Wall Street hedge fund titan Steven A. Cohen is reportedly poised to avoid federal insider trading charges because U.S. prosecutors don’t believe they have enough evidence to bring a case against the billionaire financial mogul. …
Investing
The Golden Bloodbath of 2013: Will Everyone’s Favorite Metal Make a Comeback?
There are few investments more divisive than gold. Unlike stocks or bonds, gold produces no dividends or interest payments, and unlike most other commodities, gold has few industrial uses. As a result, investing in gold requires …
Insider Trading: Bad, But Not the Real Scourge of Wall Street
Americans hate cheaters, and they don’t like those who have an unfair advantage, which is why when you ask most people about insider trading, they’ll usually say that the perpetrators belong in jail.
To that end, the biggest
…
Bond Markets to the Fed: We Don’t Believe You!
The stock market may steal the headlines, but in many ways its the bond market — be it mortgage-backed securities, government bonds, or corporate debt — that is the real star of the economic show. When the Federal Reserve seeks …
Market Reality Check
The market craziness continues, with stocks down, commodities crashing, and bond yields rising. As usual during such periods, wild theories about what’s happening abound: The U.S. recovery is a mirage; China is having a Lehman Brothers-style meltdown; etc.
Will Wall Street Finally Put Clients First? Maybe Some Day — But Don’t Hold Your Breath
Efforts to compel all financial advisers to act in the best interest of their clients have been derailed–again.
Google Wants Your Money, But Not Your Advice
Big tech companies like Google and Facebook have made their fortunes by putting the power of the Internet in the hands of ordinary people. But when it comes to empowering their own shareholders, these companies are a lot less willing to relinquish control.
When these firms went public in 2004 and 2012 respectively, they each issued …
Hindenburg Omen: A Real Problem for Stocks or Just Hot Air?
An arcane stock market indicator is flashing high alert. Should you pay attention?
S&P Upgrade of U.S.: More Proof the Ratings Agency Shouldn’t Play Politics
On Monday ratings giant Standard & Poor’s raised the U.S.’s credit outlook from “negative” to “stable.” That may sound a bit like the equivalent of Arrested Development’s Bluth Company going from “Triple Sell” to “Don’t Buy,” but in these troubled economic times, Americans should take what they can get. Thanks to a housing rebound, stock …
Bernanke’s Dilemma: No Good Moves Left
It could be risky for the Fed to continue its easy-money policy – and dangerous to stop.
Dow 15,000: Don’t Fight the Fed, But Be Afraid
It’s hard to know what to make of this week’s record Dow performance except to say, “Don’t fight the Fed.” More than four years after the peak of the financial crisis, quantitative easing—the Federal Reserve strategy …
Viewpoint: Ben Bernanke, Enabler of America’s Fiscal Dysfunction
By trying to compensate for poor fiscal policies, the Fed is making it easier for the President and Congress to evade their responsibilities.