Mar 18 How and Why Is the Fed Creating $1 Trillion? By Business Desk Question: How and why is the Fed creating $1 trillion in new funds to buy securities? Paul Solman: They’ve been calling Fed chairman Bernanke “Helicopter Ben” since he told conservative economics icon Milton Friedman, in a speech a few… Continue reading
Mar 18 AIG Chairman Liddy Heads to Capitol Hill By Admin, PBS News Hour The head of American International Group appeared on Capitol Hill Wednesday amid a furor over bonus pay at the company and told lawmakers that he's called on employees to return a portion the controversial payments. Continue reading
Mar 18 Madoff's Accountant Arrested on Fraud Charges By Admin, PBS News Hour The longtime accountant for jailed swindler Bernard Madoff was arrested Wednesday and charged with fraud dating back 17 years for failing to conduct audits in what was may be the biggest investment fraud on Wall Street. Continue reading
Mar 18 Why Are Pension Funds Investing in Hedge Funds? Question: Why were pension funds allowed to “invest” in a hedge fund? Hedge funds are nothing more than gambling. Paul Solman: Because pension funds are supposedly big enough and therefore sophisticated enough to know what they’re doing and take considered… Continue reading
Mar 17 Watch Author Gage Discusses 'The Day Wall Street Exploded' Author Beverly Gage discusses her book, "The Day Wall Street Exploded," which examines the fallout from a 1920 bomb attack that killed dozens of people and wounded scores more during lunch hour on Wall Street. Continue watching
Mar 17 Watch When the Government Writes Checks, Where Does the Money Come From? With billions of dollars paid out or promised for financial industry bailouts and the stimulus bill -- and more requests on the way -- Paul Solman looks at where the government is getting the money to pay for the rescue… Continue watching
Mar 17 Watch Other News: New Home Construction Surges in Jan.; Caterpillar Plans Layoffs Construction of new homes and apartments surged more than 22 percent in January, and the Caterpillar company plans to lay off more than 2,400 employees across five factories. Continue watching
Mar 17 Watch Calls Intensify on Capitol Hill to Recover AIG Bonuses Lawmaker anger continued Tuesday over AIG's bonus payments, with some calling for recovery of the funds. Business writers weigh varying views on the bonus debate. Continue watching
Mar 17 Government Furor Continues Over AIG Bonuses By PBS News Hour As the furor continues over millions of dollars in employee bonuses at the failed insurance giant AIG, lawmakers and administration officials in Washington are weighing their options to either block the payments or penalize the company. Continue reading
Mar 17 New Home Construction Jumps as Wholesale Prices Edge Up By PBS News Hour The Commerce Department reported Tuesday that construction of new homes and apartments jumped 22.2 percent in February compared with January, pushing total activity to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 583,000 units. Continue reading