JPMorgan cleans up ‘London whale’ mess

Posted by & filed under Company Analysis, Financial analysis, Growth & Valuation, Industry Analysis, Management Issues.

Description: Despite a $5.8 billion year-to-date trading loss, JPMorgan still earned $5 billion in the second quarter. Source: CNNMoney.com – video report Date: July 13, 2012 Link: http://money.cnn.com/video/news/2012/07/13/n-felicia-jp-morgan.cnnmoney/ Questions for Discussions: Summarize the highlights of management’s effort to fix the damage done. Do you believe it is convincing and will be successful? How can this… Read more »

Can the Bullet Train Save California?

Posted by & filed under Economic Analysis, Financial Planning, Governments & Regulators.

Description:   MarketWatch’s David Weidner checks in on Mean Street to discuss California’s economic conditions and whether it’s right that a state struggling to stay solvent is aiming to float a $10 billion bond for a high-speed rail line. Photo: European Pressphoto Agency. Source: Marketwatch.com – video report Date: July 13, 2012 Link: http://live.wsj.com/video/can-the-bullet-train-save-california/8C2522BB-3A9D-4C75-87BE-7C100EE04B01.html Questions for… Read more »

How Jamie Dimon hid the $6 billion loss

Posted by & filed under Company Analysis, Governments & Regulators, Industry Analysis, Management Issues.

Description: A mixture of accounting moves and rosy assumptions appear to have masked JPMorgan’s London Whale. Source: Fortune.com Date: July 13, 2012 Link: http://finance.fortune.cnn.com/2012/07/13/jpmorgan-hid-london-whale/?iid=SF_F_River Questions for Discussions: How was the $6 billion loss kept hidden? Do you believe management and the firm have been adequately dealt with by the marketplace, investors, and  regulators?

Mobile TV app could upend the cable-broadcast business

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Description: Barry Diller, the consummate Hollywood deal maker who revamped the TV business in the 1980s, is back in the media spotlight after a federal judge threw out an injunction against Aereo, the online TV service he backs. Source: GlobeandMail.com Date: July 13, 2012 Link: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/technology/business-technology/mobile-tv-app-could-upend-the-cable-broadcast-business/article4414783/ Questions for Discussions: What are the issues facing the… Read more »

Is J.P. Morgan too big to manage?

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Description:  In a two-hour session with analysts Friday morning, J.P. Morgan Chase & Co.’s top executives fielded numerous questions about the massive trading loss suffered by its chief investment office, but one of them was particularly challenging. Source: Marketwatch.com Date: July 13, 2012 Link: http://www.marketwatch.com/story/is-jp-morgan-too-big-to-manage-2012-07-13?dist=tcountdown Questions for Discussions: Has J.P. Morgan reached ““a tipping point”… Read more »

Apple: Still the best bet in tech

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Description: As Apple tops $600 a share for the first time since April, it serves as a reminder: In tech, they are king. Don’t bet against the king. Source: CNNMoney.com – video report Date: July 06, 2012 Link: http://money.cnn.com/video/markets/2012/07/06/investing-bz-apple.cnnmoney/ Questions for Discussions: What are the arguments supporting a continued run up of Apple share values?… Read more »

Should Commodities Investors Take Cover?

Posted by & filed under Economic Analysis, Financial Planning, Growth & Valuation, Industry Analysis, Market Analysis.

Description:   If the U.S economy begins moving into a downward spiral, as many believe it might, should commodities investors take cover? WSJ’s Simon Constable visits Mean Street to break down the numbers. Source: Marketwatch.com – video report Date: July 06, 2012 Link: http://live.wsj.com/video/should-commodities-investors-take-cover/0643512D-78CC-4962-8D54-C977BD6BFD12.html Questions for Discussions: Summarize the arguments presented about the movement in commodities…. Read more »

‘Period of remorse’ catches up to Diamond

Posted by & filed under Company Analysis, Governments & Regulators, Industry Analysis, Management Issues.

Description: Robert Diamond’s resignation, effective immediately, as chief executive officer of Barclays PLC UK:BARC -2.05%  BCS -1.72%  Tuesday morning in the wake of the Libor-manipulation scandal comes a day after he reportedly sent a letter to employees saying he was “sorry” and pledged to impose tougher internal controls. Full story: Bob Diamond resigns as Barclays… Read more »

How to crack Wall Street’s earnings code

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Description: 7 terms to listen for when CEOs and CFOs talk business Source: Marketwatch.com Date: July 06, 2012 Link:  http://www.marketwatch.com/story/how-to-crack-wall-streets-earnings-code-2012-07-06 Questions for Discussions: Summarize the code-speak. Do you think anyone misses what is really happening? Why would managers choose to avoid speaking clearly to shareholders and analysts?

France slaps seven billion euros in taxes on rich and big firms

Posted by & filed under Economic Analysis, Governments & Regulators, Growth & Valuation.

Description:  France’s new Socialist government announced tax rises worth 7.2 billion euros on Wednesday, including heavy one-off levies on wealthy households and big corporations, to plug a revenue shortfall this year caused by flagging economic growth. Source: Reuters.com Date: July 04, 2012 Link: http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/07/05/us-france-budget-idUSBRE86307X20120705 Questions for Discussions: What are the implications for Euro-based debt, the… Read more »