Description: Japan and South Korea moved on Friday to reduce their dependence on China’s rare earth metals amid fears export reductions by Beijing could be the trigger for a broader trade conflict as nations joust over currencies. Source:Â Reuters.com Date: 10/22/2010 Link: http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE69L27D20101022 Questions for discussion: Summarize the activities reported and their significance for investors… Read more »
Posts Categorized: Industry Analysis
Coal India Plans Nation’s Largest IPO as Asia Offerings Surge
Description: Coal India Ltd. will sell as much as 151.54 billion rupees ($3.4 billion) of shares in the nation’s biggest initial public offering, helping the government raise funds to build roads and power plants as IPOs in Asia surge. Source: Bloomberg.com Date: 10/13/2010 Link: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2010-10-12/coal-india-to-sell-stock-at-225-rupees-to-245-rupees-in-initial-share-sale.html Questions for discussion: Summarize the activities reported and their significance… Read more »
Rum Battle in Caribbean Leaves Tax Hangover
Description: Rum and politics have made a fiery mix since America’s earliest days, when a young politician named George Washington won election to the House of Burgesses in colonial Virginia with the help of spiked punch at the polls. Source: NYTimes.com  Date: 10/15/2010 Link: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/16/business/16rum.html?ref=business Questions for discussion: What does this report have to… Read more »
IBM Hits Record as Palmisano Focuses on Software, Services
Description: International Business Machines Corp. rose to the highest level since it went public in 1915 as investors show support for Chief Executive Officer Sam Palmisano’s strategy of remaking the 99-year-old company. Source: Bloomberg.com Date: 10/07/2010 Link: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2010-10-07/ibm-rises-to-highest-closing-price-since-computer-company-s-1915-offering.html  Questions for discussion: Summarize the strategies used by Sam Palmisano to boost IBM share value. Do… Read more »
Emerging Markets Head for Record Bond Sales as Yields Plunge
Description: Emerging-market borrowers are on course to sell more bonds than ever this year after yields hit record lows and developing economies rebounded faster from the credit crisis than advanced nations. Source: Bloomberg.com Date: 10/01/2010 Link: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2010-10-01/emerging-markets-head-for-record-sales-of-bonds-as-yields-plunge-to-lows.html  Questions for discussion: Why are emerging market bond sales soaring? What risks are there to this investing… Read more »
Housing market rebounds — sort of
Description: Although construction company shares and new home starts are up, Buzz readers are skeptical about a recovery in the housing sector Source: CNNMoney.com – video report  Date: 09/22/2010 Link: http://money.cnn.com/video/news/2010/09/22/n_bz_housing.cnnmoney/ Questions for discussion: Summarize the range of commentary made about the housing market. Do you agree with any of the analysis presented? How… Read more »
Facebook Sells Your Friends
Description: How Facebook plans to leverage its 550 million users into the greatest advertising juggernaut since … O.K., only since Google. That’s still huge. Source: Businessweek.com  Date: 09/22/2010 Link: http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/10_40/b4197064860826.htm Questions for discussion: Summarize the financial evaluations made in the article for Facebook? As an investor, how would you play Facebook? What would your… Read more »
U.S. REITs Use Stock Sales to Grow After `Balance-Sheet Repair’
Description: U.S. real estate investment trusts are selling shares to fund property acquisitions after using record cash from equity offerings last year to reduce debt and cover dividends. Source: Bloomberg.com Date: 09/24/2010 Link: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2010-09-24/u-s-reits-balance-sheet-repair-gives-way-to-deals-as-stock-sales-advance.html  Questions for discussion: How are these firms restructuring their finances? What is driving this behavior? Do you believe it is… Read more »
How the Best-Known Brand in Golf is Navigating the Global Economy
Description:Â Like a weekend duffer playing through a summer squall, the golf industry has weathered brutal conditions in recent years. Callaway, the Carlsbad, California-based golf equipment maker, has hardly been immune to the ill winds. After banner years in 2007 and 2008, the company encountered the economic storm that struck the entire industry in 2009,… Read more »
AM Report: The Fed Gains Power, Responsibility
Description:Â With financial reform clearing Congress, the Fed has emerged as perhaps the pre-eminent financial regulator, but that could only bring it added blame if things go wrong again. Jon Hilsenrath, Evan Newmark and Kelly Evans discuss. Also, Jennifer Valentino-DeVries discusses Apple’s options ahead of its anticipated press conference on the troubled iPhone-4. Source: Marketwatch.com… Read more »
