If you spend any time reading about economics on the internet, you're aware of the many virtual pamphleteers who loudly portend the impending downfall of the American government and global financial system in general. It’s become somewhat fashionable to proclaim America a banana republic, but are these claims justified?
Eh tu, Morgan Stanley? The Wall Street Journal is reporting this morning that the Securities and Exchange Commission is looking into whether Morgan Stanley, too, broke securities laws when it structured mortgage securities and then made money by betting against them. The SEC already has brought a similar case against Goldman. But this really shouldn’t [...]
Back in December, the New York Times ran a story about Goldman and some collateralized debt obligations they underwrote. Turns out the CDOs, which were constructed by pooling together other bonds, performed badly. Really, really badly. The thrust of the Times piece was that Goldman routinely created CDOs with the worst mortgage bonds it could find, and then bet [...]
Last March we all thought the world economy—not to mention our cherished lifestyle —was headed for the trash basket. The stock market had plunged, retirement plans were ruined, and few people cared that equities looked dirt cheap. But here we are one year later and the stock market is up 68%, rampant fear has morphed [...]
A reader asked, in reference to my column on the “Bond Bust Ahead,” As interest rates climb, bond prices drop. I understand that part. But, for an “investor” who owns bonds to maturity how does this translate into losses? I still get the same coupon payment and my principal at the end of the term.(Agreed [...]
I’ve got a new column online and in the issue of TIME with the cover story on Detroit. It’s about bonds.
