By Bob Blandeburgo Associate Editor Money Morning Standard & Poor's cut the credit ratings of 18 banks, citing further weakening in the financial sector, after it said last month that 23 banks have a 50% chance of being downgraded within 90 days. Among the banks that saw their ratings cut by S&P were BB&T Corp. […]
Archives for June 2009
June 2009 - Page 5 of 11 - Money Morning - Only the News You Can Profit From
Beijing’s ‘Buy China’ Order Could Prompt an Escalation in Protectionism
By Jason SimpkinsManaging EditorMoney Morning After denouncing a U.S. effort to incorporate a "Buy American" clause in its stimulus package, Beijing has introduced a new "Buy China" policy as part of its $585 billion economic stimulus program. The move has sparked outrage among China's trade partners and could lead to a surge in protectionist measures […]
Investment News Briefs
BRIC Building; Bankruptcies Accelerate; Auto Parts Suppliers Denied Additional Government Funds; GM Sells Saab; Best Buy Misses Expectations; MySpace Cuts 1,000 Workers; Banks See Recession Ending in Late Summer Members of the so-called "BRIC" nations – Brazil, Russia, India and China – met in Russia yesterday (Tuesday) for their first ever summit. The meeting was […]
China's Economic Recovery Threatened by Lending Landslide
By Jason SimpkinsManaging EditorMoney Morning With the implementation of a $585 billion stimulus program, Chinese policymakers have managed to compensate for a huge drop in exports, which to this point have been the lifeblood of China's economy. But by giving state-run banks the task of financing the massive amounts of infrastructure spending contained in the […]
What TARP Banks Are Investment Grade?
By Martin HutchinsonContributing EditorMoney Morning A total of 10 U.S. banks have now repaid the preference share investments in them made by the U.S. Treasury Department's Troubled Assets Relief Program (TARP), thus demonstrating that the government thinks they are sound. A number of others have yet to pay back that federal infusion. For investors, the […]
New Home Starts Up, But is There Demand?
By Bob BlandeburgoAssociate Editor Money Morning The U.S. housing market continued its tepid trek toward recovery as housing starts in May exceeded expectations, the U.S. Commerce Department said yesterday (Tuesday). Housing starts soared 17.2% from April to May, nearly double the 7% increase economists were projecting, Actual housing starts reached a seasonally adjusted annual rate […]
Investment News Briefs
With our investment news briefs, Money Morning provides investors with a quick overview of the most important investing news stories from all around the world. Strong Dollar, Falling Oil Prices Send Stocks Down; Homebuilders' Confidence Dips; IMF Improves U.S. Outlook; Obama Tells Doctors Health Care Changes Needed; Six Flags Bankrupt A stronger dollar and falling […]
Wall Street vs. Main Street: The Regulatory Battle Begins Tomorrow
U.S. Treasury Secretary Timothy F. Geithner says the Obama administration's overhaul of U.S. financial regulations is aimed at creating a "boring" financial system. But after President Barack Obama unveils this boring – and not-so-new – regulatory structure tomorrow (Wednesday), expect a pitched battle that will pit the interests of Wall Street players against those of […]
U.S. Bailout Plan Infringes Upon Basic Property Rights
By Peter D. SchiffGuest ColumnistMoney Morning "Crony capitalism" is a term often applied to foreign nations where government interference circumvents market forces. The practice is widely associated with tin-pot dictators and second-rate economies. In such a system, support for the ruling regime is the best and only path to economic success. Who you know supersedes […]
Regulatory Battles Have Been Present Throughout U.S. History
Regulatory skirmishes have been part and parcel of the United States since the country was founded, and have led to past financial panics and economic downturns. Indeed, to know the history of regulation in the United States is to know American history itself. Even before the 1781 Articles of Confederation brought together the original 13 […]