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 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
Feb 03 Was the Wall Street Money Real or Imagined? Question/Comment: Could you explain where all the money went that supposedly vanished during the Wall Street meltdown? Who has it? Was it imaginary or did it really exist? Paul Solman: All Wall Street values are imaginary. All money is imaginary. Continue reading
Dec 23 I’m Not Sure It’s My Responsibility to Go Out and Shop to Keep Businesses Afloat. By Business Desk Question/Comment: It seems to me there’s been a shift in market thinking in the recent past. I’m not sure that it’s my responsibility to go out and shop to keep businesses afloat; I always thought that it was business’ responsibility… Continue reading
Dec 16 Federal Reserve Cuts Key Rate to Record Low By Admin, PBS News Hour The Federal Reserve cut a key interest rate to an all-time low target range of zero to 0.25 percent Tuesday in an effort to fight the deepening recession. Continue reading
Dec 11 What is the “Real Economy”? Question/Comment: I’m confused by the term “real economy.” Lots of people are using it, but no one has explained it that I can find. It’s something different than what Wikipedia defines as not the “virtual economy.” What’s going on?… Continue reading
Dec 03 Riots Break Out as Zimbabwe Faces Cholera Epidemic, Hyperinflation By PBS News Hour Doctors, teachers and union members clashed with riot police in the streets of Zimbabwe's capital of Harare as they protested the country's deepening economic meltdown and a cholera epidemic that has been blamed on poor infrastructure. Continue reading
Dec 03 Rising Tuition, Credit Crunch Threaten Affordability of Higher Education By PBS News Hour A new study on American higher education gave all but one state a failing grade on affordability, and warned that college could soon be out of reach for most Americans. Continue reading
Nov 24 Could You Explain How Deflation is Different From Companies Setting Prices to Reflect Input Costs and Efficiencies? Question/Comment: Dear Mr. Solman, I’ve read several articles recently discussing the risk of deflation. I think I understand broadly why deflation is bad for the economy in general. Could you explain how deflation is different from companies setting prices to… Continue reading
Nov 19 Consumer Prices Plunge in October as Energy Costs Fall By Admin, PBS News Hour Consumer prices made their biggest drop in decades in October, due in part to lower gasoline and energy prices. Continue reading