Todd Schoenberger, is bullish on one particular shopping-center REIT that’s paying a 7.5% dividend yield.

January 18, 2008 11:43 a.m.

WASHINGTON -- President Bush on Friday called for about $145 billion worth of tax relief to stimulate a sagging economy and fend off a possible recession.