Coal India Plans Nation’s Largest IPO as Asia Offerings Surge

Posted by & filed under Company Analysis, Governments & Regulators, Industry Analysis.

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 for investors.

  • What is the significance of the shift in financial structuring taking place?
  • How might you expect investors to respond to this development?
  • What does this suggest about the role played by the respective governments?
  • How can currency fluctuations affect investor decision-making?

Rum Battle in Caribbean Leaves Tax Hangover

Posted by & filed under Governments & Regulators, Industry Analysis.

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 say about the relationship between governments and businesses?
  • Are there winners and losers in this situation?
  • What should the governments and businesses involved do?
  • Does this situation affect investors?

BullHorn: Gap logo, MSFT, ADBE

Posted by & filed under Economic Analysis.

Description: LULU and FOSL have been ridiculously hot stocks this year. Gap has a new silly logo. Microsoft and Adobe rumors are just melodrama.

Source: CNNMoney.com  – video report

Date: 10/08/2010

Link: http://money.cnn.com/video/markets/2010/10/08/mkts_bh_fashion_msft_adbe.cnnmoney/

Questions for discussion:

  • Summarize the reports on each company.
  • Do you agree with these assessments?
  • What would your investment strategy be with respect to these companies?

Markets Hub: Maybe It Is a Currency War

Posted by & filed under Economic Analysis.

Description: It’s not just the Bank of Japan; central banks from Brazil to South Korea are trying to tamp down their currencies, which is driving up commodities like gold and crude, as well as stocks. Anna Raff, Mike Reid and Paul Vigna discuss.

Source:  Marketwatch.com – video report
  
Date: 10/04/2010

Link:  http://www.marketwatch.com/video/asset/markets-hub-maybe-it-is-a-currency-war/08AD6BBE-77FC-43FD-BB72-018865ECDDDE

Questions for discussion:

  • Summarize the analysis presented?
  • What is your read for currencies and commodities?
  • What is your economic forecast for the next six months?
  • What strategies would you recommend to investors?

Investor safe haven or bubble about to burst?

Posted by & filed under Economic Analysis, Financial analysis.

Description:  Corporate bonds have been on a tear since the market collapse of 2008, as investors sought refuge from a tumultuous stock market.

Source:  CNNMoney.com
 
Date: 10/08/2010

Link: http://money.cnn.com/2010/10/08/markets/bondcenter/corporate_bonds/index.htm

Questions for discussion: 

  • Summarize the analysis presented in the article?
  • Do you agree with the opinions presented?
  • How would you approach investing in bonds?

IBM Hits Record as Palmisano Focuses on Software, Services

Posted by & filed under Company Analysis, Industry Analysis.

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 you believe there are other actions that should or could be taken?
  • How significant was the buy-back to the share price movement?
  • How much of the share value improvement was due to financial management decisions?

I.M.F. Doesn’t Press China on Currency

Posted by & filed under Economic Analysis, Governments & Regulators.

Description: The world’s financial leaders failed on Saturday to reach agreement on how to contain an escalating currency dispute that has threatened to undermine global cooperation on economic recovery.

Source: NYTimes.com
 
Date: 10/09/2010

Link: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/10/business/global/10imf.html?_r=1&ref=business

Questions for discussion:

  • Summarize the situation and the concerns over currencies.
  • What role should be played by the IMF and other financial players?
  • What do you believe will happen over the next six months?
  • How should financial managers of firms that are affected by fluctuations in currencies prepare?

The Income Appeal of Dividend-Paying Stocks

Posted by & filed under Economic Analysis.

Description:  Ed Perks, lead manager of Franklin Income Fund, explains why dividend-paying stocks are attractive and looks at how they can be affected by deflation or inflation.

Source:  Marketwatch.com – video report
 
Date: 10/01/2010

Link: http://www.marketwatch.com/video/asset/the-income-appeal-of-dividend-paying-stocks/102E4918-98D8-4881-8317-C128092E3701

Questions for discussion:

  • Summarize the arguments favoring dividend-paying stocks during periods of inflation or deflation?
  • Do you agree with these assessments?
  • What are some concerns investors should have with dividend-paying stocks?
  • What are the advantages of holding dividend-paying stocks versus growth stocks?

Why gold, stocks and bonds are all rising

Posted by & filed under Economic Analysis.

Description: Gold, stocks and bonds rising together reflect the barbell approach investors are taking, Wells Capital Management’s Gary Schlossberg tells Laura Mandaro.

Source:  Marketwatch.com – video report
  
Date: 09/30/2010

Link: http://www.marketwatch.com/video/asset/why-gold-stocks-and-bonds-are-all-rising/87C37AA9-B47A-472E-851D-7F429D9E95CD

Questions for discussion:

  • Summarize the analysis presented?
  • What is your read of the current price movements in the markets?
  • What is your economic forecast for the next six months?
  • What strategies would you recommend to investors?

Time for a Debt Haircut

Posted by & filed under Economic Analysis, Financial Planning.

Description:  Ireland is struggling to cover its bank debt and U.S. homeowners are wheezing, too. Peter Coy says the next step should be debt writedowns.

Source:  Businessweek.com
 
Date: 09/30/2010

Link: http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/10_41/b4198005675038.htm

Questions for discussion: 

  • Summarize the economic and financial analysis presented in the article?
  • Do you agree with the notion that debt will have to be cut back, causing economic problems for Irish economic growth?
  • How would you approach investing in Irish debt and stocks, in general and the firms mentioned in the article, in particular?