High speed, high volume trading now accounts for over 60% of activity in the US stock market and that percentage is expected to increase in 2010. Is this good for the markets, as its proponents insist, or is the stage being set for a sudden, computer-driven market collapse that can happen too fast for human investors to respond? Read the rest of this entry »
Financial examiners and compliance officers are now on the list of the 30 fastest growing occupations, according to the Department of Labor. Not surprising, the last report, two years ago, listed the type of financial jobs that helped fuel hedge, speculative, and Ponzi economics. Today, the list features jobs that help companies follow the rules! Read the rest of this entry »
Increasingly, companies are including sustainability statements in their annual reports. Some even argue that this is already a requirement, given that the SEC requires companies to report a known trend with uncertain consequences, which is a good description of climate change. Read the rest of this entry »
Which of the following arguments were used by TARP recipients to justify high executive compensation levels?
Check your answers. Read the rest of this entry »
To get the fuller story of how a company is doing, you have to struggle through the notes, lists, and tables that go along with the line items in financial reports. The Notes in a 10-K can be three times longer than the rest of the report, and it is very hard not to miss important details. But starting next year, your computer will be able to read all the notes for you, and can even flow them into your Excel spreadsheet for instant, granular analysis. Read the rest of this entry »
Maintaining the SEC’s current disclosure regulations is an invitation for a repeat economic crisis, said EDGAR Online president Phil Moyer, responding to the Commissions request for comments on a pending bill to create a centralized database and change the way asset-based securities get reported. The good news is that the technical solution already exits to make ABS reporting transparent, easy, and inexpensive for both issuers and investors. We invite our readers to join us in sending their comments to the SEC. Read the rest of this entry »
Graffiti artists are now using light instead of spray paint for hit-and-run guerilla communications in urban settings. The laser leaves no trace, but drawings can be projected onto huge buildings and seen for miles. The artists can disappear as fast as they can slam closed a laptop, switch off a laser pointer, or take off their glasses. Read the rest of this entry »
“The Great Depression: A Diary” is a firsthand account of hard times and uncertainty, written by a lawyer in Youngstown, Ohio, who struggled to keep his practice going while banks and businesses collapsed. He was not clear if the government was helping or hurting. Sound familiar? Read the rest of this entry »
Which of the following can be found in Dubai?
Check your answer. Read the rest of this entry »
With 123 bank failures this year and more to come, you may be wondering about your own bank. Try the Texas Ratio for a quick snapshot of how healthy it is. Just take your bank’s most recent report and divide the bad stuff on the books by the good stuff. Let’s hope the ratio is no where near 1:1. Of course, that’s assuming your bank is fully disclosing weak assets. Read the rest of this entry »
Recent Comments