Mar 13 Why Are So Many Companies Collapsing So Suddenly? Question: Can you explain why, when these huge companies collapse, the bleeding isn’t slow and steady? Is it that they cannot forecast months ahead of time and see the end approaching? Or, have they just been operating with leveraged assets… 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 09 What’s the Total Wealth of the United States? Question: With all this economic turmoil and talk of trillions of dollars, my question is: What is the total wealth of the United States? If the total U.S. wealth is, say, $100,000 trillion, then spending $1 trillion to help banks… Continue reading
Nov 24 Watch Citigroup Averts Collapse With Government Rescue Plan In an effort to stabilize the teetering American financial giant, the U.S. government stepped up to help Citigroup by injecting $20 billion in capital and agreeing to shoulder most potential losses for the bank's high-risk assets. A New York Times… Continue watching
Jan 11 How does China control the exchange rate of its currency? This installment’s “guest vetter” is Martin Neil Baily, now with the Brookings Institution. He was chairman of President Bill Clinton’s Council of Economic Advisors and is a certified VKP (very knowledgeable person). If you… Continue reading
Nov 07 U.S. Seeks to Cut Off Additional Al-Qaida Financial Links President Bush has announced an order to freeze the assets of 62 organizations and individuals suspected of having financial ties to terrorist groups. Continue reading
Oct 12 U.S. Freezes Assets of 39 More Groups and Individuals The United States today more than doubled the number of individuals and organizations whose financial assets are to be frozen due to their suspected ties to terrorist organizations. Continue reading