Top Takes From RealMoney

The RealMoney contributors are in the business of trading and investing all day on the basis of ongoing news flow. Below, we offer the top five ideas that RealMoney contributors posted today and how they played those ideas.

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1. The Long and the Short of It
By Mark Haefele
8:17 a.m. EDT

Insurers are coming in strong this quarter. XL Capital (XL) and Assurant (AIZ) reported nice growth in book value. XL is already up on the beat.

On the other hand, First Solar (FSLR) is getting hit hard. It is difficult to be a growth stock when your revenue and margins are falling, and the company doesn't know what is happening with government subsidies in its largest market, Germany.

Long XL, AIZ. Short FSLR.

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2. Data, Phils
By Robert Marcin
8:44 a.m. EDT

The GDP number was decent, but it's backward-looking and subject to revision. Fourth-quarter GDP will be much more important to the market from here than the third quarter was.

The continuing claims show improvement, but that is solely due to expiration of benefits. When you add the supplemental programs, the unemployed are as high as ever. The initial claims number is disturbingly high, considering the lack of jobs availability.

The Phils did it with their ace and power. The Yanks are formidable, but I think the Phils can take 'em.

No positions.