dell, hewlett packard, ibm, investors, sectors, technology
As the business world becomes ever more reliant on technology in order to function efficiently and remain competitive, there is plenty of behind the scenes wheeling and dealing going on between major players in this fast-moving sector that investors may want to keep track of. A merger bid by Dell, and the subsequent raising of the stakes by Hewlett Packard, for a company that reportedly has not managed to turn an annual profit since it became a public company three years ago, has been drawing a great deal of interest. The...
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market makers, nasdaq, securities, stock exchanges, trading
With stock exchange transactions taking place in the blink of an eye, market makers play a vital role in trading by being ready at any given moment of a trading day to buy or sell at publicly quoted prices, thereby linking sellers and buyers. These broker-dealer firms accept the risk of holding a predetermined number of shares in a chosen security, thereby facilitating instant trades in that security. Market makers trade in an environment of vigorous competition for customer order flow. As the term suggests, market makers create a market by...
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brokers, electronic trading, financial industry, finra, regulators, wall street
While the cause of the so-called Wall Street "flash crash" on May 6 this year has not yet been confirmed by regulators charged with investigating the incident, it is likely to lead to a tougher stance on controlling who has access to high-frequency trading on markets. The investigation includes scrutinizing brokers suspected of failing to thoroughly check high-frequency traders before allowing them market access, which raises a whole host of concerns, especially in light of the fact that around 60 percent of US trading volumes take place electronically. With brokers being in the position to...
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china, general motors, investors, ipo, regulators, united states
It was thirteen months ago that the U.S. government rescued General Motors from bankruptcy and landed up owning around 61 percent of the company in return for financial assistance to the tune of $50 billion. And now, despite the weak IPO market and a less than inspiring track record, GM is set to offer shares to the public once again in an effort to pay off their debt and reclaim full ownership of a company that was once part of the portfolio of many serious investors. But opinion is divided...
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capital, consumer sentiment, economic recovery, investors, utilities
As concerns regarding the pace of economic recovery in the US persist, it has become apparent that small-cap businesses have been hardest hit by investor gloom. Despite fairly upbeat data on retail sales and consumer sentiment, Friday saw the Russell 2000 index of small-capitalization stocks fall by 1.21 percent, being 7.49 points. The total decline for the week was 6.33 percent, going on record as the second consecutive week down. The Standard & Poor's Small Cap 600 fared no better, dropping 1.31 percent, being 4.35 points, and ending the week...
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china, economy, federal reserve, interest rates, us markets
Stock market investing is surely not for the faint-hearted, especially in these times where every new day seems to bring a new, and often unprecedented, challenge. Following the announcement by the U.S. Federal Reserve that it would begin buying government bonds in an effort to stimulate the persistently sluggish economy, stocks and interest rates plummeted on Wednesday, reflecting the trepidation of investors with regard to economic recovery. Other factors that impacted negatively on markets included the news from the U.S. Commerce Department that, primarily due to the fall in exports, the...
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economists, free trade, global markets, monopoly, world bank
(Cont.from Part 2) Bilateral and multilateral trade began to develop in the mid 19th century with the primary focus on national advantage as being the determining factor on whether to open a country's borders to imports or not. Building on the work of economists such as David Ricardo and his father, James Mill, John Stuart Mill went on to prove that a country with the trade monopoly on international markets could make use of tariffs to manipulate the terms of trade between countries, which is likely...
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commodities, free trade, international trade, monopolies
(Cont.from Part 1)Between the 8th and 11th century the Varangians and Vikings used their prowess at sea to dominate trade in the Scandinavian countries, as well Western Europe and Russia. Between the 13th and 17th centuries the Hanseatic League, also referred to as the Hansa, was an alliance of trading cities which monopolized trade along the coastlines of Northern Europe, the Baltic Sea and the Northern Sea, as well as inland at various points.
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