A better April? We think there’s a good chance of it. Stock prices backpedaled this week, surrendering about a third of last week’s explosive gains. All in all, though, the picture still looks encouraging for April and beyond.

Was that the bottom? I mean, THE bottom? Well, there’s a good chance it was. Monday’s stock market low had all the marks of a final, panicky washout. But even more encouraging was today’s action, in which financial stocks skyrocketed while inflation-sensitive commodities (especially gold) plunged.