U.S. Could Have Let GM Fail on Its Own
Wikimedia CommonsIn the light of a decision by the U.S. Treasury to sell the remainder of its shares in General Motors Co. (NYSE: GM) at a loss of $12 billion to taxpayers, proponents of the bailout…
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Douglas A. McIntyre
Media Digest (12/20/2012) Reuters, WSJ, NY Times, FT, Bloomberg
thinkstockThe Bank of Japan begins new stimulus, pressed by an administration just voted into office. (Reuters) IntercontinentalExchange Inc. (NYSE: ICE) may buy NYSE Euronext Inc. (NYSE: NYX). (Reuters) Kodak sells $525 million in patents…
What’s Important in the Financial World (12/19/2012)
ThinkstockGerman Business Climate The business climate in Germany reversed a bit last month after several months of decline. The news comes as a surprise as the balance of the continent slips into recession. According…
Fiscal Cliff Still Not a Worry for Americans
ThinkstockIf the fiscal cliff is a crossroads for consumer confidence, consumer spending, job creation and business expansion, many Americans still remain unconcerned. That may be why holiday shopping numbers have stayed strong, unemployment has slipped below…
As Foreign Cars Dominate Luxury Market, Cadillac Pushed Down List
courtesy of General MotorsDespite the launch of a number of new models, Cadillac’s share of luxury car sales in the United States continues to be less than modest, as the sales of brands from…
Media Digest (12/19/2012) Reuters, WSJ, NY Times, FT, Bloomberg
courtesy of NetflixUBS A.G. (NYSE: UBS) admits fraud in the Libor case and will pay $1.5 billion. (Reuters) Ford Motor Co. (NYSE: F) says a large number of recalls have not hurt sales. (Reuters) An…
Eight Amazing Home Amenities for the Rich
Not every high-net-worth individual will spend what it takes to build or buy a dream home. But quite a few will pop for a luxurious amenity that may enhance their lifestyles and the value…
What’s Important in the Financial World (12/18/2012)
ThinkstockIBM 5 in 5 International Business Machines Corp. (NYSE: IBM) put out its “5 in 5,” detailing five important features computers will have in five years. The IBM forecast indicates computers could be nearly human…
Morgan Stanley’s Tiny $5 Million Facebook Fine
courtesy Facebook Inc.Morgan Stanley (NYSE: MS) was fined $5 million for its role in the botched Facebook Inc. (NASDAQ: FB) initial public offering. The Secretary of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, William Galvin, set the fine.…
Samsung Ups Ante Against Apple with Galaxy Grand
courtesy of SamsungSamsung has a miniature army of smartphones that have been built to take on the Apple Inc. (NASDAQ: AAPL) iPhone. Some have posted impressive sales, particularly the Galaxy S III. Not wanting…
Who Is Buying All the Gun Company Stock?
ThinkstockInvestors abandoned shares of Smith & Wesson Holding Corp. (NASDAQ: SWHC) and Sturm, Ruger & Co. (NYSE: RGR) after the Newtown shootings. Private equity firm Cerberus Capital Management plans to sell its Remington Outdoor Company…
Best CEOs of 2012
ThinkstockBest CEO lists can be based on dozens of factors. For public companies, the best metric is usually share price. It is hard for chief executives to be considered very good if the shares…
Media Digest (12/18/2012) Reuters, WSJ, NYTimes, FT, Bloomberg
courtesy of AOL, IncA federal judge rejects Apple Inc.’s (NASDAQ: AAPL) request to stop the sales of Samsung phones in the United States. (Reuters) The prices of homes in the People’s Republic are rising…
What’s Important in the Financial World (12/17/2012)
ThinkstockFalling Gasoline Prices Gasoline prices continue to fall, which could be a small counterweight to fiscal cliff effects. The national average price of a gallon of regular dropped to $3.248 yesterday, according to AAA…
California’s Remarkable Unemployment Level
ThinkstockThe governors of the Federal Reserve may believe that a 6.5% national unemployment level is within sight as the current national level has dropped below 8%. But the situation in some states is nearly…
Will Exxon Pass Apple in Market Value?
Wikimedia CommonsApple Inc. (NASDAQ: AAPL) shareholders were thrilled when its market value moved above that of Wal-Mart Stores Inc. (NYSE: WMT), Google Inc. (NASDAQ: GOOG), Microsoft Corp. (NASDAQ: MSFT) and then the world’s largest…
Media Digest (12/17/2012) Reuters, WSJ, FT
courtesy of YouTubeEarly sales of the Apple Inc. (NASDAQ: AAPL) iPhone 5 in China are strong. (Reuters) American International Group Inc. (NYSE: AIG) will raise $6.5 billion through the sale of AIA. (Reuters) Infosys Ltd. (NASDAQ:…
The Boeing 787 Hole Gets Deeper, Questions of Plane’s Safety
courtesy Boeing Co.Each time that Boeing Co. (NYSE: BA) claims that some problem with its 787 Dreamliner is an anomaly, another problem occurs. With each new turn, the question of whether the 787 is safe…
What’s Important in the Financial World (12/14/2012)
ThinkstockGerman Manufacturing Dwindles In a sign that Germany is on the cusp of a recession that would harm the overall recovery of the European Union, its manufacturing sector suffered a severe blow. The flash…
Japan and China: A Tale of Two Economies
ThinkstockHSBC China Manufacturing Purchasing Managers’ Index posted a better-than-expected number of 50.9 for December. The manufacturing sector of the People’s Republic is on the mend. At the same time, the Bank of Japan reported…