How to invest when you feel really good

Posted by & filed under Financial analysis, Market Analysis.

Description: Bloomberg’s Eric Balchunas looks at how to play rising investor confidence with ETFs. He speaks with Adam Johnson on Bloomberg Television’s “Street Smart.” Cantor Fitzgerald’s Peter Cecchini also comments. (Source: Bloomberg) Source: Bloomberg.com – video report Date: Nov 01, 2013 Link: http://bloom.bg/HtiS5D#ooid=xxeHNuZzq6yrqSmVDyle3l6TeLCdpGyo Questions for Discussions: Summarize the strategies suggested and their relationship with confidence… Read more »

Wells Fargo now most profitable bank in U.S.

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

Description: In another sign of the huge changes within the banking business since the financial crisis, Wells Fargo (WFC) is on pace to make more money this year than any other bank in the U.S. Source: Fortune.com Date: Nov 01, 2013 Link: http://finance.fortune.cnn.com/2013/11/01/wells-fargo/?iid=SF_F_River Questions for Discussions: Explain the reasons for the success of the firm…. Read more »

Is peer-to-peer lending online the future?

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

Description: Lending Club Founder and CEO Renaud Laplanche is disrupting traditional banking by getting investors to lend directly to consumers online. Source: CNNMoney.com – video report Date: Oct 25, 2013 Link: http://money.cnn.com/video/investing/2013/10/25/investing-lending-club-peer-to-peer-loans-banking.cnnmoney/index.html Questions for Discussions: Describe the business model presented in this report. What are the pros and cons to the regular banking system? Do… Read more »

An Intriguing Product That’s Too Complex for Many

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

Description: The sales pitches go something like this: A mutual fund that promises to zig when the rest of the stock market zags. Bond funds that protect investors when interest rates rise. Access to the most sophisticated hedge fund managers in the country, even if you’re not particularly wealthy. Source: NYTimes.com Date: Oct 25, 2013… Read more »

In defense of hedge funds

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

Description: Despite plenty of press indicating hedge funds do not beat the broader market, SkyBridge Capital founder Anthony Scaramucci says he can pick winners. Source: CNNMoney.com – video report Date: Oct 18, 2013 Link: http://money.cnn.com/video/investing/2013/10/18/investing-hedge-funds-return-anthony-scaramucci-skybridge-baseball.cnnmoney/index.html Questions for Discussions: What do you think of Anthony Scaramucci’s metaphorical comparison of hedge fund managers to baseball players? Do… Read more »

Shiller predicts more property bubbles

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

Description: Economist and Nobel laureate Robert Shiller thinks human beings are ‘irrational in many ways,’ and sees a number of property bubbles forming around the world right now. Source: CNNMoney.com – video report Date: Oct 15, 2013 Link: http://money.cnn.com/video/news/2013/10/15/n-robert-shiller-nobel-economics-people-irrational-behavioral-finance.cnnmoney/index.html Questions for discussion: What does Robert Shiller think about human judgement? Do you agree with his… Read more »

How money managers deal with D.C. gridlock

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

Description: Money managers sound off on the shutdown that has clients pulling their money out of the markets. Source: CNNMoney.com – video report Date: Oct 09, 2013 Link: http://money.cnn.com/video/news/2013/10/09/n-money-managers-shutdown-washington.cnnmoney/index.html Questions for Discussions: What are the different ways money managers are responding to the concerns over political gridlock? Which strategy has been the most successful thus… Read more »

Default would be catastrophic for big banks

Posted by & filed under Company Analysis, Economic Analysis, Financial analysis, Financial Planning, Governments & Regulators, Growth & Valuation, Management Issues.

Description: If you think the JPMorgan and Wells Fargo earnings reports were disappointing, just wait until the fourth quarter if the shutdown continues and a debt default occurs. Source: Fortune.com Date: Oct 11, 2013 Link: http://finance.fortune.cnn.com/2013/10/11/shutdown-default-banks/?iid=SF_F_River Questions for discussion: Explain the reason for the dire predictions if the current government shut down continues. What does… Read more »

Tech stocks partying like its 1999

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

Description: Shares of internet companies like Priceline, Yelp, Facebook, Netflix and Yahoo are at or near all-time or multi-year highs, thanks to solid profits and revenue prospects. But is this another bubble waiting to burst? Source: CNNMoney.com – video report Date: Oct 03, 2013 Link: http://money.cnn.com/video/investing/2013/10/03/investing-the-buzz-tech-stocks.cnnmoney/index.html Questions for Discussions: Do you think a tech bubble… Read more »

Icahn Pushes Apple CEO for $150 Billion Share Buyback

Posted by & filed under Financial analysis, Growth & Valuation, Management Issues.

Description: Carl Icahn, who disclosed a $1 billion stake in Apple Inc. (AAPL) in August, said he had dinner with Chief Executive Officer Tim Cook and “pushed hard” for a $150-billion share buyback. Source: Bloomberg.com – video report Date: Oct 01, 2013 Link: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-10-01/apple-s-cook-pushed-hard-by-icahn-for-150-billion-buyback.html Questions for discussion: Summarize the financial plan proposed by Carl Icahn…. Read more »