The Debt Ceiling Deal: What Was Accomplished

So everyone's all smiles. The federal government shut-down has ended. What was accomplished? I'd be hard-pressed to say nothing, but maybe somewhere a few degrees north of nothing would be accurate. The can's been kicked down the road, yet again. Another compromise scenario looms, and for all we know, another shut-down too (although that's hard to fathom at this point).

All those who thought an end to shutdown would propel the stock market higher - perhaps into record territory - were bolstered when stocks rocketed up yesterday. Today, though, the futures point down, now that the news has finally hit. An old stock market maxim seems to hold up: Buy the rumor, sell the news.

And so it goes.