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• SOPA Triggers Tech Sector Backlash - 17 November 2011

With tech and social media companies continuing to grow in size and influence in the US economy, investors take note when companies like Google and Facebook make waves about proposed legislation affecting these market sectors. The Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) introduced in the House of Representatives at the end of last month, has these tech giants up in arms as they criticize the proposals for being too stringent, noting that it opens up possibilities for a host of unintended consequences. As the name of the act suggests, its intention is to deal with trademark and copyright issues by targeting foreign sites that facilitate piracy of copyrighted materials such as music, films and television shows.

• US & Global Economies Still Under Spotlight - 3 October 2011

As Wall Street enters the final quarter of 2011, investors need to come to grips with some of the fears that drove stocks down on Friday, ending what has been declared as the worst quarter since the beginning of the financial crisis. The Dow Jones industrial average dropped 240 points to close at 10,913, the S&P 500 fell by 30 points to close at 1,131, while the Nasdaq Composite slid 65 points to close at 2,415 – recording declines of 2.1 percent, 2.5 percent and 2.6 percent respectively. For the Dow it was the worst quarter since the first three months of 2009, while for the S&P 500 and Nasdaq it has been the worst since the final quarter of 2008. While investors are, of course, hopeful for improvements moving ahead, indications are that the problems plaguing the US economy, as well as the global economy, are likely to continue unabated for some time.

• AT&T/T-Mobile Face Antitrust Issues - 1 September 2011

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 to compete with Verizon. But yesterday, the Department of Justice stepped in to block the $39 billion takeover in its current form, noting that the deal would push up prices for consumers and reduce competition.

• NVCA – Funding Innovation - 21 July 2011

The stated primary goals of the National Venture Capital Association (NVCA) are:"Funding Innovation" and "Empowering Entrepreneurs", and while large corporate companies may become bogged down in red tape and bureaucracy, entrepreneurs have a vested interest in productivity and growth, making these fledgling companies a valuable asset in job creation and economic recovery. Venture capitalists identify innovative entrepreneurs and invest in them, giving them the capital, and often the expertise and mentorship, to overcome barriers to entry and establish their business in the sector of their choice. Turning good ideas into reality and helping them to grow is what venture capital investment is all about.

• New Addition to Dow Family - 27 June 2011

Widely respected as the provider of valuable information for stock market players of all levels, Dow Jones Indexes are reportedly making a new addition to its already well rounded family. The new Dow Jones Global Commodity Equity 100 Index will monitor and measure the performance of companies focused on the development and production of renewable and scarce commodities in sectors including energy, water, agriculture, metals and precious metals. Four sub-indexes relating to the Dow Jones Global Commodity Equity 100 Index will also be launched - the Dow Jones Global Equity Agriculture Index; Dow Jones Global Equity Scarcity Index; the Dow Jones Global Equity Energy Index; and the Dow Jones Islamic Market Global Equity Commodity Index. The Equity Scarcity Index is devoted to natural resources that have no way of being replenished, with the Islamic Equity Commodity Index measures companies meet Shari'ah criteria.

• Start-Ups Get a Jump-Start with TechStars - 18 April 2011

With the invitation to budding companies to "Do more faster by joining forces with the #1 startup accelerator in the world", TechStars offers seed funding, mentorship and a network of connections to benefit both start-up companies and the investors who take the leap of faith to invest in these companies. With programs based in Boston, Boulder, Seattle and New York City taking place annually, TechStars is a seed stage investment program, backed by experienced entrepreneurs in the tech sector who are willing to put the time and effort into mentoring in their various fields of expertise. The program runs for an intensive three-month period, and of the literally hundreds of companies that apply to participate, an average of only ten companies per city are selected. At the end of the TechStars program, participating companies are given the opportunity to make a sales pitch to angel investors – wealthy individuals who are prepared to provide capital to promising enterprises, typically in exchange for ownership equity or convertible debt.

• AT&T Proposes Merger With T-Mobile - 24 March 2011

The telecom sector of the US economy is a hive of merger and acquisition activity that investors are no doubt following with intense interest. The latest activity to hit the news is the planned $39 billion merger between AT&T (NYSE: T)and T-Mobile USA. This development threw a spanner in the works for Sprint Nextel's investors who had been anticipating positive results from the recent merger talks between Sprint and the German mobile telecom provider T-Mobile. Should the proposed AT&T/T-Mobile merger meet with the approval of regulatory authorities, the combined company will have in the region of 130 million subscribers, becoming the largest mobile carrier in the United States - a position which is currently held by Verizon.