12/5 The Wikinvest Daily Angle

Please add updates@feedmyinbox.com to your address book to make sure you receive these messages in the future. The Wikinvest Daily Angle - Market Insight and Commentary from Wikinvest.com Dubai Debt Fiasco Could Weigh on U.S. Banks December 4, 2009 at 2:01 am Today's Daily Angle comes from Bob Blandeburgo of Wikinvest Wire members MoneyMorning.com. You can read thefull article on the Money Morning blog. A potential default by Dubai on debt payments could have a ripple effect on U.S. banks and the still-gloomycommercial real estate industry, some analysts say. Citigroup Inc. (NYSE:C) has $1.9 billion invested in the nation's state-owned investment vehicle Dubai World,JPMorgan Chase & Co. (NYSE:JPM) said in a research note. While not directly affecting Citi or other major U.S. banks, the indirect effects could be more crippling on a broader scale, Rochdale Securities analyst Dick Bove told CNNMoney. "There could be huge indirect exposure," Bove said. "One has to assume that U.S. banks will be hurt." Citi, JPMorgan and other major banks didn't comment on the potential consequences of a Dubai default. However,Morgan Stanley (NYSE:MS) said a default "would have no material impact on its earnings." But according to Bove, such extravagant projects as palm-shaped peninsulas, large skyscrapers and plans to build the world's largest airport, could have a decidedly negative impact on the already battered commercial real estate market. "Dubai may have to unload some very prestigious properties at distressed prices, and this will drive the price of all commercial real estate lower," said Bove. "That would clearly be a problem for American banks." Also, little information about counterparty derivatives and guarantees that transfer default risk from lenders to other financial institutions has been made available, which means a greater degree of uncertainty for U.S. banks. Furthermore, no one outside of the banks themselves knows exactly how much of Dubai World's debt guarantee is held by U.S. institutions. Banks in the United Kingdom, which according to JPMorgan have roughly $30 billion in Dubai World default risk, have extensive dealings such as trading and debt guarantees with American banks. U.S. banks could be exposed to risk based on their dealings with their German counterparts as well. Credit market research firm CMA DataVision says there's a 35.82% chance that the United Arab Emirate (UAE) nation will actually default on the almost $60 billion in debt payments it delayed.   This email was sent to gatdemit001@gmail.com.  Create Your Account Don't want to receive this feed any longer? Unsubscribe here.

12/5 DailyFinance

Please add updates@feedmyinbox.com to your address book to make sure you receive these messages in the future. DailyFinance So much for the Dow's 2009 high. Good news on jobs is bad news for stocks December 4, 2009 at 6:45 pm Filed under: Economy, Investing It was silly season on Wall Street Friday. November's unemployment figure -- still a dismal 10% and subject to revision -- came in stunningly better than expected and the markets immediately soared to fresh 2009 highs. The Dow Jones Industrial Average ($INDU) alone shot up as much as 150 points in early trading. And then, at about 11 a.m. Eastern, everybody decided to sell. "I don't know what happened," says David Wyss, chief economist at Standard & Poor's. "Some of it was probably just profit taking, but anybody who believes in rational markets hasn't looked at them very long." Continue reading So much for the Dow's 2009 high. Good news on jobs is bad news for stocks So much for the Dow's 2009 high. Good news on jobs is bad news for stocks originally appeared on DailyFinance on Fri, 04 Dec 2009 18:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Cans of Slim-Fast recalled nationwide due to possible health risk December 4, 2009 at 5:30 pm Filed under: Company News, Economy, Healthcare Dieters who drink Slim-Fast shakes to curb their appetites may find the product works rather differently than planned -- at least that's what the maker of the popular ready-to-drink nutritional supplement is concerned about. Citing possible micro-organism contamination, New Jersey-based Unilever United States has voluntarily recalled all cans of Slim-Fast because they may cause diarrhea and possibly nausea and vomiting. Unilever said the nationwide recall involves all 11-ounce cans of Slim-Fast, including those sold in four-, six- and 12-packs as well as individual cans, regardless of flavor, use-by date, lot code or UPC number. The likelihood of any "serious health consequences" caused by ingesting Slim-Fast is remote, Unilever said. Continue reading Cans of Slim-Fast recalled nationwide due to possible health risk Cans of Slim-Fast recalled nationwide due to possible health risk originally appeared on DailyFinance on Fri, 04 Dec 2009 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments As interim CEO, GM's Whitacre wastes no time in shaking up management December 4, 2009 at 4:44 pm Filed under: Company News, People, General Motors General Motors Co. Chairman Ed Whitacre Jr. urged the troubled automaker's employees to forget their old bureaucratic culture, telling them Friday not to fear being fired for taking risks. Whitacre, who also announced key management changes, wants to speed up the automaker's shift to an entrepreneurial culture where decisions are made quickly. "We want you to step up. We don't want any bureaucracy," Whitacre told employees, strolling back and forth across a stage at the company's headquarters here. "We're not going to make it if you won't take a risk," he told the audience of 800. Continue reading As interim CEO, GM's Whitacre wastes no time in shaking up management As interim CEO, GM's Whitacre wastes no time in shaking up management originally appeared on DailyFinance on Fri, 04 Dec 2009 16:44:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments California gives green light to space-based solar power project December 4, 2009 at 4:30 pm Filed under: Energy, Company News, Green Beaming solar power down from outer space is A-OK according to the California Public Utility Commission. The regulatory body voted unanimously Thursday to approve a "Power Purchase Agreement" signed between the state's largest utility, Pacific Gas & Electric (PCG), and Solaren Space. The Southern California start-up is developing technology for what it hopes will be an orbiting solar power collection system that could add a whopping 200 megawatts to the Golden State's increasingly green grid. The project will cost $2 billion, Solaren executives estimate. The concept is not new. Satellites orbiting far enough outside our atmosphere can capture solar energy around the clock, and without power-reducing cloud cover or atmospheric interference. The satellites use photovoltaic panels, much like those that are installed on ordinary buildings, to capture solar energy and convert it into electricity. What happens next, though, is a bit different than what occurs on your average rooftop: The electricity is used to generate microwaves, which are beamed at large antennas on Earth. The antennas recapture the energy of the microwaves and convert it back into electricity. It all may sound like science fiction, but space-based power appears to be quickly moving towards reality. Continue reading California gives green light to space-based solar power project California gives green light to space-based solar power project originally appeared on DailyFinance on Fri, 04 Dec 2009 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments ETFs vs. mutual funds: Investment vehicles get ready to rumble December 4, 2009 at 2:00 pm Filed under: Investing, ETFs Is there a battle royal brewing in the world of investment funds? Exchange-traded funds are suiting up in the locker room, preparing to challenge mutual funds' dominance. A recent report from Deloitte, Exchange-Traded Funds: Challenging the Dominance of Mutual Funds? says that ETFs could in time bulk up with some of the serious monetary muscle we call market share. ETFs have become popular with investors due to their fee structure, tax efficiency and level of transparency, says Craig Stier, U.S. leader of Deloitte Asset Management Services Practice and author of the paper. They have also made it easier for retail investors to invest in individual commodities like oil and gold. "These are some reasons perhaps why ETFs have weathered the sharp slowdown in markets better than mutual funds," says Stier. Continue reading ETFs vs. mutual funds: Investment vehicles get ready to rumble ETFs vs. mutual funds: Investment vehicles get ready to rumble originally appeared on DailyFinance on Fri, 04 Dec 2009 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments UPS ups its rates. Then FedEx matches them. Why, the similarity is eerie December 4, 2009 at 1:40 pm Filed under: Technology, Economy, UPS In a move that surprised absolutely no one, FedEx (FDX) on Thursday announced that its shipping rates will rise in 2010. The only real shocker in the release is the amazing degree to which the hike echoes that of rival carrier UPS (UPS), which announced its increase in late November. Continue reading UPS ups its rates. Then FedEx matches them. Why, the similarity is eerie UPS ups its rates. Then FedEx matches them. Why, the similarity is eerie originally appeared on DailyFinance on Fri, 04 Dec 2009 13:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments As gold tanks, don't expect central banks to come to the rescue December 4, 2009 at 1:20 pm Filed under: Economy, Investing As gold slides on the back of a strong jobs report, some investors may be tempted to pile into the precious metal. After all, a cacophony of pundits are convinced that gold can only head higher since the world's central banks will pile into the precious metal. And a drop like the near 4% slide on Friday is a chance to get in before the inevitable move upwards resumes. Everyone agreeing that an asset can only go up in value -- take tech stocks at the end of the last decade, or real estate prices more recently -- should be a warning sign in itself to potential investors. But the latest argument for buying gold advanced by some of its staunchest proponents -- that prices will skyrocket as central banks load up -- is strikingly shoddy and investors would be wise to steer clear of the famously volatile metal. Continue reading As gold tanks, don't expect central banks to come to the rescue As gold tanks, don't expect central banks to come to the rescue originally appeared on DailyFinance on Fri, 04 Dec 2009 13:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Big pharmas are reaching the tipping point. How can they survive? December 4, 2009 at 1:00 pm Filed under: Technology, Healthcare "The global pharmaceutical industry is one of the great success stories in recent history." That's the opening line from management consulting firm A.T. Kearney's report Pharmaceuticals Out of Balance: Reaching the Tipping Point. The industry, the report continues, has created technologies, vaccines, and medicines that have significantly improved people's health and saved countless lives. And the industry's been successful on the business front, too, today generating revenues of more than $700 billion. Continue reading Big pharmas are reaching the tipping point. How can they survive? Big pharmas are reaching the tipping point. How can they survive? originally appeared on DailyFinance on Fri, 04 Dec 2009 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments With target-date funds, you should put all your eggs in one basket December 4, 2009 at 12:30 pm Filed under: Retirement, Investing A relatively new invention in the mutual fund universe is the target-date fund. These are funds intended to be "all-in-one" options that allocate assets based on the year you plan to retire. For example, if you intend to retire in 2040, you'd simply put assets into a 2040 target-date fund. The closer a fund gets to its target date, the more conservative its asset allocation becomes. Recent legislation and regulatory inducements set up to sign people up automatically for 401(k)s also included inducements to include target-date funds as the primary choice for the automatic investments. Right now, only about 7% of 401(k)s are invested in target-date funds, but the Employee Benefit Research Institute found a disturbing trend in how these funds are being used. Continue reading With target-date funds, you should put all your eggs in one basket With target-date funds, you should put all your eggs in one basket originally appeared on DailyFinance on Fri, 04 Dec 2009 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments Some GM and Chrysler dealers destined for dust bin get new life December 4, 2009 at 12:00 pm Filed under: Company News, Economy, People, General Motors Some 2,000 General Motors and Chrysler Group auto dealerships may get a second chance to stay in business as the car companies reassess the future of franchises that were slated for closure or already shut down. The review process is part of binding arbitration GM and Chrysler have entered into to sidestep passage of federal legislation that would compel them to provide compensation to franchisees or reinstate dealership contracts. The two carmakers said they would review the closure lists and determine whether the decisions were business based. They also promised more transparency. GM, for example, agreed to tell Cadillac, Buick, GMC and Chevrolet dealers how decisions were made, and provide face-to-face reviews with dealers that are still open, among other concessions. Continue reading Some GM and Chrysler dealers destined for dust bin get new life Some GM and Chrysler dealers destined for dust bin get new life originally appeared on DailyFinance on Fri, 04 Dec 2009 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments U.S. factory orders rise unexpectedly in October December 4, 2009 at 11:30 am Filed under: Economy It was a pretty strong week for the U.S. economy: The manufacturing sector continued to expand, the Dow solidified gains above 10,000, and the nation lost only 11,000 jobs in November. To this the U.S. Commerce Department added more good news Friday: Factory orders unexpectedly increased 0.6% in October. A Bloomberg News survey had expected October factory orders to rise 0.2%. Factory orders increased a revised 1.6% in September, higher than the previously released 0.9% gain for September. Factory orders fell 0.8% in August. Continue reading U.S. factory orders rise unexpectedly in October U.S. factory orders rise unexpectedly in October originally appeared on DailyFinance on Fri, 04 Dec 2009 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments With bank fees rising, prepaid debit cards could replace checking accounts December 4, 2009 at 11:00 am Filed under: Economy These days, new banking fees seem to be spreading like the flu virus, with higher charges for overdrafts, stopped payments, ATM withdrawals and bounced checks popping up on each new monthly statement. The rising costs are leading some consumers to consider the once unthinkable: closing their bank accounts altogether. The alternative? Using prepaid debit cards that can be recharged to handle banking needs. While such a move isn't right for everyone, a number of reports estimate millions of "unbanked" and "underbanked" consumers with limited or no access to bank accounts are already increasingly using prepaid debit cards. Many of the unbanked and underbanked are minorities or people with incomes below $30,000, according to a report released Wednesday by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation. Even consumers with bank accounts are using the cards to pay bills, control their own spending or help friends and relatives with spending needs, reports show. Continue reading With bank fees rising, prepaid debit cards could replace checking accounts With bank fees rising, prepaid debit cards could replace checking accounts originally appeared on DailyFinance on Fri, 04 Dec 2009 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Oops, they missed it again: SEC had chance to nab Rajaratnam in 1998 December 4, 2009 at 10:30 am Filed under: People, Investing The Wall Street Journal has done a public service by getting its hands on court records in the case of Galleon Holdings founder Raj Rajaratnam, who is currently walking around on $100 million bail. He's no Bernie Madoff, who stole $60 billion from his investors in a Ponzi scheme. Rajaratnam allegedly paid for inside information and traded on it -- a far more subtle form of stealing. But in the cases of both Madoff and Rajaratnam, the Securities and Exchange Commission knew about their alleged nefarious acts for at least a decade before charging them. Bruce Watson posted on Madoff's long history of evading the SEC's weak efforts to stop him. And the Journal's reporting on how Intel (INTC) caught its employee, Roomy Khan, calling and faxing sales reports into Rajaratnam is revealing. Continue reading Oops, they missed it again: SEC had chance to nab Rajaratnam in 1998 Oops, they missed it again: SEC had chance to nab Rajaratnam in 1998 originally appeared on DailyFinance on Fri, 04 Dec 2009 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments November unemployment is a year-end gift for the U.S. labor market December 4, 2009 at 10:00 am Filed under: Economy It's unfortunate that the nation had to wait until the end of the year to get it, but the November employment report may represent the best economic news the U.S. has received in 2009. The economy shed just 11,000 jobs in the month, the U.S. Labor Department announced Friday. It was the lowest job-loss total since December 2007, and the unemployment rate fell to 10% from 10.2% in October. A Bloomberg News survey had forecast a drop of 100,000 jobs in November. The Labor Department revised the October figure to 111,000, down from the previously released 190,000 total, and September's number shrank to 139,000 lost jobs, compared to the initial report of 219,000. During the recession -- which may have ended in July -- the U.S. economy has lost a staggering 7.7 million jobs. Continue reading November unemployment is a year-end gift for the U.S. labor market November unemployment is a year-end gift for the U.S. labor market originally appeared on DailyFinance on Fri, 04 Dec 2009 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Too many Android models may chase app-makers away December 4, 2009 at 9:30 am Filed under: Technology, Electronic Arts, Google , Motorola, Research In Motion, Apple, AT&T, Palm When I talked to Deutsche Bank wireless and GPS analyst Jonathan Goldman last week, he was largely bullish on Android and its ability gain market share as a smart phone operating system. But one thing did concern him, and its exactly the thing that Apple (AAPL) CEO Steven P. Jobs is counting on: Too many different handsets running Android means trouble in the app store. As the number of wireless handsets running Google's (GOOG) Android operating system continues to climb, analysts and cell phone watchers are growing more bullish on the prospect of the search giant cracking the code for a viable iPhone competitor. One Android model, Motorola's (MOT) Droid, has gotten extremely strong reviews, and other phones, particularly those from Taiwanese device maker HTC, are attracting the attention of gadget hounds. But one key cohort in the mobile phone ecosystem is getting nervous. Continue reading Too many Android models may chase app-makers away Too many Android models may chase app-makers away originally appeared on DailyFinance on Fri, 04 Dec 2009 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Stocks in the news: Bank of America, Take-Two Interactive, Big Lots December 4, 2009 at 9:05 am Filed under: Company News, Investing Bank of America (BAC), true to its plans to repay TARP funds, raised $19.3 billion Thursday selling securities at $15 apiece in the biggest sale of stock or preferred shares by a U.S. public company since at least 2000. Shares declined 3.4% in pre-market trading. Take-Two Interactive Software Inc. (TTWO) warned late Thursday that its results for the past quarter and the fiscal year would fall far below expectations and that it would post a loss in the first fiscal quarter. It blamed release delays, high development costs and low baseball game sales. Take-Two shares fell more than 26% ahead of the bell. Continue reading Stocks in the news: Bank of America, Take-Two Interactive, Big Lots Stocks in the news: Bank of America, Take-Two Interactive, Big Lots originally appeared on DailyFinance on Fri, 04 Dec 2009 09:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Daily Blogwatch: Top dividend growth stocks; Goldman's top 10 tech plays December 4, 2009 at 8:30 am Filed under: Company News, Columns, Economy The Dividend Growth Investor gives us the top dividend stocks to accumulate now. ___________________ Former auto czar (and private equity mogul) Steve Rattner goes to bat for Bernanke. ___________________ It's not so easy to play chess on a roller coaster. ___________________ Continue reading Daily Blogwatch: Top dividend growth stocks; Goldman's top 10 tech plays Daily Blogwatch: Top dividend growth stocks; Goldman's top 10 tech plays originally appeared on DailyFinance on Fri, 04 Dec 2009 08:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Stocks to open significantly higher after surprisingly positive jobs report December 4, 2009 at 8:00 am Filed under: Economy, Investing U.S. stocks are, for now, set to open slightly higher. But stock futures, which edged higher Friday morning, traded in a narrow range as investors await November's government employment report, hoping it will show a declining rate of job losses. Any large surprise to the upside or downside may not only set the tone for the day, but for some time. Update: The U.S. labor market improved markedly in November, the Labor Department reported Friday. The unemployment rate fell back to 10%. Nonfarm payrolls dropped by a seasonally adjusted 11,000 in November, the smallest decrease since December 2007. U.S. stock futures surged after the report, indicating Wall Street would open significantly higher. More here: Before the bell: Futures inch higher ahead of jobs report Stocks to open significantly higher after surprisingly positive jobs report originally appeared on DailyFinance on Fri, 04 Dec 2009 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Hong Kong developers talk up real estate, China Citic surges 10%, Japan awaits rescue package December 4, 2009 at 7:00 am Filed under: Economy, Investing In Asia Friday China's Shanghai Composite Index rose 1.6%, closing at 3,317. In Hong Kong the Hang Seng fell 0.3% to end the day at 22,498 and in Japan the Nikkei Index closed at 10,023 -- a gain of 0.5% In Hong Kong, influential property developers joined forces in putting a positive spin on the territory's growth potential as the chairman of Hang Lung Properties, Ronnie Chan, told Bloomberg that property was a "good bet." Earlier this week Henderson Land chairman Lee Shau-kee predicted a 10% rise in 2010 for the already overheated property market. Today Henderson Land (HLDVF) lost 2.3% and Hang Lung (HLPPY) gained 1.5% as investors contemplate whether prices are under control. Continue reading Hong Kong developers talk up real estate, China Citic surges 10%, Japan awaits rescue package Hong Kong developers talk up real estate, China Citic surges 10%, Japan awaits rescue package originally appeared on DailyFinance on Fri, 04 Dec 2009 07:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Sony's new plan for video and music everywhere December 4, 2009 at 5:00 am Filed under: Technology, Microsoft, Sony Sony's (SNE) CEO Howard Stringer is running out of time and options to turn his company around. The PS3 franchise has faced strong competition from the Nintendo Wii and Microsoft (MSFT) Xbox 360. Sony's TV screen and digital camera businesses have been hurt by price competition that has driven down margins. Now Sony is facing a problem it cannot solve by better management or better products; a weak dollars is eroding its chance to return to profitability. Singer has come up with yet another plan to reinvent his company. He is setting up a service to move his movie and music content to his game consoles and portable electronics devices like the Walkman. The News York Times says that in a meeting with reporters Stringer said the new service called Sony Online Services "would give a lift to the company's products across the board. The service builds on Sony's PlayStation Network, which lets users download games, TV shows and movies onto their PlayStation game consoles, the company's most successful platform so far, with 33 million registered users and expected revenue of $500 million this year." Continue reading Sony's new plan for video and music everywhere Sony's new plan for video and music everywhere originally appeared on DailyFinance on Fri, 04 Dec 2009 05:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments   This email was sent to gatdemit001@gmail.com.  Create Your Account Don't want to receive this feed any longer? Unsubscribe here.

12/5 BusinessWeek.com -- Finance

Please add updates@feedmyinbox.com to your address book to make sure you receive these messages in the future. BusinessWeek.com -- Finance Picks of the Week: Apple, AIG, Lilly, BofA December 4, 2009 at 4:25 pm Wall Street analysts give their buy, sell, or hold views on various stocks in the news this week Citi Can't Quit TARP Until Treasury Sells Stake December 4, 2009 at 11:46 am Executives can't sell stock to raise money for repayment until the Treasury signals how it will unload its 7.7 billion Citi shares, sources say U.S. Stocks, Dollar Rally on Jobs Data December 4, 2009 at 10:52 am U.S. nonfarm payrolls fell by a far smaller than expected 11,000 in November, suggesting a strengthening economic recovery Experts Discuss the November Jobs Surprise December 4, 2009 at 10:36 am BusinessWeek presents comments on the November jobs report from Wall Street economists on Dec. 4 Stocks on the Move: BofA, Smith & Wesson, Big Lots December 4, 2009 at 10:16 am Plus more stocks making headlines in Friday's market Bank of America Stock Sale Biggest Since 2001 December 4, 2009 at 10:10 am The $19.3 billion raised by BofA will go toward paying back the federal bailout fund and freeing the bank from TARP Stock Picks: Citigroup, Take-Two, Taubman December 4, 2009 at 10:04 am Wall Street analyst opinions on selected stocks in the news Friday Capital One Warrants Pay Back Taxpayers December 4, 2009 at 9:54 am In the first auction generated by the TARP program, Capital One warrants sold for $146.5 million Dividends: On the Rise Again? December 4, 2009 at 8:33 am Companies like AT&T, Wal-Mart, and Progress Energy may hike dividends as a rebounding economy boosts cash available for payouts Money Report: China's Shoppers, Gold December 4, 2009 at 7:50 am Plus a look at where hedge funds are putting their money now Stocks: The Trouble with Telecom December 3, 2009 at 8:58 pm Telecom may be the only S&P 500 sector to finish 2009 with a negative return. Can this unloved group repair its image with investors? What Lurks on the Books of Banks December 3, 2009 at 5:00 pm Their profits have rebounded, but shaky home-equity and credit-card debt—for starters—could change that John Paulson Returns to Earth December 3, 2009 at 5:00 pm After his storied killing betting against subprime, the hedge fund hero is eking out so-so returns An Embattled Fed Fights Back December 3, 2009 at 5:00 pm Bernanke is unapologetic and warns that moves to weaken the central bank would jeopardize economic stability   This email was sent to gatdemit001@gmail.com.  Create Your Account Don't want to receive this feed any longer? Unsubscribe here.