Today’s ratings agency actions include a new rating on off-balance sheet arrangement by AMR Corp. (NYSE: AMR), parent of troubled American Airlines, and other actions involving General Motors Co. (NYSE: GM), ConAgra Foods Inc.…
We have noted over and over, “Expect more downgrades in the lands of the PIIGS from the ratings agencies!” That means S&P, Moody’s, and Fitch. But what about a day that Standard & Poor’s “affirms”…
Jon OggBen Bernanke is testifying this morning before the Joint Economic Committee, and his speech is titled “Economic Outlook and Recent Monetary Policy Actions.” Today should be taken as yet one more opportunity to…
The CBOE Volatility Index, or ‘The Fear Index,’ is reaching levels not seen since the height of the August selling panic. That peaked around 47 in August and we just briefly went back over the…
European stocks are leading the markets this morning and the direction is lower. Greece projected that 2012 deficits will be above plan and the nation has effectively admitted that it will not meet deficit…
Russell Investments conducts investment fund manager surveys routinely, and there may be some good news for the cautious and timid bulls out there. In short, Russell’s survey noted that U.S. economy is not entering…
Today’s ratings actions have focused on commercial mortgage backed securities issued by several of the country’s largest banks — Morgan Stanley (NYSE: MS), Wells Fargo & Co. (NYSE: WFC), JPMorgan Chase & Co. (NYSE:…
Today’s ratings actions start of with a real no-brainer. McDonald’s Corp. (NYSE: MCD) received an ‘A’ rating from Fitch Ratings on a new $500 million 2.625%, 10.25-year senior unsecured note due January 2022. McDonald’s…
Imperial Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: IFT) is a company that many have never heard of, but the company is in the news in a manner it probably never wanted to be. On Tuesday evening it…
Today’s reported ratings actions as of just after noon include announcements regarding Clorox Co. (NYSE: CLX), Home Depot, Inc. (NYSE: HD), HCA Inc. (NYSE: HCA), Gannett Co. Inc. (NYSE: GCI), Archer Daniels Midland Co.…
Research In Motion Limited (NASDAQ: RIMM) has joined Palm in the quest to innovate and then to allow the market to rapidly pass it by. Apple Inc. (NASDAQ: AAPL) and Google Inc. (NASDAQ: GOOG)…
The Federal Housing Finance Agency Office of the Inspector General reports that Freddie Mac made a poor deal when it settled claims about bonds sold to it by Bank of America (NYSE: BAC). The…
Today’s ratings news leads off with the downgrade by Moody’s of six Greek banks, including National Bank of Greece (NYSE: NBG). All six were lowered from ‘B3’ to ‘Caa2’. Anyone who is shocked by…
National Bank of Greece SA (NYSE: NBG) is trading lower this morning with Europe after news that Moody’s has downgraded 8 Greek banks to ‘Caa2’ from ‘B3’ in a fresh outlook in Greece. Other…
The DJIA (NYSE: DIA) was trading down 500 points today before a late-day rally. More European concerns and serious slowing in China’s manufacturing data only brought on more selling. The week before was all…