Here’s How Some Small Banks are Making Big Money

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Description: On today’s “Insight & Action,” Bloomberg’s Adam Johnson looks at the health of small banks on Bloomberg Television’s “Lunch Money.” Source: Bloomberg.com – video report Date: Feb 28, 2014 Link: http://www.businessweek.com/videos/2014-02-28/here-s-how-some-small-banks-are-making-big-money#r=nav-f-video Questions for discussion: What does this report say about the financial status of small US banks in comparison to the larger Wall Street… Read more »

Buffett: We’d like to own more of Heinz

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Description: Warren Buffett may end up putting more money into ketchup maker Heinz. Source: Fortune.com Date: Feb 28, 2014 Link: http://finance.fortune.cnn.com/2014/03/01/buffett-heinz/ Questions for discussion: Summarize the highlights presented in this report. Do you think the investment in Heinz was a good one? Would you be buying more?

Institutional ownership of Apple stock reaches new 5-year low

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Description: Institutional ownership of large-cap stocks is currently at high levels, but there is one glaring exception to that trend: Apple, which is currently at a five-year low among hedge funds, banks, mutual funds, and other powerful types of financial institutions. Source: Appleinsider.com Date: Feb 26, 2014 Link: http://appleinsider.com/articles/14/02/26/institutional-ownership-of-apple-stock-reaches-new-5-year-low Questions for Discussions: Summarize the financial… Read more »

WhatsApp with Facebook’s $19B offer?

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Description: Facebook’s biggest deal ever. Why is Mark Zuckerberg paying $19 Billion for messaging app WhatsApp? Laurie Segall reports. Source: CNNMoney.com – video report Date: Feb 19, 2014 Link: http://money.cnn.com/video/technology/2014/02/19/t-facebook-whatsapp-19-billion.cnnmoney/index.html Questions for Discussions: How did Facebook go about evaluating WhatsApp? Do you believe it was a good deal for both sides? How can this acquisition… Read more »

What happened to the correction?

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

Description: Investors are shrugging off lackluster economic numbers. Stocks are once again pushing toward record highs. So what happened to that market correction everyone was talking about? Source: CNNMoney.com – video report Date: Feb 21, 2014 Link: http://money.cnn.com/video/investing/2014/02/21/bears-hibernating-market-correction-job-growth-dow-fed-taper.cnnmoney/index.html Questions for Discussions: What does the report say about the correction and corrections in general? Why does… Read more »

Are the Markets Headed for Another Huge Drop?

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Description: Swan Wealth Advisors Director of Trading & Investments Mark Sebastian and Bloomberg’s Matt Miller discuss the state of the markets and investing in volatility in “On The Markets” on Bloomberg Television’s “Street Smart.” (Source: Bloomberg) Source: Bloomberg.com – video report Date: Feb 20, 2014 Link: http://www.businessweek.com/videos/2014-02-20/are-the-markets-headed-for-another-huge-drop#r=nav-f-video Questions for discussion: Summarize the key metrics that… Read more »

Fed transcripts: Bernanke chose to let Lehman fail

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Description: FORTUNE — September 15, 2008 was a watershed moment for the financial crisis that consigned much of the world to an economic malaise from which we are still recovering. That day, government officials hastily arranged a sale of investment bank Merrill Lynch to Bank of America, while another bank — Lehman Brothers — was… Read more »

Gold-miner stock rally has just begun

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Description: Less than two months into the year, gold miners have recouped more than a third of what they lost last year, and the rally may still have a lot more room to run. Source: Marketwatch.com Date: Feb 21, 2014 Link: http://www.marketwatch.com/story/gold-miners-stock-rally-has-just-begun-2014-02-21?dist=countdown Questions for Discussions: Summarize the financial analysis presented for gold and gold stocks…. Read more »

Cisco: Tons of cash, little growth

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Description: Poor Cisco. It was the only Dow stock to miss out on Tuesday’s Janet Yellen rally. With lackluster earnings due out after the bell, it’s no wonder investors are nervous. Source: CNNMoney.com – video report Date: Feb 12, 2014 Link: http://money.cnn.com/video/investing/2014/02/12/investing-the-buzz-cisco-john-chambers-juniper-f5-palo-alto.cnnmoney/index.html Questions for Discussions: Explain Cisco’s stock price movements. Why have investors moved away?… Read more »

World’s hottest diamond markets

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Description: De Beers CEO Phillipe Mellier says the hottest diamond markets in the world are the U.S. and China. Source: CNNMoney.com – video report Date: Feb 14, 2014 Link: http://money.cnn.com/video/news/2014/02/14/wbt-de-beers-group-ceo-phillipe-mellier-diamond-industry-valentines-day.cnnmoney/index.html Questions for Discussions: What is the state of the diamond market and De Beers in particular? Would you be an investor is the industry?