• The Euro Zone countries scratched out only modest 3rd quarter GDP growth of .2% over the 2nd quarter. The number was expected, but it demonstrated the frailty of the 17 economies as the debt crisis grinds on. From the Wall Street Journal.
• Buffet’s Berkshire Hathaway announced a 5.5% stake in IBM. The company started buying the stock last March, and sees the stake adding stability to the portfolio. IBM is now Berkshire’s second largest holding. From Bloomberg News.
• An audit to be released today on the Federal Housing Administration will show the agency has a 50% chance of running out of money next year. The FHA backed 1/3 of home mortgages last year in the U.S. From the Wall Street Journal.
• New York police cleared Occupy Wall Street protesters from Zuccotti Park. The city’s Mayor Bloomberg said the demonstration was becoming more of a health and safety issue than an organized protest. From Reuters News.