Description: If you thought the housing crisis was bad, think again. Source: Marketwatch.com Date: 05/09/2011 Link: http://www.marketwatch.com/story/housing-crash-is-getting-worse-2011-05-09?siteid=nwtwk Questions for discussion: Summarize the issues raised in the report. What is your view about residential real estate prices and their influence on the economy? How would you approach this market, as an investor in builders?
Posts Tagged: Debt
Interest Rates to Rise in 2012: Bond Fund Manager
Description: The Federal Reserve will end its bond-purchase program in June but will put off raising interest rates until next year, says Jeff Given, a bond fund manager at John Hancock. He sees rates on the 10-year climbing to a range of 4 to 4.5% vs. 3.5% today. Interview by MarketWatch’s Deborah Levine. Source: Moneywatch.com… Read more »
Banks slashed small business lending by $43 billion
Description:Â The numbers back up what small business owners have been saying for two years: Main Street suffered a brutal credit crunch. Source:Â CNNMoney.com Date: 02/11/2011 Link:Â http://money.cnn.com/2011/02/11/smallbusiness/small_business_lending_drop/index.htm Questions for discussion:Â Do you believe there was a credit crunch for small business? How differently were bigger businesses treated by the banks? How much affect do… Read more »
Borders Nearing Bankruptcy Filing
Description: Borders Group Inc. is in the final stages of preparing a bankruptcy filing after failing to persuade publishers and others to go along with a plan to refinance the troubled bookstore chain’s debt. Source: Marketwatch.com Date: 02/12/2011 Link: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704329104576138353865644420.html?mod=MKTW Questions for discussion: What is Borders’ value today? Make the case for a merger with another firm as… Read more »
Ford’s quarterly profit climbs 69%
Description:Â Ford Motor Co. (F) reported a 69% jump in third-quarter earnings Tuesday, marking five straight quarterly profits for the resurgent auto giant as it moves to slash debt and meet pension obligations. In addition, Ford said it would pay down $2 billion of debt and use cash to fully prepay the remaining $3.6 billion… Read more »
Fed’s Bond Buying Won’t Help
Description: Whatever the Federal Reserve does to lower interest rates further won’t help the U.S. economy, according to First Pacific Advisors fund manager Tom Atteberry, who says that’ll just weaken the dollar and hurt savers. Deborah Levine reports. Source: Marketwatch.com – video report Date: 10/21/2010 Link: http://www.marketwatch.com/video/asset/fed-bond-buying-wont-help/1ABF00C0-B59C-492E-A0B3-E66664FBBB7E Questions for discussion: Summarize the main comments made… Read more »
Investor safe haven or bubble about to burst?
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?
Time for a Debt Haircut
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… Read more »
Sanofi Said to Get $10 Billion Loans for Genzyme Bid
Description: Sanofi-Aventis SA, France’s largest drugmaker, got about $10 billion of underwritten loans to back its bid for U.S. biotechnology company Genzyme Corp., two people familiar with the situation said . Source: Bloomberg.com  Date: 09/10/2010 Link: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2010-09-10/sanofi-said-to-get-10-billion-loans-for-genzyme-bid.html Questions for discussion: What does this report have to say about the financial state of some European… Read more »
Reliance Communications Said to Cut $3 Billion Debt Selling Towers to GTL
Description: Billionaire Anil Ambani’s Reliance Communications Ltd. will cut its debt by at least $3 billion by selling its mobile-phone transmission towers, people familiar with the deal said. Source: Bloomberg.com  Date: 06/27/2010 Link: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2010-06-27/gtl-to-buy-reliance-communications-towers-to-expand-mobile-phone-network.html Questions for discussion: Summarize the transaction described in the report? What were the benefits derived for each side? How will… Read more »
