Apr 20 How Should We Interpret the String of Positive Earnings Reports from U.S. Banks? Question: After three major banks – Citigroup, JP Morgan, and Goldman Sachs – announced better-than-expected earnings last week, Bank of America announced more than $4 billion in first-quarter profits today. How should we interpret this string of good earnings reports?… Continue reading
Apr 20 Who Pays the Rating Agencies? Question: Who pays the rating agencies, like Moody’s? What is the source of their income? Paul Solman: That’s been the scandal. They’re paid by the issuers of the bonds and stocks they rate. They thus have a huge incentive not… Continue reading
Apr 06 Where Does Money Go When It's Taken Out of the Stock Market? Question: As the Dow continues to fall, I keep wondering where the money is going. Obviously, money is being pulled out of the stock market, even though we all are still buying and using products, and companies are still functioning. Continue reading
Mar 13 Stocks Continue Rally, End Best Week Since Nov. By Admin, PBS News Hour U.S. stock markets added gains Friday after a mixed trading day, continuing their rare four-day rally and ending their best week since November. Continue reading
Mar 09 What Are the Benefits of the Stock Market? Question: How does having a stock market benefit the entire country? To the extent that IPOs represent a mechanism for gaining funds for projects that increase profits, it is very useful. But don’t stocks… Continue reading
Mar 03 What's the Significance of the Dow Dropping Below 7,000 Points? By Business Desk Question: What’s the significance of the Dow dropping below 7,000? Paul Solman: Just another number. To the extent that people focus on it, however, it can have the effect of increasing the anxiety over stock prices, and lead to more… Continue reading
Mar 02 Government Expands AIG Rescue, Stocks Slump By PBS News Hour The federal government said Monday that it would give floundering insurer American International Group access to an additional $30 billion in U.S. taxpayer money as part of a newly revamped rescue plan. Continue reading
Feb 25 Wall Street Teeters, Obama Presses Economic Plan By Admin, PBS News Hour Wall Street rang up fresh losses in early trading Wednesday as the Obama administration pressed its economic plan and moved forward with preparations to begin new "stress tests" on the banking system. Continue reading
Feb 04 Obama Links $500,000 Executive Pay Cap to Bailout Funds By Admin, PBS News Hour President Barack Obama and Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner announced Wednesday a pay cap of $500,000 for top executives at companies that receive federal dollars under the Troubled Asset Relief Program for struggling banks and corporations. Continue reading
Nov 14 Retail Sales Suffer Record Plunge as Consumers Hunker Down By Admin, PBS News Hour Retail sales endured a 2.8 percent drop last month -- their largest plunge on record, the Commerce Department reported Friday. Continue reading