Archives: April 2009

Hedge Fund Cowards

Posted by: Matthew Goldstein on April 30, Categories: hedge funds

Let's be clear: There's nothing wrong with a group of hedge funds joining forces to push Chrysler into bankrupty because they didn't like the terms the federal government was trying...

The Fed's Selective Candor

Posted by: Matthew Goldstein on April 29, Categories: bailout

It seems not all requests for information are treated equally by the Federal Reserve. On April 26, The New York Times ran a long front-page story about Treasury Secretary Timothy...

Wilbur Ross' $1 Billion Bet

Posted by: Adrienne Carter on April 28, Categories: bailout

Turnaround specialist Wilbur Ross says he wants to invest as much as $1 billion in Treasury’s plan to buy banks’ bad assets. So why aren’t other investors jumping on the...

Virtual Due Diligence

Posted by: Matthew Goldstein on April 28, Categories: scandals

It's time to for authorities to start cracking down on the operators of so-called virtual offices--those fancy office suites with the receptionists and the couches in the waiting rooms that...

Stanford Lawyer Has His Own Trouble

Posted by: Matthew Goldstein on April 27, Categories: scandals

Well-known corporate lawyer Thomas Sjoblom is no stranger to high-profile court room fights. But in Sjoblom’s latest legal tussle, the former Securities and Exchange Commission attorney may be fighting for...

Deutsche's AIG Bailout

Posted by: Matthew Goldstein on April 24, Categories: bailout

We've heard a lot about how Goldman Sachs (GS)benefited from the federal government's bailout of American International Group. But thanks to some new candor by the Federal Reserve, we're learning...

The $1 Trillion Question

Posted by: Adrienne Carter on April 24, Categories: banking

The results of the “stress tests”—the parameters for which came out on Apr. 24—may not be all that terrible when the government finally releases them in early May. But many...

The SEC to the Rescue

Posted by: Matthew Goldstein on April 22, Categories: scandals

Maybe the Securities and Exchange Commission's new motto should be better late than never. The SEC, on Wednesday, reached a settlement with hedge fund advisory firm Hennessee Group over its...

Give John Mack a Hand

Posted by: Matthew Goldstein on April 22, Categories: investment banks

Sure, Morgan Stanley's worse-than-expected first quarter loss of $177 million is nothing to cheer about. And investors, in early trading, are beating up on the stock, pushing shares down 7%....

Blankfein's Led Zep Moment

Posted by: Matthew Goldstein on April 21, Categories: investment banks

We’re not sure if Goldman Sachs (GS) CEO Lloyd Blankfein is a big Led Zeppelin fan. But the investment firm’s first quarter earnings release got us thinking about the British...

Stanford's Media Blitz

Posted by: Matthew Goldstein on April 21, Categories: scandals

We're not sure what to make of Allen Stanford's "I'm not a swindler'' road show. Frankly, other than Stanford's repeated claims of innocence, occasional threats to punch reporters and blaming...

The Grim Reaper Stalks DC

Posted by: Matthew Goldstein on April 20, Categories: life settlements

The life settlement business is about to get a grilling from the folks on Capitol Hill. We're told the Senate's Special Committee on Aging will hold hearing on April 29...

Stanford's Double Bookkeeping

Posted by: Matthew Goldstein on April 17, Categories: scandals

Did disgraced financier R. Allen Stanford keep two sets of book at his controversial offshore bank in Antigua? Well that appears to be the preliminary finding of the British firm...

Stanford Finally Gets His Man

Posted by: Matthew Goldstein on April 16, Categories: scandals

It took a while, but hot-shot criminal defense lawyer Dick DeGuerin is officially representing disgraced financier R. Allen Stanford. And he's about to ask a federal judge to unfreeze some...

Nice Check If You Can Get It

Posted by: Adrienne Carter on April 16, Categories: investment banks

Goldman Sachs CEO Lloyd Blankfein doesn’t want to be under the thumb of the government anymore. Given the huge jump in pay at the investment bank, it’s understandable why he’s...

Goldman Should Give It All Back

Posted by: Matthew Goldstein on April 14, Categories: bailout

If Goldman Sachs CEO Lloyd Blankfein wants to put his money where his mouth is, he won't stop with just giving back the $10 billion in federal bailout money the...

The Government's Gag Order

Posted by: Adrienne Carter on April 10, Categories: bailout

Big banks have reportedly passed the "stress tests." But the Treasury doesn't want them to talk about the results in their forthcoming earnings report. Will they keep their mouths shuts—and...

AIG's Death Bond Play

Posted by: Matthew Goldstein on April 07, Categories: bailout

It would be ironic if the mega government bailout of American International Group (AIG)results in the once-mighty life insurer becoming one of the first major financial firms to sell "death...