Economy & Markets
The important economic and stock market news that advisors need to know.
A Market Neutral Alternative for Client Portfolios
By Ed McCarthy, CFP, RICPCredit Suisse says the fund's underlying index reflects the difference in return between long- and short-total return sub-indexes
October 21, 2011
ETFs, North Africa & Oil: A Cool Arab SpringPolitical uprisings in the Middle East and North Africa have spread considerably since early 2011, with Thursday marking the end of the regime (and life) of Col. Moammar Gadhafi in Libya. But ETFs with a focus on the region have been falling sharply, along with oil prices.
October 21, 2011
EU Considers Censoring Credit RatingsIn a quest to prevent further deterioration in the European credit crisis, the European Commission may ask for the authority to censor or ban credit ratings on troubled countries.
October 21, 2011
EU Proposes $1.3 Trillion to Overcome Stalemate on Debt BailoutAs France and Germany battle over whether and how much to modify the European Financial Stability Facility, the European Union has come up with a proposal to merge the existing temporary facility and the coming permanent one, to the tune of some 940 billion euros ($1.3 trillion).
October 20, 2011
UBS to Trim, Not Sell, Investment Bank, Report SaysAs further details emerge regarding its recent $2.3 billion trading loss, UBS interim CEO Sergio Ermotti has decided against spinning off or selling the investment bank and, instead, plans to reduce its size, especially in its fixed-income work.
October 20, 2011
Social Security’s 3.6% Benefit Increase Scorned as Not EnoughFor the first time since 2009, the U.S. government said Wednesday that it will raise Social Security benefits with a cost-of-living adjustment, up 3.6%, and the announcement was followed by praiseand criticism.
October 20, 2011
Merkel, Sarkozy Split on Debt BailoutAs the clock ticks down to a weekend summit meeting of euro zone leaders to discuss a plan to deal with the euro zone debt crisis, disagreement between France and Germany over the European Financial Stability Facility threatens to bog down the process and escalate the financial crisis.
October 20, 2011
IMF, Troika Divided Over Greek RescueDissension over Greece's second bailout is dividing the bodies that make up the troika, the so-called joint commission of the International Monetary Fund, the European Union and the European Central Bank.