The SEC has halted trading in the shares of a number of companies for various violations, including “lack of current and accurate information,” according to the Wall Street Journal (“SEC Suspends Trading in 16 More Firms,” by Tess Stynes). The suspensions are said to be temporary.
A recent study on U.S. investment advisory firms is out and it is a shocker. Collectively, such firms manage nearly $50 trillion in assets. The majority of them (54%) have significant regulatory violations or conflicts of interest that should give pause to prudent investors. (“An Ethics Test Your Adviser Might Not Pass ? New research […]
History can teach us a lot about how to live better in the present. Rarely does one hear any reference to past mistakes or even the past successes that could best resolve our current problems. In the world of capitalist economics this country has decided to embrace the “me” rather than the “we”. Granted capitalism […]
Bond investors need to be cautious in the current environment. Many bond investors are scared of the stock market but hungry for yields that are higher than those offered by presumably safe Treasuries and are loading up on investment grade corporate bonds. With the global sovereign debt troubles and the U.S.’s fiscal cliff approaching, these […]
While sometimes perception and reality are the same, perception and reality are very different when it comes to the lifestyle expectations of ordinary Americans. Ever since World War II there has been the expectation of upward mobility for future generations. That is how we see ourselves. Realistically that is not true anymore. The rich are […]
While a lot has been said about the “fiscal cliff” in store for the U.S. when tax credits expire and the debt ceiling must be addressed, the fact is that there is a “global economic cliff” and the U.S. teetering on the edge with Europe and emerging markets like China and India. The idea of […]
While regulators have tried to assure investors that another flash crash is impossible, recent bursts of volatility in the markets have not been very reassuring. On Wednesday, August 1, approximately 150 stocks traded up to 20 times their normal volume, and a number of them fell 10% or more in a matter of seconds.
For the 13 million jobless workers, life is about to get worse. For the economy, there will be less money in circulation. The Great Recession wiped out a great number of jobs, many of which will not be coming back. Recovery is slow to non-existent here and abroad. Recent Federal law mandating cuts in spending […]
There is concern growing within the municipal bond market as a result of the recent high profile bankruptcy filings by the California cities of Stockton, Mammoth Lakes, Compton, and San Bernardino. The concern is that bond payments will not be treated as a priority obligation. Municipal bonds have historically had the reputation for safety and […]
Investors have lost trust in the integrity of public financial markets and it is hurting the financial services industry. Investors have come to view the stock market as a platform for high-speed, short-term, often insider trading rather than long-term investing. The stock market looks more like a high stakes gambling casino to many investors than […]
