Warren Buffett is well-recognized as a smart investor, which should be giving investors a clue. The billionaire investor has recently agreed to purchase shares in two institutions facing sharp declines: General Electric (NYSE: GE) and Goldman Sachs (NYSE: GS). Many investors are speculating that he was brought into these deals to calm fears, but he is not exactly playing on a level field. Under both of these deals, the billionaire receieved preferential treatment...

The billionaire purchased a $5 billion stake in Goldman Sachs last month, but it wasn't just common stock. The billionaire received $5 billion in perpetual preferred stock and 43.5 million warrants priced at $115 per share. These warrants give the investor a theoretical 16% stake in Goldman Sachs - one of the world's premier investment banks - for only $5 billion in investment. In fact, with shares trading at around $130 a piece, Buffett has already made $650 million in paper profits!

Buffett also managed to pick up cheaper than normal shares of General Electric. The billionaire invested $3 billion at a 9% discount to the stock's closing price Wednesday to buy up preferred stock that pays a 10% dividend. Buffett also stated that he would support measures to alleviate near-term liquidity concerns. Not only is the billionaire making a dividend on his investment, but he is also receiving a sharp discount.

So, before investors go believing that Warren Buffett's investments signal confidence - they should be sure to take a look at the terms of the deals...

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thinkorswim Group Inc. (NDAQ: SWIM) shares jumped higher after the company reported preliminary operating metrics for September 2008 early due to extraordinary price volatility, regulatory intervention and liquidity concerns. During this time period, thinkorswim delivered its 24th consecutive month of record growth by opening 8,550 new accounts, 3,400 funded accounts, executive 63,600 retail DARTs and maintaining client assets of approximately $3.2 billion.

Trading volumes at thinkorswim exceeded 96,000 retail trades in a single day during the month and now expects to outperform analyst consensus for the third quarter. Many brokerages have benefited from from the increased market activity as they have collected more in commissions. However, some brokerages have failed to offset these gains with losses from margin accounts that have defaulted.

thinkorswim Group Inc., formerly Investools Inc. (Investools) operates in two segments: Investor Education and Brokerage Services. The Company offers investor education and brokerage and related financial products and services for self-directed investors. Its Investor Education segment offers a range of investor education products and services that provide learning in a variety of interactive delivery formats.

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Presidential candidates are gearing up for a good fight and environmental policy is near the top of the list of concerns. Many countries around the world are waiting to see whether or not the United States will sign the Kyoto Protocol this year that would require companies to reduce their carbon emissions between 2008 and 2012. This would put a relatively new, but growing carbon market into the forefront of the global financial system.

The carbon market represents an administrative approach used to control pollution by providing economic incentives for achieving reductions in the emissions of pollutants. Countries bound by the Kyoto Protocol can use carbon trading as a way to meet their obligations to reduce carbon trading and therefore mitigate global warming. To date, carbon trading is seen as one of the most viable approaches to control global warming through economics.

EcoloCap Solutions (OTC-BB: ECOS) is developing an integrated development approach that focuses on both existing and needed infrastructure facilities to produce substantial new value in the form of tradable CERs while also maximizing alternative energy generation co-products. Partnerships with owners of facilities that generate harmful greenhouse gases as well as environmental project owners in developing countries will allow the company to capitalize on opportunities emerging in carbon trading.

To the owners of these projects, EcoloCap offers its expertise in the United Nations certification process, engineering, project management and capital in exchange for rights to the carbon credits that are generated over the life of the project. The company makes money by purchasing these credits for far less than they are worth when sold on the open market. Often times, this differential can be significant, especially when accrued over the life of the project.

As a result, one company to watch during the upcoming presidential elections may be EcoloCap Solutions. Any actions by the United States to join the Kyoto Protocol would result in a substantial boost to the carbon market in general and would in turn benefit companies like EcoloCap that sell carbon credits in the open market. After all, demand would increase while supply would remain the same, thus driving up the price of carbon credits and the value of EcoloCap's inventory. Investors interested in learning more can view a research report by clicking here.

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