Plans to sell a controlling GMAC stake would likely boost credit ratings and cut funding costs, ... divert earnings from GM.

Big parent companies are likely to merge or sell some of their weaker listed arms to cut costs to make sure they can stay alive. Besides, additional assets may be infused in good-quality public firms so they can seek funds for expansion.

An earnings boost doesn't trump a contrary verdict.

We have to be very aggressive in terms of controlling costs,

He's a brilliant financial engineer, ... His record is always the same: cut costs, sell assets. That's terrific, only that's no way to run a retail business.

I think it's just more of the same. The Nasdaq is quickly approaching 5,000 and it's hard to divert money back to traditional stocks when the opportunities are so phenomenal in the new world economy.