Macy’s CEO: ‘It’s getting better’

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Description:  President and CEO Terry Lundgren says sales are slowly increasing as the department store chain trims excess inventory. Embedded video from CNNMoney.com Video Source: CNNMoney – video report   Date: 11/27/2009 Link: http://money.cnn.com/video/news/2009/11/27/n_macyceo_quest.cnnmoney/ Questions for discussion:  Summarize the reasons for expected financial improvements over last year? Do you share these beliefs? Explain your thinking…. Read more »

Dubai’s threat to U.S. banks

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Description: Although there’s little direct exposure to Dubai World’s default risk, U.S. financial institutions could take major indirect hits. Source: CNNMoney.com Date: 11/27/2009 Link:  http://money.cnn.com/2009/11/27/news/companies/Dubai_bank_risks/index.htm Questions for discussion: Summarize the reasons for concern about how this problem might affect U.S. banks. Do you believe this concern is justified? Explain your thinking. What would justify the… Read more »

EU pressured to tighten new rules for hedge funds

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Description: An influential European parliamentarian is calling for borrowing caps on hedge funds in a report to lawmakers that could lead to a tough new regime for the secretive industry. Source: Reuters.com Date: 11/25/2009 Link: http://www.reuters.com/article/hedgeFundsNews/idUSLNE5AO00O20091125 Questions for discussion: Summarize the arguments given for regulating hedge fund managers? What might the consequences be for hedge… Read more »

Hewlett-Packard Fourth-Quarter PC Sales Top Estimates

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Description: Hewlett-Packard Co. reported personal-computer sales that topped some analysts’ estimates after the company took market share from Dell Inc. and benefited from surging demand in China. Source: Bloomberg.com Date: 11/23/2009 Link: http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=newsarchive&sid=a71EClbbvM6I Questions for discussion:  Summarize HP’s financial improvements and Dell’s decline. Explain the reasons for these results. What do these results say about… Read more »

Enduring TARP woes

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Description:  Elizabeth Warren, chairwoman of the TARP oversight committee, shares her two biggest worries looking forward. Source: CNNMoney – video report   Date: 11/20/2009 Link: http://money.cnn.com/video/news/2009/11/20/n_la_warren_tarp_concerns.cnnmoney Questions for discussion:  Summarize the concerns expressed in this interview. Do you share in these concerns? Explain your thinking.

Small business loans: $10 billion evaporates

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Description: Reports to the Treasury confirm what small business owners have known all year: Banks are cutting back on Main Street lending. Eight months after President Obama began prodding the nation’s banks to increase their small business lending, the loan numbers continue to move in the opposite direction. Source: CNNMoney.com Date: 11/17/2009 Link:  http://money.cnn.com/2009/11/16/smallbusiness/small_business_loans_evaporate/index.htm Questions… Read more »

Ferrero, Hershey mull Cadbury bid, Kraft seen No.1

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Description: Italy’s Ferrero and U.S.-based Hershey Co are considering a bid for chocolatier Cadbury Plc (CBRY.L), but Kraft Foods Inc (KFT.N) is still seen as the front-runner with its $16.8 billion hostile offer. Source: Reuters.com Date: 11/18/2009 Link: http://www.reuters.com/article/ousivMolt/idUSTRE5AH14V20091119 Questions for discussion: Summarize the financial reasons favouring the acquisition of Cadbury by Ferrero and by… Read more »

S&P, Moody’s and Fitch Are Sued by Ohio Over Ratings

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Description: Standard & Poor’s, Moody’s Corp. and Fitch Inc. were sued by Ohio Attorney General Richard Cordray, who said the three companies disregarded their responsibility to provide “accurate credit ratings of investments.” Source: Bloomberg.com Date: 11/20/2009 Link: http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601103&sid=aSfRXwQ.8m5Q Questions for discussion: Summarize the arguments for and against the defendants in this case? Do you agree… Read more »

Google’s new mobile ad plan

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Description:  By acquiring upstart AdMob, Google improves its position while admitting flaws in its original approach to mobile ads. Embedded video from CNNMoney.com Video Source: CNNMoney – video report   Date: 11/10/2009 Link: http://money.cnn.com/video/technology/2009/11/10/tm_google_ad_mov.fortune/ Questions for discussion:  Do you believe this acquisition by Google is a good deal, financially speaking? Explain your thinking? What are the… Read more »

Intel settlement: The power of emails

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Description: How emails played a role in Intel’s $1.25 billion settlement with AMD nine days after they were made public. Source: CNNMoney.com Date: 11/13/2009 Link:  http://money.cnn.com/2009/11/13/technology/intel_settlement_emails.fortune/index.htm Questions for discussion: Summarize the basis of the AMD’s lawsuit against Intel. Do you believe Intel is financially better off because of the settlement with AMD? Explain your thinking.