Description: Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway Inc will pay $26 billion to buy out Burlington Northern Santa Fe Corp in a bet the nation’s largest rail company will benefit from a recovering U.S. economy. Source: Reuters.com Date: 11/03/2009 Link: http://www.reuters.com/article/topNews/idUSTRE5A22A720091103 Questions for discussion: Do you think this investment will turn out to be a good one… Read more »
Posts Categorized: Part 1 Business in a Global Environment
Skype Founders Join Buyout Group, Drop Litigation
Description: The founders of Skype agreed to join the investor group buying the Internet-calling service from EBay Inc. and to drop litigation that had threatened to shut down the company. Source: Bloomberg.com Date: 11/06/2009 Link: http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601204&sid=armXJAA3nReg Questions for discussion: Do you think Skype should be managed independently of EBay or as a part of it? … Read more »
Home-Price Index of 20 U.S. Cities Up for Third Month
Description: A gauge of home prices in 20 U.S. cities rose in August for a third consecutive month, bolstering the case that an economic recovery is at hand. Source: Bloomberg.com Date: 10/27/2009 Link: http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=newsarchive&sid=aBvc2corjATg Questions for discussion: Summarize the ideas expressed in this article relating home sales to the economy. Explain why home prices and… Read more »
Wikipedia founder in HP online magazine print deal
Description: The founder of online encyclopedia Wikipedia said on Wednesday he had entered into a partnership with computer company Hewlett Packard that will allow users to create and print magazines. Source: Reuters.com Date: 10/21/2009 Link: http://www.reuters.com/article/technologyNews/idUSTRE59K4MX20091021 Questions for discussion: Do you think this business model of on-demand magazine printing will become popular? Who do you… Read more »
New highs, but now a big test.
Description: Goldman Sachs, Bank of America, Google, IBM and Intel are among the heavy-hitters due to open their books, giving the rally its first big challenge in weeks. Source: CNNMoney.com Date: 10/11/2009 Keys: Finance (p558), Economy (p66) Link: http://money.cnn.com/2009/10/11/markets/sunday_lookahead/index.htm?postversion=2009101107 Questions for discussion: Explain why financial information released this week by these firms will likely influence… Read more »
Ralph Lauren admits it needs Photoshop lessons
Description: I’ve never seen Ralph Lauren in real life, but when he appeared on “Friends” a few years ago, he looked somewhat diminutive and not entirely in the first bloom of slenderness. So I wonder what he might have thought when a recently produced Ralph Lauren ad seemed to feature a model who last ate… Read more »
Want a job on Wall Street? Good luck.
Description: Job cuts in the financial world are expected to persist for some time. But there are bright spots for MBAs, bond traders and investment bankers. Source: CNNMoney.com Date: 10/03/2009 Keys: HR (p286), Economy (p66) Link: http://money.cnn.com/2009/09/30/news/companies/wall_street_jobs/index.htm?postversion=2009100320 Questions for discussion: Are there any differences in the hiring and firing practices of Wall Street HR departments… Read more »
Three more U.S. banks closed, nearly 100 for year
Description: Three U.S. banks failed on Friday, bringing the total to 98 this year, as regulators continue to shutter financial institutions that are overwhelmed by bad loans and liquidity problems. Source: Reuters.com Date: 10/02/2009 Keys: Banking (p558), Economy (p66) Link: http://www.reuters.com/article/ousivMolt/idUSTRE59208120091003 Questions for discussion: How are banks similar and yet different from other businesses? Why… Read more »
Bullish Estimates Fail to Keep Up With S&P 500 Gain
Description: Strategists at Wall Street’s biggest securities firms can’t keep up with the Standard & Poor’s 500 Index after the steepest surge since the 1930s. Source: Bloomberg.com Date: 9/23/2009 Keys: Stock markets, economy Link: http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=newsarchive&sid=azdTAKZ2QQ7w Questions for discussion: Summarize the explanations for the rise in stock markets as well as the arguments saying they are… Read more »
Riding the bull a little longer
Description: The momentum that boosted the Dow, S&P 500 and Nasdaq to nearly one-year highs looks to reassert itself in the week ahead. Fed meeting, housing reports, G-20 summit on tap. Source: CNNMoney.com Date: 9/20/2009 Keys: Investing, stock market Link: http://money.cnn.com/2009/09/18/markets/sunday_lookahead/index.htm?postversion=2009092008 Questions for discussion: Based on the report, do you believe the stock markets will… Read more »
