Wall Street Roundup: The richest. SEC’s Goldman problem.

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Mixed signals. For bad news, new figures show that the number of people filing for unemployment benefits rose last week. For good news, new figures show that the sales of existing homes increased last month, along with an index of economic indicators.

The richest. Forbes is out with its list of the richest Americans; the top of the list is not dominated by financiers, but Warren Buffett, George Soros and John Paulson are all there. To mark the occasion, Buffett and Jay-Z had a rather unexpected conversation.

Speaking of Buffett. Warren Buffett took issue with recent analysis showing that the recession is over -- he said, ‘We’re not gonna be out of it for a while.’

SEC’s Goldman problem. An internal watchdog said it was suspicious that the Securities and Exchange Commission settled its lawsuit against Goldman Sachs on the same day that the agency was accused of bungling its role in the R. Allen Stanford case.

Supporting gay marriage. Dozens of high-profile Wall Street figures showed up Wednesday night for a fund raiser to fight California’s Proposition 8.

Bad signs for Wall Street. The first investment bank to release its third-quarter financial results, Jefferies Group, did not provide hopeful signals for the rest of Wall Street.

--Nathaniel Popper