October 7, 2009
Climate Change: How to Invest for the Possibility | seekingalpha.com
The social awareness of climate change presents an opportunity to capitalize on firms providing net benefits to the global carbon footprint.
Threats to make CARD Act worse and to regulate interchange fees
October 6, 2009
Banks Face Pressure to Bend on New Agency - American Banker Article | www.americanbanker.com
The article is about the wrangling in Congress to enact a so-called "Consumer Protection Agency." But it carries a threat to bankers. If they don't stop trying to block a CPA, Congress will enact piecemeal bills that will prevent card issuers from being able to reprice in response to the CARD Act and will regulate interchange pricing downward.
GM; A Lesson It Could Learn From Toyota
October 4, 2009
Yen's Rise Dents Toyota's Results | online.wsj.com
Last week, the president of the world's largest automaker, no, not GM, Toyota, said at a news conference that his company was "gasping for salvation." and is in the grip of a long-term decline.
Saturn; eBay; Penske; No Good News Here For General Motors
October 1, 2009
G.M. To Close Saturn After Deal Fails | www.nytimes.com
On Tuesday, GM thought it had a deal to sell its Saturn brand to Roger Penske. On Wednesday afternoon the automaker was blindsided by news Penske had pulled out of the deal. This, on the heels of the announcement that GM will not extend its venture to sell cars through eBay. Neither announcement was good news for GM, one, however, was worse than the other.
Lower Rates, While Great, Do Little For Jumbo Lending
October 1, 2009
Real Estate Outlook: Mortgage Rate Dip Impacts Housing | realtytimes.com
The Realty Times article reflects the positive effects of lower interest rates on mortgage originations and home purchases, but fails to note the failure of said rates to transcend the conforming/conventional markets into the jumbo markets. The implications of this failure are that many homeowners in the higher cost states (CA, NY, MA, etc.) still cannot get competitive financing; thus, driving home prices down further.
September 28, 2009
KB Home Loss Narrows on Fewer Write-Downs | online.wsj.com
KB, a lower cost builder, is benefitting from the perception that we have hit the bottom. We have not. Thus, the peak of the inside of the "W" is about to wane.
JPMorgan, the man who encouraged lending
September 26, 2009
How to Stop a Credit Card Payment Increase | www.mainstreet.com
During the last major financial meltdown or depression, JPMorgan, the man who encouraged lending by laying down the gauntlet to his peers, single handedly stimulated the economy. He knew that the severe times dictated new and severe lending techniques. I believe there is going to be an even LARGER backlash to Chase and American Express and other credit card lending institutions, that continue in the business of credit card lending, and continue alienating the high FICO borrowers.
GM; Looks To Get The Jump On Imports With Electric Car In India
September 25, 2009
GM, Reva tie up for electric vehicles | www.business-standard.com
The development of small electric vehicles offers tremendous growth potential for the automotive industry, and General Motors, is getting the jump on its competitors by developing EVs for sale in India.
Round II: Coming to a neighborhood near you
September 25, 2009
"Option" mortgages to explode, officials warn | www.linkedin.com
While a very general description of the Pay Option ARM disaster that is looming, the Reuters article is dead-on in two conclusions: many more homes will be hitting the market over the course of the next two and one-half years and that the mortgage plague that started with the subprime crisis will be moving from the lower income strata to the middle and higher income areas.
Cash For Clunkers New Car Incentives Helped Used Car Giant CarMax
September 23, 2009
CarMax Raised To Neutral From Sell By Pali Capital>KMX | online.wsj.com
While used cars didn't qualify under the federal Cash For Clunkers program, CarMax credits the program with spiking traffic at its stores. As the theory goes, some new car buyers who didn't qualify for the new car credit turned to CarMax's used cars to scratch the car-buying itch.
New FINRA Rule 2210-Simplification Whose Time Has Come
November 4, 2009
ADP Must Grow Three Major Markets for Continued Success
October 22, 2009
Battle for Dominance in Mortgage Fraud Analytics Space
October 17, 2009
All hands on deck, full steam ahead
September 7, 2009
Dollar destined to be second class currency in world's largest banana republic
September 1, 2009