Aug 10 What Are Warrants Issued by Financial Institutions? Question: If you have not already done so, would you please explain the warrants that seem to be troubling the financial institutions at the moment? If you’ve already done so, I apologize for asking unnecessarily. Paul Solman: Hey, even if… Continue reading
Aug 03 What’s the Basic Function of the Stock Market? Question: I would like to ask you two simple (some might say “simple-minded”) questions, which may be variants of a single question. No one has yet given me a clear, straightforward answer. Perhaps you can and will. 1) Why does… Continue reading
Jun 25 Watch Bernanke Faces New Questions Over Role of the Fed Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke faced fresh questions from a House committee Thursday over the central bank's role facilitating Bank of America's purchase of Merrill Lynch. Experts discuss the acquisition, as well as the expanding power of the Federal Reserve,… Continue watching
Jun 09 If Banks Still Followed Mark-to-Market Rules, What Would Their Losses Look Like? Question: What is the actual amount that banks have “lost” if banks still had to follow mark-to-market rules? My understanding is that our large banks would be insolvent by almost a trillion dollars if they had to declare what… Continue reading
May 07 Watch ‘Stress Tests’ Put Credibility of Banks, Regulators Back in Spotlight On the day the government released better-than-expected stress test results for 19 major banks, a panel of economic analysts explain how the numbers were calculated and gauge the report's impact on the nation's financial health. Continue watching
May 07 Watch Government ‘Stress Tests’ Find Big Banks Need $75 Billion The U.S. Treasury released stress tests of 19 major banks, finding that they collectively need another $75 billion by November. A financial reporter explains the results. Continue watching
May 07 What Is a Stress Test? Why Are They Being Done? Question: What are the stress tests? And why are they being done? Paul Solman: A stress tests is simply an analysis of a bank’s balance sheet. To determine what? Whether the bank is viable as a business. Or likely to… Continue reading
Apr 02 Watch Change in Mark-to-Market Rules Could Have Big Impact on Banks’ Balance Sheets A key accounting standard was changed Thursday to allow banks more flexibility in mark-to-market rules, which help establish the value of assets. Analysts explain what impact this change in these rules could have for banks. Continue watching
Mar 27 Watch Obama Banking Plan Focuses on Regulation, Credit Thaw President Obama met with banking officials Friday at the White House to discuss financial strategies that will help unfreeze the credit markets and shore up capital. Analysts assess the plan and what it might mean for banks around the country. Continue watching
Mar 23 Watch Obama Team Launches New Plan to Buy Bad Assets From Banks White House economic adviser Lawrence Summers details the Treasury Department's plan to clear "toxic" assets from banks through a combination of public and private investment. Continue watching