U.S. Stock Repurchases Plunge More Than Prices: Chart of Day U.S. companies pulled away from stock repurchases last year at an even faster rate than share prices dropped, according to figures compiled by Birinyi Associates.

Fed’s Rate Moves Fail to Spur Home Buying: Chart of the Day The Federal Reserve’s efforts to make homes more affordable have yet to bolster buying and instead are fueling a surge in refinancing, according to data compiled by the Mortgage Bankers Association.

Fewest U.S. IPOs Since 1979 Mean ‘Pent-Up Demand’: Chart of Day U.S. initial public offerings have plunged this year to an almost three-decade low, creating the possibility of a 2009 revival should stocks recover, according to Renaissance Capital’s IPOHome.com.

Obama Pushes Alternative Energy as Investors Flee: Chart of Day President-elect Barack Obama’s plans to encourage U.S. development of alternative energy have put him at odds with investors, who are abandoning the industry.

`Credit Stress' May Depress Card Issuers' Shares: Chart of Day Shares of credit-card companies are likely to tumble next year as the issuers increasingly bear the burden of ``credit stress'' among U.S. consumers, according to Kenneth Bruce, a Merrill Lynch & Co. analyst.

U.S. Consumers Seen Facing ‘Liquidity Squeeze’: Chart of Day U.S. consumers are headed for a “liquidity squeeze” as banks grow more reluctant to provide mortgages and shrink credit-card lines, according to Meredith Whitney, an Oppenheimer & Co. analyst.

U.S. Stock Rally Won’t End ‘Range-Bound’ Market: Chart of Day Any year-end rally in U.S. stocks is unlikely to snap them out of a bear market, according to Thomas J. Lee, JPMorgan Chase & Co.’s chief U.S. equity strategist.

VIX's Records Show Fear That May Last Into 2009: Chart of Day U.S. stock investors are going through a record-setting bout of fear that probably won't end until next year, according to Michael McCarty, a strategist at Meridian Equity Partners.

Stock P/Es May Set Stage for ‘Twilight Zone’: Chart of the Day Share prices have dropped far enough worldwide to tempt investors even if an earnings recovery is some way off, according to Robert Buckland, a strategist at Citigroup Inc.

S&P 500 Payout Tops Bond Yield, a First Since ‘58: Chart of Day U.S. stocks’ dividend yields were lower than the yield on 10-year Treasury notes for half a century. Not any more.