Good morning. My name is Cynthia and I'll be your conference operator today. At this time, I would like to welcome everyone to the Sallie Mae Q2 Fiscal 2010 Earnings Conference Call. All lines have been placed on mute to prevent any background noise.
Morningstar director of economic analysis Bob Johnson addresses recent sluggishness in the economy and makes the case for better growth in the second half of the year.
Homebuilder sentiment, start and permit trends, and consumer behavior suggest a turn for the long-suffering housing market, says Morningstar's Bob Johnson.