"Very generally, I think people are quite unhappy with the state of the economy and what's happening. They blame, with some justification, the problems in the financial sector for getting us into this mess, and they are dissatisfied with the policy response here in Washington. And at some level, I can't blame them. Certainly, 9% unemployment and very slow growth is not a very good situation. That's what they are protesting."

 

Ben Bernanke there 

 

Let’s look at the markets, the Dow had a bit of the final-hour surge--it closed up 153 points. The NASDAQ is up 69; the S&P500 rose three. And across in London, the FTSE closed 131 points lower. 

 

Checking commodity prices, West Texas Crude is trading at 75 US dollars and 41 cents a barrel. Tapis crude is at 113 US dollars and 79 cents a barrel. And gold this morning is trading at 1,613 dollars and 94 cents an ounce. The Australian dollar is buying 95 US cents, 71 euro cents and 61 pence sterling.