12 housing themes for 2012

MARKETWATCH FRONT PAGE

The real estate market has been battered for six years, and now the opportunities for good investments outweigh the risk of further losses, writes Andrew Jeffery. See full story.

Mortgage broker envisions life after prison

One of the few people convicted of mortgage fraud hopes to move on after serving her time, Al Lewis reports. See full story.

Treasurys trade higher before auction, Beige Book

Bond prices advance ahead of the U.S. government�s sale of $21 billion in 10-year notes. Fixed-income investors also to take note of the Beige Book compilation of economic conditions by the Federal Reserve banks. See full story.

Energy stocks drive losses for Europe stocks

European stocks fall driven by energy companies, tracking a crude fall on Wednesday. See full story.

Most Asian markets rise as Shanghai falls

Most Asian markets end higher, with resource- and financial-sector stocks underpinning the gains. See full story.

MARKETWATCH COMMENTARY

Instead of acknowledging that banks have become a part of government, we keep pretending they are private institutions, writes David Weidner. See full story.

MARKETWATCH PERSONAL FINANCE

In 2012, creativity and adaptability are among the key skills needed to land and keep a job, as staff levels remain lean and employers expect workers to respond to a wide variety of demands. See full story.