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• Will Black Friday Rescue U.S. Retailers? - Editor, 28 November 2008 - No Comments yet

Traditionally many retailers have viewed Black Friday as the means to pull them out of the red and into the black financially speaking (hence the name), but this year Black Friday is generally being viewed with trepidation as analysts predict that cash strapped Americans will be carefully considering every dollar they spend. Retailers throughout the U.S. have battled through a difficult year, with many going out of business or declaring bankruptcy, so Black Friday has now more than ever before become a light at the end of a long dark tunnel for many businesses relying on consumer spending to keep them going.

• Monday’s Stock Market Rally Seen as Endorsement of Obama’s Economic Team - Editor, 25 November 2008 - No Comments yet

Markets in the United States and around the world rallied on Monday, which many see as an endorsement of Barack Obama’s choice for his administration’s economic team. The additional government bailout package for banking giant Citibank also contributed to the spirit of optimism reflected in Monday’s stock market activity. The Dow Jones industrial average rose 4.9 percent, the Standard & Poor’s 500 gained 6.4 percent and the Nasdaq composite index rose by more than 6 percent. For the Dow and S&P 500, the two-day percentage gain was the biggest experienced since October 1987, while the point gain over the two trading days was the biggest ever.

• Stock Markets Dive As Investor Anxiety Grows Over State Of Global Economy, U.S. Automakers and Oil Prices - Editor, 20 November 2008 - No Comments yet

As anticipated by many analysts, stock market volatility is far from over. U.S. stock markets dropped dramatically on Wednesday as concerns relating to the economy, highlighted by the uncertainty of the future of the U.S. auto industry, caused investors to dump stock near close of trade, erasing Tuesday’s gains. The Dow Jones industrial average closed below the 8,000 mark, a state of affairs which has not been seen since March 2003. The Dow was down 5.1 percent, with all 30 Dow components ending the session lower. The Standard & Poor’s 500 index sank 6 percent, also its lowest level since March 2003, while the Nasdaq composite dropped 6.5 percent, settling at it lowest level since April 2003.

• G-20 Summit Agrees On Direction For Dealing With Global Financial Crisis - Editor, 17 November 2008 - No Comments yet

While acknowledging that plenty of work lies ahead for world leaders, the two-day G-20 summit held in Washington, D.C., over the weekend is being hailed by the majority as a success. The presidents and prime ministers of the G-20 countries managed to find common ground on the root causes of the crisis, as well as identifying areas that need to be tightened up. A meeting has been set for the end of April 2009 for a review of progress on the various aspects of the game plan agreed to on the weekend.

• New Mortgage-Related Assistance May Bring Relief To U.S. Homeowners - Editor, 12 November 2008 - No Comments yet

On Tuesday, the Bush administration made public a new program aiming to modify mortgages and set back on track the U.S. real estate market. However, experts in the financial sector have been quick to point out that the program is flawed and does not benefit homeowners to the extent that it should, given the current economic crisis.

• U.S. Markets Enjoy Election Day Rally - Editor, 5 November 2008 - No Comments yet

Monday saw U.S. stocks end the day virtually flat, presumably in anticipation of the Tuesday presidential elections. However, on Tuesday, before the outcome of the elections were confirmed, Wall Street rallied quite impressively with the Dow Jones industrial average rising 305.45 points, or 3.28 percent, to close at 9,625.28. The Standard & Poor’s 500 gained 4.08 percent, or 39.45 points to close at 1,005.75, being the first time it has closed above 1,000 since 13 October. The Nasdaq composite index rose 53.79 points, or 3.12 percent, to close at 1,780.12, marking the sixth trading day in a row that the index has risen.

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