Economy & Markets
The important economic and stock market news that advisors need to know.
Moody's Threatens Ratings Cuts to Small U.K. Banks
By Marlene Y. SatterSaying that it was reassessing smaller U.K. banks that might not be able to seek bailouts from the government in case of trouble, Moody's Investors Service on Thursday said that as many as 18 of those institutions might find their ratings on the chopping block.
April 06, 2011
2011 Q1 Earnings Preview: Asset Manager Outlook Overshadows Big BanksAs Q1 2011 earnings season begins, portfolio manager Richard Levine of Neuberger Berman Income Equity Fund expects good news from the finance sector.
April 06, 2011
Service Sector Expanded in March at Slower PaceThe U.S. service sector expanded in March for the 16th straight month, although growth slowed from the previous month's pace, which was the fastest in more than five years.
April 06, 2011
Gold, Silver, Oil Gain on Unrest, WorriesSpurred on by unrest in the Middle East/North Africa (MENA) region, the prices of both gold and oil continued to climb on Wednesday, with the former setting its second consecutive record and the latter hitting a 2½-year high.
April 06, 2011
Portugal Edges Closer to Brink: Bond Yield RisesAlthough Portugal is determined to exit its financial crisis without having to follow Greece and Ireland into bailout territory, that is looking more and more unlikely, say experts, as the yield on Wednesday’s bond auction hit new highs.
April 05, 2011
FOMC Supports Easy Money Into ’12; Bernanke Backs Tight Oversight of ClearinghousesMinutes of the meeting of the FOMC on Feb. 15 revealed that opinion was split, but predominantly in favor of a continuation of easy monetary policy into next year. Meanwhile, Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke, in a speech at the Atlanta Federal Reserve Bank Financial Markets Conference on Monday, was talking...
April 05, 2011
Ryan Offers GOP's Long-Term Budget Plan; Talks on Govt. Shutdown FalterU.S. House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan presented a budget that would cut $5.8 trillion in spending over 10 years, as fiscal-year budget talks fall apart.
April 05, 2011
S&P 500 Sees Biggest Increase in Profits Since 1900The biggest increase in profits in more than a century is telling investors that this is no time to sell stocks, even after the Standard & Poor’s 500 Index rallied 97%.