Jun 01 Watch BP Faces Big Losses as Gulf Oil Disaster Worsens BP's stock value sunk Tuesday, following the failure of the "top kill" procedure to halt the oil leak over the weekend. Jim Lehrer talks to an energy consultant and management expert about BP's financial prospects as the crisis drags on. Continue watching
Oct 22 Pay Slashed for Bailed-out Firms’ Executives The government has ordered seven firms that received billions in bailout money to dramatically cut compensation to their highest-paid employees. Continue reading
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
Jun 29 What Do You Make of the Madoff Sentence? By Business Desk Question: What do you make of the Madoff sentence? Paul Solman: I’m tempted to say that, at 150 years, he may have gotten off lightly. In today’s email came the regular newsletter of one of the world’s most provocative and… Continue reading
Jun 10 If China Pulls Away From the Dollar, What Happens to the U.S. Economy? Question: There’s been speculation that China will lessen its ties to the U.S. dollar and U.S. debt. Some countries would also like oil to be priced in something other than dollars. If these events were to happen, what might be… Continue reading
May 28 As GM Deadline Nears, Bondholders Back New Stock Deal By Admin, PBS News Hour General Motors said Thursday that a group of bondholders has accepted a sweetened deal that offers them up to a one-quarter stake in the company if they drop opposition to the struggling automaker's plans to reorganize. Continue reading
May 27 After Bond Deal Fails, Bankruptcy Likely for GM By PBS News Hour An offer by General Motors to its bondholders to trade bond debt for company stock fell through just days before the company must submit a government-ordered restructuring plan. Continue reading
May 22 Watch Other News: Obama Signs Credit Card Reform Bill In other news, President Obama signed a bill approving sweeping changes for the credit card industry aimed at helping cardholders. Continue watching
Apr 23 If GM Is Restructured, What Happens to Shareholders? Question: If General Motors is “restructured” (either through the bankruptcy courts or outside the bankruptcy courts), will the shareholders lose all of the stocks they currently own? Or, as long as GM is a viable company traded on the… Continue reading
Apr 14 Why Don’t We Tax the Buying and Selling of Stocks? Question: How much revenue would a 1 percent federal tax on the buying and selling of stocks produce? We have federal taxes on gasoline, so why not the selling of stocks? Surely, someone who is spending $1,000 can afford a… Continue reading