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ETFI Highly Defensive PerformIdex: Lower Volatility, Higher Returns

The accompanying table includes an updated version of the ETFI Highly Defensive PerformIdex of 40 companies based in the U.S., Canada, and Europe with market caps over $10B, which are the leaders by market cap in their defensive industry groups. The updates include removing retail exposure at CVS Caremark (CVS) and Tesco (TSCDY) in favor of keeping Wal-Mart (WMT) as the major beneficiary of a trade-down effect and mass merchant discounter, which integrates groceries, pharmacy, everyday clothing, c

OK, who is ready to give thanks?

The Nasdaq Composite fell another 70.30 today, or 5.1%, to 1,316.12. That makes 167 points, or more than 11% in just two days. The index is now down 464 points, or 26% since closing on Election Day at 1780.12. Since peaking at 2859.12 on Halloween 2007, the Nasdaq is down 1,543 points, or 54%.

In case you were wondering, the Nasdaq’s post-bubble low came on October 9, 2002, at 1114.11. That’s only 202 points away, which at the rate we’re going we could hit by Turkey Day.

What’s wrong? Everything is wrong. As I was driving into the office this morning, NPR’s Mor

Clearwire (CLWR) today announced that its holders have approved the planned combination of the company with Sprint’s mobile WiMax business. The deal also includes a $3.2 billion investment in the combined company by Intel (INTC), Google (GOOG), Comcast (CMCSA), Time Warner (TWX), Bright House Networks and Trilogy Partners.

The company said it lenders have approved an amendment to the company’s credit agreement to permit the deal to move forward. Clearwire said the deal, which already has FCC and Justice Department approval, should close before year end.

So is this for some reason considered

With losses accelerating into the close, the major stock market indexes closed at levels not seen since 2003. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 427.3 points, or 5.1% to 7,997.44, while the Nasdaq Composite dropped 96.85, or 6.5%, to 1,386.42.

Why? Well, you know why. A bailout of the auto industry is stalled on Capitol Hill. The Fed indicated that the economic downturn will last at least a year. And earnings remain crummy. Knock down stocks en masse, or whack them one at a time. Your choice.

Here’s a look at the 10 most actively traded tech stocks on the Nasdaq:

• Microsoft (MSFT) fell $1.

NYC-based software startup Boxee has raised $4 million to take on heavyweights like Apple (AAPL) and Microsoft (MSFT) as the companies race to be the ones who connect your living room TV to the Internet.

Boxee's set-top box software runs on Macs, PCs, and, via a clever hack, on Apple TV devices. The point: An easy interface to watch Web video like Hulu and CBS shows on your TV or laptop, listen to Internet radio like Last.fm, or watch movies from your computer's hard drive. There's also a requisite "social" layer, which lets you tell your friends what you've been watching, get recommendation

Movie rental service Netflix (NFLX) has been signing up gadget companies left and right to distribute its Internet movie streams, ranging from LG to Microsoft (MSFT) Xbox and TiVo (TIVO). And it recently hired a new executive to make more of those deals.

So are cable giants like Comcast (CMCSA) and Time Warner (TWC) -- who already have set-top boxes in millions of U.S. living rooms -- up next on the to-do list?

That would be nice, but it's not happening, Netflix CEO Reed Hastings told PaidContent's Rafat Ali in a video interview (embedded below).

"That would be a great deal, we'd love to do it