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
Mar 10 Watch Madoff Expected to Plead Guilty as Details of Alleged Fraud Case Emerge Lawyers for Bernard Madoff, who allegedly defrauded investors of nearly $50 billion, said that the former Wall Street financier would likely plead guilty to 11 criminal counts on Thursday. New York Times reporter Diana Henriques updates the story. Continue watching
Mar 10 Watch Some Public Transit Agencies Made Risky Financial Deals Some public transport agencies engaged in a similar kind of financial risk-taking that has caused large banks and companies to fail and contributed to the global financial meltdown. Rick Karr reports in the latest installment of the "Blueprint America" series. Continue watching
Mar 10 Watch Bernanke Calls for Overhaul of Financial Regulations Fed chief Ben Bernanke called Tuesday for a regulation overhaul to prevent future financial crises and monitor "too-big-to-fail" institutions. Analysts weigh the call for reform. Continue watching
Mar 10 Watch Other News: Obama Announces Education Plan In the day's other news, President Obama outlined his education plan and at least 33 people died in a suicide bombing in Iraq. Continue watching