Feb 20 World Markets Slide Over Ongoing Economic Woes By PBS News Hour Continuing concerns over the depth and breadth of the economic meltdown rippled through world markets Friday, pushing U.S. stocks to extend deep losses and sending overseas markets tumbling. Continue reading
Dec 17 Is the Bernard Madoff Financial Fiasco Tied to the Global Economic Meltdown? By Business Desk Question/Comment: How is the Bernard Madoff financial fiasco tied to the global economic meltdown? Is it just a timely coincidence? The thought of a connection somehow seems important. Paul Solman: Let’s see if I can resist the urge to make… Continue reading
Nov 05 My conservative friends are convinced that this economic mess is the result of changes to Fannie and Freddie’s lending policies forced on them by the Democrats. Question/Comment: My conservative friends are convinced that this economic mess is the result of changes to Fannie and Freddie’s lending policies forced on them by the Democrats. My own theory identifies our chronic balance of payments as the chief culprit. Continue reading
Oct 09 If banks do not have money to lend, how can they buy up finance firms and other failing banks? Question/Comment: If banks do not have money to lend, how can Citicorp, Wells Fargo, etc. come up with billions to purchase failing banks and finance firms? Paul Solman: They aren’t forking over any cash. “Purchase” means subsume. Wachovia becomes part… Continue reading
Sep 10 Lehman Plans Asset Sale to Boost Investor Confidence By Admin, PBS News Hour Investment bank Lehman Brothers announced plans Wednesday to sell a majority stake in its investment management business as the company struggles to stay afloat after reporting a record quarterly loss of about $4 billion. 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