Mar 13 Stocks Continue Rally, End Best Week Since Nov. By Admin, PBS News Hour U.S. stock markets added gains Friday after a mixed trading day, continuing their rare four-day rally and ending their best week since November. Continue reading
Mar 12 Watch Spike in Foreclosures Reveals Continued Housing Trouble Foreclosure filings continue to rise nationwide, with new data showing an increase of 30 percent in February from the same month one year ago. An analyst assesses the numbers and how they tie to the overall economic picture. Continue watching
Mar 12 Watch Other News: U.S. Markets Rally for Third Day In other news, the Dow Jones industrial average gained 200 points as President Obama discussed his budget plans, and General Motors said it won't need an additional $2 billion in federal loans this month. Continue watching
Mar 12 Madoff Pleads Guilty in Wall Street Swindle By Admin, PBS News Hour Bernard L. Madoff pleaded guilty Thursday to 11 charges that he orchestrated what may be the largest financial fraud in Wall Street history, cheating investors out of billions of dollars in a fraud that has drawn demands for stricter regulations. Continue reading
Mar 12 Foreclosures Rise 6 Percent Between Jan., Feb. By Admin, PBS News Hour Despite several major lenders and states halting foreclosures, the number of households threatened with losing houses jumped 6 percent in February after falling 10 percent in January, RealtyTrac announced Thursday. Continue reading
Mar 12 How Are Losses on Mortgage Derivatives Calculated? Question: If there is no way to currently value the mortgages on which the value of derivatives (collateralized mortgage obligations, etc.) depend, how are losses on those derivatives — such as AIG $62 billion… Continue reading
Mar 11 Watch Banking Plan Aims to Combine Public, Private Funds Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner has said he is working on a plan to remove so-called "toxic" assets from banks by having the government partner with private investors to create special funds. Analysts discuss the pros and cons of the strategy. Continue watching
Mar 11 Wal-Mart to Sell Digital Health Record Systems to Doctors By Admin, PBS News Hour Wal-Mart Stores plans to enter the electronic health records market, company officials said Wednesday, bringing digital recordkeeping to physicians in small offices as well as large practices nationwide. Continue reading
Mar 11 What Are Mark-to-Market Rules? Question: What are mark-to-market rules? And should they be changed? Paul Solman: When it comes to the current crisis, this is the question (or one major question): To “mark to market” or not to “mark to market”? Consider a… Continue reading
Mar 11 What’s Happening to Manufacturers Who Don’t Lower Their Prices? Question: How did that guy who owns Not Your Daughter’s Blue Jeans (Editor’s Note: Here’s Paul’s segment profiling the company in March 2008) wind up after the holiday purchase time? I saw a pair of the blue jeans in… Continue reading