A Lost Decade for Savers

Posted by & filed under Economic Analysis, Financial Planning.

Description:  The 1990s were a lost decade for Japan. The 2000s delivered a lost decade to U.S. investors. Now, five years into the onset of the financial crisis, with stock and bond markets booming, housing resurgent, and even Detroit redeemed, it’s savers who find themselves in a lost decade.

Source: Businessweek.com

Date: Sep 26, 2012

Link:  http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2012-09-26/a-lost-decade-for-savers#r=hpt-lst

Questions for Discussions:

  • Describe the financial condition for savers.
  • Why has this situation come about according to the reporter?
  • Do you see a pattern in the way in which groups are rewarded and then at times punished by decision-makers?

RIM Defies Critics by Finding BlackBerry Sales Overseas

Posted by & filed under Company Analysis, Growth & Valuation, Industry Analysis.

Description:  Research In Motion Ltd. (RIMM)’s sales of the BlackBerry smartphone trounced estimates last quarter as it gained ground in emerging markets, signaling that the company may still have a future in the age of the iPhone.

Source: Bloomberg.com

Date: Sep 28, 2012

Link:  http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-09-28/rim-defies-critics-by-finding-blackberry-sales-overseas.html

Questions for Discussions:

  • Summarize the financial situation at RIM.
  • Why has the stock rebounded?
  • What tare he key positive and negative metrics directing the stock price?
  • Would you be a buyer?
  • Would you short the stock?

Sprint gets iPhone 5 bump

Posted by & filed under Company Analysis, Growth & Valuation, Industry Analysis, Management Issues.

Description:  Shares of Sprint are up on iPhone 5 mania. But is the struggling wireless carrier a better bet than Apple, AT&T and Verizon?

Source: CNNMoney.com – video report

Date: Sep 20, 2012

Link: http://money.cnn.com/video/investing/2012/09/20/investing-sprint-iphone-5.cnnmoney/

Questions for Discussions:

  • What explains Sprint’s rise in price?
  • What are the negative aspects related to investing in this firm?
  • Would you be a buyer at this time?

Analyst: We See Apple Hitting $800 a Share

Posted by & filed under Company Analysis, Growth & Valuation, Industry Analysis.

Description: Alliance Bernstein senior analyst Toni Sacconaghi joins digits to explain the firm’s aggressive outlook for Apple and any tech sector forces that could curb the form’s outlook as well. Photo: Getty Images.

Source: Moneywatch.com – video report

Date: Sep 21, 2012

Link: http://on.wsj.com/RFKDLo

Questions for Discussions:

  • What is driving the share price of Apple?
  • Why are there concerns that the trend may stop abruptly at some point soon?
  • What are some specific products and services that Apple can provide in the future in order to continue growing revenues?
  • Would you be an investor in Apple at this time?

Medicare Bills Rise as Records Turn Electronic

Posted by & filed under Financial analysis, Governments & Regulators, Management Issues.

Description:  When the federal government began providing billions of dollars in incentives to push hospitals and physicians to use electronic medical and billing records, the goal was not only to improve efficiency and patient safety, but also to reduce health care costs.

Source: NYTimes.com

Date: Sep 21, 2012

Link:  http://www.nytimes.com/2012/09/22/business/medicare-billing-rises-at-hospitals-with-electronic-records.html?_r=1&hp

Questions for Discussions:

  • What are the explanations in the report for rising health care costs?
  • How can they be controlled better by administrators using the same technology that is generating the increases?

Stung by Losses, Main Street Investors Fail to Notice Market’s Rebound

Posted by & filed under Financial Planning, Market Analysis.

Description:  Although the memory of Lehman Brothers’ 2008 collapse may be fading on Wall Street, the shock still lingers on Main Street—and may again be hurting ordinary investors. A new survey of individual investors is a reminder of just how much we are primal creatures that remember the pain of loss more than the joy of gains

Source: Businessweek.com

Date: Sep 19, 2012

Link:  http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2012-09-19/stung-by-loss-main-street-investors-dont-see-markets-rebound#r=hpt-fs

Questions for Discussions:

  • What is the significance of the lack of response by small investors to stock market performance?
  • What is the explanation for this behavior?
  • Do you believe it is likely to remain true for many more years to come?

Do shaken transport stocks signal a sell?

Posted by & filed under Company Analysis, Economic Analysis, Growth & Valuation, Industry Analysis, Market Analysis.

Description:  Commentary: Rough week for FedEx, railroads rattles Dow Theorists

Source: Marketwatch.com

Date: Sep 21, 2012

Link:  http://www.marketwatch.com/story/do-shaken-transport-stocks-signal-a-sell-2012-09-21

Questions for Discussions:

  • Summarize the theory that concerns some investors at this time.
  • Do you think there is reason to be concerned?
  • What else might explain a decline in the transportation sector that is disconnected to the rest of the Dow performance?

 

The economy 4 years after Lehman

Posted by & filed under Company Analysis, Economic Analysis, Governments & Regulators, Growth & Valuation, Industry Analysis, Management Issues, Market Analysis.

Description: CNNMoney takes a look at Wall Street jobs and where the country’s money is concentrated four years after Lehman Brothers went bankrupt.

Source: CNNMoney.com – video report

Date: Sep 14, 2012

Link: http://money.cnn.com/video/news/2012/09/14/n-economy-four-years-after-lehman-collapse.cnnmoney/

Questions for Discussions:

  • Summarize the changes that have taken place during the past four years.
  • What change can be considered “for the better” and what would you say is still worrisome?
  • Where do you see the economy and the financial services industry going for the next four years?

Why It May Be Too Late for QE3

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

Description: Paul Vigna and Spencer Jakab discuss why another round of bond buying may be wishful thinking, and Miriam Gottfried looks at what a hologram of Tupac means for investors. Photo: Reuters.

Source: Moneywatch.com – video report

Date: Sep 13, 2012

Link: http://on.wsj.com/ROw9CJ

Questions for Discussions:

  • Summarize the analysis presented in this report.
  • Do you believe QE3 will be beneficial for the markets?
  • How would you suggest investors respond to QE3?

Apple’s iPhone 5 Is Worth More Than The Efforts Of The Federal Reserve

Posted by & filed under Economic Analysis, Financial analysis, Governments & Regulators, Growth & Valuation.

Description: “In the face of “a suboptimal recovery” the Fed said it would persist until the outlook for the job market improves “substantially”, but a sceptical Mr Warsh said: “The iPhone 5 is going to do more for the real economy than QE3?.

Source:  Forbes.com

Date: Sep 14, 2012

Link:  http://www.forbes.com/sites/timworstall/2012/09/15/apples-iphone-5-is-worth-more-than-the-efforts-of-the-federal-reserve/

Questions for discussion:

  • Summarize the main point presented in this report.
  • What are the reasons supporting this argument?
  • Do you agree with the sentiment?
  • What is the message to regulators and governments seeking ways to stimulate the economy?