Groupon IPO: Tech boom or bubble?

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

Description: Deal site Groupon and music service Pandora could continue the tech IPO boom started by LinkedIn and Renren. Source: CNNMoney.com – video report Date: 06/03/2011 Link: http://money.cnn.com/video/markets/2011/06/03/mkts_groupon_pandora.cnnmoney/ Questions for discussion: Do you think there is a bubble forming in these tech stocks? Do you think these firms are raising sufficient funds for growth purposes?… Read more »

Fed – 0% interest fallout

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

Description: Thomas Hoenig, head of the Kansas City Federal Reserve Bank says 0% interest rates lead to inflation and economic imbalances, with an unclear long-term impact. Source: CNNMoney.com – video report Date: 06/01/2011 Link: http://money.cnn.com/video/news/2011/06/01/n_ss_hoenig_gps.cnnmoney/ Questions for discussion: Do you agree with the economic arguments made by Mr Hoenig? What are the consequences for businesses… Read more »

U.S. stock investors to focus on Fed, Apple, OPEC

Posted by & filed under Economic Analysis.

Description: U.S. stock investors, bruised by five straight weeks of losses, will watch how the Federal Reserve responds to a spate of bleak economic data — which could include its Beige Book report — for an indication of whether the market will fall further. Source: Moneywatch.com – video report Date: 06/04/2011 Link: http://www.marketwatch.com/story/us-stock-investors-to-focus-on-fed-apple-opec-2011-06-04 Questions for… Read more »

General Motors Said to Weigh Buying Shares From Treasury

Posted by & filed under Company Analysis, Financial Planning, Governments & Regulators.

Description:  General Motors Co. executives have discussed buying shares from the U.S. Treasury Department to reduce the government’s 33 percent stake in the automaker, three people familiar with the matter said. Source: Businessweek.com Date: 06/03/2011 Link: http://www.businessweek.com/news/2011-06-03/general-motors-said-to-weigh-buying-shares-from-treasury.html Questions for discussion: What do you think is the best financial strategy for the company? What is wrong… Read more »

Sino-Forest fire singes bubble king Paulson

Posted by & filed under Economic Analysis, Financial Planning, Growth & Valuation.

Description: The biggest loser in the latest apparent Chinese reverse merger fraud is John Paulson. Source: Fortune.com Date: 06/03/2011 Link: http://finance.fortune.cnn.com/2011/06/03/sino-forest-fire-singes-bubble-king-paulson/ Questions for discussion: Summarize reasons for the dramatic fall in share value. Do you think there might be illegal activity on somebody’s part? How might the firm mitigate this publicity?

Tiffany dazzles

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

Description:  The luxury jeweler, know for its little blue box, reported a 20% jump in global sales. Signet, owner of Kays and Jared, also fared well. Source: CNNMoney.com – video report Date: 05/26/2011 Link: http://money.cnn.com/video/markets/2011/05/26/mkts_tiffanys_0526.cnnmoney/ Questions for discussion: What significance, if any, is there to the results reported? How do you think investors will react… Read more »

Stocks at One-Month Lows, What Are Insiders Doing?

Posted by & filed under Company Analysis, Management Issues, Market Analysis.

Description: May’s correction affords an unparalleled opportunity to see what insiders really think is going to happen in the market, according to Mark Hulbert, who says it’s pretty telling if they’re selling amid declines. Laura Mandaro reports. Source: Moneywatch.com – video report Date: 05/24/2011 Link: http://www.marketwatch.com/video/asset/stocks-at-one-month-lows-what-are-insiders-doing/C2A11AB8-6CB9-462E-AE89-07415B5A6157 Questions for discussion: Summarize the guidelines for understanding insider… Read more »

What Are the Largest Hedge Funds Holding?

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

Description: W.R. Grace, Potash Corp. and Viacom are among the top holdings of the world’s largest hedge funds, according to Mazin Jadallah, founder and CEO of AlphaClone, who says the funds are overweight materials and also financials. Alistair Barr reports. Source: Moneywatch.com – video report Date: 05/23/2011 Link: http://www.marketwatch.com/video/asset/what-are-the-largest-hedge-funds-holding/4D9E306D-DE9E-433A-B458-9E5721F9B298 Questions for discussion: Summarized the essence… Read more »

Tyler Cowen, America’s Hottest Economist

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

Description:  The George Mason University professor has written a bestseller, The Great Stagnation, keeps an influential blog, and reads way too many books. Source: Businessweek.com Date: 05/26/2011 Link: http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/11_23/b4231066695798.htm Questions for discussion: Explain the meaning of the title. What is the thesis of his book? Are there items you agree or disagree with? What lessons… Read more »

BlackRock’s Rick Rieder takes a stand on bonds

Posted by & filed under Economic Analysis, Financial Planning, Growth & Valuation.

Description: Rick Rieder is not the best-known man in bonds. That honor belongs to Pimco’s Bill Gross, manager of Total Return, the world’s largest bond fund. But Rieder, 49, is a titan in his own right. Source: Fortune.com Date: 05/27/2011 Link: http://money.cnn.com/2011/05/25/pf/rick_rieder_blackrock.fortune/index.htm Questions for discussion: Summarize Rick Rieder’s strategic thinking as reported in the article…. Read more »