Dec 07 Where do hedge funds get the stock that they [sell] short in the stock market? Question/Comment: Where do hedge funds get the stock that they [sell] short in the stock market? If, as I suspect, they acquire it from the 401(k) accounts of hard-working individuals who rely on the concept of going "long" in the… Continue reading
Dec 07 You seemed disbelieving (in your report on American Manufacturing, which aired on Nov. 29) that a merchant vessel could sink, or that it happens very often. Question/Comment: You seemed disbelieving (in your report on American Manufacturing, which aired on Nov. 29) that a merchant vessel could sink, or that it happens very often. Check out this as one source for information on world marine casualties. Continue reading
Dec 06 Despite Veto Threat, House Passes Energy Bill By Admin, PBS News Hour The U.S. House of Representatives ignored the White House's threat of a veto and approved an energy bill Thursday that would raise vehicle fuel economy standards for the first time since 1975 and mandate more renewable energy generation. Continue reading
Dec 06 Watch Economic Experts Weigh Bush's Mortgage Rate Freeze Plan, Housing Crisis President Bush announced a deal with mortgage lenders to freeze interest rates on some subprime mortgages due to move sharply higher soon that he hopes would slow the rate of home foreclosures. Economic analysts assess the value of the proposal… Continue watching
Dec 06 Watch Paulson: No 'Silver Bullet' in Bid to Ease Mortgage Crisis As home foreclosures reached a record high Thursday, President Bush announced a deal with mortgage lenders to freeze interest rates on some subprime mortgages due to move sharply higher soon. Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson discusses the details of the proposal. Continue watching
Dec 05 What's up with the stock market? Can we have a bull market and a bear market in different sectors at the same time? Question/Comment: What's up with the stock market? I thought it was supposed to be a leading indicator of economic conditions. But over the last months, the market seems to respond more to interest rate levels in addition to insignificant economic… Continue reading
Dec 05 I was surprised to hear that the Pabst brewery was razed. Do great American beers have any significant presence overseas? Question/Comment: I was surprised to hear on your NewsHour piece that the Pabst brewery was razed. It made me think that in recent years a number of excellent American beers have been produced, some even better than highly touted… Continue reading
Dec 05 Has the "short supply chain" movement has caught on? Question/Comment: I was wondering if the "short supply chain" movement is also a movement into lean production techniques. I know that several companies (e.g., Toyota) have done it for years, but I was interested to know whether it has caught… Continue reading
Dec 04 Watch Basics of U.S. Economy Are Strong, Bush Says President Bush tried to quell concerns over the recent housing slump and credit crunch Tuesday, saying "The basics in the economy are good." Two former treasury secretaries examine the state of the economy and whether the U.S. is facing a… Continue watching
Nov 30 Watch New Data Adds to U.S. Economic Anxieties The government released several new economic reports and Wall Street endured a roller coaster week of trading -- all of which served to underscore recent uncertainty about the state of the U.S. economy. Two finance reporters discuss the reports and… Continue watching