2011 January
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Taxpayers Ring Up $12.3 Billion Profit on Citigroup Bailout
The U.S. Treasury on Monday will complete the sale of warrants of Citigroup Inc. (NYSE: C), allowing it to realize a $12.3 billion profit from its bailout of the banking giant.
The United States will record a net $312.2 million from the sale of its final 465.1 million warrants to purchase common shares of Citigroup, the Treasury Department said Wednesday. Last year, Treasury sold its 34% stake in Citigroup common shares.
The warrant sale is the latest step in disposing of the bank's assets after the government lent the company $45 billion in Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) funds during the height of the financial crisis in 2008.
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Commodities, "BEE" Markets and Multinational Stocks Are Best Investments For 2011
The U.S. recovery will continue this year, and U.S. stocks will continue to advance, though investors can expect whipsaw trading patterns and must beware of the point when the U.S. Federal Reserve ends the cheap-money mindset that's fueling the advances, says Money Morning Chief Investment Strategist Keith Fitz-Gerald.
But uncertainty also brings opportunity, and Fitz-Gerald sees tremendous profit potential for those who are willing to remain invested – and who have the courage to make opportune choices. Commodities of all types, so-called "BEE" (Big Emerging Economy) markets and the stocks of companies that derive a major portion of their sales from these fast-growing overseas economies should be on everyone's investment menu.
And don't ignore multinational stocks from your own backyard: While it might surprise many investors to discover this, many U.S.-based companies are major players abroad, Fitz-Gerald says.
"I see the markets generally rising until mid-2011, which is when the reality of stimulus spending, the looming budget battle and fiscal follies set in. I believe that 15% is not out of the question, though not all in a straight line and not all at once," says Fitz-Gerald, a former professional trade advisor and best-selling author who is a regular contributor to Money Morning.
In a wide-ranging interview with Money Morning Executive Editor William Patalon III, Fitz-Gerald assessed the health of the U.S. and global economies, provided his outlook for the U.S. stock market, and for commodity prices, and even offered a fix-it plan that Washington would do well to take note of.
To read the text of Keith Fitz-Gerald's interview, please read on… -
Federal Budget Deficit Climbing Dangerously Higher on Continued 2011 Government Spending
On the heels of U.S. President Barack Obama's State of the Union address – during which the commander in chief highlighted the need for investment in innovation – a steep federal budget deficit projection yesterday (Wednesday) showed the harsh reality of the U.S. government's spending spree.
In the Congressional Budget Office's (CBO) economic outlook report, the nonpartisan body estimated the budget deficit would reach $1.5 trillion in 2011, or 9.8% of gross domestic product (GDP). The report cited the Bush-tax-cut extension, low production, and a weak labor market as key factors for reducing revenue, increasing spending and pushing the deficit higher in fiscal 2011.
This year's federal budget deficit is up from $1.3 trillion in 2010 and $1.4 trillion in 2009. The deficits, when measured as a percentage of GDP were the largest since 1945, reaching 8.9% in 2010 and 10% in 2009.
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State of the Union: Why You Should Fear America's "Sputnik Moment"
In his State of the Union Address yesterday (Tuesday) evening, U.S. President Barack Obama said the United States is experiencing another "Sputnik moment."
For a free marketer like myself, that's deeply depressing rhetoric: It reflects the reality that President Obama believes that this crisis – like others that came before it – is best solved by still more government action.
In short, while President Obama employed the language of bi-partisanship, the picture he painted was that of Big Government digging in. Just like at the time of Sputnik.
To understand why you should fear this rhetoric, please read on…
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IMF Global Economic Forecast Revised Up on Emerging Market Growth & U.S. Tax Cuts
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) yesterday (Tuesday) raised its 2011 global economic forecast based on strong growth in emerging markets and stronger U.S. output fueled by tax-cut extensions.
The world economy will expand by 4.4%, more than the 4.2% the IMF projected in October, while growth in 2012 is expected to be 4.5%, unchanged from October, the agency said in an update to its World Economic Outlook report.
But even though the world's economies continue to recover, stubborn unemployment in developed countries, along with risks posed by sovereign debt and the financial sector in Europe, could threaten global stability, the IMF said.
"The world economy is recovering, but it is a two-speed recovery," IMF chief economist Olivier Blanchard said in comments posted on the fund's website. "Our forecast is that next year growth will be roughly the same as this year. That's not going to be able to make a big dent to unemployment."
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What Do You Think of President Obama's 2011 State of the Union Address?
U.S. President Barack Obama spoke to the country Tuesday night in the annual State of the Union address, an assessment of the nation's biggest issues, and a presentation that is usually draped heavily in rhetoric.
Before the speech, many analysts were afraid President Obama would make broad optimistic statements – while offering no concrete plans for improvement.
White House Senior Adviser Valerie Jarrett said Tuesday morning that one of President Obama's main messages would be to highlight the new "bipartisan spirit" in Washington.
