Economy & Markets
The important economic and stock market news that advisors need to know.
Greece Likely to Be Rated in Default: S&P
By Marlene Y. SatterWhatever debt swap arrangement Greece can work out with its creditors will likely still leave it with a default rating, according to John Chambers of Standard & Poors.
January 24, 2012
Swedish, Japanese Dominate Green Bond MarketFive of the top 10 underwriters of approximately $7 billion in green bonds come from Sweden and Japan, with Skandinaviska Enskilda Banken and Daiwa Securities Group Inc. underwriting the most of such investments since their inception in 2007.
January 24, 2012
S&P Downgrades French BanksStandard & Poor's downgraded four French banks on Monday, saying that its action came as a result of its downgrade of France itself earlier in the month.
January 24, 2012
Private Bondholders' Offer on Greek Bonds RejectedPrivate bondholders had their holdout position of requiring a 4% interest rate on new Greek bonds rejected Monday, as eurozone finance ministers said the offer was not good enough.
January 23, 2012
Target-Date Funds Beat Q3 Returns, End 2011 Down: IbbotsonTarget-date funds struggled to recover from volatility left over from a 'very tough third quarter,' according to the Ibbotson Target Maturity Report, released Monday.
January 23, 2012
Fed’s Transparency Policy Meets Skepticism on Wall StreetThe Federal Reserve launches its new transparency initiative Wednesday, but a prominent economist is warning the move could 'greatly increase the risk of severe market and economic disruptions.'
January 23, 2012
EU Seeks to Close Bank Capital LoopholeThe European Union will try to close a loophole that allows lenders to avoid holding sufficient capital to offset the risk on their holdings of sovereign debt,k.
January 23, 2012
Vanguard CIO Defends ETFs, Calls for More EducationVanguard CIO Gus Sauter said Monday that the ETF industry needs to do more to educate investors about its products. Sauter, who spoke at an ETF conference, also defended the products, which have been criticized in the past year or so.