Easy Street

Easy Street: The Middle Finger of Fate

Heidi Moore May 13, 2011

Easy Street is Marketplace’s daily roundup of the most interesting news stories and commentary about Wall Street, Washington and the curious world of finance. You can see more of what we think are the biggest stories of the day on our News in Brief page. Every day, you can download Marketplace’s daily show on iTunes and follow us for more headlines at twitter.com/mktplaceradio. If you want to listen to Marketplace on the radio, find out [which stations carry us and what time we’re on](().

Markets

Rambus Inc. had a flash crash in action today.

LinkedIn’s IPO price is not indicating immense enthusiasm from investors. Is this because the social media bubble is deflating, as Reuters suggests? Or just because LinkedIn is not Facebook, Twitter or Zynga, which seem to be the only social media companies anyone cares about?

There is a giant sculpture of a raised middle finger outside the Milan stock exchange. A lot of local financiers are feeling insulted. Some people are so sensitive.

Banks

Banks are worried that if you everything they screw up,, you won’t give them your money any more. Well. Yeah.

Hedge Funds

SAC Capital leader Steve Cohen – detester of insider trading – made money on quite a public trade: his Warhol portrait of Liz Taylor sold for $27 million at an art auction yesterday.

Recreational Reading

Friends in low places is the way to go.

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