Archives for December 2010

December 2010 - Page 9 of 9 - Money Morning - Only the News You Can Profit From

M&A Set to Accelerate in 2011 After a Late November Surge

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A flurry of mergers and acquisitions (M&A) in late November could presage the biggest surge in deals since the economy tanked three years ago.

In just the last week, nearly $25 billion in M&A deals were announced. BP PLC's (NYSE ADR: BP) sale of its majority stake in Pan American Energy, which went for $7.1 billion, was at the top of the list. With that sale, BP will have secured about $21 billion of the $30 billion it hoped to raise from asset sales to help cover damages from its oil spill disaster.

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By Yanking the Teeth Out of Dodd-Frank Act Ratings Rules, SEC Blunts Hope for Real Financial Reforms

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Make no mistake: The Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act is a slippery political football.

But this early attempt at reform is actually just the kickoff for a political skirmish that will pit legislators, lobbyists and other hired guns against one another on the post-financial-crisis gridiron.

These ongoing reform efforts will turn into a long affair whose outcome is far from certain.

But investors can bet on this: The millions of dollars in lobbying money that's thrown at legislators every year in an attempt to influence the regulatory rulebook will certainly influence that outcome.

To understand the risks that a lack of reform resolve brings, please read on...

Question of the Week: Black Friday Shoppers Go Online For More Deals, Fewer Crowds

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"Black Friday" was once known as the day that determined holiday shoppers awoke before dawn to get in line at their favorite retailer for once-a-year discounts.

In recent years, however, Black Friday has morphed into a month-long retailing bacchanalia that's defined by extended in-store hours, Internet-only deals and smartphone-user specials.

The National Retail Federation estimated that 138 million shoppers would hit stores this weekend, and merchants hoped this shopping weekend would mark the full-fledged return of the formerly reticent U.S. consumer.

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