by Laura Conaway

Good morning, and welcome to this Tuesday's reading list.

The latest figures on home prices are in, courtesy of the S&P/Case-Shiller index. Home prices rose across the nation from June to July 2009, with the exception of Las Vegas and Seattle. Overall, the index posted a 1.2 percent gain from month to month, the third straight positive report. The big picture, if you can bear to look, shows that in the year ending July 2009 the index fell by 13.3 percent — hey, it's the smallest drop in 17 months and less than expected.

Meanwhile, the Dow is looking 10,000 squarely in the eyes again.

Looking to replenish its insurance fund, the FDIC is likely the propose that banks prepay three years' worth of fees, the Wall Street Journal reports (subs. req'd.).

Calculated Risk finds an unintended consequence in the federal tax break for first-time homebuyers. A lot of those buyers used to be renters, and their exit from that market may push rents downward. "Extend the tax credit and we might be looking at the core CPI showing deflation," CR writes. "Welcome to the Fed's nightmare."

Simon Johnson proposes a new way out of the G20, IMF tangle — an Emerging Market Fund, or EMF, for developing countries that deserve more clout.

Science makes more cows, and the market makes milk prices fall.