Fitch May Downgrade Six EU Nations
Fitch management says that its review of the finances of nations in the EU may cause a downgrade of one to two levels for six countries. So far, downgrades by S&P have not prevented…
All Work
Douglas A. McIntyre
BP May Settle With Justice Department
A Morgan Stanley analysts writes that BP is close to a settlement of US civil and criminal claims over the Deepwater Horizon incident. The sum would be $20 billion to $25 billion. There is…
Eastman Kodak Files for Chapter 11
After a series of mishaps that included running low on money, rumors of bankruptcy, the resignation of three board members, an inability to sell its patents, and the start of several lawsuits based on its…
Apple Closes Gap With Android–Nielsen
The powerful surge of purchases of the Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL) iPhone 4S has helped close the gap between Apple smartphones and those which run the Google Android based OS. According to Nielsen the high-profile…
AT&T Sharply Raises Data Plan Costs
http://platform.twitter.com/widgets/hub.1326407570.htmlAT&T has sharply raised the price it charges many wireless customers for their data plans. The firm said that total usage of its data capacity is rising 40% per year. Under the new plan…
Morgan Stanley Raises Oil Forecast To High End Of $125
Morgan Stanley has raised its forecast for the price of oil to a range of $85 to $125 for the first quarter. According to MarketWatch, the bank’s opinion is that the lower end of…
Kodak Sues Samsung Over Patents
It may be too late, but Eastman Kodak (NYSE: EK) has begun suits against tech companies that it claims violate some of its digital patents. The latest is against the second largest maker of…
Greece Close To Deal With Private Investors–Bloomberg
A deal about the write downs private investors will have to take as Greece adjusts it debt load, and a growing recession there are the two major hurdles to a successful bailout. Private investors have been…
$1.1 Trillion: What the 10 Leading Causes of Death Cost the U.S. Economy
Last week, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released its estimated causes of death for 2010. The 10 leading causes of death in the U.S. accounted for 75% of the nearly 2.5…
China’s Real Estate Bubble Shrinks, Looks Like U.S. in 2007
Real estate values have begun to drop sharply in China. Some economists may argue that this will undermine the central government’s plan to stage a “soft landing” in which GDP slows to…
Nation’s Mayors Worry as Job Growth Moves Out of Cities
A new report from the United States Council of Mayors claims that only 26 of the country’s 363 metropolitan statistics areas (cities, in layman’s terms) have regained the jobs lost in the recession. Another…
World Bank Report: The U.S. May Be Economic Pillar
The World Bank’s new “Global Economic Prospects 2012” report may the most pessimistic document issued by a major agency about the economic future since the recession ended. One bright spot is the U.S., which, as…
What’s Important in the Financial World (1/18/2012) Internet Freedom Protest, China Real Estate
Financial trouble in Europe has grown again, at least for a day. That is how the markets view news from the region for now. National leaders there and the International Monetary Fund have a…
Media Digest (1/18/2012) Reuters, WSJ, NYT, FT
Yahoo! (NASDAQ: YHOO) founder and former CEO Jerry Yang leaves the company’s board. (Reuters) The World Bank sharply cuts global growth forecasts. (Reuters) Greece and private creditors race to settle on a deal to…
Fujifilm May Aid Olympus
The latest rumor about which Japanese or Korean firm will throw troubled Olympus a financial lifeline involves Fujifilm Olympus has been rocked by an accounting scandal and its ability to survive has been called into question.…
Tense Negotiations Between Greece And Private Creditors Continue
The stand off between Greece and private holders of its sovereing debt continues. Greece has subtely indicated that a default would wipe these investors out. The investors appear ready to face that possibility rather…
Websites Push Objection To Internet Limitation Bill, But Partication Modest
http://platform.twitter.com/widgets/hub.1326407570.htmlMany major web companies object to possible legislation that would limited use of the internet. This would include the use of premium content, argue many companies that create video for which they charge customers.…
IEA Cuts Oil Demand Forecast
A slowing global economy coupled with strong prodcution has caused the IEA to cut its global oil demand forecast. Global demand will grow at 1.1 million a day, instead of the previously forecast 1.3…
IMF May Raise $1 Trillion Fund–
Bloomberg reports that the IMF may raise a $1 trillion fund to fight the sovereign debt crisis in Europe The International Monetary Fund is exploring ways to expand its lending fund by $1 trillion,…
Fitch Warns Of More Italy Downgrades
A senior analyst from Fitch, the third credit rating agency, said Italy’s debt could be downgraded two more notches. So far S&P downgraded of nine European nations and the European Financial Stabilty Facility has…