analysts, antitrust, competition, consumers, merger
In the current economic climate, mergers and acquisitions offer potential for growth, as well as a means to cut costs by the laying off of staff and sharing of resources. The danger in M&A activity is the domination of markets by monopolies, and this is where antitrust authorities step in to ensure that markets remain competitive and consumers have a choice in products and services. The proposed takeover of T-Mobile by AT&T has been big news recently and it is no secret that AT&T was counting on this acquisition...
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consumers, entrepreneurs, investors, sectors, seed companies, transparency
With more than 170 accredited investors, and locations in New York, Boston, Philadelphia and San Francisco, the network of angel investors known as Golden Seeds is dedicated to investing in start-up, or seed, companies led by women. In addition to financial investing, either directly or via a managed fund, Golden Seeds members invest their time and expertise. In this way, business women are supported both financially and intellectually, to grow their companies to the benefit of themselves, employees and the economy of the country. Sectors supported by Golden Seeds...
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commodities, consumers, economists, federal reserve, investors, wall street
Analysts are anticipating volatility on Wall Street in the upcoming week, as investors come to grips with Friday's dismal jobs report which noted that only 54,000 jobs were created in the month of May as compared to April's figure of 232,000. This came as a huge disappointment to economists who have estimated that the economy needs to add around 150,000 jobs each month purely to keep up with population growth. Jobs over and above that figure would be addressing the problem of job losses. While economists were not expecting...
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consumers, economy, fortune 500, main street, united states, wall street
With consumer dollars being a driving force behind the economy, the job market in the United States remains a hot topic on both Wall Street and Main Street. Every year researchers compile lists of the top companies in a number of categories, including most ethical, top earners and best companies to work for, based on a variety of criteria. Recently CNN published a list of the Best Big Companies to Work For, with all the named companies appearing on both the prestigious Fortune 500 list and the Fortune Magazine Best Companies to Work For list,...
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consumers, economy, investing, stock exchanges, technology, transparency
The manner in which stock exchanges conduct business continues to evolve, with rapid advances in technology making today's exciting discovery yesterday's old news, and mergers and buyouts narrowing the competition. However, the importance of stock exchanges has not diminished as they fulfill a number of roles in big business, which in turn affects the economy, and ultimately the man on the street.
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banking, consumers, federal reserve, financial markets, us economy
US consumers are faced with a host of options when it comes to making purchases, applying for a mortgage, selecting personal banking services, and using credit cards and other financial services. The economic turmoil of the past two years or so has brought to the attention of authorities that not all consumers are equipped to make financial decisions in their own best interests. This has led to the formation of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) which, under the jurisdiction of the Federal Reserve, regulates financial products and services offered to consumers, ensuring compliance...
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banking industry, consumers, credit rating, federal reserve, retail industry
Moody's recent credit update on the US banking sector noted that the credit rating agency is expecting a slow return to acceptable credit conditions. One of the numerous aspects of the report revealed that loan charge-offs had continued to decrease, reaching the level of 2.6 percent of loans in the fourth quarter of 2010. This is the lowest level since the fourth quarter 2008, but is still considered to be too high. Based on data indicating estimated losses on charge-offs being in the region of $744 billion...
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citigroup, commerce department, consumer sentiment, consumers, retail industry, wall street
With mega-retailers Wal-Mart, Target, Macys, and JC Penney, among others, set to release quarterly earnings this week, stock market investors will no doubt be interested in consumer activity trends in the United States – and it appears that there is reason to be optimistic. The mall used to be the place to hang out in the 80s, and even into the 90s, but its grip started to slip in the late 90s and when the global crisis hit, quite a number of shopping malls across the country were...
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