Investors like Amazon 3D phone chatter

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Description: The only thing cooler than a 3D phone? A drone delivering it to you. Amazon stock enjoyed a nice pop after announcing (via YouTube) that it will unveil a new product — likely a 3D phone — on June 18. Source: CNNMoney.com – video report Date: June 06, 2014 Link: http://money.cnn.com/video/investing/2014/06/06/investing-the-buzz-amazon-3d-smartphone-drone-delivery.cnnmoney/index.html Questions for Discussions:… Read more »

Why stock market bubble talk is just hot air

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Description: Fortune’s Stephen Gandel discusses why it’s not time to bail on the stock market just yet. Source: Fortune.com – video report Date: June 06, 2014 Link: http://fortune.com/video/2014/06/06/why-stock-market-bubble-talk-is-just-hot-air/ Questions for discussion: Summarize the explanations presented in this report. Do you agree with Stephen Gandel’s assessments and projections?

The ticking time bomb in Europe’s latest economic stimulus

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Description: Europe needs to get real about its so-called “zombie bank” problem and take the hits needed to unclog its lending machine. Source: Fortune.com Date: June 06, 2014 Link: http://fortune.com/2014/06/06/europe-economy-banks-lending/ Questions for Discussions: What are the problems facing European banks, according to the report? What are the suggested solutions?

Q&A: Travis Kalanick on Uber’s New $17 Billion Valuation

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Description: Uber Technologies, the company that allows people to order taxis and private town cars via a smartphone app, has just raised $1.2 billion in a fundraising round that values the four-year-old startup at an astounding $17 billion. Source: Businessweek.com Date: June 06, 2014 Link: http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2014-06-06/q-and-a-travis-kalanick-on-ubers-new-17-billion-valuation#r=hp-ls Questions for Discussions: Summarize the risks and potential returns… Read more »

Bond Rally Is Squeezing the Trading at Big Banks

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Description: Wall Street’s biggest firms this year made an extraordinary wager that they probably now regret. Source: NYTimes.com Date: June 05, 2014 Link: http://dealbook.nytimes.com/2014/06/05/bond-boom-is-squeezing-the-trading-at-big-banks/?ref=business Questions for discussion: Why did the big banks take the position they did earlier in the year? Can they be blamed for their thinking? How should they go forward in terms… Read more »

Tesla debt: An electric lemon?

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Description: Tesla debt may have gotten a junk bond rating from Standard and Poor due to concerns about its ‘niche’ market status. But investors in Tesla stock still have faith in Elon Musk. Source: CNNMoney.com – video report Date: May 28, 2014 Link: http://money.cnn.com/video/investing/2014/05/28/n-tesla-electric-cars-elon-musk-bonds.cnnmoney/index.html Questions for Discussions: Explain the differences in thinking by Tesla bond… Read more »

How Does Uber Make Money?

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Description: With Uber’s cars now operating in 130 cities worldwide and the company looking to raise another round of financing that could value it at more $10 billion, Bloomberg’s Willem Marx asks The Big Question: How does Uber make its money? (Source: Bloomberg) Source: Bloomberg.com – video report Date: May 30, 2014 Link: http://www.bloomberg.com/video/how-does-uber-make-money-SLy8gcRXTHGAnII9oVC1ow.html Questions… Read more »

Ballmer’s $2 Billion Offer Wins Clippers Bidding

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Description: Former Microsoft Corp. (MSFT) Chief Executive Officer Steve Ballmer bought the Los Angeles Clippers for a record $2 billion as the wife of Donald Sterling pushed through the sale without gaining the approval of the embattled owner. Source: Bloomberg.com Date: May 30, 2014 Link: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-05-30/ballmer-s-2-billion-offer-said-to-win-clippers-bidding.html Questions for Discussions: Do you think the price was… Read more »

Carney Says Capitalism Must Reassess Bankers’ ‘Sense of Self’

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Description: Mark Carney wants more “we” and less “me” in global finance. The financial crisis and trading scandals revealed how banks lost their way and staff operated for personal gain without regard to their impact on society, the Bank of England Governor said in a speech yesterday. Rules to prevent such behavior should embody the… Read more »