corporate results, credit markets, financial crisis, investors, recession
While U.S. credit markets seem to be loosening up a little, investors have no respite from anxiety as the trickle of third quarter corporate results currently being released seems to be turning into a torrent of bad news. Fears of the country entering into a deep recession cannot be put to rest, especially in light of the fact that many corporate companies are trimming their fourth quarter earnings forecasts, indicating expectations of a bumpy road ahead. All major U.S. indexes dropped by more than 4 percent on Wednesday, with the Dow Jones industrial average...
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dow jones, economic indicators, investors, vix, volatility index
After a number of gut-wrenching free falls and sharp reversals in the stock market in recent weeks, traders are hoping that tales of impending doom won’t become a reality. A lot of them are paying attention to the VIX, something that is normally considered a rather obscure index and which is generally barely worth noting.
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dow jones, financial crisis, financial sector, investors, nasdaq, united states, us markets
Following the euphoria of Monday, U.S. markets drew back a little on Tuesday with the Dow Jones Industrial Average, the Standard & Poor’s 500 and the Nasdaq composite index all ending the trading day down by 0.8%, 0.5% and 3.5% respectively. While investors are hopeful that this is an indication of a return to some sort of normalcy, given the extreme volatility of markets in recent months, they may very well be hoping in vain.
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china, financial crisis, new york stock exchange, united kingdom, united states
Thursday marked the anniversary of the stock market peak experienced in October 2007, and illustrating how volatile and unpredictable stock market trading has become, the Dow Jones industrial average plummeted to a level that has not been seen in the past five years. Despite the best efforts of world leaders to halt the global financial crisis - the latest being a cut in interest rates by the U.S., U.K., China, Canada, Switzerland and Sweden - it appears to be unstoppable. Words such as “fear” and “panic” have crept into...
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financial sector, global markets, treasury, us economy
Before the day even began, stock market players knew that Monday was going to present enormous challenges. With unanswered questions as to how the $700 billion financial sector bailout plan would be put into action, and how quickly the economy would see any benefit from it, Monday proved to be a rocky road for U.S. markets, and global markets did not fare any better. News of European financial institutions Hypo Real Estate AG and Fortis NV having to be rescued, only served to make a bad situation worse, as did...
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fdic, financial institutions, financial sector, investors, retirement funds, treasury, us markets
Following more than three hours of floor debate on Wednesday night, the Senate passed a revised version of the controversial $700 billion financial sector bailout plan, by a vote of 74 to 25. Both Presidential candidates, Senator John McCain and Senator Barack Obama, voted in favor of the plan that the House of Representatives must approve before it can be put into action. It is anticipated that the House will vote on Friday and proponents of the plan are optimistic that the vote will go their way.
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london stock exchange, mortgage, united kingdom
While U.S. officials hammer out the details of the much publicized $700 billion bailout of financial institutions, the U.K. is also facing a host of problems relating to the financial sector, calling for bailout plans at the expense of embattled British taxpayers. U.K. officials are currently dealing with the collapse of Yorkshire-based Bradford & Bingley (LSE: BB), a major U.K. bank with 197 branches and 140 agencies, and just under one million shareholders.
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bailout, bankruptcy, financial institutions, financial sector, mortgages
Friday’s elated response at stock exchanges, to US Federal Government’s proposal to buy troubled assets from financial institutions was short-lived as reality set in with regard to the sheer magnitude of the problem, along with doubts as to whether a bailout would unfreeze the credit market, and concerns over the burden that the proposed $700 billion bailout would place on American taxpayers. Monday saw the Dow Jones Industrial Average drop by 372.75 points, with the S&P 500 losing 47.99 points and NASDAQ slipping by 94.92 points, being 3.3%, 3.8% and...
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