Description:  In 2007, Brazilian geologists made the biggest oil find in the Americas in three decades. Buried more than five miles below sea-level, the discovery was estimated to raise the country’s crude reserves by 62 percent. Source: Bloomberg.com Date: 03/13/2012 Link: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-03-13/brazil-faces-new-oil-boom-curse-as-the-world-s-resource-engine.html Questions for discussion: Summarize the issues raised in the article about resource based… Read more »
Posts Categorized: Growth & Valuation
Laszlo Birinyi moves against the current
Description: Birinyi is an unusual (and successful) brand of contrarian – and he’s feeling relatively bullish these days. Source: Fortune.com Date: 03/09/2012 Link: http://finance.fortune.cnn.com/2012/03/09/laszlo-birinyi-market-bull/?iid=SF_F_River Questions for discussion: Summarize the opinions presented by Laszlo Birinyi. Do you agree with his views?
End of Days for Independent Pharmacies?
Description:Â Â When patients arrive at Woods Pharmacy & Prescription in Mountain View, Ark., pharmacist Dana Woods greets them by name. In a town of 3,000, where Woods has owned the $2 million pharmacy and soda fountain for 26 years, he usually also knows their parents, their children, and their medications. Source:Â Businessweek.com Date: 03/08/2012 Link:Â … Read more »
Kingfisher Air Shunned as Cash Crunch Disrupts India Flights
Description: Anurag Chadha had one thing to say after flight disruptions at billionaire Vijay Mallya’s Kingfisher Airlines Ltd. (KAIR) curtailed his holiday plans. Source: Bloomberg.com Date: 03/09/2012 Link: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-03-09/kingfisher-air-passenger-says-never-again-as-cash-crunch-disrupts-flights.html Questions for discussion: What are the reasons for this firm’s cash flow problems? What are the consequences? How typical is this scenario for other firms dependent… Read more »
Green Mountain falls as Starbucks takes on Keurig
Description:Â Â Shares in Green Mountain Coffee Roasters Inc (GMCR.O) tumbled 14 percent on Friday, on fears that it may lose its near monopoly in the U.S. single-cup coffee market after partner Starbucks Corp (SBUX.O) outlined plans to launch a rival coffee and espresso machine. Source:Â Reuters.com Date: 03/09/2012 Link:Â http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/03/09/us-greenmountaincoffeeroasters-shares-idUSBRE8280MF20120309 Questions for discussion: Why have… Read more »
How Twitter predicts the stock market
Description: If you think tweets are worthless, you’re wrong. A professor has developed a program that uses tweets to predict where markets are headed. Source: CNNMoney.com – video report Date: 02/21/2012 Link: http://money.cnn.com/video/markets/2012/02/20/mkts_twitter_markets.cnnmoney/ Questions for discussion: Describe the basis for the predictive model. Why do you think it makes sense to some analysts? How does… Read more »
Raining on Facebook’s IPO
Description: Fortune’s Allan Sloan says Facebook’s IPO is full of the same hypocrisy, hype and arrogance found in most Wall Street offerings. Source: CNNMoney.com – video report Date: 02/17/2012 Link: http://money.cnn.com/video/technology/2012/02/16/t_sloan_facebook_ipo.fortune/ Questions for discussion: Summarize the opinions presented by Allan Sloan. Do you agree with his views?
Copper Traders Most Bullish in Two Months as Hedge Funds Buy: Commodities
Description: Copper traders are the most bullish in two months on speculation that demand will strengthen from the U.S. to China at a time when stockpiles monitored by the world’s biggest metals exchange are at a 2 1/2 year low. Source: Bloomberg.com Date: 02/24/2012 Link: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-02-24/copper-traders-most-bullish-in-two-months-as-hedge-funds-buy-commodities.html Questions for discussion: Explain the price movements in commodities… Read more »
Ask an Expert: ‘Shark Tank’ shows entrepreneurs how to swim
Description: Q: Lately I have been watching the TV show “Shark Tank” and really like it. What always amazes me is that the people whose products I don’t like often get money and those that I do like get nothing. Why is that? — Jaime Source: USAToday.com Date: 02/20/2012 Link: http://www.usatoday.com/money/smallbusiness/columnist/strauss/story/2012-02-19/shark-tank-small-business-steve-strauss/53138174/1 Questions for discussion: Summarize… Read more »
For Small Theaters, the Digital Future Is Dark
Description:Â Independent movie houses scramble to pay for expensive new gear Source: Businessweek.com Date: 02/17/2012 Link:Â http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/for-small-theaters-the-digital-future-is-dark-02162012.html Questions for discussion: Explain the problems and solutions being presented for these small businesses. Do you think they will be successful? Are there alternative financial strategies?
