This is my semi-comprehensive and quasi-updated list of recommended reading on the web. These are sites Your Dedicated Bloggist consults himself on a regular basis, as time, inclination, and interest permit, so you can have some sort of assurance that I consider them worth your time. That being said, of course, I offer no explicit or implied warranty as to the pertinence, topicality, or content of any of these sites at any time under any conditions. I shouldn't even need to mention that inclusion on this list does not mean that I agree with, endorse, or even take seriously any of these blogs either.
Caveat lector.
The internet is a dynamic place, so some of the blogs below may have gone silent, moribund, or even disappeared since this list was compiled. Do not let this rattle you. We will all end up on the ash heap of obscurity one day or another.
Update: One final note. Please do not misconstrue this list to be exhaustive of all of the information and opinion sites on the web that I consider worthwhile, interesting, and/or entertaining. It certainly does not exhaust the sites I myself visit on a regular basis. It is merely an imperfect attempt to capture those sites I consider useful to the stated mission of this blog. In addition, I fully expect it to be a work in progress, as the econoblogosphere and even the internet itself continue to evolve and change. (For instance, I am increasingly finding my Twitter stream to be a far more effective and entertaining source of serendipitous links than my previous RSS feeds.) I fully expect to add new blogs to this list over time and drop existing ones from it, without much fanfare. You have been warned.
SIDE NOTE, December 3, 2012: Readers who are interested in more weighty, corporeal fare (i.e., books) on financial topics should check out my companion post, “
Pulp Fiction.” Readers who really want to know the full extent of my reading compulsion should consult
this entry in Wikipedia.
This list is not intended to be an awards ceremony. It is a
tool. Please take and use it as such.
AGGREGATORS, PORTALS, AND GATEWAYS
Abnormal Returns — Tadas Viskanta's classic and indispensable exemplar of the curated econoblogosphere. Comes in two flavors: the more leisurely "Classic" compendium (my favorite) and, for jittery real-time stock junkies, the "Now" version.
Alea — Intelligent market-oriented aggregation, with a European flavor.
Alltop: Economics — a lightly curated, very inclusive portal to economics and finance blogs, including some annoying Twitter feeds (why?). Good for browsing sites you do not normally visit. Nifty mouse hover feature allows you to read the opening snippet of each article without clicking through. This feature alone has save me lots of time.
The Econoblogosphere — Compiled by über-econoblogger Felix Salmon (now at Reuters) when he was still writing from the now otherwise defunct Portfolio.com platform. The gateway still functions, and, with limited casualties, it remains an excellent and surprisingly current window into online opinion.
The Periodic Table of Finance Bloggers — A very clever and extremely comprehensive list of financial bloggers active in November 2009, from Josh Brown at The Reformed Broker. Lots more stock- and trading-oriented sites than I ever pay attention to, so, depending on your interests, this may be a better place to start browsing than here.
Ten Wall Street Blogs You Need to Bookmark Now — The WSJ's David Weidner compiles a short, controversial, and—let's just say—highly idiosyncratic list of favorites. While TED is on the list, it also contains blogs I do not normally read that you might like, so click away.
MAINSTREAM MEDIA
The Deal Magazine — Inside baseball kind of stuff for M&A and financial markets. Read by lots of investment bankers and hangers on. Seems to have replaced The Deal's old Dealscape blog, and may be going under some sort of paywall soon, but excellent articles still seem to be available to the hoi polloi.
FT Alphaville — Run under the aegis of the Financial Times, Alphaville is by far the bloggiest of the mainstream financial media offerings. This extends to their frequent tweaking of their colleagues at the main FT site and print newspaper. Frequent market-oriented news, analysis, and opinion, from a European perspective, leavened with typical British wit. Highly recommended.
The New York Times DealBook — Beginning to look cluttered and overloaded now, and in need of more active editing. Nevertheless, still a decent source of online reporting and occasional analysis of interest. The occasional Deal Professor blog is good, wonky fun for deal junkies who aren't afraid of a little legalese.
The Wall Street Journal Deal Journal — If you're like me, you may find some of the opinion stuff annoying, but an otherwise indispensable resource.
NEWS, OPINION, AND ANALYSIS
A grab bag of sites of all sorts. Most of these are best explored on your own, without preview, so have at it.
Accrued Interest — Shuttered February 2010, but still an indispensable archive of bond-oriented analysis and Star Wars quotes.
Bronte Capital — John Hempton.
Calculated Risk — More real-estate oriented and economic news than analysis, now that Tanta is gone, but still essential for many.
Crossing Wall Street — Eddy Elfenbein writes mostly about stocks, but includes lots of other good material, too.
Dealbreaker — A Wall Street gossip and scandal sheet resembling nothing so much as a cross between the National Enquirer, The Daily Show, and Penthouse Forum. Good, dirty fun, with a vicious comment section that veers predictably off topic into scatological, pornographic, and libelous self-indulgence. Always wash your hands after visiting.
Ecocomics — Don't think comic books have anything to tell us about economics? This site may convince you otherwise.
Economics of Contempt — A clever, biting derivatives lawyer. Enough said.
Economist's View — Mark Thoma's daunting aggregator site, redeemed by good selection and occasional analysis.
Felix Salmon — King of the hill. Essential reading.
Financial Crookery — Infrequently updated site by someone who used to work on the Dark Side. Solid.
Footnoted.org* — Michelle Leder's absolutely unique offering.
Going Private — Billed as "The Sardonic Memoirs of a Private Equity Professional," this site is moribund as of February 2009. While I tend to avoid the later, more tendentious disquisitions on broader matters, the earlier sardonic memoirs of life in a mid-size private equity firm are excellent, revealing, and entertaining. The author now blogs under another pseudonym at Zero Hedge, where you are free to follow her. I will not be joining you.
Interfluidity — Steve Randy Waldman doesn't post often, but when he does, you need to read it. Deep and perceptive.
Jeff Matthews Is Not Making This Up — The go-to site for all things Warren Buffett.
LOLFed — Vikram Pandit in a bandit mask. What more do you need to know?
Long or Short Capital — Naughty. You'll laugh and laugh.
Paul Kedrosky's Infectious Greed — Venture capital oriented goodness from the West Coast.
peHUB — Private equity and venture capital news, analysis, and opinion.
Rortybomb — Mike Konczal. Essential reading on financial policy and reform.
The Aleph Blog — Really useful stuff from a patently decent man.
The Baseline Scenario — Important reading on financial regulation and reform, if for no other reason than because Simon Johnson and James Kwak have cultivated such a broad audience. Regularly intelligent and thought-provoking, too.
The Curious Capitalist — Time magazine's entry into the finance blog arena.
The Reformed Broker — Market- and stock-oriented goodness from Downtown Josh Brown.
Ultimi Barbarorum — Clever, infrequent, and solid buy-side analysis from a devotee of philosopher Baruch Spinoza. I kid you not.
FARTHER AFIELD
Other voices, not elsewhere classified. May or may not have anything to do with finance. I still read 'em.
Chase me ladies, I'm in the cavalry — The occasional diary of a madman calling himself Henry Hutton. We are amused.
Epicurus and Epicurean Philosophy — Just in case you're interested.
Locklin on science — Really wonky stuff on science, econophysics, and finance. Worth plowing through on the infrequent occasions the author posts.
WallStreetOasis — Best suited for junior Wall Streeters and those who would like to become one, this is a jobs forum and kvetch room. Unlikely to appeal to outsiders.
© 2010 The Epicurean Dealmaker. All rights reserved.
