Goldman’s greatest hitsFormer Goldman Sachs trader Bethany McLean pens an epic anthology documenting the history and scandals of banking giant Goldman Sachs, including some revealing interviews with CEO Lloyd Blankfein, COO Gary Cohn and many Wall St insiders.
Wall Street
Goldman starts grovelling
Goldman Sachs is attempting to make-over its greedy image by apologising for that little Global Financial Crisis incident and spending $500 million to help small businesses recover from the recession.
The next meltdown is coming in 2012
It may not be the global Apocalypse predicted by certain Hollywood action films, but there will be an epic disaster in 2012, says Paul Farrell: the next big Wall St crash.
Wall St conspiracy theories: a field guide
Is Goldman Sachs really a Giant Vampire Squid? Did naked short-selling kill Bear Stearns and Lehman Bros? The Big Money ranks some of the paranoid theorising going on atop the financial world’s grassy knoll.
Is the US Fed about to get neutered?
US Democrat senators are looking to overhaul the country’s financial system, stripping the Federal Reserve of its supervisory powers and creating three new agencies to protect consumers and police banks. You can read the whole proposed Bill here.
FBI wiretaps expose Wall Street’s seedy underbelly
Details uncovered from FBI wire-taps of Wall St insider trading rings are like The Sopranos, The Wire and Gordon Gekko’s Wall Street all rolled into one, complete with secret tips, kickbacks and disposable mobile phones.
Insider trading: 14 more, including Octopussy, arrested on Wall St
Wall Street’s biggest insider trading fiasco is growing, with another 14 arrested overnight in charges involving $US33 million in illegal profits. Will this be the scandal to define the noughties’ boom and bust?
We’ve passed Wall St, next stop Hang Seng
Australian investors need to stop believing that Wall Street is god of the Australian economy, writes Michael Pascoe. We’ve survived the GFC, even if the US didn’t, and our focus should be on Asia.
Shit hits the fan for Wall Street’s shadow bankers
America’s biggest insider case is starting to spread, snaring some of Wall Street’s bluest-of-blue-blood banks in its web. Explosive claims are emerging, including disclosures on the dodgy trading of the Galleon hedge fund.
80 years since the Great Crash
It’s the 80th anniversary of the Great Wall St Crash and the beginning of the Great Depression. Steve Keen looks at what we’ve learned — if anything — eight decades on.
US economy flirting with the repo men
The overnight repo market holds the key to Wall Street’s bubble-driven economy. The crazy days of 2008 have now been laid bare, writes Julian Gillespie.
How Uncle Sam blew the trillion-dollar trade of century
Sure, the White House had no choice but to step in to save banks in the wake of the financial crisis, says Mark Fisher, but it failed to see the opportunity to make the trade of the century for the American taxpayer.
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Wall St wages vs. Average wages
A disturbing chart tracks the average tracking the average Wall St bonus against the average American wage since 1985. And despite the GFC, they’re on the rise again. No wonder bankers are feasting on $43 steaks.
Bailed-out execs face 90% pay-cut
The US government is set to order the companies that received the most money in last year’s Wall St bailout to slash compensation for their top executives.
Wall St insider trading: 10 more could be charged
American financial markets have been stunned by the continuing news flow from the newest insider trading charges on Wall St involving billionaire hedge fund manager Raj Rajaratnam, with reports this morning that another 10 could be charged.
How Wall Street makes its billions
All the major Wall St banks’ profits come from trading, but who is on the receiving loss end of trades? asks Philip Greenspun. Banks don’t just shift Federal money around and skim off profits for themselves, do they?
Despite rebound, US still hasn’t got its housing in order
Stand by for the “two-speed America” story to start emerging: that’s where the rebound in financial markets and on wall Street is way ahead with the sluggish wider economy, especially housing.
Dow cracks 10,000: Who cares?
So the Dow has hit 10,000 for the first time this year. It may make big headlines, but most traders on Wall St won’t pay much attention.
The Dow 10,000: as told in headwear
In what evidently passes for “fun” on Wall St these days, traders have taken to wearing commemorative caps to celebrate each time the Dow cracks 10,000. The WSJ has a great gallery of the wacky funsters and their stockmarket silliness.
The market is up! Ergh. Who cares?
The market is rebounding, but can be up and down and all over. Should investors be concerned with day to day market events? Well, not really. Unless you’re a day trader, you’re investing long term.
REVEALED: Who’s on Timothy Geithner’s speed dial?
The AP has obtained seven months of US Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner’s appointment records, finding he spends more time chatting with executives from Goldman Sachs, JPMorgan and Citigroup than the President himself. Is he getting too close to Wall St?
Reality bites global economy, again
Suddenly realism is back in fashion on Wall Street and in other parts of the business world. Which is why markets across the globe are falling, quickly and sharply.
What Obama didn’t say
In his speech to bankers, Obama entirely failed to explain his plans to regulate (or not) how large financial institutions can become or whether some of the biggest ones should be broken up, says Daniel Indiviglio.
An ode to moderation and prudence
Obama delivered a strong warning to Wall Street in his speech in New York yesterday. But is he actually willing to back it up with strong actions? Unlikely, says Justin Fox.
Reform or rhetoric? Obama’s speech examined
Economics experts discuss US President Barack Obama’s speech to Wall Street bankers. Obama had some stern words — but were they stern enough to see real reform and prevent another economic disaster?
