Description: Critics ask why many bankers don’t face money-laundering charges Source: Associated Press: VancouverSun.com Date: Dec 19, 2012 Link: http://www.vancouversun.com/business/executives+jail/7719105/story.html#ixzz2FVWyW6mP Questions for Discussions: Do you think some executives should be jailed? What are the implications if they are and what are the implications if they are not jailed? How should financial penalties be decided in… Read more »
Posts Categorized: Governments & Regulators
UBS Is Fined $1.5 Billion for Manipulating Libor Rates
Description: UBS AG (UBSN)’s $1.5 billion fine for rigging global interest rates expands the scandal to include bribery and highlights the influence of a trader in Tokyo who colluded with other banks to align their submissions. Source: Bloomberg.com Date: Dec 19, 2012 Link: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-12-19/ubs-libor-fine-soars-as-traders-bribed-brokers-to-fix-libor-rate.html Questions for Discussions: What does this report say about the manner… Read more »
Google Revenues Sheltered in No-Tax Bermuda Soar to $10 Billion
Description: Google Inc. (GOOG) avoided about $2 billion in worldwide income taxes in 2011 by shifting $9.8 billion in revenues into a Bermuda shell company, almost double the total from three years before, filings show. Source: Bloomberg.com Date: Dec 10, 2012 Link: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-12-10/google-revenues-sheltered-in-no-tax-bermuda-soar-to-10-billion.html Questions for Discussions: Explain how tax laws have influenced financial planning at… Read more »
Netflix Shows Facebook Is Not the Internet (Yet)
Description: Not so fast, kiddos. That’s what the Securities and Exchange Commission seems to be saying by warning Netflix (NFLX) that it may sue the company over a single Facebook (FB) update. The SEC’s warning centers on a July 3 Facebook post by Chief Executive Officer Reed Hastings that said Netflix customers streamed more than… Read more »
Velshi: Are we in a recession?
Description: Despite people feeling better about the economy, one prominent economist says we’ve already dipped into a recession. Source: CNNMoney.com – video report Date: Nov 29, 2012 Link: http://money.cnn.com/video/news/2012/11/29/n-velshi-recession-your-money-daily.cnnmoney/ Questions for Discussions: Summarize the arguments for suggesting the US is already in recession? What does each of the four indicators presented represent? Do you believe… Read more »
What Awaits Mark Carney at the Bank of England
Description: He has been touted as the best man for the job, but what exactly can Mark Carney expect when he takes on the role of governor at the Bank of England next year? DeAnne Julius, former MPC member, and Chris Giles, economics editor, lay out some of the challenges to the FT’s Seb Morton-Clark…. Read more »
Why mortgage deduction may sail by fiscal cliff
Description: Commentary: Initial reports from retailers are unreliable Source: Marketwatch.com Date: Nov 29, 2012 Link: http://www.marketwatch.com/story/why-mortgage-deduction-may-sail-by-fiscal-cliff-2012-11-29?dist=afterbell Questions for Discussions: What are the implications of a move to reform mortgage deductibility? Do you think it can be phased out gradually without causing excessive stress on the housing recovery? How might investments in home building companies be… Read more »
Odds not in Hunger Games publisher’s favor
Description: Scholastic shares are lower on weaker-than-expected sales of Hunger Games and the looming fiscal cliff school budget cuts. Source: CNNMoney.com – video report Date: Nov 21, 2012 Link: http://money.cnn.com/video/investing/2012/11/21/investing-buzz-scholastic-hunger-games-fiscal-cliff.cnnmoney/ Questions for Discussions: Explain the reasons for the stock market decline of Scholastic? Do you think this stock represents a good speculative play on how… Read more »
Why Some M&A Deals Are Best Done In-House
Description: When PPR, the French owner of Gucci, sold a stake in its African distributor CFAO in August, it didn’t use an investment bank to handle the transaction. Instead, the company turned to an in-house mergers-and-acquisitions team led by a former France Telecom (FTE) M&A executive. “When we can, we do it on our own,  Read more »
Fed Looks to Send Clear Rate-Hike Signals
Description: The Federal Reserve is inching closer to revamping its communications strategy by stating more explicitly than ever before what would get officials to raise short-terms interest rates. Source: Moneywatch.com – video report Date: Nov 13, 2012 Link: http://on.wsj.com/QEUT6E Questions for Discussions: What are the implications for providing clearly defined triggers for interest rate changes?… Read more »
